Common Ground Alliance (CGA) – the national association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them, and their communities – today announced the publication of a new White Paper based on recent research among natural gas distribution stakeholders that points to this group’s influential position in the damage prevention industry and actions that all stakeholders can take to drive damages down. 

The White Paper, Natural Gas: Leading the Damage Prevention Industry analyzes key data from a survey of 179 individuals and 15 interviews with decision-makers in the industry to understand natural gas stakeholders’ perceptions and initiatives around damage prevention. CGA has previously published White Papers examining the roles of two other key stakeholder groups in damage prevention: excavators and locators.

CGA’s new natural gas industry research shows that there is a strong emphasis on safety and damage prevention among this stakeholder group which gives them an opportunity to influence other stakeholders for improved damage prevention and safety outcomes. As a heavily regulated, high-consequence facility type, the natural gas distribution industry has rigorous requirements and is thus incentivized to invest in effective damage prevention awareness and training. 

CGA’s Natural Gas White Paper summarizes quantitative data from the survey and qualitative information from one-on-one interviews with natural gas distribution professionals and consolidates them into four key takeaways: 

1. Natural gas distribution stakeholders are deeply engaged in damage prevention and can expand what they perceive as their central role in the industry.
2. Shifting the focus to internal processes and programs is more likely to drive immediate industry-wide improvements.
3. Improving locating through greater emphasis on mapping and fair contracts could help advance U.S. damage prevention as a whole.
4. Seizing opportunities to increase investments in technology will be critical to reducing damages to natural gas facilities. 

“Protecting underground infrastructure is a shared responsibility across all stakeholder groups involved in the damage prevention process, and industries like natural gas are critical to improving areas that are the source of continued challenges,” said CGA President and CEO Sarah Magruder Lyle. “CGA encourages everyone involved in damage prevention to read the findings from our Natural Gas White Paper and consider how their own organization and stakeholder group can help to streamline the damage prevention process and reduce damages to buried assets.”