FY 2025 State Damage Prevention

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) offers the FY2025 State Damage Prevention (SDP) Grant to support states in developing or enhancing programs aimed at preventing damage to underground pipelines during excavation activities. This initiative stems from PHMSA’s mandate under the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020 and is authorized by 49 U.S.C. § 60134. The purpose of this grant is to reduce incidents related to excavation damage, which remains a leading cause of pipeline accidents resulting in injury or fatality. Funding is directed toward state authorities designated by their governors that oversee pipeline safety. Specifically, the grant supports enforcement of state excavation laws, public education on safe digging practices, deployment of technology to enhance damage prevention, and general excavation safety programs. The SDP grant emphasizes alignment with one or more of nine federal criteria for effective damage prevention programs, such as improved communication among stakeholders and fair enforcement of laws. These elements serve as a framework for evaluating and improving state-level initiatives. The program will distribute a total of $1.5 million in FY2025, with individual awards capped at $100,000. Matching funds are not required. Acceptable expenses include personnel, equipment directly tied to the damage prevention program (with limitations on costs exceeding $5,000 per item), and project activities related to education and outreach. Restrictions include prohibitions on construction, lobbying, litigation support, and normal operational costs of One-Call centers. Funding cannot be used for regulatory compliance for pipeline operators or projects dependent on pending legislation. Eligible applicants must have no exemptions from One-Call notification requirements and must participate in a 49 U.S.C. § 60105 or § 60106 oversight agreement with PHMSA. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, and a letter signed by the state governor designating the applicant as the responsible authority is required. The submission must include several forms, such as SF-424 and SF-424A, along with budget narratives and a project plan that clearly ties back to one or more of the nine required program elements. Applications will be evaluated on alignment with the nine elements, the feasibility of cost and implementation plans, and the applicant’s past and ongoing efforts in damage prevention. Evaluation will include administrative, technical, and programmatic reviews. PHMSA anticipates announcing awards by September 30, 2025, and funded activities must be completed within a 12-month period, with potential for certain retroactive reimbursements if pre-award costs are approved. For inquiries, applicants must contact the designated points of contact through the FedConnect platform or reach out to specific individuals listed in the NOFO. Rex Evans serves as the Technical Primary Point of Contact and Tremayne W. Terry as the Grant Agreement Officer. Questions are due by June 13, 2025, and all applications must be submitted by June 20, 2025.