CenturyLink To Pay State $2.25 Million For Failing To Mark Underground Lines During Digging Season

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A high speed internet, phone and television service provider will pay the state of Minnesota $2.25 million for repeatedly failing to mark underground telecommunication lines "during the height of digging season" last year.

According to a news release, the money will go to the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety (MNOPS), which plans to use it to offset some of its costs and develop additional training programs.

Now CenturyLink must also develop a damage prevention program, evaluate its "quality assurance measures" and provide monthly status reports to MNOPS.

MNOPS began investigating complaints that CenturyLink was not responding to marking requests in April 2019.

Utility marking is required by law so that crews can safely dig without hitting gas, water, internet and other underground lines. MNOPS says crews were forced to abandon jobs last year, during the height of construction/excavation season, because of CenturyLink's impropriety.

"This was unacceptable and our ultimate goal is for it to never happen again," MNOPS Director and State Fire Marshal Jim Smith said. "CenturyLink has an important job to do and we want them to do it successfully to help us keep Minnesotans and the people who work and visit here safe."

These are more of the terms of the agreement:

• CenturyLink must respond to 90% of utility-locate requests on time over the next two years.
• If more than one CenturyLink telecommunications line is damaged per 1,000 locates in two consecutive months, the terms of the order will be extended an additional year.