APCA is urging Congress to advance pipeline safety legislation containing critical underground utility damage prevention provisions to help protect America’s workers, communities, and buried infrastructure.&nbsp;
On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Senate <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/press/rep/release/chairman-cruz-pipeline-safety-act-passage-signals-key-step-toward-american-energy-dominance/" target="_blank">passed the APCA-supported PIPELINE Safety Act</a> (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2975" target="_blank">S. 2975</a>), which includes language (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/s2975/BILLS-119s2975es.pdf#page=67" target="_self">Section 211</a>) encouraging states to implement stronger underground utility damage prevention programs and improve enforcement of one-call laws.&nbsp;
The House is currently considering two separate pipeline safety measures containing similar damage prevention provisions. <a href="https://www.americanpipeline.org/advocacy/position-papers/apca-letter-to-house-ti-committee-in-support-of-pipes-act-of-2025" target="_self">APCA celebrated</a> the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee’s September 17, 2025, passage of the bipartisan PIPES Act of 2025 (H.R. 5301) and excavation damage prevention language in Section 18 of the measure.&nbsp;
On July 21, 2026, an <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF00/20260720/119490/BILLS-119-HR9338-A000370-Amdt-5.pdf?source=email" target="_self">amended version</a> of the Pipeline Safety Authorization Act of 2026 (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9338" target="_self">H.R. 9338</a>) was advanced out of the full House Energy &amp; Commerce Committee by a 41-8 vote — a meaningful step toward stronger federal protections for buried utilities and the communities that depend on them. <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF00/20260720/119490/BILLS-119-HR9338-A000370-Amdt-5.pdf#page=32" target="_blank">Section 11</a> of the bill has APCA-supported damage prevention language of note. The bill needs a full House floor vote and then “6 corner” negotiations with the Senate and committees of jurisdiction in the lame duck Congress. If signed into law, the legislation would help strengthen state damage prevention programs, improve coordination among excavators, utility operators and locators, and reduce costly and dangerous underground utility strikes.
The need for action is urgent. Underground utility damage is now costing America $83.2 billion a year, <a href="https://commongroundalliance.com/Publications-Media/Press-Releases/Press-Release/new-report-underground-utility-damage-costs-america-832-billion-a-yearnearly-triple-previous-estimate" target="_self">according to a new Common Ground Alliance report</a>. That's nearly triple CGA’s widely cited 2019 benchmark of $30 billion in annual damages.
Congress has an important but narrow window of opportunity to pass meaningful underground damage prevention reforms as part of pipeline safety legislation and/or broader surface transportation reauthorization policymaking.
Contact your lawmakers today and urge them to support passage of pipeline safety legislation containing strong underground damage prevention provisions. Please share this grassroots message with industry colleagues and stakeholders: <a href="https://mstr.app/3454cd0f-589e-4b86-8106-210712fc0cbf" target="_blank">https://mstr.app/3454cd0f-589e-4b86-8106-210712fc0cbf</a>&nbsp;

Tell the U.S. House to Pass Underground Utility Damage Prevention Legislation

I am a member of the American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) and build and maintain America’s critical underground energy and utility infrastructure.

I am writing to urge you to support pipeline safety legislation containing strong underground utility damage prevention provisions, including Section 18 of the bipartisan PIPES Act of 2025 (H.R. 5301) passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee in September 2025, and Section 11 of the Pipeline Safety Authorization Act of 2026 (H.R. 9338) that the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed by a bipartisan 41-8 vote on July 21, 2026.

The need for action is urgent.  Underground utility damage is now costing America $83.2 billion a year, according to a new Common Ground Alliance report. That's nearly triple CGA’s widely cited 2019 benchmark of $30 billion in annual damages resulting in injuries, utility service disruptions, and harm to businesses and taxpayers across America.

As federal investments accelerate energy pipeline, broadband, electric grid, and water infrastructure construction, it is critical that Congress strengthen policies that help prevent excavation damage and improve coordination among excavators, utility operators and locating professionals.

Incentivizing strong state damage prevention policies will help protect workers, communities, critical infrastructure and taxpayer investments while reducing costly project delays and service interruptions.

That’s why APCA applauds the U.S. Senate for passing the APCA-supported PIPELINE Safety Act (S. 2975) on April 29, 2026, which includes strong underground utility damage prevention language in Section 211 of the bill.

In short, the House has a limited window to pass this legislation so that a six corner conference of House and Senate committee leaders can reconcile differences with before final passage.

When the House returns after the election, please prioritize passage of pipeline safety legislation containing meaningful underground utility damage prevention reforms.