(a) Each operator, except operators participating in a one-call service, having underground facilities in a county, including those facilities that have been abandoned in place by the operator but not yet physically removed, shall file a notice with the register of deeds of the county that states that the operator has underground utilities located in that county, the name of the operator and the name, title, address, telephone number and electronic mail (e-mail address), if the representative has an e-mail address, of its representative designated to receive the written, telephonic or e-mail notice of intent required by § 65-31-106. It is only necessary that such notice shall consist of the fact that the operator possesses underground facilities in the listed counties. It is not necessary that the operator list the exact physical location of each and every item of its underground facilities in such counties.

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 65-31-105

  • Location: means the proposed area for which digging or excavating is scheduled within three (3) to ten (10) working days, such area not to exceed two thousand feet (2,000') in length unless an excavator and an operator or an operator's designated representative, such as a one-call service, agree to a larger area. See Tennessee Code 65-31-102
  • One-Call Service: means a telephone notification service described in §. See Tennessee Code 65-31-102
  • Operator: means any person who owns or operates a utility. See Tennessee Code 65-31-102
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Working day: means every day, except Saturday, Sunday, and national and legal state holidays. See Tennessee Code 65-31-102
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) Changes in any of the information contained in the list filed under subsection (a) shall be filed by the operator with the register of deeds of the county, or the register of deeds of each county in which these utilities are located, within thirty (30) working days of the change.
(c) A filing fee as determined by the register of deeds may accompany the filing. These filings shall be filed and an index shall be maintained and kept up to date by the register’s office.
(d) The register of deeds shall, within one (1) working day, furnish to the party requesting such information, in writing when requested, a list of all operators having filed notices pursuant to subsection (a) and all other information regarding each such operator that has been filed with the register of deeds in accordance with subsection (a). When submitted in writing by the register of deeds, the information shall also include the name of the requesting party, and the date and time the register of deeds received the request from the requesting party.
(e) After March 27, 1978, operators shall maintain records and drawings of all changes and additions to its underground facilities.
(f) All underground utilities owned by an operator that are installed on or after January 1, 2017, shall be installed in a manner that will make those underground utilities locatable using a generally accepted electronic locating method.