AIPG-TX

The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G., C.P.G.

October 19, 2024

The Ecological Screening Benchmark Tables have been updated and posted to the TCEQ’s Ecological Risk Assessments webpage.

The Ecological Screening Benchmarks are numeric values for surface water, sediment, and soil that can be used to screen non-bioaccumulative chemicals of concern from further evaluation under Tier 2 Screening-Level Ecological Risk Assessments.

Additionally, the West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) Ecological Protective Concentration Levels Calculator (“PCL Database”) has been re-released using updated programming language. Registered users may receive an email from WTAMU with instructions for password reset.

Please contact the Remediation Division Technical Program Support (TPS) Team at techsup@tceq.texas.gov if you have any questions.

Henry M. Wise, P.G., C.P.G.
The Wise Report

Dr. Roger Lee, P.G., and Bruce Handley, P.G. manned a table again at the recent Texas Hydro-Geo Workshop held near Boerne, Texas. They spoke to many students and young professionals about joining the AIPG and about the AIPG-TX Scholarship and Awards program, and especially about the the approaching AIPG-TX GeoDayz training program in the spring of 2025.

Many students have shown a strong interest in the 2025 GeoDayz event to be held in April 2025 in Stephenville, Texas. GeoDayz 2025 will be hosted by Dr. Hughbert Collier and his Collier Consulting, Inc. in Stephenville, Texas.

To sign up for additional information, use the code shown earlier in the News.

Achieving a Just and Sustainable Energy Mix by 2040
October 15, 2024
12:00 Noon Central Time

by
James Conca, Ph.D.

Eradicating global poverty, and its evil stepchildren war and terrorism, presents an unforeseen conundrum with respect to human health and the environment. About 3,000 kiloWatt-hours (kWh) per person per year is necessary for someone to have what we consider a good life. For the 10+ billion humans expected to occupy this planet by mid-century, our total power production must grow from 27 trillion kWh/yr to over 40 trillion kWh/yr. This requires all non-fossil energy sources be developed to their full potential if we are to attain a sustainable production without intermittent shortages, security vulnerabilities, extreme costs or environmental catastrophe.

However, each energy source has its own problems of environmental impact and human health effects, as well as its own historical, political and economic development. Fossil fuels have the most impact on both the environment and health, but they are also the easiest to emplace in developing countries who are most in need of energy but where the lack of infrastructure makes anything but coal and oil difficult to emplace quickly. Hence, coal and oil are still the fastest growing energy sources in the world.

Therefore, a rational mix of energy sources must be developed for each state and country with these impacts in mind, requiring international cooperation to a degree unknown in history. Various mixes have been discussed ranging between 1) a business-as-usual two-thirds fossil fuel, one-third everything else, 2) an all-non-fossil mix, something like 1/3–renewables, 1/3–nuclear, and 1/3-hydro+geo+bio+other, and 3) all renewables. Surprisingly, cost is not a determinative factor for the first two, but becomes very important for the last mix. But it is the hidden costs, to humans and the environment, that need to be understood in time to avert collapse of the planetary ecosystems as the population peaks at mid-century. 

To Register for this Webinar, click (here).
John Berry manages this Webinar Series, the proceeds of which go to fund the AIPG-TX Scholarships for Texas university students (here).

The AIPG Texas Section is also offering the GeoDayz Training Program in 2025 (here).

Biography

Dr. Conca  obtained a Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1985, a Masters in Planetary Science in 1981, and a Bachelors in Geology and Biochemistry from Brown University in 1979. He is a Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation at Washington State University in the Tri-Cities. Conca is a Contributor to Forbes on energy issues, and has been an advisor to DOE, EPA, state and federal regulatory agencies, and to President Obama’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future from 2010 to 2012. He worked on the Yucca Mt and WIPP nuclear waste projects for 25 years and served as a Special Advisor in the AAPG EMD’s Uranium & REE Committee for many years.

To Watch Dr. Conca’s Part 1 Webinar, click (here).

To Watch Previous Webinars, click (here).

Henry Wise, P.G., C.P.G., has announced today that AIPG-TX’s GeoDayz 2025 will be held in April 2025. Dr. Roger  Lee, P.G. and Bruce Handley, P.G., both members of the Board of Directors of the AIPG-TX, will be attending the Hydro-Geo Workshop in early October, 2024 near Boerne, Texas. They will be discussing the value of AIPG memberships and about the various training programs, webinars, fields trips, and scholorships. Applications for scholarships are due by early February, 2025. Apply now!

Use the code to register to receive information on the training program of GeoDayz 2025 when the finalized program becomes available. The training program is designed for students and young professionals.

GeoDayz 2025 will be hosted this year by Dr. Hughbert Collier and his Collier Consulting, Inc. in Stephenville, Texas.