Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has launched an investigation into the state’s gas utility companies and underground facility oversight following claims of repeated safety failures and noncompliance with state law.
According to Hanaway, multiple reports have surfaced accusing Missouri utilities of failing to properly locate and mark underground gas lines and service infrastructure a critical responsibility that, when ignored, puts homes and lives at risk. State law requires utilities to locate and mark buried infrastructure within two working days of a homeowner or contractor’s intent to dig.
Hanaway is also demanding that Missouri 811, the state’s official underground facility reporting system, turn over complaints and documentation showing which utility companies have failed to meet these legal requirements under the Underground Facility Safety and Damage Prevention Act.
Many of our followers have mentioned for years about the safety and accuracy of underground line mapping in the metro area. Several specifically recalled when AT&T began installing U-Verse fiber underground throughout St. Louis County a project many believe caused widespread disruptions due to inconsistent utility line location. Questions about whether those issues were ever properly addressed are resurfacing now in light of this investigation.
Photo credit :Derk Brown
