Green Mountain Power Corporation Fined $600 for Violating Vermont's Underground Utility Damage Prevention System

The Vermont Public Utility Commission has issued a binding disposition of a matter against Green Mountain Power Corporation, ordering the company to pay a civil penalty of $600 for allegedly violating the state's Underground Utility Damage Prevention System. The alleged violation occurred on April 22, 2021, when the company failed to properly mark all facilities within a proposed excavation area on Larch Road in South Burlington, VT.

Key Takeaways:

• The Vermont Department of Public Service issued a Notice of Probable Violation (NOPV) to Green Mountain Power Corporation on May 12, 2021, alleging that the company had not properly marked all facilities within a proposed excavation area.
• The NOPV was the third issued to GMP during the 12 months preceding the incident, indicating a pattern of non-compliance with the Underground Utility Damage Prevention System.
• The company was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $600, which is the maximum allowed under the statute, and was given 30 days to submit a check made payable to the State of Vermont.
• Green Mountain Power Corporation has not filed a response to the NOPV as of the date of the order.
• The order was entered on August 1, 2022, and is a binding disposition of the matter.

Statistics:

• 3 NOPVs were issued to Green Mountain Power Corporation during the 12 months preceding the incident.
• $600: the amount of the civil penalty ordered against Green Mountain Power Corporation.
• 30 days: the timeframe given to the company to submit a check made payable to the State of Vermont.
• 2021-UFDR-25484: the Department Case number associated with the NOPV.
• 30 V.S.A. S 7001 et seq.: the statute allegedly violated by Green Mountain Power Corporation.

Sources:

• Save the date of August 1, 2022, for the _Vermont Public Utility Commission_ order in Case No. 21-4488-DSN.
• 30 V.S.A. S 7001 et seq., Vermont Public Utility Commission Rule 3.800.