MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGISTS

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
931 HWY 80 WEST
JACKSON, MS 39204

MAILING ADDRESS:
P.O. BOX 22742
JACKSON, MS 39225-2742
Phone: 601/354-6370
Fax: 601/354-6032

geology@msbrpg.state.ms.us

Rick L. Ericksen, RPG, CPG
Executive Director


Introduction


The Registered Professional Geologists Practice Act of 1997 is enacted legislation requiring the registration of geologists practicing within Mississippi. The Act contains the requirements for registration, definitions of terms, as well as a description of the governing board. This legislation was passed during the 1997 Legislative session and was effective July 1, 1997. This legislation was revised during the 2006 Legislative session. The resulting legislation, that was effective on July 1, 2006, no longer has a repealer (sunset) provision, changes the renewal period from biennial (every two years) to annually (each year), changes fees (please see "New Fees" for important information), and contains some minor revisons related to ethics.

Application Package


All forms and the required reading of the Rules of the Board, including the codified Registered Professional Geologists Practice Act of 1997, may be downloaded from this site. The entire application package is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader software, it is available free from Adobe. To download, click on the following, Adobe Acrobat Reader. Once there, follow the instructions to download the software. After downloading the Adobe Acrobat Reader, click on the following to download the application package - APPLICATION . All of the required forms and instructions for filling out the application are contained therein.

You must have a completed Geologist-In-Training (GIT) or Registered Professional Geologist (RPG) Application per above on file with the Board prior being allowed to take either the ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology or the Practices of Geology Examinations. You may take only one exam per exam offering. Also note that you will be considered for registration as a RPG only after the successful passage of both ASBOG examinations.

The application and reference forms may be filled out on screen. After completing the required forms you only then need to print them utilizing your printer. It is suggested that you print each page immediately after it is completed in case you have computer or printer problems, as the Application cannot be saved.

Get Acrobat Reader

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Members of the Board of Registered Professional Geologists


Everett J. Ferris, President, Earth Consulting Group, representing government sector (Term: July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2013).

Darrel W. Schmitz, Ph.D., Vice President, Mississippi State University; representing academia (Term: July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2013).

Mike Wright, MDOT, representing at large sector (Term: July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2012).

Ken Ruckstuhl,Environmenal Management Services, representing geotechnical/environmental industrial sector (Term: July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2012).

W. Lester Aultman, Consulting Geologist; representing mining/extraction sector (Term: July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2011);

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Important News plus Dates of Upcoming Meetings and ASBOG Examinations


Board Meetings - The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board is Tuesday, March 9, 2010 starting at 5:45 PM at the Board's Office, Suite 206-A located in the Jackson Enterprise Center, 931 Highway 80 West, Jackson, MS 39204. The public is welcome, invited, and encouraged to attend. If you need traveling directions or have an agenda item that you wish to address before the Board, please contact the Board's Executive Director at 601/354-6370 or e-mail at: geology@msbrpg.state.ms.us.

MSBRPG SIGNS COMITY/RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT WITH TEXAS BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL GEOSCIENTISTS - The MSBRPG has signed an agreement with the Texas Board effective September 1, 2008. Please scroll down to the section titled Comity Agreements for a copy of that agreement as well as those with Arkansas, Alabama, and Georgia

NOTICE: COMPLIANCE REVIEWS OF STATE AGENCIES - The MSBRPG has been reviewing geoscience reports that are being generated in and being submitted to state agencies over the past several months to ensure that they are being properly signed and stamped by RPGs, that those who are submitting such documents are registered to practice, etc. as required pursuant to the Geologist Practice Act of 1997, as amended, and the Rules of the Board (please see those documents as well as RPG Guidance Document 2007-01, below, and other documents on this web site for additional information concerning the public practice of geology in the State of Mississippi)

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS OF THE BOARD - PLEASE CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR A LISTING OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY TAKEN BY THE MSBRPG

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MSBRPG

Click the following link for the Spring RPG News

RPG NEWS, SPRING, 2008

STAMPING/SEALING AND SIGNING REQUIREMENTS

ASBOG EXAMINATION SCHEDULE - the following dates have been set for the administration of the ASBOG exams. In order to help facilitate their adminstration the cutoff date for examination order appears in parenthesis next to the administration date. IMPORTANT: THE MARCH 5, 2010 EXAMINATIONS WILL BE ADMINISTERED AT THE BOARD'S OFFICE LOCATED AT 931 HWY 80 W, JACKSON, MS (SEE MAP AND DIRECTIONS ON THIS PAGE. ADDITIONALLY, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ORDER AN EXAMINATION UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMPLETE APPLICATION ON FILE. This does not apply for those taking the Fundamentals of Geology (FG)as an "exit" examination

Exam Date: Friday, March 5, 2010 (Deadline for ordering: Tuesday, January 12, 2010)

Future Exam Dates: October 1, 2010; March 4, 2011; September 30, 2011

ASBOG EXAMINATION ORDER FORMS

EXIT EXAM ORDER FORM

GIT AND RPG EXAM ORDER FORM

NEW REGISTRATION/ENROLLMENT RENEWAL DATE AND NEW FEE SCHEDULE - As a result of the changes put into place during the 2006 Legislative session, there has been a change in renewal/enrollment payment due dates. Instead of these payments being on a quarterly basis they will be due annually on or before January 1 of each year. There has also been important changes concerning fees. Please review the following two links concerning the new fee schedule now in place and your pro-rated renewal or enrollment fee payment due (see "Your Renewal Fee Calculation and Amount Due below).

Fee Schedule

Temporary Work Permit

FACTOIDS, LEGISLATION, AND TRIVIA - CHECK IT OUT!!! Requires Adobe Reader available at the top of this page. FACTOIDS

UST REGULATION REVISIONS ADOPTED BY THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY - The MCEQ at its March 25, 2004 adopted in unamity the revisions related to Underground Storage Tank work and after the withdrawal of an Evidentiary Hearing request by the Board for Registration of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors the regulations are now in full force and effect. As adopted an "Environmental Response Action Contractor" may be a geologist or engineer. The scope of each professions work activities is subject to the laws governing each. The MSBRPG initiated discussions with the MDEQ some 3 1/2 years ago concerning these regulations to bring them into compliance with the MS RPG law which has been in place since July 1, 1997.

Memorandum of Understanding between the Board of Registered Professional Geologists and the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors - The following document is the Memorandum of Understanding which became effective on October 5, 1999. Please click on the following to view this agreement Memorandum of Understanding

VOLUNTARY CONTINUING EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - The Board has formally adopted guidelines related to its' Voluntary Continuing Education and Professional Development Program. Those that wish to participate in the program must first contact the Board requesting their inclusion. Once enrolled you, the registrant, are required to keep records of the continuing education courses, seminars, college course work, presentations, published articles, etc. which you have attended or authored/co-authored. The registrant's participation in this program will be indicated on the official roster of the Board maintained at the Board's office and also on this web site.

The Board will audit those involved in the program periodically to assure that those registrants who have elected to be involved in the program are: 1) in ethical compliance pursuant to Board Rules and the RPG Act of 1997; and 2) also in compliance with the terms and conditions as set forth in the continuing education and professional development program.

Click the following link to view the Official Guidelines adopted by the Board for its Voluntary Continuing Education and Professional Development Program (requires Adobe Acrobat, downloadable for the link at the top of this page. PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Click the following link for the participation letter required to enroll in this program (requires Adobe Acrobat, downloadable from the link at the top of this page) - the form letter is designed to be filled out on screen and then printed and mailed to the Board at the PO Box address at the top of this page. PARTICIPATION LETTER

Do you have a matter (an issue, concern, or opinion) that you would like to discuss or share with a Board member or the Board? Please send an e-mail with your comments as feedback to the Board member or the Board. All such correspondence will be treated confidentially, just click on the following to communicate your issue, concern, or opinion - it will be directed to the Board member to which you wish to contact. geology@msbrpg.state.ms.us

COMITY AGREEMENTS - Due to the increased number of questions concerning these agreements, please click on the following links to determine whether or not you qualify. Note that we now have an agreement with Texas, effective September 1, 2008 (Adobe Acrobat Reader required). If you use one of the existing agreements please note that we still require the following: Completed Parts A, B, and C of the MSBRPG Application Package (found at the top of this page); One (1) completed reference from the time you were registered/licensed in the state whose agreement you are applying for comity/reciprocity with covering the time frame of your registration/licensure there up until current; and certified copies of your file on file with that board.Mississippi/Alabama Comity Agreement - Mississippi/Georgia Comity Agreement - Mississippi/Arkansas Comity Agreement - Mississippi/Texas Comity Agreement

Board Guidance Documents -The following documents are provided by the MSBRPG for guidance purposes. Should you have any questions concerning these documents or wish the Board to address other questions related to geologic practice in Mississippi please contact the Board.

RPG Guidance Document No. 2000-01, Is a RPG required to acquire well samples on site for analysis or can the work of sample collection be done by a qualified technician?

RPG Guidance Document No. 2000-02, Guide for sealing/stamping of geologic documents by state government employees

RPG Guidance Document No. 2002-01, Must an RPG sign and stamp/seal geologic reports, maps, lithologic logs, X-sections, or other geologic information, documents, or literature research documents upon which geologic inferences and/or conclusions are made relative to geologic or geohydrologic conditions/settings/environments of an area, or any other investigations of geologic or geohydrologic nature which are submitted or required to be submitted to public agencies and/or their contractors/subcontractors of the state of Mississippi?

RPG Guidance Document No. 2007-01, Detailed Guidance Document for sealing/stamping and signing geologic documents, maps, etc. by all Registered Professional Geologists

Attorney General Opinion -The following opinion was issued on August 11, 2000 in response to a request by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. This opinion was issued in response to questions concerning stamping-embossing and signing of geologic reports etc. Board Opinion No. 2000-02 also addresses this issue and the Board's Opinion and Attorney General's Opinion are in agreement. This document may also be accessed from the Attorney General's web site, http://www.ago.state.ms.us. Should you have any questions concerning these documents please contact the Board. Click on the following to review this document August 11, 2000 Attorney General's Opinion

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Further Information


For additional information regarding registration in Mississippi, please contact the Board.

geology@msbrpg.state.ms.us - or by phone at 601/354-6370, fax at 601/354-6032, or write to: Rick Ericksen, Executive Director, Mississippi State Board of Registered Professional Geologists, P.O. Box 22742, Jackson, MS 39225-2742. Please note: The Board has entered into reciprocity/comity agreements with Alabama, Georgia and recently with Arkansas whereby registrants of those boards may apply to the MSBRPG by completing sections A - C of the Application Package available above. Before applying for registration by reciprocity/comity please contact your respective board or read the appropriate agreement posted herein to determine whether you qualify. If you determine that you qualify please have your respective board (Alabama, Georgia, or Arkansas) send directly to this Board the following information:

BOARD'S OFFICE LOCATION - LOCATION MAP, BUILDING PHOTO, and DRIVING DIRECTIONS

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IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS, FORMS, AND ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS

2009 Annual Report

Registered Professional Geologists Practice Act of 1997

Executive Summary of the Act

Rules of the Board (requires Adobe Acrobat)

Listing of Registered Professional Geologists

Listing of Geologists-In-Training

Complaint Form (Adobe Acrobat Format)

Order form for stamp and/or embosser (Adobe Acrobat Format) - Registrants must order these items from the Board in accordance with the Registered Professional Geologists Practice Act of 1997.

Verification form (Adobe Acrobat Format) To be used when appling with the MSBRPG for licensure/registration for the state(s) in which you currently hold a license or registration. Send to the state(s) where you are licensed and have them send this form directly from that board to the Mississippi Board.

ARCHIVED RPG NEWSLETTERS ETC. Note: All documents in this section require Adobe Acrobat Reader available by clicking on the Adobe icon at the top of this page.

Spring, 2007 RPG News

Spring, 2006 RPG Newsletter

Spring, 2005 RPG Newsletter

Special Edition of the the RPG News - 2004

Spring, 2004 Newsletter

Spring, 2003 RPG Newsletter

Summer, 2002 RPG Newsletter

Winter, 2001 RPG Newsletter

Spring, 2001 RPG Newsletter

April, 2000 RPG Newsletter

July, 1999 RPG Newsletter

April, 1999 RPG Newsletter

RELATED LINKS

Association of State Boards of Geology web site

Compiliation of Useful web sites

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Mississippi State Board of Registered Professional Geologists Disclaimer

The Mississippi State Board of Registered Professional Geologists, last changed: 8:14 PM, January 6, 2010