1. “Geology” is the science that treats the Earth and its origin and history, in general; the investigation, including collection of specimens, of the Earth’s constituent rocks, minerals, fossils, solids, fluids including surface and underground waters, gases and other material from the center of its core to the outer limits of its atmosphere; the study of the Earth; and the application and utilization of this knowledge of the Earth. The knowledge and principles of geology are also applied to extraterrestrial bodies.
2. “Professional geological work” is application of the principles, theories, laws, and body of knowledge encompassed in the science of geology at an advanced and skillful level requiring education, experience, and the capability of interpretation and evaluation.
3. “Geologist” is a person who, by reason of his or her knowledge of geology acquired by education and practical experience, is qualified to engage in the practice of geology.
4. A “Professional Geologist” is a geologist who has accumulated a minimum of five (5) years’ post-baccalaureate experience in the practice of geology as a vocation, and who has a sustained record of adherence to exemplary standards of professional and ethical conduct.
5. “Practice of Geology” is the performance of geological service or work including but not limited to consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, mapping, and inspection of geological work, and the responsible supervision thereof. A person shall be construed to practice or offer to practice geology, within the meaning and intent of this definition, who practices any branch of the profession of geology; or who by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card or in any other way represents himself or herself to be a geologist; or through the use of some other title implies that he or she is a geologist; himself or herself as able to perform or who does perform any geologic services or work recognized by the Executive Committee of the Institute as the practice of geology.

    AIPG believes that its certification of professionals by their peers as to their competence and ethical behavior is to be preferred as the most effective available means to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. Self-regulation is the most desirable form of certification and regulation of professional practice.
    However, AIPG recognizes that there are jurisdictions in which self-regulation provides no legal standing, thus adversely affecting geologists’ ability to practice their profession to effectively protect public health, safety, and welfare. If the Certified Professional Geologists in such a jurisdiction find that the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare requires the statutory regulation of geologists, AIPG will support efforts to assure sound and reasonable statutory regulation appropriate to the conditions of that jurisdiction.
    As the national organization of professional geologists, AIPG further recognizes the need for and advocates uniformity of standards so that the mobility of geologists will not be impeded, and so that their varied skills may be available throughout the nation.
 

    Every Certified Professional Geologist should be competent to meet the basic geologic needs of the client or employer; to recognize those situations in which additional specialized knowledge, skill and/or experience is required; and to recommend appropriate consultation when the interest of the client, the employer, or the public are thereby best served.
    No Professional Geologist should perform professional services or issue professional advice that is outside the scope of the education and experience of that geologist.
    Specialty certification should be an addition to, rather than a substitute for, certification as a Professional Geologist.
    Specialties and their definitions are constantly evolving and changing. A specialty definition that is valid when propounded may become inadequate or inaccurate with the passage of time. Old specialties change, new specialties appear, and boundaries become obscure.
    Specialties should be organized, defined, and administered by those who practice in the field, i.e. the specialty technical societies, e.g., American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Association of Engineering Geologists, Association of Groundwater Scientists and Engineers, etc. They should not be defined or administered by statute or by government regulation.
    Therefore, AIPG believes that the administration of geological specialties is most appropriately accomplished solely through recognized certification programs sponsored by technical societies on a purely voluntary basis as a means of identifying competence in a specialized field of geology following establishment of basic qualifications through certification under AIPG and, where necessary, applicable state laws.
 

1. To the extent that States require licensed individuals to perform environmental services, licenses should be issued on a discipline, rather than a multi-discipline, or cross-discipline, basis.
2. AIPG encourages the development of national certification programs for other disciplines, e.g., chemistry, toxicology, etc.
3. AIPG does not recommend or support any of the current multidiscipline certification, licensing, or registration programs.
4. AIPG will consider support of certification programs that
    a. are national in scope or are uniform state programs;
    b. effectively protect the public;
    c. require appropriate credentials;
    d. assure adequate understanding of a body of knowledge necessary to perform the certified function;
    e. require adequate working experience in the field being certified; and
    f. confirm the established integrity of the certified individual.
5. AIPG does not support certification, licensing, or registration programs that are merely a list of persons who have stated that they offer certain services with no certainty that their qualifications to offer those services have been verified.
 

AIPG’s position is that environmental investigations and audits should be performed by those best qualified. Thus, the geologic portions of environmental investigations and audits should be performed by geologists who are qualified to do so by appropriate training and experience. Federal and State laws that govern such investigations and audits should reflect this philosophy.
 

AIPG’s position is that appraisals of interests in real or personal property should be performed by those best qualified. Thus, appraisals of mineral, or other geologically related, interests should be performed by geologists, or in some cases engineers, who are qualified to do so by appropriate training and experience. Federal and State laws that govern such appraisals should reflect this philosophy.
 

The American Institute of Professional Geologists believes that water quality throughout the nation must be protected and in many areas restored. The framework established under the Clean Water Act has enabled the Federal, state and local governments, working in concert with industry, to make progress toward cleaner water. Further, the Act has served to promote recycling and reuse of substances that might otherwise be discharged into the nation’s waters. The Clean Water Act of 1987 should be extended and funded to restore and protect our nation’s waters. We believe that flexibility in determining the most beneficial and cost-effective treatment of wastewater is the most efficient incentive. Water conservation should be encouraged.
 

    In 1974 Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act that required the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish drinking water standards and monitoring requirements to ensure that American systems deliver safe drinking water. In 1986 Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to accelerate EPA’s standard-setting procedures and establish a monitoring program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was required to issue regulations for 83 contaminants in 3 years and 25 new contaminants every year thereafter. The 1986 amendments also required surface water to be disinfected and filtered and groundwater to be disinfected, significantly increasing compliance costs.
    The American Institute of Professional Geologists believes that, in determining national standards for water quality, Congress should direct EPA to base its standards on scientifically sound principles for protection of human health. The ability of EPA to require water systems to test for additional contaminants must consider the human health risk posed by the contaminant. Congress must eliminate specific numbers goals for identification of new contaminants in drinking water. It is the role of EPA to establish scientifically sound standards that will assure safe drinking water for every citizen in the nation, and human health should be the basis for any contaminant program.
 

Groundwater contamination is growing in alarming proportions. Groundwater withdrawals have increased four-fold in the past 50 years. To prevent further deterioration of groundwater supplies and groundwater quality, the American Institute of Professional Geologists believes that groundwater planning and management is necessary to preserve this precious resource. Groundwater planning and management should be coordinated. Groundwater policy should be built upon existing Federal, state, and local laws and management techniques. Any policy should recognize the diversity of hydrologic, climatic, economic, legal, and social factors within various states and regions. Concerted water conservation programs should be encouraged. Interstate compacts or agreements will be necessary to resolve interstate disputes.
 

    The National Water Resources Policy that has evolved over the last 30 years exists today as a cumbersome and poorly coordinated effort to manage our nation’s water resources. Jurisdiction for Federal water projects is scattered throughout agencies of the Federal government and committees of Congress. The American Institute of Professional Geologists sees a need for clearer, more coordinated, and more consistent Federal policies. These policies should recognize and build upon constitutions, statutes, policies, and programs of the states as a fundamental basis for a national effort toward better water resource management.
    The role of the government is to establish a framework of national objectives for the protection, management, restoration, development, and use of water and related resources to meet national economic, environmental, and social objectives and to assist in implementing such actions with state and local governments. There must be continuity in support of water management programs. There must be flexibility in the entire support system for water resource planning and management. National policy must be flexible enough to accommodate both environmental and economic differences that vary by region.
 

    The American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) recognizes that the purpose of a professional seal or stamp, including the electronic image thereof, is to authenticate geological documents prepared by or under the supervision of the person whose seal is used.
    Geological documents include any document or illustration, paper or electronic, resulting from professional service or supervision of professional service, where such service requires the application of geological principles or data.
    The “Certified Professional Geologist” and other professional seals or stamps should be applied only to those documents for which the person whose seal is imprinted takes full professional responsibility. If more than one person accepts responsibility, the document should bear the signature and seal of each and a notation indicating the portion(s) of the document for which each accepts responsibility.
    AIPG recommends legal proscriptions against the making of changes to a document sealed by a professional geologist. If changes are required, either a new document incorporating the changes shall be prepared, or an addendum noting the changes shall be made. Each document, original, new, or addendum, is the professional responsibility of the document’s author(s).
 

    AIPG supports the principle of integration of and communication among, all scientific disciplines so as to provide for appropriate interaction and coordination between their practitioners, both in scientific endeavors and in the determination of national policy.
    Further, AIPG enthusiastically supports the original mission of the United States Geological Survey and encourages the maintenance and expansion of the activities of the Geological Survey in ways that are consistent with this mission.
AIPG looks favorably upon such mergers, when mergers between the United States Geological Survey and other government agencies that add scientific expertise, enhance the Geological Survey’s ability to fulfill its historic mission, and do not adversely affect the operation of the Geological Survey.
 

    AIPG supports keeping “geological” in the name of the United States Geological Survey as a bureau within the Department of Interior.
    Geology is “the study of the planet Earth–the materials of which it is made, the processes that act on these materials, the products formed, and the history of the planet and its life forms since its origin.” (Glossary of Geology, American Geological Institute, 1987). By AIPG’s definition, “geology is the science that treats the Earth and its origin and history, in general; the investigation, including collection of specimens, of the Earth’s constituent rocks, minerals, fossils, solids, fluids including surface and underground waters, gases and other material from the center of its core to the outer limits of its atmosphere; the study of the Earth; and the application and utilization of this knowledge of the Earth. The knowledge and principles of geology are also applied to extraterrestrial bodies.” By these definitions, geology has vital applications to a variety of national issues ranging from natural resources, to hazards, to environmental concerns. At a time when more geologic information is required to better address numerous environmental issues in response to an expanding population and diminishing resources, geology is more vital to the safety, health, and welfare of our citizens, not less.
    AIPG enthusiastically supports the Congressionally mandated original mission of the USGS (1879), to classify the public lands and examine the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain. This mission has evolved into one that is much broader and self-defined, as stated in the Strategic Plan for the USGS, dated May 1996: “The U.S. Geological Survey provides the Nation with reliable, impartial information to describe and understand the Earth. This information is used to: minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; enhance and protect the quality of life; and contribute to wise economic and physical development.” AIPG supports this expanded mission only to the extent that it applies to activities that are clearly in the national interest. The livelihoods of many AIPG members and other professional geologists are dependent on projects and activities that are of local and state concern. We believe that it is inappropriate for a Federal agency to duplicate and compete with them on these types of projects. The new Biological Resources Division of the USGS fits well into both the original mission and the more recent mission statement.
    Activities of all divisions of the USGS appropriately fall within the term “geological.” Ecological and environmental concerns of the Biological Resources Division; all surface- and ground-water activities of the Water Resources Division; hazard, energy- and mineral-resource, geologic mapping, and environmental programs of the Geologic Division; and base-map preparation of the National Mapping Division are directly related to studies of the Earth and “geology.”
    A move away from the term “geological” in the agency’s name would not only be inappropriate by definition but also would be confusing to the public. The fiscal and other costs of changing the name of the USGS would far outweigh any benefits of such a change.
    The USGS has developed an excellent reputation for impartiality and defensible science to help solve national problems. Symbolic destruction of the very best of impartial science in the federal realm is unwarranted.
 

    Some aspects of geology and other professions are inter-related and inter-dependent, and activities in one field may bring close contact with one or more of the others. In order to provide guidance for individual practitioners and regulatory agencies, it is desirable to clarify professional relationships at the interface between the professions.
    If an individual by formal training and experience has become qualified in more than one profession according to the standards of those fields within a jurisdiction, that person should then be privileged to be licensed, certified, or otherwise legally qualified to practice, in those fields in that jurisdiction and to operate within the applicable standards of those fields.
    It is recognized that an individual who is qualified principally in one profession may, by formal training or by experience, have acquired a working knowledge of aspects of other fields pertinent to that person’s principal activities. In such cases, the practitioner should be adequately guided and constrained by the statutes and code of ethics associated with his or her primary professional affiliation.
    Questions that arise about activities at the interface between professions may not have a clear resolution within the applicable statutes and may require judgement as to the extent to which practice in the secondary field(s) may be “incidental” to practice in the primary field. When statutory boards exist, the matter should be resolved between them on a case-by-case basis, with each notifying the other when such a question arises. In the partial or total absence of such boards, the matter may require resolution through mediation or arbitration.
    All decisions in such matters should be based solely on the technical and ethical qualifications of the individual as they apply to the task in question and, particularly, to the protection of the public. The protection of the public should be the paramount consideration.
 

The American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) strongly supports the use of professional judgement as the primary guiding factor in the study or assessment of any particular site or physical location. Each professional geologist must be free to exercise professional judgement as guided by his or her education, past training, and relevant experience. Professional judgement is critical to the appropriate use of the principles and methods required for the study of any particular site or physical location with respect to its intended use or remediation. AIPG considers that prescriptive professional practice standards relating to geologic practice are contrary to the public interest. The use of prescriptive standards discourages the recognition or consideration of the geologic factors and circumstances making each particular site or physical location unique. Unconsidered application of prescriptive standards may result in some unnecessary activities being done and other necessary activities being left undone. In addition, such prescriptive standards will prevent the use of new and improved methods for addressing the problem in question. While AIPG recognizes that various informal ‘standards' exist and that such standards can be useful, these standards are necessarily incomplete guides due to the uniqueness of each site and thus require the exercise of professional judgement in their application. Any geological study must be based on sound scientific principles, data, and reasoning, and these bases should be well documented.

Please send any comments or requests for information to the AGI Government Affairs Program.

Posted February 9, 2000

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