An Annandale, Minnesota contractor has been fined $1000 – with $500 suspended – for violating North Dakota’s “Call Before You Dig” law.
But members of the North Dakota Public Service Commission give MP Technologies, LLC credit for trying to do the right thing.
Commissioner Sheri Haugen-Hoffart said late last year, the company was working on bringing natural gas lines to a new twin home in Minot. She said the company filed for location tickets for the two excavation, and extended those tickets. She said later, on Dec. 19th, MP provided the notice to North Dakota One Call to begin work on one of the twin homes Dec. 22nd. Haugen-Hoffart said about an hour later on the 19th, the company made a call, for work to begin on the other twin home – and said an emergency crew was on site.
"They said there was no heat," Haugen-Hoffart said. "But it's important to note that the twin home was not occupied."
She said that meant it didn't meet the definition of "emergency."
The markers were also gone.
PSC advocacy staff recommended the $1000 fine, with half suspended, because MP was trying to follow the law.
"They caught it, which, a lot of times, means it doesn't happen," said Commissioner Julie Fedorchak. "You can see how it would happen — they got the crews, and the crews are ready to go, so they did an 'emergency' — but it didn't meet the standards for that."