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Ohio Gas Association opposes HB54 abandonment language, urges use of Underground Damage Prevention Coalition
Summary
The Ohio Gas Association told the Senate Transportation Committee that language in House Bill 54 requiring removal or abandonment of utility structures should be removed and addressed through the existing Ohio Underground Damage Prevention Coalition process instead.
Jimmy Stewart, president of the Ohio Gas Association, told the Senate Transportation Committee the association "strongly opposes" House Bill 54 language related to the abandonment of telecommunications and utility structures and urged legislators to let the existing multi‑stakeholder process work.
Stewart said enforcing removal of abandoned lines would divert resources from constructing and maintaining broadband and energy infrastructure and could create unintended consequences such as damage to adjacent active utilities and roadway surfaces. "Repairing these damages would further drain resources and delay other essential projects," he said.
Stewart and other utility witnesses told senators the Ohio Underground Damage Prevention Coalition (OUDPC) — a group that brings contractors, utilities, 8‑11 locators, the Public Utilities Commission and others together — is already working on abandoned‑line issues through an Abandoned Line Subcommittee. The association urged ODOT and the Legislature to collaborate with that coalition to develop consensus language rather than inserting new language into the compressed schedule of the transportation budget.
Why it matters: Opponents say a statutory fix within a transportation budget could be rushed and produce operational and safety problems; they recommended fuller stakeholder review and noted ongoing subcommittee work that they said could yield acceptable legislation.
Key takeaways from testimony and committee exchanges
- OGA asked to remove the abandoned facilities language from HB54 and to continue work within the OUDPC Abandoned Line Subcommittee, which Stewart said includes contractors, utilities, local governments, and Ohio 8‑1‑1. - Senator Timken and others asked why utilities would not be responsive when projects are planned; OGA witnesses said some relocation tasks require rights‑of‑way, easement acquisition or timing constraints (for example, safety and seasonality for gas service) that can exceed project timelines. - Witnesses from the utility sector said they would welcome ODOT participation in the coalition; OGA said that would help produce practical, safety‑focused and mutually agreed language.
Ending: OGA urged the committee to let the coalition continue its work and to consult the industry and excavators before approving abandonment language in the budget. The association said collaborative work could produce legislation usable outside the compressed budget timetable, reducing the need for later legislative cleanup.
