The public and their natural resources must be protected by requirements of rigorous qualification and accountability of the professionals that work to protect the public and provide them services. Any action or exemption that lessens the training or experience requirements for practice should be removed from proposed changes to existing regulations. In fact, requirements should be maintained and strengthened to protect the professions involved and the public in the long-term scope. We have licensed professional soil scientists and certified professional soil scientists in Virginia. They can do the jobs required by the public and have invested in creating a profession that requires training and experience at acceptable levels to serve and protect the public and the natural resources of the Commonwealth.

I urge WWWOOSSP to reconsider lowering the qualifications or training requirements for practice of design or site evaluation of conventional onsite wastewater systems.