§ 6101. — Purposes.
[Laws in effect as of January 7, 2003]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 7, 2003 and December 19, 2003]
[CITE: 49USC6101]
TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
SUBTITLE III--GENERAL AND INTERMODAL PROGRAMS
CHAPTER 61--ONE-CALL NOTIFICATION PROGRAMS
Sec. 6101. Purposes
The purposes of this chapter are--
(1) to enhance public safety;
(2) to protect the environment;
(3) to minimize risks to excavators; and
(4) to prevent disruption of vital public services,
by reducing the incidence of damage to underground facilities during
excavation through the voluntary adoption and efficient implementation
by all States of State one-call notification programs that meet the
minimum standards set forth under section 6103.
(Added Pub. L. 105-178, title VII, Sec. 7302(a), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat.
478.)
Congressional Findings
Pub. L. 105-178, title VII, Sec. 7301, June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 477,
provided that: ``Congress finds that--
``(1) unintentional damage to underground facilities during
excavation is a significant cause of disruptions in
telecommunications, water supply, electric power, and other vital
public services, such as hospital and air traffic control
operations, and is a leading cause of natural gas and hazardous
liquid pipeline accidents;
``(2) excavation that is performed without prior notification to
an underground facility operator or with inaccurate or untimely
marking of such a facility prior to excavation can cause damage that
results in fatalities, serious injuries, harm to the environment and
disruption of vital services to the public; and
``(3) protection of the public and the environment from the
consequences of underground facility damage caused by excavations
will be enhanced by a coordinated national effort to improve one-
call notification programs in each State and the effectiveness and
efficiency of one-call notification systems that operate under such
programs.''
