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Join Us at the 2025 MNCGA Upper Midwest Locate Rodeo

The annual MNCGA Upper Midwest Utility Locate Rodeo is back! The 2025 competition will take place at Xcel Energy in Hugo starting on April 1 and going through the April 3, as needed. Prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place finishers, and those three winners will have the opportunity to compete at the International Locate Rodeo on December 11–12 in Springfield, Missouri.

When: April 1–3, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Xcel Energy at 13620 Fenway Blvd N, Hugo, MN 55038

Register: via Eventbrite

Rules & Eligibility
This competition is open to anyone who has located in the Upper Midwest, which includes: North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. If you are or have been a practicing technician employed by a utility company or one of their locate contractors, are an owner or employee of a private locating company, or use electronic equipment to locate underground facilities as part of your job duties, you are eligible to compete in the MNCGA Upper Midwest Utility Locate Rodeo free of charge.

A brief overview of the rules and equipment will be sent to all registered participants prior to the competition. Each participant will be assigned a 1-hour time block to compete to help manage your day. Each competitor will have 12 minutes to complete the locate.

Click here to register for free via Eventbrite.

Sponsors
Email Steve.Olinger@CenterPointEnergy.com to inquire about sponsoring. A full list of sponsors will be identified during the event.

2025 GSOC Holiday Schedule

When submitting a locate request with Gopher State One Call, those digging need to consider the 48-hour waiting period that excludes the day of submission, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays in their planning. Whether you submit a ticket online or by calling the GSOC center, the 48-hour period will begin at 12:01 a.m. the business day after the request is made. Being aware of GSOC’s hours of operation – which shift seasonally – and the center’s observed holidays can help ensure your project starts on time. You can see a list of both the hours of operation and observed holidays below.

Emergency calls are exempt from business hours and are always accepted.

While the 48-hour waiting period for a routine locate request begins at 12:01 a.m. the business day after the request is made, you can submit a ticket online at any time. If you prefer to plan ahead, you can submit your locate request up to 14 calendar days before the start date and time of the excavation. 

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Minnesota Sets New Safety Certification Requirements for Telecommunications Installers

Completion of Safety-Qualified Underground Telecommunications Installer Certification Program will be required starting July 2025 for the seven-county metro area and January 2026 throughout the state.

We here at Gopher State One Call are here to keep you informed on all fronts damage prevention, education, and law. Safety is always our number one concern. We have a new and important update to share for those who work in underground telecommunications infrastructure.

Starting in July 2025, underground telecommunications installers will be required to complete 40 hours of training and pass an exam, which requires both classroom and hands-on instruction.

Enacted in 2024, Minnesota Statute 326B.198 requires the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), in consultation with the Office of Broadband Development, approve standards for the Safety-Qualified Underground Telecommunications Installer Certification Program. The legislation also requires that certified installers obtain four hours of refresher training to be completed within three years of completing the initial 40-hour course, and every three years thereafter, to maintain certification.

This requirement applies to the installation of underground telecommunications infrastructure that is located within 10 feet of existing underground utilities or that crosses the existing underground utilities. The requirements apply to underground telecommunications projects in the seven-county metro area in July 2025 and throughout the state in January 2026.

For more information, you can visit https://www.dli.mn.gov/broadband.

Mark Your Calendar: Broadband Development & Workforce Forum on January 9
The Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) is sponsoring a forum on Thursday, January 9, 2025, entitled Broadband Development & Workforce. Visit https://liunaminnesota.org/orangecard for more information.

Digital Graphic Broadband Forum

I'm Digging Soon – When Should I Submit a Locate Request?

Prior to digging in Minnesota, it’s required for the excavator – including professional contractors and homeowners or other non-professionals – to submit a locate request with Gopher State One Call (GSOC) to have underground facilities marked before breaking ground. But exactly how far in advance do you need to submit your ticket? Great question!

Locate requests have a 48-hour waiting period after submission, excluding the day of submission, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The 48-hour period will begin at 12:01 a.m. the business day after the request is made. This means that if you submit a ticket on Tuesday, you can start digging on Friday. If you submit on a Friday, you can start digging on the following Wednesday.

Prior to August 1, 2024, the date the locate request was submitted did count in the 48-hour waiting period. Changes made to Minnesota State Statute 216D – also known as the “One Call Law” – changed this requirement to exclude the day of submission on that date. See the graphic below for a visual reference of the call timeline.

GSOC WaitingPeriod call timeline

If you’d like to save or print the call timeline graphic for visual reference, you can download the PDF.

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Upcoming Events

ITIC'S New Interface Webinar

01/29/2025 - 01/29/2025

ITIC'S New Interface Webinar

02/12/2025 - 02/12/2025

ITIC'S New Interface Webinar

02/26/2025 - 02/26/2025

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