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Carbon County proclaims April 2026 'Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month'
Summary
The commissioners adopted a proclamation recognizing April 2026 as Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month; Maria White of Pennsylvania 811 urged residents to call the free 811 number before excavating and explained that excavators pay $125 annually while facility owners cover ticket response costs.
The Carbon County Board of Commissioners adopted a proclamation recognizing April 2026 as "Pennsylvania 811 Safe Digging Month," reaffirming support for the commonwealth’s underground utility notification law and urging residents to call 811 before excavation.
Maria White, introduced to the board as the 811 representative, told commissioners “811 is the number that you call before you dig” and noted that Pennsylvania law requires calling before digging with mechanized equipment. She advised farmers and property owners to call even when local exemptions may apply: “Farmers are allowed to till up to 18 inches deep, without calling 811. But I still recommend that you do.”
White described the service’s funding and operations: calls from homeowners are free, excavators pay an annual $125 fee, and facility owners such as gas and water companies bear the cost of responding to tickets. She said the system helps prevent accidents and property damage by dispatching facilities to mark underground lines in advance.
Commissioners thanked White and urged residents and contractors to use the free service to reduce the risk of hitting utility lines. The board adopted the proclamation by voice roll call.
