The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
January 15, 2011
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) to coordinate the respective responsibilities and duties of the two in the regulation of professional geoscience.
"The RRC is the state agency with primary regulatory jurisdiction of the oil and natural gas industry, pipeline transporters, natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline industry, natural gas utilities, the liquefied petroleum (LP) gas industry and coal and uranium surface mining operations. The RRC also is responsible for research and education to promote the use of LP-gas as an alternative fuel in Texas. The RRC exercises its statutory responsibilities under provisions of the Texas Constitution, the Texas Natural Resources Code, the Texas Water Code, the Texas Health and Safety Code, the Texas Utilities Code, the Coal and Uranium Surface Mining Reclamation Acts, and the Pipeline Safety Acts. The RRC also has regulatory and enforcement responsibilities under federal law including the Surface Coal Mining Control and Reclamation Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Pipeline Safety Acts, the Resource Conservation Recovery Act, and the Clean Water Act."
"The TBPG is the state agency with regulatory jurisdiction over the public practice of professional geoscience authorized by Chapter 1002 of the TOC. TBPG has the authority to adopt and enforce rules consistent with TOC Chapter 1002 relating to Geoscientists, and necessary for the performance of its duties. These Rules are identified in Title 22, Part 39, Chapter 850 and Chapter 851 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC)."
The complete MOA can be found at: https://tbpg.state.tx.us/RRC-MOA-011411.pdf
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has revised its Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) Guidance Document, RG-366/TRRP-22, "Tiered Development of Human Health PCLs". This document discusses the process of establishing protective concentration levels (PCLs) in accordance with the various tiers set forth in 350.75 of the TRRP rule. The document can be downloaded at: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/publications/rg/rg-366_trrp_22.html
George Dunfield, with the TBPG, told me that I misunderstood his comments on SB 301, which is legislation relating to filing a complaint against a person licensed to engage in a business, occupation, or profession; providing civil and criminal penalties, as discussed in the last Wise Report. Mr. Dunfield's comments were his personal opinions, and are not those of the TBPG. The TBPG will not meet to discuss this, and other items of interest, until its next scheduled meeting on January 21, 2011, so no official TBPG opinion on this bill is available at this time. I always try to be accurate and thanked Mr. Dunfield for this correction.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.The Wise Report1/15/2011