As a Licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia I see a need to keep regulation of Professional Wetland Delineators. CPWD’s directly impact public health, safety, and welfare. Licensure is the most appropriate form of regulation to ensure that the public is adequately protected. Licensure of CPWD’s ensures that qualified individuals are available to provide qualified professional practices that substantially (or significantly) impact public health, safety and welfare. Licensed CPWD’s fulfill educational training and examination requirements that prepare professionals to protect the public from both unethical conduct and monetary harm.

Professional wetland delineators must possess skills and technical competencies in four separate wetland areas of technical expertise – botany, soil science, hydrology, and the Virginia tidal wetland definition. Additionally, knowledge of statewide and local regulations is a required and tested portion towards obtaining a CWPD. 

The work performed by a certified delineator ensures that the work is performed by a person with the proper qualifications, AND those certified delineators are bound to perform the work under stringent ethical and professional standards.