The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
July 21, 2007
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) has released their video record of the July 13, 2007 at: http://www.texasadmin.com/cgi-bin/agenda.cgi?location=txgeo&savefile=TBPG_BM071307 If you have problems downloading these files, I know that Real Player works and you can download it for free at: http://www.realplayerweb.com/co/real/realplayerweb/?sid=M2AG0002cGS
Matt Cowan, with the Texas Association of Professional Geoscientists (TAPG) addressed the Board on anonymous complaints and waivers to the ASBOG test. He suggested that the format be modeled after the Professional Engineer''s guidelines. Basically, you could file a complaint anomalously, the Executive Director would review the information, and if he finds it to be frivolous or insufficient information, he could through out the complaint and have the records sealed. This would help to protect someone from being maliciously maligned or black-balled.
Mr. Cowan asked the TBPG to make a standard policy for granting ASBOG exemptions. He suggested that, in addition to the minimum TBPG requirements, 16 years of experience be required. This could be mitigated by higher education levels (MS or PhD). He''d also like the TBPG come up with a policy to help university professors get their PGs. Evidently, most of them haven''t, and Mr. Cowan believes that having professors who are registered will encourage their students to do the same.
In response to a complaint of someone practicing geology without a license filed in April 2007 and reported in the previous Wise Report, the TBPG has come up with the following policy for this type of situation:
- The TBPG will determine if action is warranted and a cease-and-desist letter issued within 15 days of receipt of the complaint.
- The respondent (who in this case has 40 years of experience and a PhD) will be given 15 days to correct the deficiencies in the letter. In this case, that includes removing his geological website, stop accepting and completing geological work in Texas, and submit his application for a PG).
- If he complies with the above, no fines will be applied.
- If the above isn''t complied with within 15 days, the fine will be equal to the number of years he''s been practicing times the fees the TBPG would have collected during that period of time ($800, in this case).
This intent is to bring people into compliance. The TBPG will consider other situations as they come up.
There were a number of revisions to the TBPG rules that are designed to correct minor errors and bring the rules up to the statute requirements. The most important of these is the extending of license renewal and reinstatement from 30 days to 60 days.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
7/21/2007