Page 6 - Arkansas 811 Magazine 2021 Issue 1

Why Discuss EnforcemWent Now?
hen is a good time to discuss the enforcement of Arkansas’s Dig Law? And who should be included in
the discussion? And should enforcement be expanded to include all utilities and hold all stakeholders accountable to the same standards? And if not us, who? And if not now, when?
In our industry, most everywhere you go, there will be a conversation about the effectiveness of that state’s enforcement process. That’s probably because there
is not a perfect system. Often, the discussions lead to ideas that create better processes.
Recently, I engaged in such a conversation with Kyle Coggins, Damage Prevention Supervisor for Black Hills Energy in Arkansas, and an Arkansas 811 Board member. I also spoke with Mike Gowen, Damage Prevention Manager of AR811 and Kristin Bryant, Manager of AR811;
all three also serve on the Arkansas 811 legislative committee.
It was a follow up to an earlier topic
that was discussed at the 2020 Arkansas Damage Prevention Summit. The discussion was about the need to improve Arkansas’ damage prevention efforts. This need for improvement, shouldn’t discredit the existing efforts that are ongoing in Arkansas. In fact, in 2016 the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) took steps to improve damage prevention in Arkansas. Likely, if you or your company has ever hit a gas line within this time frame, you received a letter from them. Hopefully, you also noted the serious nature of the message. This effort by the APSC, no doubt, shows the importance
of accountability and is helping to drive results. However, even though we have seen improvement, Arkansas still ranks among the worst in the nation for utility line damages.
The discussion then must focus on three key areas; how do we leverage existing successes, improve the fairness of enforcement, and prioritize partnerships and relationships to create a strong and robust damage prevention program? Those were the questions that Arkansas 811 sought to answer when they convened their legislative committee. Here’s what committee members had to say about their focus.
4 • Arkansas 811 Magazine
2021, Issue 1