HR 34 — A Resolution designating the month of April 2025 as "Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe Digging Month."

PRINTER'S NO.   341

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 34
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY MATZIE, VENKAT, DEASY, HARKINS, SANCHEZ, McNEILL,
        KENYATTA, MALAGARI, GIRAL, NEILSON, HILL-EVANS, SCHLOSSBERG,
        GREEN, MADDEN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, MAYES, REICHARD AND ZIMMERMAN,
        JANUARY 28, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
        UTILITIES, JANUARY 28, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating the month of April 2025 as "Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe
 2      Digging Month."
 3      WHEREAS, As engineers, designers, excavators and homeowners
 4   work to keep pace with this Commonwealth's unprecedented
 5   economic development, it is important to minimize damage to
 6   underground utility lines, danger to workers, environmental
 7   pollution and loss of utility service to residents of this
 8   Commonwealth; and
 9      WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania One Call System, a utility
10   notification center celebrating more than 50 years of continuous
11   service to this Commonwealth, is key to preventing injuries and
12   damage when excavating and demolishing; and
13      WHEREAS, This unique service provides easy, one-call
14   notification about construction and excavation projects that may
15   endanger workers and jeopardize utility lines and promotes
16   workplace and public safety, reduces underground utility damage,
 1   minimizes utility service interruptions and protects the
 2   environment; and
 3         WHEREAS, This vital service, which began with only six
 4   utility companies in western Pennsylvania and the City of
 5   Pittsburgh, now serves more than 100,000 excavators and 3,600
 6   critical infrastructure owners throughout this Commonwealth; and
 7         WHEREAS, Each year, the Pennsylvania One Call System receives
 8   more than 1 million notification requests and transmits more
 9   than 6 million notifications to its members, providing
10   protection to utility companies, their employees and customers;
11   and
12         WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's Underground Utility Line Protection
13   Law, referred to as the One Call Act, has been used as a model
14   for many other states and at least seven foreign countries; and
15         WHEREAS, Dozens of counties and hundreds of municipalities
16   are following in the footsteps of the General Assembly and
17   adopting their own proclamations memorializing "Safe Digging
18   Month"; therefore be it
19         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
20   month of April 2025 as "Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe Digging Month";
21   and be it further
22         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage all
23   excavators and homeowners of this Commonwealth to dial 8-1-1 or
24   1-800-242-1776 before digging in order to "Know What's Below,"
25   avoid injury, protect the environment and prevent millions of
26   dollars in damages; and be it further
27         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives remind excavators
28   that three business days' notice before digging is the law
29   because safe digging is no accident and that more information
30   may be obtained by visiting www.pa811.org.

20250HR0034PN0341                    - 2 -