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Staff outlines GIS implementation issues; board and stakeholders urge cautious, phased approach
Summary
Board staff presented potential regulatory concepts for GIS implementation — including 100 mm horizontal accuracy, richer data content and required metadata — and stakeholders urged a measured approach because of differing operator capabilities and costs.
Staff briefed the board on regulatory concepts for implementing GIS for subsurface installations, a statutory obligation that took effect Jan. 1, 2023. Staff said the law requires mapping of new installations but does not define required accuracy, content or metadata; the presentation proposed three regulatory topics for discussion: horizontal positional accuracy (staff suggested exploring a 100 millimeter / ~4-inch baseline), GIS data content requirements (including tracer wire, marker balls and high‑priority attributes), and mandatory metadata (how, when and by whom the data was captured).
Utility and notification-center representatives said they support clearer standards but warned of cost and process implications. Steve Cleaver of PG&E praised the methodical approach and advised that the board consider multiple user needs: operators, locators and designers.
James Wingate of USA North 811 said California adopting clear standards could be innovative nationally but acknowledged the technical and cost burdens of implementing 4-inch accuracy statewide. Stakeholders urged pilot programs and additional workshops to refine standards and timelines.
What the board will do: Staff said it will continue stakeholder outreach and refine proposals using international standards (ASCE, British Standards) as references and return to the board with recommended next steps for rulemaking, pilots or phased adoption.
Ending: Board members asked staff to balance precision goals with practical field constraints and to avoid overly prescriptive early rules; staff agreed to continue workshops and to gather additional industry feedback.
