Page 3 - Louisiana 811 Magazine 2022 Issue 2

from the desk of
Brent Saltzman
Enforcement..Does It Work?
Does enforcement really work? And if so, is it fair and equitable as it pertains to the Dig Law? Is it necessary? I’ll do my best to address these questions since this issue of our magazine is devoted to Enforcement.
I don’t think anyone would argue that having enforcement of ANY law is a bad thing. For years, we had virtually no enforcement for violators of the Dig Law so it was welcoming to see the Louisiana Office of Conservation – Pipeline Division authorized to enforce
this statute back a few years ago as it pertains to pipelines. They have proven through statistical data that damages are down in Louisiana because of their efforts so the answer to the first question is unequivocally “YES”, enforcement works! I know that this agency proactively looks for the “bad” players out there and their intent isn’t to punish anyone or issue citations. Their purpose, in my opinion, is
to educate excavators and curtail poor behavior. The bottom line is they have the same intent as we do at the end of the day, get excavators home safely!
The next question addresses the fairness of enforcement. I think without question that this organization wants nothing more than to hear from those presumed to be guilty of violating the Dig Law. Listening to all parties involved, gathering the facts, and taking into account the circumstances is paramount to making an equitable decision and I feel confident each of these points are covered by the Pipeline Division.
Finally, do I feel enforcement is necessary? I think the better question is what if we didn’t have enforcement? It would be like the Wild West out there if we didn’t and I’m confident that damages to vital underground and submerged infrastructure would skyrocket resulting in more utility outages and perhaps more injuries or even deaths. If I’m being perfectly honest, I’d like to see enforcement across the board
for ALL utilities – not just pipelines. Perhaps we’ll get there one day but for now, I’m happy that this state agency has enforcement capabilities and they’re doing fantastic work out there.
In closing, let me say THANKS to all the other folks that proactively work to make us all safer. We all have a role to play in promoting the health and well-being of our communities.
Brent Saltzman Executive Director Louisiana 811
2022, Issue 2 Louisiana 811 • 1