As a practicing Licensed and Certified Professional Geologist in both Virginia and North Carolina for 25 years, I am in favor of continuing certification in Virginia.  Additionally, I favor amending the statutes for the certification of Geologists in Virginia to make it a licensure and mandatory for providing professional geological services.  Qualified geologists are important for protecting public safety and health, environmental quality, energy development, infrastructure design, water supplies, natural hazard mitigation and prevention, and many other aspects of everyday life.  Furthermore, I am in favor of adding an annual continuing education requirement for continued licensure as other states require. 

 

There is an old saying taught in many university geology classes.... "If it isn't grown, then it is mined from the earth".  Geological science is an integral part of every aspect of our lives and cannot be separated from our continued existence.  From the Stone Age to the Nuclear Age, geological knowledge was applied.  And it will be a continued need for the Renewable Age coming. 

 

Geologists working in these fields must be properly educated and trained with proven competence.  Licensure through examination is the most common means to verify competency.

 

In order to protect Virginians, I support Geologist Licensure.