The Wise Report
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) General Issues Committee (Members are Krenz-Doe, Knobloch, Mathewson, and McNamee) met on February 14, 2014 in Austin. Matt Cowan, President of Texas Association of Professional Geoscientists, and myself, as President of American Institute of Professional Geologists – Texas Section, attended the meeting. The discussion I was most concerned about was the licensure of environmental professionals.
As it turns out, the agenda announcement wasn’t correct. There was no intent to discuss the licensure of environmental professionals but to discuss the boundaries of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ’s) Corrective Action Project Manager (CAPM) license. Dr. Mathewson teaches a TEEX class for CAPMs. A recent class had eight CAPMs in it. Only one of them was a Texas PG, the rest were biologists and chemists. One of the biologists had been fined by the TBPG for practicing geology without a license. I don’t have all of the facts, but, in a nutshell, he drilled a well and collected a water sample for analysis for micro-organisms. I don’t know if he described the drill cuttings or not, but, as a biologist, he was within his realm of expertise for the water sample’s purpose.
Dr. Mathewson wanted to discuss with the TCEQ the parameters of what a CAPM can and can’t do. After some discussion and several motions, the matter died in Committee.
The TCEQ has recently issued the following documents:
Determining Representative Concentrations of Chemicals of Concern for Ecological Receptors, RG-366/TRRP-15eco (revised), determining representative concentrations, defining exposure areas, and evaluating potential hot spots.
Status of Corrective Action at Petroleum-contaminated Sites, SFR-113/13 (new publication): A report on the Petroleum Storage Tank State-Lead Program including the status of sites and recommendations on fees, programs, and activities to eventually conclude the program.
See: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/comm_exec/pubs/sfr/113-13.pdf
TCEQ Annual Financial Report, Fiscal Year Ending August 31, 2013, SFR-045/13 (new publication)
A legislatively mandated report submitted annually to the Governor’s Office, the Comptroller’s Office, the Legislative Budget Board and the State Auditor’s Office.
See: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/comm_exec/pubs/sfr/045-13.pdf
TCEQ Area and Regional Offices: Map, List of Managers, Addresses, and Phone Numbers, GI-002 (revised) and listing of Small Business and Environmental Assistance staff in TCEQ’s regional offices.
See: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/gi/gi-002.html
TCEQ Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2014, SFR-030/13 (new publication)
Details the agency’s operating budget for fiscal year 2014.
See: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/comm_exec/pubs/sfr/030-13.pdf
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report