Committee Updates
Why Geologists Should Be Licensed in New York StateFROM THE "BETTER LATE THAN NEVER" DEPARTMENT.........
This is the next in our quarterly series of newsletters. Anyone paying attention will note it is dated April, which is already in the history books. Such is the way with a publication put out by a handful of volunteers subject to the demands of professional life, such as out-of-town assignments, etc, etc,. "Good things come to those who wait...."
Some of the newer members of the New York State Council of Professional Geologists (as well as some of the longer-standing members) might from time to time wonder to themselves "exactly what is the Council, and who are the people running it?" A very legitimate question, since members are paying monetary dues to an organization run by people who in many cases the members may have never met or even heard of.The fact is we’re just a bunch of geologists like yourselves. We all believe strongly in the legitimacy and importance of our profession, and have become committed to a cause we think is very worthwhile.
The Council is approximately two years old, having been incorporated in September 1995.The concept of a statewide organization dedicated to licensing of geologists started well before that, and grew out of a small ad-hoc committee of the Central New York Association of Professional Geologists (CNYAPG), called the Regulatory Review Committee. The committee held monthly breakfast meetings in Syracuse for several months, and eventually it was decided that enough interest and enthusiasm existed to warrant forming an independent organization to pursue the licensing idea. Thus the Council was born, and consisted of a Board of Directors that basically included anyone sitting at the breakfast table that morning. That first Board set about formally incorporating the Council, and researching just what it would take to make licensing a reality. One of the first accomplishments was to sponsor a symposium addressing licensing, with several invited speakers who provided valuable input as to what we might expect in our quest. The symposium was well-attended and productive, and we were "off and running."
Many people are still confused as to exactly what the Council is and how it is (or isn't) related to other geologic organizations. Since the nucleus of the original Board sprang from the CNYAPG, we are often confused with that organization. The CNYAPG, located in Syracuse, is an association of professional geologists that holds monthly dinner meetings throughout the year (except the summer months), and features an invited guest speaker. They also sponsor seminars, short courses, field trips and other events for their members. Similar organizations exist in Buffalo (BAPG), Albany (Hudson-Mohawk Professional Geologists Association, or HMPGA), and Long Island (Long Island Geologists, or LIG).These organizations have existed for several years now. The BAPG, in fact dates to 1985, and is probably the longest-standing of these associations.
The Council operates independently of these "APG" organizations, which are associations, organized and governed by their respective bylaws. These organizations were formed generally for the purpose of providing geologists within a geographic region with a forum in which they can interact, network, exchange professional and technical information, and further the profession as a whole. The Council, on the other hand is a not-for-profit corporation, operated under its own set of bylaws and the corporation laws of New York State. It was formed for the sole purpose of pursuing and bringing to fruition the professional licensing of geologists in New York, similar to that for engineering, surveying, architecture and many other professions. The source of some of the confusion about the various organizations may lie in the fact that many of the current or former board members of the Council are, or have been, officers or directors in the various APG organizations. This is not necessarily by design, but is merely a function of the fact that these people generally have a penchant for being involved, and are good at stepping up to the plate and taking on responsibility. This has resulted in a strong and beneficial relationship among the Council and the individual APGs. The Council has, however, been guided by the Steering Committee, which was comprised of representatives from the APG's and several other geology-related organizations.
Our (your) organization differs in that we do not hold monthly meeting for the membership-at-large; in general our meetings these days consist of monthly conference calls linking as many Board members as our limited technology will allow. We do meet in person when possible; however with the recent election of the latest Board members our wide geographic distribution makes that logistically difficult. We are very reliant on e-mail and fax as communication tools. At a minimum, the bylaws call for an Annual Meeting of the Members, at which the annual election of officers and directors is held. As the name suggests, those meetings are open to the entire membership. We encourage any and all members to attend these meetings, notices of which will be provided to the membership in advance. All members should realize that the work performed by the Board is done on the behalf of the members, and as such, your input is welcome and encouraged. Since we generally hold the Board meetings by teleconference, including members is difficult at best. However, if any member desires to provide input or feedback, or has questions of any sort, please feel free to contact any officer or director at anytime. Copies of meeting minutes are available on request. f course, any meetings we do conduct in person are open at all times to members.
This newsletter will present an update from the four major committees, each of which is chaired by a Council Director acting as chairperson, and having as many volunteers as could be "corralled." We are always looking for more help.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Public Education Committee - Rich Baldwin, Chairperson
Greetings from Long Island!! I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as a recently-elected Director of the NYSCPG and chairperson of the Public Education Committee (PEC).My name is Richard Baldwin and I am a Senior Hydrogeologist/Project Manager at the H2M Group located in Melville, Long Island. My telephone number at work is (516) 756-8000, Ext. 611 and my fax number is (516) 694-4122.
The core of the recently-formed PEC is presently made up of myself, Ed Hinchey and a working group of the Long Island Geologists formed a year ago to assist in the passage of Professional Geologist (PG) legislation. The most active members of the group include Gil Hanson, John Lamprecht, Peter Dermody, Frank Castellano, Scot Yanuck, Dave Jacobs, John Rhyner, and Charlie Rich. We do need the help of geologists from across New York State, but more about that later.
To ensure the passage of the PG bill, we must focus our efforts on communicating the role of geologists to special interest groups, as well as the general public. These groups can either be of great assistance by lending their support (or at least, by not actively opposing the bill) or could represent, through their own lobbying efforts, significant roadblocks to passage of the bill.
Some of the groups we have identified to work with include the general public, engineers, surveyors, architects, politicians, bankers, lawyers, insurance companies, developers, industry (petroleum, chemical, aerospace, etc.), municipalities, realtors, education institutions, federal, state, and county regulators and environmental activist groups.
One of the roles of the PEC members is to identify appropriate groups in their geographic region and try to gain their support for our bill (if any of these groups are willing to provide financial assistance, so much the better).The primary mechanism to accomplish this goal is to attend meetings with the groups and give a short presentation detailing the virtues of licensing geologists. These presentations should be tailored to the targeted group.
The PEC has been preparing outlines of potential presentations
so that our speakers can provide consistent information to groups from
across the state. The primary focus of any talk must be that the passage
of the PG bill will protect the public health and the environment. Other
points are appropriate depending on the audience. Some examples are provided
below:
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The final presentation package will include the various points that the PEC comes up with and supporting information/arguments for each point. We are not trying to put words into the mouths of presenters; rather, we are trying to ensure that all speakers are speaking with one voice for the group. How can you help? First, we need to build a strong team with members from across the state to join the PEC. This does not mean that we want you to travel to Long Island for meetings; the NYSCPG directors have found that conference calls and faxes are quite an effective manner in communicating. In each region of the state, the PEC committee members can form small working groups to help spread out the work - this strategy has worked well for us in Long Island. Please contact me at work if you would like to volunteer to join the PEC. Again, think about forming small working groups in your region to help ensure the flow of good ideas and to spread the work load.
How else can you help? Review the targeted groups and the above-referenced list of presentation points and help us identify ones that we have missed. One unexpected opposing group could potentially prevent passage of the PG bill. Talk to your friends and associates; do they have additional arguments supporting our efforts? Do they have documented cases where a qualified geologist did or could have prevented a mistake?
Please feel free to contact me at work or fax me any notes or ideas. I apologize in advance if I am too busy to talk when you call, I'll return your call either after hours or when things calm down.
Membership Committee - Jerry Bastedo, Chairperson
As of this printing, the Council has approximately 128 individual members, including several geologists from other states, and 39 corporate memberships. The distribution of the membership is statewide, and represents industry, academia, research, contractors and other groups. We currently have a master mailing list of approximately 1200 names. We don't know exactly how many geologists there are in total in New York but it clearly numbers in the thousands. We obviously have our work cut out for us in terms of getting the general geologist population to not only be aware of our efforts but to join up and give us the financial and moral support that large numbers will offer. Our membership numbers do continue to grow every time we open the Post Office box, but we know that we need more members to make licensing a reality. The costs associated with operating the Council are considerable, especially with regard to hiring a lobbyist, which will be crucial in getting our bill passed.
Membership renewals for 1997 for existing members are due.
The annual contribution levels for membership are as follows:
| Individual | $20 |
| Prospector | $100 |
| Corporate Silver | $250 |
| Corporate Gold | $1,000 |
| Corporate Platinum | $2,000 |
We ask each existing and potential new member to consider the following:
The money obtained from membership has gone, and will continue to go directly toward paying the expenses required to operate the Council (postage, copying, supplies, etc.) and to obtain the professional lobbyist representation that nursing a bill through the political process requires. Keep in mind that the Council Officers, Directors, and committee members all work on a strictly voluntary basis. These individuals do not receive reimbursement for any time or expenses they incur. Consider also that the cost for an individual to maintain a professional license in New York is expected to be on the order of $70 per year, as it currently is for engineers, architects and surveyors. Council members could very well look at their membership dues as the first year of license fees. If even 500 geologists gave $50 to $100 per year, that would generate the level of funds that would give us a very good chance of getting this bill passed in as short a time as possible.
Anyone needing membership information may contact Jerry Bastedo at Ecology & Environment, Inc., (716) 684-8060 (e-mail jcb02@ene.com).You may forward your completed membership forms to Jerry at the address shown on Page 1 of this newsletter.
The Council encourages all geologists to rally behind this licensing movement and, in turn to encourage your colleagues to join the NYSCPG. It is also our hope that some individuals and corporations who may have been waiting to "see which way the wind blows" will now recognize our level of resolve, and will step up to the plate and join us in pursuing our common goal.
1997 Corporate Memberships
To date, two firms have established corporate memberships in 1997:
Fundraising Committee - Jeff Loney, Chairperson
As Fundraising Chairman I am pleased to report that a number of outstanding Council members have stepped forward and agreed to assist with regional fundraising activities, as follows:
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Jack Krajewski Tony Grasso Stan Radon |
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Kris Khort |
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Catherine Pohlot |
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Bill Prehoda |
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In recognition of the Councils' leadership role in promoting licensing of geologists in New York State the Northeast Section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG-NE) recently presented the Council with a check in the amount of $3,000.The AIPG-NE financial support and vote-of-confidence in the Council, and our goal of bringing the registration of geologists in New York State to fruition, is highly appreciated.
On a serious note the Council needs the moral and financial support of the membership as we move forward. Let's remember that Dick Wright told us that the Pennsylvania group spent over $100,000 during their final effort to gain licensing. The Prospector level of membership affords an opportunity for individual members to step forward and demonstrate their financial support and commitment to pursuing the realization of the recognition of their profession in New York.
Finally, we've reported in past newsletters that the kayak donated to the council as a fundraising tool had been donated back to the Council by the original winner, with the stipulation that it be auctioned off to raise additional funds. We're pleased to report the kayak will be going to Donald Drazen, the winning bidder. Don works with NYSDEC's Oil and Gas division in Albany. Thanks to all those who submitted bids. Now all we have to do is get the kayak to Don.
Members who are interested in assisting with fundraising activities or have ideas/comments are strongly urged to contact any of the Regional Fundraising Task Force group members or Jeff Loney at 716-327-5532 (e-mail JEL@HaleyAldrich.com).
Legislative Committee - Vance Bryant, Chairperson
We have been busy researching the legislative process and just how our bill fits into the big picture. No specific legislative action has yet occurred with the bill since it was submitted. As discussed in other articles, we have had meetings with several lobbying firms, each of which has put its own spin on the processes and factors involved in getting a bill passed. The folks we've met with, in general, have experience representing other professions, either in terms of a licensing/registration/ certification bill, or just watching out for their constituent's best interests in Albany. We will endeavor to retain a firm who has significant and relevant experience in dealing with issues similar to those anticipated during the processing of our bill.
It's clear there will be at least some resistance to the concept of geologist licensing in certain portions of the government, what with the recent movements to reduce or streamline government in general. However, the concept of protection of the public welfare is a strong overriding concern that will lend credibility and support to our case. Some of the key players involved will be the Governor's Office of Regulatory Reform (GORR), the Assembly and Senate Education and Higher Education Committees, and the State Education Department. Hopefully we'll have more to report in the next newsletter.
WHY GEOLOGISTS SHOULD BE LICENSED IN NEW YORK STATE
Geologists should be licensed because we are professionals who routinely make decisions and offer opinions that directly affect public health and welfare. Professional licensure provides a positive legal responsibility and accountability to the public in matters that involve earth science. It assures the governor, state legislature and state and local agencies that highly qualified earth scientists are available to work in the state. Licensure of geologists is an acknowledgment or our profession by the state of New York which, in the interest of the public, requires decisions regarding geologic issues to be made by an appropriately qualified professional.
The public has already turned to geologists to solve problems relating to land use and management; solid waste disposal; ground-water protection; global sea-level rise; potable water supply development; and public works projects such as bridges, highways, tunnels, dams, and sewers, to name just a few. Licensure is particularly important for a regulatory- or service-driven industry where there may be few tangible factors to evaluate.Geologists evaluate natural resources such as oil and gas, and natural hazards like earthquakes, landslides and subsidence, erosion, and flooding, all of which have documented occurrence in New York State.Professional licensure is a professional credential by which New York State and the public can recognizes those capabilities.It has also been suggested that geological registration or licensure is important for other reasons: it encourages renewal of geological skills and shows commitment to our profession.
It is important to make a distinction between a "PG" or professional geologist's license, and "EP" or environmental professional program. In the past few years we have seen the rise of the Licensed Environmental Professional program in Connecticut and the similar Licensed Site Professional program in Massachusetts. Both of these are aimed at privatizing the remediation of environmentally-impacted sites. Geologists should not lose sight of the fact that licensure of geologists in each state should remain our primary goal.The fundamental premise of licensure is to protect the public. While environmental remediation is a concern of the average citizen, and often highlighted in the media, there are many other areas in which geologists practice (such as those listed above) that are not covered by these "environmental professional" programs. Many geologists have been granted (rightfully so) registration as environmental professionals but all of us should recognize, and support, state licensure of geologists.
(Portions of this article were adapted from the newsletters of AIPG-Northeast and the New Orleans Geological Society)
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN - Bill Kelly, NYS Geological Survey, Albany
Events have moved rather quickly since the NYSCPG elections in late February. The Legislative Review Committee met with Member of the Assembly Steven Englebright (Dem., 4th dist.); as a result of that meeting and final tweaking of the language by the Council Board, a bill to provide for professional licensure of geologists in New York has been introduced into the New York State Assembly under Assemblyman Englebright's sponsorship. The number assigned to the bill is A-6822.The text of the bill can be found on the Council’s web page, the address of which is given on page one of this newsletter.
The NYSCPG has, during the past two years, been in contact with the New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) in order that the engineering community be apprised of the actions of the Council on behalf of geologists in New York. While these contacts have continued, the Council has begun to inform all other potentially-interested parties in New York of its activities. These contacts are important so that the Council may address the concerns of other professional groups early in the legislative process and gain the support of these professional organizations. To that end, NYSCPG representatives recently met with the New York State Association of Licensed Land Surveyors in order to acquaint officials with the details of the geologist's licensure bill. The Council has also had discussions with the soil scientists via their professional organization, the Empire State Pedologists. Suggestions are actively sought from Council members regarding individuals and organizations that should be aware of the pending legislation. Suggestions should be directed to any of the Council Directors or Officers.
It is pleasing to report that fundraising proceeds apace. The Fundraising Committee has identified individuals to serve as regional fundraising coordinators in several parts of New York. The function of the regional coordinator, in cooperation with the Jeff Loney, Chairman of the Fundraising Committee, is to contact individuals and companies locally to secure financial support for the licensure effort. Persons interested in assisting in this effort should contact the NYSCPG representatives located nearest them (see addresses in listing).While not scientifically proven, there is abundant anecdotal evidence that any person who undertakes this endeavor shall go to the Great Beyond in the luxury car of their choice and shall be allowed to keep it. Several companies engaged in the practice of geology have vowed to become corporate sponsors. In addition, a generous contribution has been pledged by the Northeast Section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists. Financial support at this level is critical to success of licensure effort.
The NYSCPG has long been aware that to successfully shepherd the licensure bill through the Legislature, the services of a professional lobbying organization would be required. Recent discussions with the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists and other licensed professional organizations in New York have strengthened this belief. A lobbyist would perform several functions, including: critical guidance in each step of the political process; provision of timely contacts with key legislative committee personnel; monitoring of other bills, directly and indirectly related (the number of which is considerable), that might have an effect on our bill; and general "babysitting" of our bill as it progresses through the system. Thanks to recent fundraising success, the Council now appears to have just enough money to initiate a contract with a professional lobbyist on a part-time basis. We have had formal and informal discussions with a number of lobbyists in the past year; additional interviews and a contractual relationship are anticipated in the very near future.
I mentioned above that we have had ongoing discussions with the engineering community regarding our efforts. The NYSSPE has reviewed the language of the draft bill, and has provided the Council with a written response.In that letter, NYSSPE states that it cannot support the bill as written, and cites several passages in the bill to which they object. However,NYSSPE also states that they could support the bill if concurrence can be reached with regard to the objectional language. The Council Board will continue to work with NYSSPE toward resolving these differences, and we are confident mutual agreement will be reached.
Several of our members are involved in the academic end of professional geology. The Council certainly views academics as a vital portion of the geologic profession as a whole; none of us would be where we are had we not received the proper education and training. We'd certainly like to see a greater degree of support from the academic community in general. To that end, the following is a message from Professor Phil Hewitt, State University of New York at Brockport:
To all who teach geology in New York State:
We should be pressing the legislature and the Governor to help us become licensed:
If you are not in this effort beside us, then your students might believe you don't care. I know you care! We need you and you need us!
Thanks,
Professor Phil Hewitt, SUNY Brockport
New York State Council of Professional Geologists
P.O. Box 255, DeWitt, New York 13214
New York State Geology Council Newsletter is published by the New York State Council of Professional Geologists. The Council was founded in 1995 to strengthen and advance the geologic sciences as a profession; to promote the protection of public welfare and the environment through the professional practice of geologic sciences; to promote high standards of ethical conduct among its members and within the profession of geology; to promote the legal standing of geologists and their ability to practice geology in New York State; and, to promote the registration/licensing of geologists and in New York State through statutory regulation.
For more information about
NYSCPG mail the following information to:
Or, to become a member of NYSCPG mail
the following information and a check made out to NYSCPG to:
NYSCPG
P.O. Box 255
DeWitt, NY13214
| Name: | Work Phone: |
| Affiliation:
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Fax. No./
e-mail: |
| Address: | City/State/Zip: |
| Individual | $20 |
| Prospector | $100 |
| Corporate Silver | $250 |
| Corporate Gold | $1,000 |
| Corporate Platinum | $2,000 |
You may wish to contact one of the Officers or Directors in your region so that you may become an active member.