NUCA of FL Obtains Trenchless Technology
Clarity from
NUCA of FL Obtains Trenchless Technology
Clarity from
CILB
On April 14 in Altamonte Springs, the Construction Industry Licensing Board( CILB) heard a petition for declaratory statement submitted by NUCA of FL member Clark Cryer( Johnson-Davis) and Jennifer Hatfield( Wilson & Associates, VP Regulatory Affairs). The petition was seeking a determination from the CILB regarding whether an underground utility and excavation contractor license, as its scope is defined in 489.105( 3)( n), Florida Statutes, is required when the only work being done is the installation of casing pipe or conduit accomplished through a trenchless technology technique such as directional drilling, auger boring, jacking and boring, micro tunneling, pipe ramming or pilot tube guided boring. NUCA of FL believes even this limited subset of work does indeed require an underground utility and excavation license.
After much discussion, the CILB agreed that this limited work does require an underground utility and excavation license, with only one board member voting against this position. This petition was an important step for NUCA of FL due to the fact the CILB has discussed the idea of establishing a specialty contractor license for this limited type of work. After NUCA of FL members met in February on the specialty contractor license concept, it was determined that first it should be clarified that this type of work requires a license now, as it appeared there were many instances where this work was being done without a proper license. It was agreed that it was necessary to first get this clarity before the CILB proceeded with further discussion on the specialty license.
Now that the petition has been answered, the CILB will turn its attention back to the idea of a specialty rule for those who only do this limited type of work. What is clear now, due to the petition, is that if a specialty license is to be established, it would mean someone would have to either get the full license or the specialty license – the choice of having no license at all is no longer an option. NUCA of FL will be working to finalize their initial suggested changes to the rule language originally proposed, for discussion at the May 12 CILB meeting in Jupiter.
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APRIL 2017 • DITCHMEN 11