Underground Infrastructure - October 2023 - 27

INSIDEINFRASTRUCTURE
Eben M. Wyman | Wyman Associates
GIS Offers Best Way to Improve
Underground Facility Maps
EDITOR'S NOTE
Eben Wyman is a veteran advocate
for key underground utility and
pipeline associations. He points out
that maintaining an effective advocacy
program is fundamental to the
success of any organization interested
in the happenings of the federal
government. He can be contacted at
eben@wymanassociates.net.
In April 2021, President Biden signed into law the largest infrastructure
package in American history after months of bipartisan
negotiations and intense political infighting during a
global pandemic.
The final Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
provided $1.2 trillion in funds, including $550 billion in
new investments for the nation's roads and bridges, airports,
public transit and a wide range of subsurface infrastructure.
Specifically, IIJA addressed challenges facing our
underground infrastructure networks in a multi-tiered way,
sector by sector.
Broadband: The infrastructure bill included $65 billion to
bolster the country's broadband infrastructure, including $42
billion provided straight to the states for broadband deployment
projects.
Clean Water: Following decades of insufficient funding for
dilapidated water and sewer systems, IIJA included $55 billion
to replace lead pipes and service lines, and for the general refurbishment
of America's water and wastewater infrastructure.
Electric Grid Improvements: IIJA provided close to
$100-billion investment to help upgrade the nation's electricity
grid, adding thousands of miles of new transmission
lines and funds for environmentally friendly grid technology.
This includes both subsurface and overhead infrastructure
improvements.
Carbon Capture and Storage; Hydrogen: While no favors
were given to (nor expected from) the natural gas industry,
$8.5 billion was provided for carbon capture and storage.
Much of the money will be split between funding infrastructure
for transporting carbon dioxide and finding a final destination
for it. Another $8 billion is provided to set up at least
four clean " hydrogen hubs " across the country. Both initiatives
are expected to require significant pipeline infrastructure.
Prior to IIJA, America was already in the midst of the biggest
infrastructure build-out in its history. Adding more than
a half trillion dollars in new spending for infrastructure improvements,
while a sound investment, will mean a significantly
higher level of excavation for the foreseeable future. That
means damage prevention is more important now than ever.
Importance of GIS Mapping
At a time when America is making these huge investments
in underground infrastructure markets, damage prevention
to underground facilities is fundamental and all stakeholders
must ensure that their responsibilities are met.
Distribution Contractors Association (DCA) and other construction
organizations agree that geographic information
system (GIS) mapping offers the best way to document and
digitally update underground facilities, from natural gas pipelines
to broadband and electric systems, to water and wastewater
infrastructure.
The underground has truly become a web of underground
utility networks, and the lack of accurate mapping is now a
major challenge to excavators working in all underground
markets. GIS allows users to create, manage, analyze and map
all types of data related to underground facilities, integrating
location data related to underground facilities in that area,
and allowing for layering of data tied to geographic points.
Rather than restricting the user to limited features on a static
map, GIS mapping allows for viewing customizable combinations
of data layers in a single tool.
This year's pipeline safety debate has generated considerable
conversation about GIS. In fact, DCA and a range of
organizations representing construction contractors, engineers,
manufacturers, distributors and other service providers,
pipeline operators, labor unions and others engaged in
construction of underground facilities, have banded together
to encourage Congress to include incentives to encourage
increased use of GIS in this year's pipeline safety legislation,
commonly referred to as the " PIPES Act. "
UndergroundInfrastructure.com | OCTOBER 2023 27
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Underground Infrastructure - October 2023

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