Just a reminder that the public comment period for current proposed changes to the Texas Professional Geoscientist rules ends on October 2, 2014. If you are interested in commenting, submit all comments in writing to Mr. Charles Horton, TBPG, P O Box 13225, Austin, Texas 78711, or by e-mail to chorton@tbpg.state.tx.us.
The TCEQ updates to the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) Tier 1 Protective Concentration Levels (PCLs) are now available at:
President Wise announces new appointment: Mr. Glen A. Collier, P.G., CPG, has been appointed as the new District II Representative. For a biography of Mr. Collier, see:
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) and the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in order to implement the requirements of Senate Bill 138.
The TBPG and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) recently adopted a revised Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), also to implement the requirements of Senate Bill 138.
Following its determination that the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) properly met its standard development process, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved, pending a 15-day appeal period, for NGWA to issue ANSI/NGWA-01-14, a water well construction standard. NGWA’s first-ever third-party sanctioned standard, ANSI/NGWA-01-14 sets a baseline of expectations for water well system professionals to meet for residential, agricultural, monitoring, industrial, and public supply water wells. The standard seeks to contribute to public health and safety, resource protection, and to serve as an outcomes focus for NGWA’s voluntary water well system professional certification program.
Justin McNamee passed away on April 18, 2014. Mr McNamee was appointed by Governor Perry to the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) to a six year term in a position reserved for the public (someone who is not a Licensed Geoscientist). Mr. McNamee was born on July 31, 1958 in Dallas, Texas. He attended and received his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Texas at Arlington. Mr. McNamee was a community leader who gave to the community his time to numerous charitable and civic groups.
Mr. McNamee is survived by his wife and his two children. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Justin Lynn McNamee Scholarship Fund benefiting the children and youth ministries at Highland Oaks Church of Christ, Highland Oaks Church of Christ, 10805 Walnut Hill Lane, Dallas, TX 75238.
For those of you involved in Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, E 1527-13 is now in effect—and blessed by the U.S. EPA as AAI-compliant. EDR has a good analysis of what the changes are, and they are significant, including:
For more information go to: http://edrnet.com/search/E+1527-13/
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
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.
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) will hold several committee meetings on February 14, 2014 in Austin. The one I found may be of general interest is the General Issues Committee (Members are Krenz-Doe, Knobloch, Mathewson, and McNamee). They will be discussing, among other things, the licensure of environmental professionals. The meeting is open to the public, if you wish to attend, or you can send the members of the committee your thoughts on the subject.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Sunset Legislation, House Bill (HB) 2694, Article 2, passed by the 82nd Legislature, 2011, and signed by the governor, transferred from the TCEQ to the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) duties relating to the protection of groundwater resources from oil and gas associated activities. Specifically, HB 2694, Article 2, amended the Texas Natural Resources Code to revise §91.011, add §§91.0115, 91.020, and 91.1015, and amended the Texas Water Code, §27.033. On September 1, 2011, the law transferred from the TCEQ to the RRC those duties pertaining to the responsibility of preparing groundwater protection advisory/recommendation letters. Since the transfer, the RRC has been responsible for providing surface casing and/or groundwater protection recommendations for oil and gas activities under the jurisdiction of the RRC.
