Page 11 - Louisiana 811 Magazine 2022 Issue 2
P. 11

Louisiana AGC is the only statewide full-service construction trade association representing more than 1,000 general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and service firms throughout the state. We are now the seventh-largest
AGC chapter in the nation. Formed in 1949, LAGC is one of the 96 chapters of
the 25,000-member AGCA headquartered in Washington, D.C. LAGC works
for its members in areas such as legislation, governmental relations, workforce development, safety and training, human resources, and liaisons with awarding authorities and design professionals. We serve as the voice of the construction industry and are constantly striving to protect and preserve the livelihood of our members.
Together with our members, LAGC promotes skill, responsibility and integrity through construction and services that enhance the quality of life for those who live, work or travel in Louisiana. We provide members and their employees with opportunities to learn through seminars and professional development training courses and network with industry peers through meetings, conferences and social
events. We also collectively influence public officials and private-sector owners through our longstanding relationships as well as help members develop business growth. LAGC is the voice of the Louisiana construction industry, helping our members to stay informed in areas that will directly impact their bottom lines.
LAGC has four occupational divisions: Building, Highway, Utility Infrastructure, and Flood Protection and Coastal Restoration. Each of these four occupational divisions are composed of members performing similar types of construction with mutual concerns. All of our members benefit from the long-standing relationship that LAGC has with local, state and federal authorities, which dictate day-to-day construction life, either as owners or as regulatory bodies.
LAGC makes a concerted effort to build and maintain relationships with other associations/ similar organizations that align with our mission. We have partnered with Louisiana One Call for over 30 years now, and they played a key role in passing legislation regarding markings, benefiting our members greatly. We attend their conferences & events and are proud not only that they are an LAGC Member, but also to have such an incredible working relationship with an organization of such stature.
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permits. When these are investigated, I sometimes found that a permit was placed but not a one call.
It seemed most all people knew to abide by the permit requirement but failed to call 811 before they dug. Being familiar with the requirements needed to get a permit in Terrebonne Parish, I knew that an 811 call was not in the list of steps. I knew that if we could combine the two requirements it could help eliminate damage to all underground utilities and help protect the safety of contractors as well as the homeowners involved in weekend projects.”
With the idea fresh on Matt’s mind, he made a call to the Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove. Matt and Gordon had met before at different benefits and local public awareness events supported by Shell. When Matt pitched the idea to the Parish President, Gordon said, “My first reaction to the idea was, how is it that we don’t already do this? I told Matt, I thought it was a great idea and anything we can do to improve safety and reduce incidents, we
are onboard.” From there Gordon put Matt in touch with Chris Pulaski, Head of the Planning and Zoning Department and the process of getting the permit changed was just a matterof time.
Terrebonne Parish had required
a permit for all building and most excavation such as sewage treatment, plant installs, culvert installs, electrical services, plumbing, fence construction and those kinds of projects, but there was not a requirement to specifically call 811 tied to the permit. That changed recently as the new look permit rolled out at the beginning of April.
As a matter of curiosity, the Parish President was asked “were there residents who wanted to know who
or what is 811?” Gordon responded, “Unfortunately, we do have several
that aren’t all that familiar with 811
and the process, so this is a good chance to educate anyone who has questions when filling out the permit.” Additionally, he said, “for now, we’ve made it a suggestion that the resident makes the call and when they get to the
question that asks was the call made and they say no, then the Louisiana 811 law is presented along with a link to access the call center. We think for now that is the best way to educate the user the need to make the call.
So, we’ll test it and see the results and decide later whether or not to make it a requirement.”
Matt said that based on the interest in Terrebonne Parish and the support he’s received, he wants to work
with the neighboring parishes and continue to build the program from there.
We salute Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove and his staff along with Matt Pregeant, Shell Pipeline for working together to implement perhaps the first of its kind of permit in Louisiana. Thank you gentlemen... We just needed somebody to blaze the trail... we’ll be close behind!
Make that call to 811 before you dig!
2022, Issue 2 Louisiana 811 • 9


































































































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