Dear JLARC,

As you can plainly see from the dozens of prior comments citing specific case studies, the licensure of soil scientists in the state of Virginia is critical to a part of the state's infrastructure.  Furthermore it would be extremely shortsighted to discontinue the regulation of soil scientists in Virginia.  I am a licensed soil scientist in both Virginia and North Carolina and experience the benefit of the licensing program.  I see the standards of practice being elevated dramatically with the onset of licensure in both states.  It keeps folks accountable and is needed now more than ever.  The public relies on the opinions and facts of licensed soil scientists in a system in which they can have the comfort in knowing there is a baseline level of reliability, professionalism, and accountability.  

Without licensure, there is potential for tremendous damage and expense to local homeowners.  They will ultimately bear the brunt of the deregulation, with the potential of failed septic systems or being priced out of land they are looking to buy.  This will cause a negative ripple effect in the state's economy.  Deregulation of soil scientists will set the onsite wastewater industry back 30 years.   This is something that should never happen, and frankly there is no reason for soil scientists not to be licensed.  The benefits of licensure far exceeds the cost to administer the program.  

To drop this requirement would cause untold potential damage to the state of Virginia's drinking water supplies and local economy.  Therefore I vigorously support the continuation of licensure of soil scientists in Virginia.