A. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 54.1-200, the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists shall be composed of 13 members as follows: three licensed professional soil scientists, three certified professional wetland delineators, three geologists, and three citizen members. The State Geologist shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board. The geologist members shall be of varied backgrounds. The professional soil scientist members shall have experience in at least one of the following areas: (i) soil mapping and classification, (ii) soil suitability and land use, (iii) teaching and research in soil science, and (iv) environmental protection regulations. Of the wetland professional members, one shall have experience in wetland delineation and description, one shall have experience in teaching and research in wetland science, and one shall have experience with natural resource regulations. Terms of the members shall be for four years.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 54.1-2200.2

  • Board: means the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200
  • Geologist: means a person engaged in the public practice of geology. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • Soil: means the groups of natural bodies occupying the unconsolidated portion of the earth's surface which are capable of supporting plant life and have properties caused by the combined effects, as modified by topography and time, of climate and living organisms upon parent materials. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200
  • Soil science: means the science dealing with the physical, chemical, mineralogical, and biological properties of soils as natural bodies. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200
  • Soil scientist: means a person having special knowledge of soil science and the methods and principles of soil evaluation as acquired by education and experience in the formation, description and mapping of soils. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
  • Wetland delineation: means delineating wetland limits in accordance with prevailing state and federal regulatory guidance and describing wetland types. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200
  • Wetland professional: means a person having special knowledge of wetland science and the methods and principles of wetland delineation as acquired by education and experience in the formation, description and mapping of wetlands. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200
  • Wetland science: means the science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biological properties of wetland systems integrated through ecological and morphological relationships. See Virginia Code 54.1-2200

B. The Board shall annually elect a chairman from its membership. Seven board members, consisting of at least two soil scientists, two professional wetland delineators, two geologists, and one citizen, shall constitute a quorum.

C. The Governor may select the professional soil scientist members from a list of at least three names for each vacancy submitted by the Virginia Association of Professional Soil Scientists. The Governor may notify the Virginia Association of Professional Soil Scientists of any professional vacancy other than by expiration among the professional soil scientist members of the Board and nominations may be made for the filling of the vacancy.

D. The Governor may select the wetland professionals from a list of at least three names for each vacancy submitted by the Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals. The Governor may notify and request nominations from the Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals of any professional vacancy other than by expiration among the wetland professional members.

2012, cc. 803, 835.