Sponsors (4)
Designating an awareness month encourages more people to call 811 and can reduce injuries, outages, and repair costs, but it relies on voluntary behavior, requires some funding to be effective, and does not create new legal protections.
Construction workers and homeowners are likely to contact 811 before digging, reducing the number of strikes on buried utilities and lowering the chance of service outages and property damage.
Construction workers and homeowners face lower risk of injury, death, and environmental harm because fewer damaged gas, sewer, or chemical lines will occur when people call 811.
Utilities, taxpayers, and ratepayers could see lower emergency response and repair costs when avoidable utility strikes are prevented through increased public awareness.
State governments, utilities, or taxpayers may need to fund awareness campaigns or devote staff time to outreach, creating additional costs that could be passed on to ratepayers or taxpayers.
Homeowners and construction workers may expect new protections or enforcement from the designation even though a commemorative month has no regulatory force, leaving behavior and legal safeguards unchanged.
Based on analysis of 1 section of legislative text.
Designates April as a month to increase awareness of safe digging and to encourage calling 811 before excavation.
Introduced April 15, 2026 by Todd Young · Last progress April 15, 2026
Designates April as a month to raise public awareness about safe digging practices and to encourage people to call 811 before excavating. It lists federal and industry background on 811, notes risks from striking buried utilities (service outages, environmental harm, injury, death), and highlights April as the start of peak digging season when outreach is especially important. The resolution is a statement of findings and public-awareness intent only; it does not create new requirements, appropriate funds, or change existing law. It cites participation by the Department of Transportation, FCC, the Common Ground Alliance, States, and damage-prevention professionals in promoting 811 outreach.