Page 7 - Mississippi 811 Magazine 2022 Issue 3

AVR - Alleged Violation Reporting
AVRs are being submitted in record numbers and that
is a good thing in that the enforcement process is being utilized. However, in meetings across the state, it is obvious that many stakeholders still are nervous about the using the AVR.
Some have asked, “When should I submit an AVR or when should I report someone who is violating the dig law?” To this question there is no right or wrong answer. From the earliest days of working to include enforcement (education and/or civil penalties) the idea of enforcement was promoted
as a last resort. The hope was that stakeholders would continue to try
to resolve issues in the field as they
had done in the past and if resolution was not possible, enforcement was an
additional step to be used to encourage behavioral change.
The AVR is an access point to the Enforcement Board. If you feel that the enforcement process will help
you do a better job of protecting your underground infrastructure, then submit an AVR. Here are a few things to remember when submitting one.
You will notice a red asterisk beside some of the requested information. This means that that field is a required field. While the other information is not required to fill out the form, it will assist in investigating or locating the alleged violation.
You should know the ten steps below to successfully submit an AVR:
I. The online form located at www. msdamageprevention.com requires
you to enter your name and contact information including your email address and phone number. There will likely be questions regarding the alleged violations and without being able to contact you, it would be impossible to continue the investigation.
II. The form then directs you to enter the person or company that committed the alleged violation, along with contact information of the alleged violator
if known. If you can’t provide the alleged violator’s name and/or contact information, we are unable to help in the resolution of your issue.
III. Below the address fields of the alleged violator are six (6) types of alleged violations under the heading of “Type of Alleged Violation.” As this is
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2022, Issue 3 Mississippi 811 • 5