National landslides hazards bill introduced in US House

AZGS has been working with our colleagues to help craft the National Landslides Hazards Reduction Act which was introduced in the US House by Rep. Suzan DelBene  of Washington.  Rep. DelBene's district includes the Oso landslide which killed 42 people just two years ago.  

HR4776 includes provisions for a federal-state cooperative effort to conduct landslide hazards inventories and assessments in each state with federal matching funds.

AZGS also worked to include a section on creating a national landslide inventory database.    [Right, the highway 89A Bitter Springs landslide southwest of Page, AZ]

Free AGI webinar on critical minerals and materials, March 30

The American Geosciences Institute's Critical Issues Program is pleased to offer a free webinar, "Underpinning Innovation: The Science and Supply of America's Critical Minerals and Materials", on March 30, 2016, 1:00PM EDT. 

To register for this free event, please visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8776910215814143491

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We will post a recording of the webinar on the Critical Issues website after the event. If you cannot make the webinar but want to be informed about the recording, please register and we will notify you as soon as the recording is available.

Critical Issues Webinar: Underpinning Innovation: The Science and Supply of America's Critical Minerals and Materials

Critical minerals and materials are key components of the innovation economy. Minerals are a part of almost every product we use on a daily basis, either as the raw materials for manufacturing processes or as the end products themselves. Advanced technologies for communications, clean energy, medical devices, and national security rely on raw materials from mines throughout the world. In 2010, China curtailed exports of rare earth metals and sparked major concern about the security of global supply chains for a range of vital minerals and materials.

This webinar is based on a Congressional briefing organized by AGI on behalf of the Mineral Science & Information Coalition (3 March 2016). The webinar will address the efforts being taken at the federal level to ensure a steady supply of critical minerals and materials.

Speakers:

·       Lawrence D. Meinert, Program Coordinator, Mineral Resources Program, USGS

·       Steven M. Fortier, Director, National Minerals Information Center, USGS

·       Rod Eggert, Professor, Colorado School of Mines; Deputy Director, Critical Materials Institute, Ames Laboratory

AGI would like to recognize their webinar co-sponsors: American Chemical Society; American Exploration & Mining Association; American Physical Society; Critical Materials Institute; Geological Society of America; Industrial Minerals Association -North America; Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration; Society of Economic Geologists; U.S. Geological Survey.

[reprinted from the AGI announcement]

Coming down to the wire on bill to de-license geologists in Arizona

The Arizona Chapter of the American Institute of Professional Geologists sent out this update regarding HB2613, which eliminates licensing for geologists and a number of other professions. AIPG and other professional organizations oppose the bill:

We are coming down to the wire.

The Senate Commerce Committee heard the bill yesterday and passed it along party lines.  Several Republican senators expressed concern about the bill when they voted to pass it. 

 The next step is for the Bill to go to the Senate floor – first for Committee of the Whole where there could be additional amendments considered, then to a 3rd read where they would officially vote on the engrossed version.  If any amendments are adopted where the Bill is different than the House version it would need to go back to the House where the Bill sponsor ([Rep.] Petersen) could either concur with the amendments or not concur.  If he concurs with the amendments it would need a final vote in the House.  If he does not concur it would then get thrown into conference committee.  Bottom line is we are hoping for a floor amendment in Senate Committee of the Whole that would remove sections F and G of the Bill.  

….. F. A TRAINED GEOLOGIST MAY ENGAGE IN A GEOLOGICAL PRACTICE WITHOUT BEING REGISTERED UNDER THIS CHAPTER.   (Trained was added and defined in Section G)

….G. “Trained Geologist” means a person who has:

               1)Earned a Geology degree from an accredited Educational Institution.

               2) Participated in geologic work experience outside of an educational institution for at least 4 years.

Providing an option for individuals to practice geology in the state would result (Section F) in allowing those individuals with a sketchy background (had their license suspended or revoked in Az or another state due to malpractice, have committed a felony, and/or have committed an ethical violation) to pursue being able to provide Geologic Service to the unsuspecting public without being vetted by the BTR [Arizona Board of Technical Registration] through their permit and renewal process.