Employment Assistance

The AIPG Texas Section Officers, 4 District Representatives, and Councilor- and Member-at-Large, have begun evaluations on how to best assist recent graduates in gaining employment (here), and the members of the AIPG Texas Section and other geologists in Texas who have recently become unemployed only because they were very good at discovering vast shale gas resources in Texas and all over the world for the oil and gas industry. In the meantime, we have provided some guidance (here).

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The Wise Report

The TCEQ has announced updates to the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) Tier 1 Protective Concentration Levels (PCLs) are now available. You can access these tables at: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/remediation/trrp/trrppcls.html

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The Wise Report

On Sept. 24, 2015, the EPA signed the final rule which requires NPDES regulated entities to electronically submit specific permit and compliance monitoring information instead of filing paper reports. This rule will be implemented in two phases. Phase I becomes effective on Dec. 21, 2016, and Phase II becomes effective on Dec. 21, 2020. The following is a brief summary of the Phase I and Phase II requirements as they apply to NPDES regulated entities.

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“Unconventional Energy Resources: 2015 Review” in the Journal of Natural Resources Research

Michael D. Campbell, AIPG-TX Vice President – Eastern Texas, and James R. Conca, Member of the Advisory Group of the EMD Uranium (and Nuclear and Rare Earth Minerals) Committee have just published a section in the “Unconventional Energy Resources: 2015 Review” in the Journal of Natural Resources Research, Vol. 24, No.4 entitled: “Energy Competition in the Uranium, Thorium, and Rare Earth Industries in the U.S. and the World,” updated and summarized from the 2015 Annual Report of the EMD Uranium (and Nuclear and Rare Earth Minerals) Committee, see pp. 8-16, (here).

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AIPG Texas appointment of new Secretary-Treasurer

Mr. Henry M. Wise, President of the AIPG Texas Section announced today that he has made three new appointments to the AIPG Texas Section Board during the recent monthly teleconference of the Board last week. Mr. Rick Greiner has been appointed as the new Secretary-Treasurer of the Texas Section. Mr. Matt Cowan has been appointed as the Texas Section Representative for District IV. And, Mr. Doug Hall has been appointed as the Member-at-Large for the Texas Section of AIPG.

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The Wise Report

The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) is proposing rule amendments to Chapters 850 and 851 concerning the licensure and regulation of Professional Geoscientists. Many of the changes are for consistency and clarity.

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New report released under Mineral Commodities

A new report has been released under Mineral Commodities under C. Texas Aquifers:

Groundwater as a Commodity

It was prepared by Dr. Rima Petrossian, P.G., C.P.G., the Vice President, West Texas, of the AIPG Texas Section. It is intended to be a dynamic report, in that, the contents may be updated from time to time as new information becomes available. Your comments are invited.

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The Wise Report

The following information was provided by the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG):

On September 18, 2015 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to amend the new source performance standards (NSPS) for the oil and natural gas source category by setting standards for both methane and volatile organic compounds (VOC) for certain equipment, processes and activities across this source category.

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The Wise Report

On October 30, 2015, the PST Program issued a revised “Release Determination Report” Form (TCEQ-00621, Rev. 10/15) to be used to report the results from the investigation of a suspected or confirmed release from a UST or AST, or permanent removal from service of a UST or any routine environmental site assessment at PST sites. This form (TCEQ-00621, Rev. 10/15) replaces all prior versions.

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The Wise Report

The aquatic life and human health surface water RBEL (risk-based exposure limit) tables have been updated and are available on the TCEQ website. These tables can be found as the second category under the TRRP PCLs at the following link: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/remediation/trrp/trrppcls.html

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