[§269E-7]  Notification of excavation; inquiry identification number.  (a)  Except in an emergency, every excavator planning to conduct an excavation on public or private property shall notify the center of the excavation at least five working days but not more than twenty-eight calendar days prior to commencing excavation.  The excavator shall provide to the center a description of the excavation site that includes the county, place, and address or description of where the excavation will take place, including but not limited to the nearest intersecting street, side of street, footages, or other tie-in measurements as needed.  An excavator need not contact the center if the excavation is:

     (1)  On private property that is owned exclusively by the excavator; and

     (2)  No operator has been authorized to use the property for any subsurface installation.

     (b)  The center shall provide an inquiry identification number to an excavator who contacts the center and shall, on that same day, notify any operator known to have a subsurface installation in the area of the proposed excavation.  The inquiry identification number shall remain valid for not more than twenty-eight calendar days from the date of issuance, and after that date shall require center revalidation.  An excavator may revalidate the inquiry identification number by applying to the center for revalidation prior to expiration.  The excavator shall maintain a valid inquiry identification number for the duration of the excavation.

     (c)  The center shall maintain a record of all notifications by and from excavators and operators for a period of not fewer than three years. [L 2004, c 141, pt of §1, §7; am L 2009, c 72, §3]