My name is Ian Smith and I serve as a Senior Water Resources Engineer for VHB, an engineering, landscape architecture, environmental services, and planning firm with four offices and more than 100 employees in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I have performed soil science work side by side with soil scientists in evaluating and designing wetland mitigation, stream restoration, stormwater management and infrastructure projects.
I am urging the Board to continue licensure for Soil Scientists in Virginia for the following reasons:
Protection of Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
Deregulation of soil scientists and the practice of soil science would likely result in the following impacts:
Fair Competition and Economic Impact
Deregulation of soil scientists and the practice of soil science would likely result in the following impacts:
Shifting the volume of work from soil scientists to engineers, architects, and surveyors that may not be minimally competent to practice some a