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Broadband installers seek narrow 811 exemption for hand‑buried drops; utilities and 811 board warn of safety risks
Summary
Proponents said LB1093 (with amendment) would let technicians hand‑bury temporary drop lines and speed customer hookups; the Nebraska 1‑Call board, natural‑gas and electric utilities, and city utilities strongly opposed the measure, citing risks of hitting buried lines and long‑term damage.
Sen. Beau Ballard told the committee LB1093 — as amended — would add a limited exemption to Nebraska’s 1‑call statutes so telecommunication and broadband providers can hand‑dig shallow drop lines for same‑day customer connections in a narrow set of circumstances. Ballard said the amendment limits hand‑digging depth to 18 inches within 12 inches of a pedestal and 8 inches elsewhere and adds strict liability for any damage.
Dayton Murty of Charter/Spectrum testified the current process can leave temporary drop cables exposed for days or weeks, particularly after winter, and that a hand‑dig exemption would let field technicians complete…
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