Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen - March 2020 | Page 14

Tallahassee, Florida 32301
850-566-7824
March 23, 2020
The Honorable Ron DeSantis
Governor of Florida
The Plaza Level 05, The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Governor DeSantis:
On behalf of the National Association of Underground Utility Contractors of Florida (NUCA
of Florida), we urge you to consider policy proposals to support the underground utility
construction sector of the economy during the Coronavirus crisis. Our underground utility
contractor members stand with you during this challenging time and look to your
leadership to steer Florida through this pandemic. In order to help stabilize the
construction industry in the near term, we ask you to designate construction as “Essential
Services” or “Critical Infrastructure Workforce” in Florida.
Established in 1980 and comprised of six Chapters throughout the state, NUCA of Florida
represents more than 350 member companies in the underground utility industry,
including contractors, material and equipment suppliers and manufacturers involved in
water, sewer, gas, cable and telephone installations accomplished through open
excavation or trenchless technology. Our members complete public works projects that
are critical to public health safety, help protect Florida’s drinking water supply and
maintain wastewater and drainage infrastructure.
As declarations and public health orders are issued as a result of the crisis, it is essential
that communities have access to construction professionals to build and maintain
essential services including: building, plumbing, electrical, HVAC systems, solid waste,
potable water, wastewater treatment plants and power generations. Underground utility
construction should be designated as “essential” because it is necessary to maintain
public health safety and sanitation, including necessary maintenance and repair work.
We encourage you to recognize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency Coronavirus Guidance for Essential
Infrastructure Workforce. We respectfully request that you identify underground utility
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DITCHMEN • MARCH 2020