Click Here for a link to PA Senate Bill 845 , which proposes to amend “the act of May 23, 1945 (P.L.913, No.367), known as the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law, expanding the scope of the act to include soil science; further providing for definitions; and providing for procedure for licensing as professional soil scientist.”
The PAPSS Board of Directors has released the following Position Paper, in response to Senate Resolution No. 140 and PA House Resolution 345 of 2009, which seek to  “evaluate the effectiveness of Act 537, among other issues:
Thanks to everyone for their efforts and support thus far! Â Please keep in contact with your State Representatives and Senators as this process moves forward.
On February 6, 2012 PAPSS took a major step forward with the submission of this Co-Sponsor memo submitted to the Pennsylvania Senate on behalf of the Honorable Mike Brubaker. Â In addition, the Honorable Stewart Greenleaf has signed on as the first co-sponsor of the legislation. Â At this time, it is imperative that each and every PAPSS member and stakeholder personally contact their local Senator to personally ask for their support with this legislation! The passage of the proposed legislation will only be possible with the voices and support of all our members.
Mr. Vince Phillips, PAPSS’ lobbyist, has drafted this letter as a template for your use in contacting your Senator and voicing your support. Â Vince has asked that this effort be prioritized and advanced within the next three weeks, or approximately March 9th. Â Please reach out to Vince or any of the PAPSS Board members if you have any questions!
One of the most important messages that must be conveyed to non-soil scientists is WHY we should be licensed. Â To that end, PAPSS members have been busy providing these “examples of harm” resulting from the practice of soil science by unqualified professionals. Â If you have any information that you would like to submit in support of this particular effort, please contact any one of the PAPSS Board members.
Here is a link to look up your State Senator, depending on your legislative district:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/
Please check back soon for additional information on the overall legislative process and how a proposed bill moves through the process and is signed into law.
Please voice your support for Senator Brubaker’s proposed legislation!
PAPSS White Paper – The Case for Licensing of Soil Scientists in Pennsylvania
PAPSS 2010 PennState University Video Presentation
Marcellus shale drilling questions? See this extensive WWW site from Penn State Cooperative Extension, or if soil’s related, contact a PAPSS soil scientist.
PA DEP is updating various aspects of the PA Code that affect onlot sewage disposal. For detailed information on these changes see here: Act 537 Program Guidance; Site Suitability and Alternatives Analysis Guidelines for New Land Development Proposing Onlot Sewage Disposal (see March 21, 2007 agenda and more recent documents).
For those not familiar with soil limitations for on-site waste disposal in Pennsylvania, here is a video highlighting some concerns, which was put together by Penn State University.