On December 19, the Public Utility Commission announced three appointments to its Damage Prevention Committee, which is tasked with enforcing the state’s Underground Utility Line Protection Act – also known as the “PA One Call Law.”

The Commission re-appointed two current DPC members, James T. Dacey of Doylestown, Bucks County, and Thomas R. Clark of Middletown, Dauphin County; and appointed a new committee member in Jeffrey Canfield of Pottsville, Schuylkill County. 

All three individuals will serve three-year terms, beginning on January 1, 2020.

Authorized by Act 50 of 2017, the DPC is a peer-based group of 13 representatives, nominated by their industry or affiliated organization and appointed by the PUC. 

Modeled after successful programs in other states, the focus of the DPC is to reduce the number of “hits” on underground lines and utilities. 

The committee meets regularly to review alleged violations of Act 50 and make informal determinations as to the appropriate response including, but not limited to, the issuance of warning letters, mandatory training programs and/or administrative penalties.

James Dacey

Since the DPC’s inception in 2018, Dacey has served as an excavator representative on the committee. 

Prior to joining the DPC, Dacey was a member of the PA One Call Construction Industry Committee, where he helped to write the 2006 update of the PA One Call Law; and served as past president of the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) as well as NUCA’s Pennsylvania Director. 

He is vice president of DOLI Construction Corporation in Chalfont, Bucks County.

Thomas Clark

Clark was also an appointee to the first DPC, representing the municipal government community. 

Clark is director of public works for the Township of Derry, Dauphin County, and has been an active member of the American Public Works Association (APWA) Executive Board for over 25 years. 

In addition, he is a member of APWA’s Emergency Management Committee, and has served in an advisory role for transportation and safety improvements facilitated by the State Transportation Innovation Council under the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Jeffrey Canfield

Canfield joins the DPC as a representative of facility owners – water/wastewater.  With over 30 years of experience installing sewer, water and storm lines, Canfield is a project manager with the Schuylkill County Municipal Authority (SCMA). 

He is responsible for the daily management of SCMA’s Distribution and Collection Department, overseeing his staff’s interaction with the PA One Call System and now leading the development of a damage prevention program for the authority.

For more information on this program, visit the PUC’s PA 1 Call Damage Prevention Committee webpage.

(Photo: What happens when a backhoe hits a natural gas gathering pipeline.)

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[Posted: December 19, 2019]

12/23/2019