Page 8 - Alabama 811 Magazine 2020 Issue 4

Alabama’s new enforcement entity, the Underground Damage Prevention Authority, has completed the necessary preliminary work to ensure compliance with state guidelines and has become official to begin receiving and reviewing filed complaints for violations of the Alabama Underground Damage Prevention law.
The Authority is made up of 17 industry stakeholders to ensure a cross representation from all entities routinely involved in excavation and facility protection process. These authority members represent the following and each serve a staggered three-year term:
AL Attorney General’s Office *
AL Public Service Commission *
AL Dept. of Transportation *
AL County Engineers
Cable Television Industry
Electric Utility Industry
Municipal Utility Operator Industry Natural Gas Distribution Industry One Call Notification Center Professional Excavator Industry Professional Road Builder Industry Professional Land Surveyor Industry Telecommunications Industry Transmission Pipeline Industry Utility Facility Locating Industry Water Utility Industry
Wastewater Industry
* Governor appoints all stakeholder representatives except those from state agencies
The Authority has elected the required five-member executive committee who is responsible for the initial review of filed complaints and the initial penalty determination.
Complaints relative to violations of
the Underground Damage Prevention Act are filed with the Authority. Once
a complaint is filed, the entity, on with complaint is filed, will be notified and provided information relative to what has been submitted in regard to the proposed violation. Both complaints and response to complaints can be filed at the www.aludpa.org website. These complaints and any related responses and documentation will be provided to the executive committee for review and determination if there was a violation of the law and what appropriate penalty should be applied. Once a penalty determination has been made, the alleged violator has the option to agree with the penalty or appeal it to the
full Authority Board for review and determination.
There are time limits on the steps within the process to ensure a quick response so that alleged violations are not extended unnecessarily, and the system is not so complicated to not be efficient.
Visit the www.aludpa.org website for more detailed information about the Authority Board and the enforcement process.
five-member executive committee who is responsible for the initial review of filed complaints and the initial penalty determination.
Complaints relative to violations of
the Underground Damage Prevention Act are filed with the Authority. Once
a complaint is filed, the entity, on with complaint is filed, will be notified and provided information relative to what has been submitted in regard to the proposed violation. Both complaints and response to complaints can be filed at the www.aludpa.org website. These complaints and any related responses and documentation will be provided to the executive committee for review and determination if there was a violation of the law and what appropriate penalty should be applied. Once a penalty determination has been made, the alleged violator has the option to agree with the penalty or appeal it to the
full Authority Board for review and determination.
There are time limits on the steps within the process to ensure a quick response so that alleged violations are not extended unnecessarily, and the system is not so complicated to not be efficient.
Visit the www.aludpa.org website for more detailed information about the Authority Board and the enforcement process.
6 • Alabama 811 2020, Issue 4