AEG News June 2015

NewsNewsVol. 57, No. 2 – June 2015

Special Feature:

AEG 2015Pittsburgh

AEG 59th Annual Meeting – September 18–25, 2016

Kona – Island of HawaiiWaikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa – Group Rate Only $185

Located beachfront along the sun-splashed Kohala Coast, the luxuriousWaikoloa Beach Marriott Resort welcomes guests with gracious style andHawaiian service. With the bounty of land and sea captured in stunning views,this Big Island Hawaii hotel and resort is the perfect place for a memorablemeeting with colleagues. Experience an authentic Polynesian show at theSunset Luau as our Special Event. Set upon 15 acres of oceanfront splendor,the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa offers a truly magical setting.

Field Trip Ideas• Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park• Mauna Loa – star gazing at the

Onizuka Center for InternationalAstronomy

• Laupahoehoe and Pololu Valley –tsunami impact areas

• Waipio Valley – earthquake-inducedlandslides

• Puna Geothermal Station• Honolulu and Oahu – geotechnical

projects

Conceptual Guest Tours• Plantation Tours (coffee and

macadamia nut)• Puu Kohala Helau National Historic

Site & Spencer Beach• Snorkeling• Umauma Falls and Tropical

Garden, The Umauma ExperienceZipline

• Horseback Riding• Kailua/Kona Walking Tour• Pearl Harbor and Iolani Palace

AEG 2015 Annual MeetingSTUDENT EVENTSYou Don’t Want to Miss!Student/Professional Networking EventTuesday, September 22 – 5:15–6:15pmThe Student and Young Professional Support Committee(SYPSC) invites you to attend this great event and have theopportunity to meet other students from across the coun-try, as well as professionals.

Student/Young Professional Career DiscussionWednesday, September 23 – 2:00–5:00pm2013–14 Jahn’s Lecturer Greg Hempen will be hosting this discussion and question/answer session regarding three topics:

● Experience and Networking

● Getting Your First/Next Job

● Having an Enjoyable Career

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY:Students, if you are interested in volunteering 8 hours in exchange for a full Meeting Registration, pleasecontact Heather Clark, [email protected]

Table of ContentsNews of the Association 2

The President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Headquarters’ Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Governance Restructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Committee/Technical Working Group Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5AEG Foundation News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6E&EG Journal Marks 20th Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7AEG Professional Forum: Time to Face the Landslide Hazard Dilemma . . .8Obituaries and Appreciations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Special Section: AEG 2015 Annual Meeting – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 13

Professional Contributions 25GeoBot and GeoCopter Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Field Trips 28Reed Gold Mine – Midland, NC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Issues in Professional Licensure 30

The HomeFront 32

Index to Advertisers 39

On the CoverThe nightime view of the Pittsburgh skyline as seen from the western edge ofMt. Washington—one of the sights for attendees of the 2015 AnnualMeeting. For more information, see the special insert starting on page 13 ofthis issue.

The associationOfficersPresident: KENNETH C. FERGASON

Amec Foster Wheeler, 602-329-9714, [email protected] President/President Elect: PAUL M. SANTI

Colorado School of Mines, 303-273-3108, [email protected]: DALE C. ANDREWS

Carmeuse Lime & Stone, 412-777-0728, [email protected]: KATHY G. TROOST

University of Washington, 206-909-9757, [email protected] President: GARY C. LUCE

Resource Concepts Inc., 775-690-0537, [email protected]

Association Contacts Headquarters—Association Manager Marrijane Jones

1100 Brandywine Blvd. Suite HZanesville, Ohio 43701Phone: 303-757-2926, Fax: [email protected]

AEG Foundation—President: DAVE FENSTER, [email protected]

Communications Directors: MATT BRUNENGO, 503-534-0414, [email protected] and KAMI DEPUTY, [email protected], 425-463-5903

AEG News (ISSN 0899-5788; USPS 954-380) is published six times a year by theAssociation of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG), with the quarterly issuesNos. 1–4, published in March, June, September and December, respectively. TheAnnual Report and Directory issue is published in January. The Annual Meeting Pro-gram with Abstracts issue is published in September. Print copies are distributed atthe meeting. Subscriptions for Association members, which includes all six issues ofthe AEG News, are included in annual membership dues. Nonmember annual sub-scription is $40.00, and includes only the four regular issues (#1–4) of the News. TheAnnual Report and Directory issue and the Annual Meeting Program with Abstractsissue are priced separately. Back issues of the AEG News are $10 each. Inquiriesshould be sent to AEG Headquarters: Marrijane Jones, Association Manager,1100 Brandywine Blvd. Suite H, Zanesville, Ohio 43701 303-757-2926.

Periodical Postage paid at Zanesville, OH, and additional mailing offices: POST-MASTER: Send address changes to AEG News, 1100 Brandywine Blvd. SuiteH Zanesville, Ohio 43701, USA. AEG News is printed by The Ovid Bell Press,Fulton, MO 65251, USA.

© 2015 Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists—All Rights Reserved

Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those officially representing theAssociation of Environmental & Engineering Geologists except where expressly stated.

AEG News Editor Managing Editor/ProductionAnna Saindon Andrea Leigh Ptak Geotechnology, Inc. Communicating Words & Images11816 Lackland Road, Suite 150 6542 52nd Ave. So.St. Louis, MO 63146 Seattle, WA 98118314-581-6286 Office: [email protected] Cell: 206-300-2067

[email protected]

Submission InformationIn order of preference:1. Send files via email, preferably as attachments, to both email addresses

above. Optimum file format is MSWord 2004. Users of other software programs should convert their file to ASCII or text only.

2. Images should be sent as high-resolution jpeg or tiff files. Questions? ContactAndrea Ptak at 206-725-9169/[email protected].

3. The policy of AEG News editorial staff is to limit the credentials of an individualto two. For example, if John Smith has a MS, a PhD and a PG plus a CEG anda CGWP, his credentials would be limited to John Smith PhD, PG, the two principal credentials. BS/BA and MS degrees will not be recognized. No effortwill be made by the AEG News editorial staff to determine if individuals whosecredentials are missing from the submitted copy actually have academic orprofessional credentials, nor will the staff verify the existence or correctnessof the credentials submitted.

For detailed guidelines visit: www.aegweb.org/publications/aeg-news/submit-to-aeg-news

Advertising in the NewsContact AEG Headquarters at [email protected].

Next Submission DeadlineJuly 31, 2015, for the September IssueCanada Agreement number: PM40063731; Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Station A, PO Box54; Windsor, ON N9A 6J5; Email: [email protected]

Vol. 58, No. 2 – June 2015News

June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 1

News

ver the past several months I’veprovided multiple updates

here in the AEG News,through the AEG Insider, in direct com-munications to the Section Chairs, andat Section meetings I’ve had the privi-lege to attend about the ongoingefforts to restructure the governance ofAEG. Part of this effort was intended to editthe Constitution of AEG with the purpose of bringing it up-to-date with California law, which is where AEG is incorporated asa 501(c)6 corporation. This article is intended to provide a rel-atively detailed update on the process undertaken in thiseffort; an even more detailed article is available on the web-site. A separate article in this edition of the News provides dis-cussion on the process to look at revising our Bylaws (seewww.aegweb.org/?page=PresidentsMessage) to adjust to theregional model for our Board of Directors (BOD) that member-ship approved in the summer of 2014.

The short answer is that legal counsel has advised usthat California law does not recognize a Constitution as a gov-erning document of corporations and that the only governingdocuments recognized are the Articles of Incorporation (AoI)and Bylaws. What this means is that AEG needs to amend andrestate its AoI through a member vote. The amended andrestated AoI was approved by the BOD at the 2015 Mid-YearBOD Meeting in April. At that time, the BOD also moved tohave the membership vote to approve the amended andrestated AoI. That vote is planned to occur this summer inconcurrance with the vote for AEG Officers. In parallel, legalcounsel recommends that the content now included in theConstitution will need to be shifted to our Bylaws as part ofthe Bylaw revision process, and eventually the Constitutionshould be rescinded.

This summer, AEG will be sending the amended andrestated AoI to the full membership for a vote. The onlychanges to the AoI are related to adding the word environ-mental to our statement of purpose, which is how AEG getsclassified as a 501(c)6 corporation. The other notable part ofthis is that AEG never amended the AoI with the State of Cali-fornia after it approved a name change to the Association ofEnvironmental & Engineering Geologists back in the early2000s. The amended and restated AoI will make this namechange official with the State of California.

The amended and restated AoI that will be voted on ispresented below. Note that this document is formatted forreadability and that in this format it does not conform to theexact formatting criteria required for submission to the Stateof California.

ASSOCIATION OF ENGINEERING GEOLOGISTS RESOLUTIONS FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APRIL 25, 2015

Amendment and Restatement of the Articles of IncorporationAfter discussion, upon motion duly made and seconded, theBoard of Directors approved and adopted the following recitaland resolutions:

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Association of EngineeringGeologists (this “Corporation”) believes it is in the best interestsof this Corporation to amend and restate its Articles of Incorpo-ration and recommends that the voting members approve suchamendment and restatement;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT:

RESOLVED, that the following Amended and Restated Articles ofIncorporation of this Corporation are hereby approved, subjectto any changes required by the California Secretary of State:

*****

Amended and Restated Articles of IncorporationArticle I - Corporate Name. The name of the corporation is

ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL & ENGINEERING GEOLOGISTS

Article II - Corporate Purpose.

a. This corporation is a nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporationorganized under the Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation Law.The purpose of this corporation is to engage in any lawful actor activity, other than credit union business, for which a corpo-ration may be organized under such law.

b. The specific purposes of this corporation are to establishand maintain high ethical and professional standards for theenvironmental and engineering geology profession; to providefor the discussion of subjects related to the earth sciences andother problems of interest to the environmental and engineeringgeology profession; and to further public understanding andacceptance of the responsibilities of environmental and engi-neering geologists.

c. Notwithstanding any of the above statements of purposesand powers, this corporation shall not, except to an insubstantialdegree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that arenot in furtherance of the specific purposes of this corporation.

Article III – Election. This corporation elects to be governedby all of the provisions of the Nonprofit Corporation Law of1980 not otherwise applicable to it under Part 5 of Division 2.

Article IV – Directors. All provisions regarding directors shallbe set forth in the bylaws of this corporation.

*****

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Crossing the t’s and Dotting the i’s

Updating AEG’s Governing DocumentsKen Fergason, AEG 2014–15 President

2 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

O

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE…continued

RESOLVED FURTHER, that such Amended and RestatedArticles of Incorporation be presented to the voting members ofthis Corporation for a vote on adoption of such Amended andRestated Articles of Incorporation, with the recommendation ofthis Board of Directors in favor, together with such other docu-ments as the President of this Corporation shall deem proper toinclude; and that, upon approval of said Amended and RestatedArticles of Incorporation by the voting members, such Amendedand Restated Articles of Incorporation, together with a certifi-cate executed by the proper officers of this Corporation, be filedwith the Secretary of State of the State of California.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the President and any otherproper officers of this Corporation be and they hereby areauthorized and directed to take all such actions as they maydeem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purpose andintent of the foregoing recital and resolutions.

For a comparison, the AoI currently on record with the State ofCalifornia can be found on our website at www.aegweb.org/aoi.I encourage you all to review it, not just in the context of thisarticle, but also because it is a fascinating historical documentof the Association.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this process,please contact me at [email protected]. And, if youwant to be a part of the ongoing governance restructuringeffort, positions are available.

ince August 2014, AEG has been in a time of transitionand change. While change is difficult, these changes

have also created an opportunity to re-examine and reevaluate association activities and programs.

As you know, Offinger Management serves as the newheadquarters and association management company (AMC) forAEG. We are your resource and partner. Working together, ourcollaborative efforts can bring a fresh perspective on how bestto implement AEG’s programs efficiently, effectively and mostimportantly, affordably.

The recent Mid-Year Board of Directors meeting held inOhio is an example of a group of dedicated volunteers who arecollaboratively working to best serve the needs of the AEGmembers and the industry. I am amazed by the depth of commitment these volunteers have to AEG.

At your headquarters, your staff is in the process ofbuilding a foundation of strength for AEG that will ensure success, focusing our efforts on gaining a complete under-standing of the day-to-day needs of the membership and getting processes in place for a smoother experience forAEG’s current membership.

An important aspect of the rebuilding process for AEG hasbeen the conversion of the old AEG website to a new, more

user-friendly one, where members caneasily renew and access information andresources. The previous challenges withthe Annual Meeting online registrationhave been resolved with the new web-site. We will continually strive to develop

and improve the new website to not onlymeet but exceed the member’s needs.

Our most important and ongoing initiativeis membership retention and growth. People join AEG becausethey want a professional association that offers levels of involve-ment through a voice and a vote, as well as opportunities to net-work and to mentor on the local, state, and national levels.

It is apparent that the roots of AEG are deep; they are alsowhat will renew the organization for growth. I have every confi-dence that AEG will remain a dynamic and viable organization inthe industry, and will emerge from this transition year withadded strength, energized, and more focused than ever.

The AEG team is excited to be a part of rebuilding thefirm foundation from which we will take our next steps movingforward.

I look forward to meeting many of you at the AnnualMeeting in Pittsburgh!

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – HEADQUARTERS’ REPORT

Transition, Rebuilding, and Growth Marrijane Jones, AEG Association Manager


S

Announcing a New AEG WebsiteWe’ve moved to a new Website, still atwww.aegweb.org, with a new user interface thatwe hope you’ll find easier to use. Please visitthe Get Started With the New Site page to set anew password and review your profile beforelogging into the new site for the first time.We currently have the following information on file foryou: Name: XXX Username: XXX E-mail: XXX

AEG MEMBERS: After setting a new password and reviewing your profile,you need to log in whenever you wish to see memberpages on the site, purchase items on the site, registerfor events or access other member features.

We will be releasing more community features over thenext few months. If you need assistance, please useour Contact Form or call us from 8 am–5 pm EST at 844-331-7867 (toll-free).We hope you enjoy the new site!

he Governance Restructure Committee (GRC) ismaking excellent progress in concert with the

Governance Committee (GC), Executive Council (EC)and Board of Directors (BOD) in paving our path forwardfor AEG’s new Region/Chapter Model structure. It is impor-tant for us to continue to involve as many of our membersas possible in developing a significant restructure of our Association so that we propose changes that genuinelyreflect your wants and needs. Please provide your input toBruce Hilton at [email protected].

As you know, we have been working hard to develop aplan to change the structure of AEG that promotes growthand allows optimum representation of all of our members. An ad-hoc governance committee was formed in 2013 to inte-grate the suggested changes in the Needs Assessment withour members’ needs. The survey results indicated that ourBOD is too large, has too many duties, and often results insome being unable to fully represent their Section’s members.Our bylaws currently require that all Section Chairs serve also as members of our BOD. In many instances, it is over-whelming or impossible for our Chairs to perform effectivelyin both roles.

BOD MotionsAt the 2014 Annual Board Meeting (ABM), the former ad-hoccommittee was reformed as the GRC and given a Charterbased on the following BOD motions:● Separate the role of Section Chair from Association

Directors;● Make the BOD include the five Executive Council members

and 10–12 Regional Directors, including one InternationalRegional Director, with 11 being a quorum;

● Require that Director elections be made from within theboundary of the region;

● Revise the current AEG Section/Chaptermodel to a Region/Chapter model where allChapters can have direct access to AEGHQ and can have financial autonomy; and,● Ensure our bylaws (and all gov-erning documents) comply with a new

Regional Model, as reflected in the proposed map shown below left.

Issue for ConsiderationThanks to the tremendous effort of the GRC members and an in-depth review of our bylaws, a list of potentialinconsistencies was identified that are in progress to beresolved to effectively implement the new governancemodel. The following list of issues was presented to theBOD during the 2015 Mid-Year Board Meeting (MYBM).This is posted online along with the GRC report for yourreview and comment on our website at [www.aegweb.org/GRC-recommendations]. In general, the questions thatwere put before the BOD included:● Should the term “Sections” be replaced with “Chapters”?● What are the criteria for establishing new and future Regional

boundaries?● What map best reflects the Regional Criteria?● Is five years an appropriate interval for the BOD to review

Regional boundaries?● Are Regional Directors (RD), Chapter Chairs, and EC Officers

appropriate titles in the new Regional Model structure? ● Should RDs be re-electable and if so for how many terms?● Should we nominate non-voting Regional Designates to rep-

resent their Region if an elected RD is not able to attend aBOD meeting?

● Should at-large members be assigned to Regions for votingpurposes?

● Should Region boundaries dissect Chapters?● Should EC Officers vote as at-large Directors at BOD

meetings?● Should the President of AEG continue to serve as the

Chairman of the Board?● Should some or all RD travel expenses to attend BOD meet-

ings be covered by the Association?● Should a quorum of the BOD be at least 11, ensuring that

the RDs can always outvote the EC Officers?● How do we best represent International Members in the

Regional Model?● Should we stagger incoming RD terms to maintain a mix of

new and seasoned Regional Directors?

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – COMMITTEE REPORTS

Regions and ChaptersBruce Hilton, Governance Restructure Committee Chair

T


FIGURE 1 – Proposed Regional Map for AEG

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – COMMITTEE REPORTS

The BOD provided feedback through passed motions to allthese questions at the 2015 MYBM and those notes are avail-able online at [www.aegweb.org/BOD-GRC-Motions] for ourmembers to review and comment.

The Next StepsImplementing this transition will require overcoming a largeworkload with aggressive deadlines. The proposed next stepsrequired to transition AEG to the Regional Model structure are:● The GRC will prepare a summary of BOD recommendations

from the 2015 MYBM,● The GRC will prepare a Draft Transition Plan,● A California attorney will prepare a complete revision of the

Association bylaws as part of a BOD authorized recommen-dation to ensure compliance with CA law.

● The BOD approved Regional Map and revised Articles ofIncorporation, which will replace our existing Constitution asadvised by our CA Attorney, will be disseminated with further

explanation to the voting members of AEG to adopt thechanges and vote to officially rescind the Constitution.

● Based on the input from the GRC, EC, GC, and BOD, theattorney will complete the bylaw revisions. An internalfinal review will then be completed by the GRC, EC, GC,and BOD.

● Submit the final bylaw revisions to the AEG membership forreview and comment.

● Review input from the AEG membership. Once input hasbeen reviewed and addressed, the BOD will vote on therevised Association bylaws and Articles of Incorporation,

● The new Regional Model will initiate, however, RDs will transi-tion into all having three-year terms over a two-year period toimplement a stagger of RD terms.

Thank you for taking the time to review the most recentprogress made in the Regional Model structure transition.Please provide your valuable input as we make AEG an evenstronger organization.


Governance CommitteeKevin Schleh and David Bieber, Co-ChairsThe Governance Committee (GC) began as a concept pro-moted by Past-President, David Simon, and is now a perma-nent standing committee that is comprised of current andpast members of the Board of Directors (BOD). It was primarily formed to oversee the activities of the ExecutiveCouncil (EC) and BOD as they relate to AEG governance.However, it also has the responsibility to review otheraspects of AEG governance. The GC Charter states that the“GC reports to and advises the BOD on governance issues,including review and summary of options for BOD and ECstructure, policy, by-laws & protocol, and to monitor performance of the BOD & EC.”

The GC has had a very busy start to 2015. It has col-laborated with the Finance Committee (FC), the EC, andthe BOD in order to better advise the Association member-ship and improve service to AEG’s members. The pro-

posed Governance Restructuring isan ongoing area of discus-

sion, and the GC hasadvised the BOD and

EC on best practicesfor managing theprocess as well ascommunicating andengaging withAEG’s members.To that end, theGC’s primary func-

tion has been toensure that the

restructuring process isopen, adequately commu-

nicated and provides ample

opportunity for member feedback and discussion. As youcontinue to hear more about the proposed changes toAEG’s governance structure, you are encouraged to reachout to GC, EC, and BOD members to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed changes and the imple-mentation process.

Finally, AEG is always looking for members to partici-pate on the GC committee. If you are a former or currentBOD member and are interested, you are encouraged tocontact any GC member. Should you have an interest in par-ticipating further with AEG, but you do not meet the criteriato serve on the GC, you are encouraged to either volunteerwith your local Section leadership or to become engagedwith one (or more) of the other AEG committees.

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact a member ofthe Governance Committee:

Kevin Schleh ([email protected])

David Bieber ([email protected])

Jason Hinkle ([email protected])

Sarah Kalika ([email protected])

Eric Walston ([email protected])

David Perry ([email protected])

Jerry McCalip ([email protected])

Joan Kester ([email protected])

AEG’s Mission:

AEG contributes to its members’ professional success and thepublic welfare by providing

leadership, advocacy, and appliedresearch in environmental and

engineering geology.AEG News Disclaimer Authors alone are responsible for views expressed in signed articles.Advertisers and their agencies are solely responsible for the content of alladvertisements printed and also assume responsibility for any claimsarising therefrom against the publisher. AEG and AEG News reserve theright to reject any advertising copy.


NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Foundation Transitions and AdditionsThe AEG Foundation Board of Directors would like to welcomeour new officers for 2015: President David Fenster, TreasurerKerry Cato, and Secretary Briget Doyle. Three new directorshave also joined the Foundation Board as of January 1, 2015:Jane Gill-Shaler, Jerry Higgins, and Julie Keaton. After a longand difficult search, the AEG Foundation has also hired a newExecutive Director, Patty Bryan! Patty’s time on the FoundationBoard, most recently as AEGF President, means that she bringsexperience and understanding of the Foundation to the Execu-tive Director position that other candidates could not offer. TheFoundation Board of Directors looks forward to working withPatty in her new role.

Fund Highlights:The West-Gray Fund Featured Fund for 2015 Fundraiser at the Annual Meeting inPittsburgh, PA

The West-Gray Scholarship Fund was established in 2014 bythe AEG Foundation to support direct costs associated withthe West-Gray Scholarships. Initial funding was provided by agift from Terry R. West and Richard E. Gray—both PastPresidents of the Association of Environmental & EngineeringGeologists. The purpose and scope of the West-Gray Scholar-ship Fund, developed in cooperation with the original donors,is: to support geologic studies by students at the undergrad-uate and graduate level. Recipients of grants must be grad-uate or undergraduate students enrolled in an accrediteduniversity in the eastern half of the United States (Minnesota,Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and states to the eastthereof) or graduate students enrolled in an accredited univer-sity located anywhere in the United States, but conducting fieldstudies in the eastern half of the United States.

The 2015 West-Gray Scholarship Committee is pleased toannounce the first recipient of the West-Gray Scholarship isPatrick Beaudry of CUNY—Queens College.

The Tilford Fund Featured Fund for 2016 Fundraiser at the Annual Meeting inKona, HI

The Norman R. Tilford Field Studies Scholarship Fund isdesigned to support geologic field studies by student membersof AEG at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The AEGFoundation Board believes that the Tilford Scholarship occupiesa special niche with its emphasis on field geology, the essentialcore skill in applying geology to human endeavors. The fundwas established in 1998 to honor the memory, work, and professional contributions of Norman R. Tilford, (1934–97), aconsultant, professor, past president of the Association of Engineering Geologists, and the Executive Director of AEG at

the time of his death. Professor Tilford received the AEG FloydT. Johnston Service Award in 1992.

The Tilford Fund currently provides for annual scholarshipstotaling $5,000. Scholarships are provided at the Undergrad-uate, Masters and PhD levels. The 2014 Masters level TilfordScholarship recipient, Sebastian Dirringer, described his experi-ence as a Tilford Scholar in the December 2014 issue of theAEG NEWS. The Tilford Scholarship helped Dirringer, a grad-uate student at Kent State University, complete field workrelated to his landslide inventory and susceptibility mapping inOregon. For a list of 2015 and past awardees and more infor-mation on the Tilford Field Studies Scholarship, please visit theAEG Foundation webpage at www.aegfoundation.org.

To donate to the Tilford Fund, please visit http://aegfounda-tion.org/donate/funds.php, and click on the Tilford Fund.

AEG Foundation NewsBriget C. Doyle, Chair, AEG Foundation Communications Committee

Call forPapers:AEG Members areencouraged to submit papers oninteresting case histories, originalresearch or otherprojects to its journal:

■ Environmental geology■ Engineering geology■ Feasibility studies■ Geotechnical engineering■ Geomorphology■ Low-temperature geochemistry■ Applied hydrogeology■ Near-surface processes■ Review papers in applied geosciences and

technical notes (< 6 pages)

Benefits Include:■ 4 issues per year■ All papers are peer reviewed■ Best Student Paper Award■ Best Paper Award

Instructions for Authors: http://eeg.allentrack.net/

nvironmental and Engineering Geoscience (E&EG)marked its twentieth year by adding a new feature:electronic pre-publication. This feature enables an

accepted and print-ready manuscript to be cited through a dig-ital object identifier (DOI). The journal is distributed electroni-cally through GeoScienceWorld (GSW). Manuscripts assignedDOI numbers are found on the GSW webpage for Environ-mental and Engineering Geoscience under the heading “OnlineFirst” at http://eeg.geoscienceworld.org/.

The GSW webpage for E&EG provides a table of contentsfor the current issue along with abstracts for each article. Linksto access the articles are provided in the table of contents freefor subscribers or with payment options for non-subscribers.Past issues are available through the archive function wherearticles of interest can be by found by browsing content orusing an online search function. Another new feature is theinclusion of archived digital versions of the Bulletin of the Asso-ciation of Engineering Geologists from 1976 through 1994.Environmental and Engineering Geoscience was a re-orientationof the Bulletin and replaced it as AEG’s primary journal.

AEG and the Geological Society of America (GSA) jointlylaunched Environmental and Engineering Geoscience in Feb-ruary 1995. It is dedicated to publishing peer-reviewed, qualityarticles dealing with applied geology. Under this joint arrange-ment, the journal is published quarterly and co-edited by aneditor appointed by each organization. Dr. Abdul Shakoor hasprovided exemplary service as AEG’s appointed editor for manyyears. His co-editor is Dr. Brian Katz, who was appointed byGSA in January 2015.

E&EG provides a venue for original research and casestudies on environmental geology, engineering geology, geot-echnical engineering, geomorphology, low-temperature geo-chemistry, applied hydrogeology, and near-surface processes.The GSW webpage provides a listing, updated monthly, of the50 most viewed and 50 most cited papers from the journal. InMarch 2015, the leading 10 articles under the most-cited cate-gory include topics on landslide classification, vadose phasetransport, bedrock and structural controls on slope stability,debris flow generation, and geotechnical characteristics ofsandstones. These topics illustrate the success of the journal inserving the scientific and technical needs of environmental andengineering geology professionals.

The journal continues to be a venue for the Cities of theWorld Series with recent papers about Los Angeles, California(Vol. 13, No. 2) and Memphis, Tennessee (Vol. 18, No. 2). Alsowinning papers for the Best Student Professional Paper arepublished in E&EG. The most recent publication for this awardwas the 2011 winner Comparison of Colluvium, Debris-Flow,Glacial Deposits Using Sedimentological, Geotechnical, and

Geologic Properties, Durango, Colorado by Nathaniel R.Swanson (co-authoring with Paul M. Santi), published in Vol. 19,No. 2. Annually, the editors select an outstanding paper pub-lished during the previous year and an outstanding reviewer tobe recognized at the AEG Annual Meeting.

Interested authors can find instructions at http://eeg.allen-track.net/cgi-bin/main.plex for preparing submissions. Theinstructions are available without registering on the site byusing the “author instructions” link at the top of the left-handcolumn on that page. E&EG is a traditional journal without anopen access option. However, there are no page charges foraccepted articles or for the use of color illustrations. Currentand past issues are available to AEG members as part of theirannual membership benefits simply by logging into the AEGwebsite http://www.aegweb.org/.



E&EG Journal Marks 20th Year of Publication with New Features

Jerome V. De Graff, Chair–E&EG Editorial Board

E

EG and the University ofWashington Earth &

Space Sciences (UWESS) hosted over 200 geologists,engineers, planners, emergencymanagers, students, and othersfrom public, private, and academicemployers. Twenty-two speakersand fifteen poster presentersshared their experiences andknowledge at the UW SouthCampus Center. Student volunteershelped turn the gears managingeverything from registration, A-V,breaks, and cleanup.

Living up to its reputation,Seattle weather was drizzly and 55degrees on Day 1, but that didn’tdeter attendees from arriving atAEG’s first Professional Forum. Thefirst day focused on landslide map-ping programs, impacts, and imple-mentation. Mark Molinari and Kathy Troost kicked off themeeting by reminding attendees the key goal: assessing howwe can better protect public health, safety, and infrastructurethrough better collaboration and communication.

Dr. Joe Wartman of the UW was the first keynote speaker,sharing with attendees the highlights of what the GeotechnicalExtreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association teamlearned about the SR-530/Oso landslide. Lessons learnedincluded the importance of understanding the pre-developmenthistory of landslides when defining zoning areas, clear and consistent communication of risk to the public, monitoring andwarning systems, and use of technology to advance what weknow about how topography, seismology, and precipitationrelate to landslide occurrence.

The second keynote speaker, Dr. Jeff Keaton of AmecFoster Wheeler, educated the group about what would beneeded from the landslide mapping community to develop lossmodels that the insurance industries could use to begin offeringlandslide insurance. He did this by explaining how earthquakeinsurance began, and showing us an example of a hypotheticalsimplified national landslide hazard zone map. He defined“hazard” for us as “having units of probability and intensity orsize, and ‘risk’ having units of dollars and lives.” He encouraged

us to collect data on these units when inventorying landslides.Dr. Jonathan Godt, Program Coordinator for USGS Land-

slide Hazards, spoke about USGS strategies and tools for land-slide hazard assessments and response to crises and events.Two USGS National Hazard Science strategies he mentionedwere to improve communication in landslide science, and (if thePresident’s FY2016 USGS budget increase of $0.5M passes)expand post wildfire debris flow warning systems, crisesresponse capabilities, and state and private partnerships fordata collection and research.

Doug VanDine, President of the Canadian GeotechnicalSociety, presented the purpose and highlights of the Canadian Technical Landslide Guidelines and Best Practicesrelated to Landslides: A National Initiative for Loss Reduc-tion, which he co-edited. The chapters of this GeologicalSurvey of Canada’s Open File report are publicly available onhttp://geopub.nrcan.gc.ca/.

Dr. Scott Burns, Professor Emeritus at Portland State University, entertained us with stories of landslides across theworld. He discussed the “all hazards” insurance available inNew Zealand, and the landslide insurance programs Switzer-land and Germany are working on. He reiterated the need forsusceptibility maps, good communication between the



AEG Professional Forum

Time to Face the Landslide Hazard Dilemma:

Bridging Science, Policy, Public Safety, and Potential LossFebruary 26-28, 2015, Seattle, WA

Organized by Jennifer Bauer, Dr. Jeff Keaton, Mark Molinari and Kathy Troost

A



mapmakers and planners, landslide insurance, and an increaseof awareness about landslide hazards.

Rounding out the Day 1 morning session was SeniorGeotech Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,Richard Olsen. Rick reminded us, through examples of land-slide events, the importance of communicating our technicalfindings in a way that can be understood “by our grandpar-ents.” He urged us to tell the landslide story through photos,figures, and maps, with concise text accompanying thesevisual communication methods.

After a lunch sponsored by Cascade Drilling andShannon & Wilson, the first afternoon session redirectedthe focus toward examples of state programs. Bill Burns,from the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries; Jennifer Bauer, with Appalachian LandslideConsultants, PLLC in North Carolina; Matt Crawford, withKentucky Geological Survey, and Stephen Slaughter, withthe Washington Department of Natural Resources, eachspoke about landslide mapping programs in their respectivestates—what is working and lessons learned. A key mes-sage throughout was the value of lidar in developing consistent, high quality landslide inventory maps. Duringthe afternoon break sponsored by GeoStabilization International, attendees got a chance to chat and viewposters before the next session.

The second afternoon session focused on landslide risk,prediction, and local implementation. Tom Badger with theWashington Department of Transportation spoke about theproactive strategy that they now use to prioritize sites for miti-gation, and the challenges of managing risk. Rex Baum, withthe USGS, discussed predictability, tools, and assessments oflandslides as part of the USGS programs. John Bethel dis-cussed types of landslides in King County, WA, and the ongoingefforts to create an inventory for the county by 2016. The finalspeaker of the day, Charles Nestle, gave the County of LosAngeles, CA, Department of Public Works perspective. He

regaled the audience with some entertaining case histories,where he explained the county’s role in requiring suitable engineering geologic reports before issuing building permits inareas of questionable slope stability.

Following a day full of informative talks, the attendeesrelaxed during the evening Icebreaker, sponsored by the AEGWashington Section. Scott Burns brought wines from differentterroirs for everyone to try. Many attendees connected with oldfriends, met new contacts, and discussed their involvement withlandslides over a beer, non-alcoholic beverage, or glass of wine.

The second day’s weather was just as gray and dull, butenergy was running high at the South Campus Center. After anintroduction by forum co-organizer Jeff Keaton, keynote speakerand Consulting Insurance Actuary Richard Roth talked about thehistory of hazard models in the insurance industry and the ques-tions that need to be answered about landslides in order for insur-ance companies to develop landslide insurance: When and wherewill landslides occur, how big will they be, how fast and how farwill they move, what areas will the landslides affect or damage,and how frequently do landslides occur in a given locality?

Mark Molinari, with AECOM in Seattle, presented exam-ples of planning and zoning ordinances from selected cities andcounties in several western states, land use strategies in land-slide prone areas, and landslide information aimed at the public.David Sherrard, a Planning Consultant in Washington, explainedwhat geologic hazard information planners need and what theydo with it.

Mike Chard, Director of the Office of Emergency Manage-ment (EM) for Boulder County, CO, really caught the audiences’attention with his high-energy presentation. He educated usabout the EM side of landslide crises, based on his recentexperience with the extensive 2013 landslides, and the geo-logic information they need to make their jobs easier. AbigailSeadler, with the American Geosciences Institute, rounded outthe morning session by giving us tips on connecting with ourCongressional representatives. She outlined the steps it takesto pass a bill in Congress, and the steps we need to take to

have our “Ask” heard. She discussed the current landsliderelated “Asks” AGI has made that we can support.

Over lunch, sponsored by Geobrugg North America, atten-dees talked with poster presenters about their various projects,case studies, and ideas for moving forward.

After lunch, Dr. Joe Wartman gave us a summary of theNational Academy of Sciences workshop Partnerships forReducing Landslide Risk, which took place on February 24,2015, two days before this forum. He first told us about innovations in New Zealand in response to the 2011Christchurch Earthquake. Keep an eye out for notes from theworkshop from the NAS.

To get forum participants ready for the afternoon small-groups workshop, the final keynote speaker, Dr. Dave Montgomery of the UW asked and answered Saving Livesand Property, Is Science the Easy Part? He finished by outlining lessons learned and recommendations by the Washington State SR530 Landslide Commission.

During the course of the forum, the co-organizers pulledout themes that continued surfacing during the talks and ques-tions. Kathy Troost of UW and Jennifer Bauer explained thefive different topics for attendees to divide up among to dis-cuss and define some strategies and priorities for next steps.These topics were: 1. Creation of a “Loss Model” – defining unique landslide

characteristics for inclusion2. Communication between science, policy, and the public –

how can we better speak the same language?3. Public outreach – steps toward creating a public awareness

program4. Regulation/Planning – what steps are required for landslide

map integration into zoning?5. Landslide community next steps: How do we keep this

conversation going?Workshop attendees formed groups that had an hour and

a half to answer their questions and prepare a five-minutereport. At the end of the workshop time, everyone got backtogether and shared their discussions. The groups collectivelyidentified many achievable strategies that we can beginworking on immediately.

The final day of the forum was a field trip to view the sitesof the devastating SR530/Oso landslide, a nearby similar sizedpre-historic landslide, and a landslide that has damaged severalhouses in Everett, WA. Both destinations are in SnohomishCounty. Unfortunately the attendees were exposed to a per-fectly clear and sunny day and did not get the experience of aday in the field in typical Pacific Northwest rain.

This first AEG Professional Forum on landslides achievedits goal of bringing together individuals in the landslide community to talk about the current state of things and howto improve communication to those affected by landslides.The goal is to generate an AEG Special Publication or E&EGjournal special issue including the results of the presentationsand workshop. The extended abstracts, many of whichinclude the detail of the presentation, and graciously assembled by Anne Weeks, are available on AEG’s website

(http://www.aegweb.org/docs/default-source/events/aeg- ls-forum-program- abstracts.pdf?sfvrsn=2). Look for the presentations to be posted online, as well as the video of the speakers.

This forum is just one step on the continued journey ofthis conversation. The AEG Landslides Technical WorkingGroup is already in discussions about the next Forum. If youare interested in joining the effort, please contact KevinMcCoy ([email protected]) or Casey Dowling([email protected]) for more information.

Symposium:Time to Face the LandslideDilemma...Continued2015 AEG Annual Meeting Pittsburgh, PA The theme of this symposium is to continue the conversa-tion started by the AEG Professional Forum Time to Facethe Landslide Dilemma, Bridging Science, Policy, PublicSafety, and Potential Loss that was held in Seattle, WA inFebruary 2015. At the interactive workshop in Seattle,groups discussed five different topics: Creation of a “LossModel;” Communication between Science, Policy, and thePublic; Public Outreach; Regulation and Planning; and NextSteps to Continue This Discussion. Six top-level priorityaction items came out of these groups: form a centralcommittee to continue the work the forum started, workon standardizing core methods such as for lidar and mapping, implement priorities of public education andawareness group, develop emergency management kitsfor hazard mitigation plans before emergencies, write anarticle for the press about the forum and others, and planthe next forum.

This Annual Meeting symposium serves as the nextstep in the conversation started in Seattle. It will offer asummary of information learned at the Seattle forum, aswell as bring together more voices and perspectives fromother parts of the country. Speakers will be from a varietyof backgrounds including private, local, state, and federalgeoscientists gathering data on landslides, and those thatuse this data such as emergency managers, planners, and government.

The symposium will conclude with a panel discussionintended to facilitate discussion among the audience togather more input on the top priority action items men-tioned above, and any others that come up. Come be apart of this symposium, which has the purpose ofadvancing the use of landslide mapping information andassessing risk to save lives. Please plan to join us there!Details are forthcoming.


10 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

Glenn Alvin Brown – AEG Past President(February 6, 1924 – February 22, 2015)

Allen W. Hatheway, HMAEG and Richard J. Proctor, HMAEG

Glenn A. Brown, one of America’s “GreatestGeneration” (U.S. Naval Aviation TurretGunner, PBM-5 Flying Boat; Coco Solo,Panama) was born, bred, educatedand practiced in and from LosAngeles, CA. A native of Beverly Hills,he was a long-time resident of Burbank.

Glenn entered professional practicein 1952, at a time and place well suited forhis devotion to the professional practice ofapplied geology in southern CA. He chose engineering geology,and its traditional sub-discipline of hydrogeology. He was naturallyattracted, as well, to the elements of ethical practice and in lead-ership within the profession.

Glenn’s most active practice spanned the years 1950–2000,during which much of our profession became heavily involved inthe regulatory application of applied geology to urban develop-ment. Those fifty years lacked a coherent, published history ofhow geologic constraints had affected southern California, andGlenn emerged as the leading commenting historian regardingthe profound impact of runaway World War II and subsequentdevelopmental effects of industry. The swelling populationstressed the fragile geologic environment of southern California.His knowledge of the personalities, the forces, the events, andthe legislation were an over-riding factor in the adjudication ofmany court cases in which damage, recompense, and regulatoryresponse were judged with the clarity of truth about real eventsthat had occurred in real time.

In the corresponding realm of groundwater resources andtheir environmental protections, Glenn again was the centralfigure with presence, memory, and document collection thatprovided unassailable facts and proofs related to the extent,causes and effects of long-term industrial waste disposaldamage to the groundwater regime of southern California.

From his March 1, 2015, memorial service eulogy, …whereby his record for judicious and responsible

activities led him to come to occupy a chair of great respectamongst his colleagues and those who sought his advice andparticipation. He early became involved in the search for andprotection of southern California ground water and his undi-vided attention led to greater and greater responsibleinvolvement in the always-present California concern for itsenvironmental protection of the resource, while maximizingits use as the essential natural resource.

Glenn is survived by his wife and former co-worker, MarthaLouise (Day) Brown, children Carol Chapman and Wendy Day-Brown and three grandchildren.

Robert G. Thomas – Honorary Member AEG(April 23, 1926 – December 28, 2014)

Allen W. Hatheway, HMAEG

Robert Gilbert Thomas, one of the“Greatest Generation” (Corporal, U.S.Army Air Forces, 1944-1946), was aproduct of his times, raised to the veryhighest sense of a person whose lifemission was defined by his fine geologicworks performed for the common good. Bob was uncommonlygrateful for the “opportunities” that were injected into his life,and he never lost sight of his good fortune as it unfoldedbefore him.

At the age of 18, Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army, andas best is known, he was not upset at the notion of an orderedway of life. Due to poor eyesight, Bob was shifted from apotential aircraft crewman gunner’s assignment into applicationof his high technical capacity test levels. He was assigned asan Early Warning Radar Operator and shipped to CampStoneman to a platoon-sized operation set up on a high bluff ofdurable Miocene-aged marine strata. Bob found his SignalCorps Platoon Leader to be a sympathetic fellow who allowedlong-shift arrangements by which the Lieutenant could grantfour-day weekend passes. Bob used the opportunity to hitch-hike to Stanford University, where he sought information on thefossils he had discovered under and around the cliff-top radarstation. Bob would arrive at Stanford toting his latest exhumedcollection of fossils to be mutually examined and identified.

With stand-down of the Army, Bob was discharged in 1946.He was already known as a regular visitor to the Stanford Uni-versity Geology Department, where he was readily received bythe faculty. Bob applied his G.I. Bill benefits and stayed in classyear-round, graduating with a BS in Geology in 1949. It was thecusp of the great California Division of Water Resources (DWR)indulgence in Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology asapplied to the California Water Plan.

At that time, Bob developed an early and abiding interest inthe application of geologic detail to the summarization ofregional groundwater resources, conducted in the fundamentalnature of his approach to science—integrate the evidence ofhow groundwater accumulates, moves, and is stressed byexploitation. In 1949, he stepped into the truly outstandingDWR world of inquiry. At DWR he learned and innovated theoverall developing technology of characterization of ground-water basins. Not only did he operate with his inherent enthu-siasm to learn, he applied gained and self-innovated knowledgeand moved forward at a fearless pace of productivity. Bob’s 23years of duty with UN FAO at Rome fully achieved the transferand extension of California DWR’s outstanding groundwaterbasin technology into a worldwide state of the art technologyapplied to arid regions.

Obituaries and AppreciationsPending Forthcoming Memorials


June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 11

ev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987,

one of the nation’s most influential figures inhigher education and national and international

affairs, died on Feb. 26 2015. With his leadership, charisma and vision, he had turned a

relatively small Catholic college known for football into one ofthe nation’s great institutions for higher learning. In his historicservice he was a steadfast champion for human rights, thecause of peace and care for the poor. He held 16 presidentialappointments over the years and they involved him in virtuallyall major social issues—civil rights, peaceful uses of atomicenergy, campus unrest, treatment of Vietnam draft evaders,and Third World development and immigration reform, toname only a few. He was a charter member of the U.S.Commission on Civil Rights, created in 1957, and hechaired the commission from 1969 to 1972, whenPresident Richard Nixon replaced him as chairmanbecause of his criticism of the Nixon administration’scivil rights record.

Hesburgh also excommunicated the GeologyDepartment from the Golden Dome, the place wherehe oversaw university operations, and was a role modelfor AEG-style consideration of geologic evidence and decision-making.

This story involved my early Notre Dame mentors, Professors Ray Gutschick and Erhard Winkler, who will beknown to elder statesmen of AEG. They were backed up then in teaching by Archie MacAlpin, and by Father Mike Murphy,who later roomed with Hesburgh in retirement. All of them arenow gone, but my fondness for them and debt to themremains. Erhard Winkler was a real character, an expert onbuilding stones and a student in Vienna of the pioneering engi-neering geologist Josef Stiny, who had established the world’sfirst periodical on this subject. In a sense I have carried on hislegacy by working on engineering projects for the last fewdecades with an Austrian consulting team.

It was Ray Gutschick who enticed me into geology. I stillclearly recall how he had taken me into his chaotic office on theuppermost floor in the Golden Dome, and pulled out a thin-sec-tion containing stretched oolites from the South Mountain,Pennsylvania. The sample had been given to him by ErnstCloos, the brother of the better-known Hans Cloos. He showedme that by an engineering kind of analysis, one could work outthe dynamics of a mountain range, and I was soon ready tojump at the opportunity. At the same time he pushed metoward a strenuous dual-degree program that offered degreesin both Geology, and Civil Engineering. I was the second personto go through it, and for me, as I like to say, it opened the“Keys to the Kingdom.”

At that time Fr Hesburgh, the Notre Dame University President, had his office in the Golden Dome directly belowGutschick’s. Now Ray had thought the Geology Departmentspace was far too small—we were squeezed in there like sar-dines! He had requested larger quarters from the Dean of Science on numerous occasions, but to no avail. The officeswere used for teaching, sample storage and lab work, and Rayhad large acid-filled ceramic vats in his office space, in whichhe dissolved enormous quantities of fossiliferous limestone, inorder to get at the silica bugs he wanted to study. On one

evening during my first year, one of the tubscracked open and the acid poured out

and spilled through the floor, anddownward directly into Fr

Hesburgh’s office. The next dayFr Hesburgh looked into thefuture, and like a Member ofthe AEG, and as Erhardtaught, weighed in his mindthe rock load on the ceilingabove his desk, pondered the

corrosive effect of acid on thesupport beams, and considered

the hazards of an acidic debrisflood swashing across his office

floor. He considered the mitigationoptions, and issued the order for the Geology

Department to evacuate the Golden Dome to their own newexclusive building, on ground level.

I can justifiably sympathize with Fr Hesburgh, for I havesince spent much time in using and in some cases developingmethods to predict inundation limits for hazardous flows, suchas hot corrosive mudflows, and pyroclastic avalanches andlethal ash-cloud surges from volcanoes. On Montserrat in theCaribbean, where I currently work, volcanic flows continue tothreaten thousands of people. These inundation maps are usedfor zoning and sometimes evacuations, but to be effectivethere must be the will to act on this uncertain information—asHesburg did—by the client or a public official. This doesn’talways happen, and then the consequences can be truly cata-strophic. I learned this in spades at Armero in Colombia in1985, where a good hazard map had been made but notacted upon, and 23,000 people were killed by a mudflow 70km from the source. So the worst can happen! In the event,the authorities were unwilling to bear the economic or politicalcosts of early evacuation or a false alarm, and they delayedaction to the last possible minute. Catastrophe was the calcu-lated risk, and nature cast the die. They had lacked a man ofaction like Hesburgh.

In Memory of

Father Hesburgh and Engineering Geology Barry Voight


12 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

R

He held 16 presidential appoint-

ments over the years andthey involved him in virtually all

major social issues—civil rights,peaceful uses of atomic energy,

campus unrest, treatment ofVietnam draft evaders, andThird World development

and immigrationreform…

“

”

Special Section

Geology of PittsburghOur meeting locale is located west of the Appalachian Mountains in a moderately to deeply dissected portion of theAppalachian Plateau Province. Therelatively flat surface of the plateau isdissected by local drainage from thethree principal rivers of the region:the Allegheny, Monongahela, and theOhio. The formation of Pittsburgh’sthree rivers has a long history datingback to before the PleistocenePeriod, linked closely to the retreat ofcontinental glaciation, and subse-quent meltwaters filling the riverchannels and eroding the landscape.Pittsburgh was not glaciated, how-ever, periglacial activity and sand-gravel outwash represent two majorresults of glaciation that terminatedjust north of Pittsburgh.

Western Pennsylvania is associated with the westernmostformation of the Appalachian Mountain chain. The AlleghenyOrogeny had the most affect on Southwest Pennsylvania. Theuplift created a series of nearly flat-lying, gently warped Paleozoicsedimentary rocks under the region. Rocks outcropping in theAppalachian Plateau vary in age from Devonian to Permian. Surfi-cial bedrock of Southwest Pennsylvania is associated with deltaicdepositional environments with a cyclical nature, from fluctuatingsea levels. Pennsylvanian strata is dominated by thin cyclicsequences of sandstone, shale, claystone, coal, and limestone.

Pittsburgh’s strategic location helped shape the westwardexpansion during the early formation of the nation, largelybecause of the rivers, which served as an inexpensive yet effi-cient means of transportation. The region was considered astronghold for the emerging country because of its tacticallocation and later due to its abundance of natural resources.Some of the natural resources include coal, natural gas, oil,salt, limestone, sand and gravel and water.

Geologic hazards present in Pittsburgh and surroundingsinclude, mine subsidence, acid mine drainage, expansive shalesand slags, pyritic acid rock and slope instability. Slope insta-bility results from low shear strength colluvial deposits and thelocal Pittsburgh Redbeds, a notorious claystone responsible fornumerous landslides. Because of the region’s steep topog-raphy, abundant rainfall, low shear strength rocks, and soilswith low residual strength landslides have resulted in majorproperty damage and loss of life.

PREVIEW

AEG 2015 • 58th Annual MeetingPittsburgh, PA • September 19–26

The AEG Allegheny–Ohio Section cordially invites you to the keystone state.

Special Section

June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 13

Headquarters Hotel – Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown

Discover the 90 distinct neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, PA,when you stay at the centrally located Wyndham Grand Pitts-burgh Downtown. The hotel is located in the Central BusinessDistrict, also known as the Golden Triangle, at the meeting ofthe Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers to form the Ohio River.Where soaring skyscrapers and Pittsburgh’s famous threerivers meet, an upscale hotel experience awaits. Hotel guestswill appreciate the distinct array of services and amenities,from the fitness center to the high-tech, 24-hour businesscenter. Complimentary Internet is available throughout thehotel, so it’s easy to stay connected. For exceptional hoteldining head to the Three Rivers Restaurant, or grab a specialtycocktail at one of two hotel lounges. Since navigating a newcity can sometimes be a challenge, a complimentary localshuttle (based on availability) is coupled with an ultra-modernconcierge kiosk to get guests to their destinations. Theimpressive comfort in these hotel guest rooms and suites over24 floors are an incredible escape, with spectacular city andriver views that enhance any stay. Choose from either king ortwo-double-bed guestrooms which are appointed in soothingbeige, brown, and terra cotta earth tones that create anambiance of complete relaxation. Enjoy 100% cotton BeWellbedding and pillow-top mattresses, 37-inch flat-screen TVs withpremium cable, an alarm clock radio and upscale Gilchrest and

Soames bath products in all guestrooms. Getting around townis easy with their scheduled shuttle service (based on avail-ability) that transports guests to anywhere within three miles ofthe hotel. Group Rate: $175/night. Make reservations throughthe hotel link on our website, www.aegannualmeeting.org.

Weather/ClimateFall is one of the prettiest times in Pittsburgh, a respite betweenthe hot days of summer and snowy cold winters. Warm daysand cool nights prevail, and gorgeous fall color paints the rollinghills of Western Pennsylvania. Watch out! The fall weather inPittsburgh can be pretty fickle at times - feeling like summer oneday and winter the next. Average temperatures range from 55to 75 degrees.

What to WearEnjoy the early onset of colorful leaves and the beginning offootball season—this town is transformed into a sea of blackand gold when the Steelers start playing. Enjoy warm days andcrisp nights—pack an extra sweater for those nights spent outside! Layers are recommended, as well as your hiking bootsto get out and enjoy the gorgeous weather. Casual clothing iswelcome most places.

Your Stay in PittsburghSPECIAL SECTION – 2015 ANNUAL MEETING

14 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

Field Trip 1:Bolivar Dam Seepage Barrier Construction ProjectDate: Monday, Sept. 21, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–4:00 pm

Location: Departs from the Wyndham Lobby

Cost: $100/person by 8/1/15, $125/person after 8/1/15(Box Lunch Included)

Leaders: Brian Greene, Gannett Fleming, Howard Gault,Matt Folk, Jonathan West, and Larry Drown, U.S.Army Corps of Engineers

Min/Max: Minimum 16, Maximum 22

Visit an active seepage remediation project of an embankmentdam located in eastern Ohio approximately two hours from

Pittsburgh. The embankment dam,owned and operated by the Corps

of Engineers, was constructedon pervious glacial sands

and gravels, thus leading toa foundation underseepage issue. As part ofthe Corps mission toreduce risk of damswithin its portfolio, Bolivar

Dam was rated a DamSafety Action Classification

of II, indicating a high urgencyfor remedial work. The $44 mil-

lion dam remediation project includesa 4,500-foot long-barrier/cut off wall that will be three feet thickand up to 145 feet deep. The trip will include opportunities toview the cut off wall construction, interact with on-site construc-tion/engineering geology staff, and observe grouting ofbedrock in the left abutment of the dam.

Field Trip 2:Landslides in the Vicinity of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaDate: Monday, Sept. 21, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–4:30 pm



Leaders: Richard Gray, DiGioia, Gray & Associates, LLC;William R. Adams Jr.; and, James Hamel, HamelGeotechnical Consultants


This one-day field trip will provide an excellent overview of land-slides in the Pittsburgh Region, which has long been recognizedas area of major landslide activity. The amount of landslideactivity results directly from the geology and history of theregion. Flat-lying interbedded strong and weak sedimentarystrata have been acted upon by erosion, stress relief, weath-ering, and mass wasting processes to produce colluvialmasses of marginally stable rock and soil on many of the steephillsides common to the region. Humanity’s activities over thepast 250 years have exacerbated landslide problems at manylocations. These activities have included excavation, fill place-ment, and surface and subsurface drainage changes related tocommercial, industrial, and residential development; transporta-tion; and coal mining. Stop 1 on the field trip will be at Mt.Washington for a general orientation on local geology and todiscuss landslides on the slope below. Stop 2 is at an easternsuburb of Pittsburgh were we will see several small to mediumsized landslides in colluvium and fill. Stops 3 and 4 will bealong I-79 to observe numerous colluvial landslide features andto hike up an ancient rockslide to see open stress relief joints inmassive sandstone, large sandstone slump blocks, and agraben-like separation at the rear of a rockslide mass.

2015 Field TripsSPECIAL SECTION – 2015 ANNUAL MEETING

June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 15

Have you been to an AEG

Meeting?What did you love most?

Share it with #AEG2015

on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook!

Field Trip 3:All Aboard! Pittsburgh’s Environmental andEngineering Geology from its Waterways (Sponsored by Duane Krueger & L.G. Hetager Drilling)Date: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–3:00 pm


Cost: $100/person by 8/1/15, $125 person after 8/1/15(Lunch Included)

Leader: Frank Benacquista, KU Resources


A casual stroll across the street from the hotel will allow youto board a watercraft for this field trip. Explore Pittsburgh’senvironmental and engineering geology from its three rivers:the Monongahela, Allegheny, and the Ohio. The cruise willshow the geologic challenges the incised rivers have pre-sented to riverside development and discuss the environ-mental remediation from the City’s industrial past. Sites ofinterest will include brownfields, landslides, rock slope remedi-ation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers first float-in dam.There will be a bounty of geologic discussion and sceneryfrom the only vantage point worthy of this trip, the rivers. Afully stocked cash bar and hot buffet lunch will be available onthe watercraft.

Field Trip 4:Rock Cut Slope Construction along the Ohio River(Sponsored by GSI)Date: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–4:30 pm


Cost: $100/person by 8/1/15, $125/person after8/1/15 (Lunch Included)

Leader: Paul Painter, Ohio Department of Transportation

Min/Max:Minimum 16, Maximum 23

This field trip will take participants on a visual tour of flat-lyingsedimentary rock cut slopes along Ohio State Route 7 andWest Virginia State Route 2. The trip will observe cut slopeinstability and compare and highlight differing ideals of rockcut slope design. Stops will include cut slopes currently inconstruction to cut slopes constructed in the early 1990’s.Three of these stops have severe instability issues and havebeen federally declared Emergency Response Sites. Differentmodes of instability will be observed such as differentialweathering, global instability of weak rock, and failure as aresult of abandoned coalmine collapse. Between the tripstops, engineering geology of abandoned mining and indus-trial complexes will be discussed along with local culturalinterests. Lunch will be provided at Naples Spaghetti Houselocated in historic Steubenville, Ohio.

SPECIAL SECTION – 2015 ANNUAL MEETING

16 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

AEG 2015 Annual Meeting STUDENT EVENTS You Don’t Want to Miss!

Student/Professional Networking EventStudent/Young Professional Career Discussion

See the ad on the inside front cover of this issue for details!

Field Trip 5:“Mid-Conference Stretch” Building Pitts-burgh – A Walking Tour of Pittsburgh’sBuilding Stones Date: Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015

Time: 1:00–4:00 pm


Cost: $20/person

Leader: Judy Neelan, Environmental File Review, ChuckSchultz, Slippery Rock Univ., Emeritus of Geology


Share in the colorful history of Pittsburgh by joining us for adowntown walking tour of some of Pittsburgh’s most beautifulbuildings. Discover the history and architecture of the buildingsthrough the eyes of earlier writers. Also discover interestingfeatures of the building stones themselves and a little about thestone merchants who market them. Learn the process bywhich the building stones are identified and how we knowwhere they are quarried. Add to this a little “made in Pittsburgh”movie drama and an updated version of the “Building Pitts-burgh” document, which is included in the price of the trip.

Field Trip 6:Abandoned Mine Drainage in the PittsburghArea: Occurrence and Passive TreatmentDate: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015

Time: 9:00 am–2:00 pm



Leader: Bob Hedin, Hedin Environmental


The Pittsburgh Coal seam has been mined in western Pennsyl-vania for over 200 years. One common consequence of themining is polluted drainage whose chemistry is controlledlargely by hydrogeology. Unflooded abandoned mines producelow pH water while flooded mines discharge neutral pH water.These chemical conditions influence the environmentaldamage and the choice of treatment technologies. Both typesof mine water exist in western PA in close proximity to eachother. This field trip will visit two local sites where pollutedmine drainage from the Pittsburgh coal seam is being suc-cessfully treated with passive technologies. At the PittsburghBotanic Garden’s Woodlands exhibit, low pH mine water containing aluminum is treated with a limestone bed andsolar-powered flushing system. At the Allegheny Land Trust’sWingfield Pines project, neutral pH water containing iron istreated with a gravity-powered fountain, ponds and con-structed wetlands. The tour will include two easy hikes, apicnic lunch, hydrogeochemistry, botany and wildlife.


June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 17

Short Course 1Rockfall Characterization and ControlDate: Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–5:00 pm

Fee: $325 Professional, $75 Student

Who Would Benefit?The course is geared for Engineering Geologists and Geotech-nical Engineers that are (or plan to be) involved with rockfalls.Attendees should be familiar with basic engineering, geologicaldata interpretation and understand basic physics principles. Wewill provide participants with a copy of the short course presen-tation, published papers and references for further study.

About the CourseThis one-day short course will focus on basic rockfallcharacterization and mitigation techniques presentedfrom the standpoint of practitioners currently responsiblefor analysis, design, and construction aspects of rockfall.The course provides an overview of rockfall stabilizationmethods and introduces new technologies used in rockfallmitigation. The course will focus on: rockfall types andcauses, site characterization, monitoring techniques,rockfall mechanics and experimentation, empiricalanalysis, mathematical modeling, mitigation, managementand case histories as time and interest permits. Basicengineering theory will be covered during the coursealthough the focus will be on the practical appliedaspects of rock design and remediation.

InstructorsJohn Duffy PE, CEG; and Dr. James Glover

Short Course 2Recent Advances in Deep FoundationsDate: Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–5:00 pm


Topics and SpeakersDiaphragm Wall Design and Construction Techniques – ThomasJoussellin, Engineering Manager, Nicholson Construction Com-pany, Cuddy, PA; Port of Miami Tunnel Pre-Treatment Drillingand Grouting – Rick Deschamps, Vice President, Nicholson Construction Company, Cuddy, PA; New Techniques for DamRemediation – Donald A. Bruce, President, Geosystems, L.P.,Venetia, PA; Web Based Instrumentation and Automated TotalStation – Loic Galisson, General Manager, Soldata, Inc.,Seattle, WA; Quality Control Monitoring and Reporting Systems– Tom Richards, Chief Engineer, Nicholson Construction Company, Cuddy, PA; Ground Improvement Using ControlledModulus Columns – Seth Pearlman, President, Menard USA,Carnegie, PA; and, Current and Future Practices for Geotech-nical and Construction Data Management – Robert Bachus,Principal, Geosyntec Consultants, Kennesaw, GA.

InstructorsDonald Bruce received his BS (Geology and Mineralogy) andPh.D (Geotechnical Engineering) from Aberdeen University, Scot-land. He thereafter worked in specialty geotechnical constructionin various countries and projects throughout the world beforebecoming Technical Director of Nicholson Construction, Pitts-burgh, PA, from 1986-1996. Since then, he has been President ofGeosystems, L.P., a consultancy based in Pittsburgh, PA andScottsdale, AZ, specializing in the application of ground treatment,improvement and retention techniques. As such, he has partici-pated in over 1,000 projects in six continents, principally associ-ated with dams, levees, deep foundations, tunnels and mines.

Dr. Bruce is active in professional and trade associations in North America and Europe, and is a Chartered Civil Engineerand Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers (UK), and a LicensedGeologist and Engineering Geologist in the US. He has authoredover 280 technical papers and three textbooks, the latest ofwhich are Dam Foundation Grouting (Bruce and Weaver) and Spe-cialty Construction Techniques for Dam and Levee Remediation.

Thomas Joussellin is the manager of the Engineering Depart-ment of Nicholson Construction Company working in the cor-porate office near Pittsburgh, PA. He received a joint mastersin Geology and Management from the School of Mines ofParis, France. Joussellin has been designing all types of earthretaining structures and deep foundations for 11 years andhas been in the construction industry for 17 years.

Short Courses(PDHs and CEUs will be offered for each Short Course)


18 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

The AEG 58th AnnualMeeting Has GONE MOBILEUsing GUIDEBOOK! Download our mobile guide to enhance your AEG58th Annual Meeting experience. You'll be able toplan your day with a personalized schedule;browse exhibitors, maps and general show info;and connect with other meeting attendees. Access the same information via our mobile site athttp://guidebook.com/browse/.

Thomas D. Richards, Jr., PE, DGE is Chief Engineer atNicholson Construction Company. For over 25 years atNicholson, he has dealt with technical aspects of a multitude ofspecialized geotechnical projects using micropiles, anchors,soil nails, diaphragm walls, and numerous grouting techniques.Richards’ responsibilities include design, quality control,research, testing, and instrumentation. He is active in numerousCommittees of DFI, ADSC, PTI, and ASCE leading to frequentcommenting on FHWA and other industry documents. He isalso a member of the Moles.

Short Course 3 Professional Ethics for Geoscientists and EngineersDate: Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Time: 4:00–5:00 pm

Fee: $40

Who Would Benefit?All geoscientists and geotechnical engineers, especially thosethat have a professional ethics requirement for licensing willbenefit from this course.

About the CourseMost state licensure boards require that all licensed Profes-sional Geologists and Professional Engineers complete a one-hour course in professional ethics each year. The course isdesigned to meet the requirement for ethics training and pro-fessional licensure and to address numerous questions. How doethics differ from the board’s code of conduct? What is thedriving force for ethical practices? Are we trained to be uneth-ical? How does the political arena respond to ethics violations?Completion of the course will result in AEG providing certifica-tion for Professional Development Hours/Continuing Educationfor those attendees that require it for their license.

50% of the proceeds from this short course fee will go tothe Christopher C. Mathewson Scholarship Fund of the AEGFoundation. This scholarship was established by the AEG TexasSection in 2007 and provides supporting funds to AEG StudentMembers studying in Texas.

InstructorDr. Christopher C. Mathewson, PE, PG, is a Regents Professor Emeritus, specializing in Engineering Geology, atTexas A&M University, College Station, Texas. He retired in2011 and is now a Senior Training Specialist with the TexasA&M Engineering Extension Service. Professor Mathewsonreceived a BS in Civil Engineering from Case Institute ofTechnology in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1963, and his MS and PhDdegrees in Geological Engineering from the University of Arizona in 1965 and 1971. He has served as President ofAEG and currently serves on the Texas Board of ProfessionalGeoscientists.


June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 19

A complete schedule and abstracts will beincluded in the Program with Abstracts, atthe website, and in the mobile app.

Technical Sessions● TS#2: Geology of Pittsburgh

● TS#3: Licensure and Professional Practice

● TS#4: Urban Environmental Geology

● TS#5: Student/Young Professional Career Discussion

● TS#6: Rockfall Mitigation

● TS#9: Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part I

● TS#11: General Landslides - Part I

● TS#14: Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part II

● TS#15: Geophysics

● TS#19: Material Properties

● TS#20: Seismic and Environmental Hazards

● TS#23: General Landslides - Part II

● TS#25: Hydrogeology

● TS#26: Mine Reclamation

● TS#27: Environmental Site Remediation

Symposiums● TS#1: Tunneling Symposium

● TS#7: Dams Rehabilitation Part I

● TS#8: Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in SiteCharacterization for Critical Facilities Symposium - Part I

● TS#10: Rock Cut Slope Design Symposium - Part I

● TS#12: Symposium - Dams Rehabilitation - Part II

● TS#13: Importance of Tectonic History and Setting inSite Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium -Part II

● TS#16: Rock Cut Slope Design Symposium - Part II

● TS#17: Symposium - Dams Rehabilitation - Part III

● TS#18: Rock Cut Slope Design Symposium - Part III

● TS#21: Symposium: “Time to Face the LandslideDilemma…Continued” - Part I

● TS#22: Symposium - Dam Rehabilitation - Part IV

● TS#24: Symposium: “Time to Face the LandslideDilemma…Continued” - Part II

Technical ProgramTechnical Program


Short Course 4Characterization of Rock Core and Borehole Conditions for Engineering and Environmental ProjectsDate: Saturday, September 26, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–5:30 pm


Who Would Benefit?Geologists, engineers, and technical staff who need to turnvisual observations and field testing into usable input for evalua-tion, analysis, modeling, engineering design or environmentalremediation would find this course valuable. The course isequally appropriate for younger professionals as well as thosewho are more experienced due to the depth of instruction,range of topics, and wide experience of the instructors. Partici-pants will be able to put their training into practice duringhands-on sessions with rock core. Employers benefit from thevery reasonable cost of this training—equivalent to the cost ofdrilling less than five feet of rock core.

About the CourseInformation gleaned from rock cores and testing in the resultantborehole creates the fundamental data source for use in analysisand design on many engineering and environmental projects.This course will train participants in collecting data duringdrilling, describing rock core, in-situ testing in the borehole, andinterpreting and presenting information from these sources.

The course instructors have wide experience with investiga-tions in rock and include geologists specializing in engineeringand environmental geology, a driller, and a geophysicist. Pre-sentations will cover the most common rock description sys-tems, rock coring techniques and tools, digital recording ofobservations, and supplemental down-hole geophysical and per-meability testing methods. Description methods will focus onfundamental rock and discontinuity features using methods thatthe participant can apply with any of the large number ofdescription systems used by consulting companies, owners, orgovernment agencies. A wide range of rock core will be avail-able for hands-on practice by participants. Special emphasiswill be placed on development of information deliverables,including use of rock mass rating systems and variousreporting and presentation approaches.

InstructorsGary Rogers PG, Senior Associate Geologist and the Geo-sciences Service Area Leader with Schnabel Engineering, is aProfessional Geologist with over 30 years of hands-on experi-ence in engineering geology and hydrogeology related to dams,foundations, landfills, nuclear waste sites, power plants, slopestability investigations, tunnels and shafts, and subsurfaceexploration programs. In his work on these projects, he hasused many of the rock description methods required by various

owners and agencies. He completed a BS at Kent State Univer-sity where he focused on hydrogeology and field studies and anMS at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a thesis projectin structural geology. He has worked for large engineering firms(Ebasco Services, Inc.), was a founder of an environmental andengineering firm (Applied Geosciences and Engineering), and isnow with a mid-size employee-owned firm (Schnabel Engi-neering). He is past Chair of the Carolinas Section of AEG andis active on both section and national committees of AEG.

Daniel Kelleher, PG, CIPM, President and Hydrogeologist withMidwest GeoSciences Group, is a registered Professional Geol-ogist and Certified International Project Manager (CIPM). He isrecognized for his production and teaching of educationalevents through Midwest GeoSciences Group and is the principalauthor of the Field Guide for Rock Core Logging and FractureAnalysis™. His technical expertise is quantitative hydrogeology (inporous and fractured media), geotechnical analysis of sedimen-tary sequences, aquifer testing and predictive ground watermodeling. Kelleher promotes field analysis during stratigraphiccharacterization from boring to boring in order to utilize QA/QCprocesses fully throughout a project and help identify unex-pected conditions as soon as they arise. He earned his under-graduate degree in Geology from Monmouth College and hisMaster’s in Hydrogeology from Northern Illinois University. He isthe former Solid and Hazardous Waste Subcommittee Chair forthe Association of Engineering Geologists.

John R. Stowell was President of Mount Sopris InstrumentCompany from 1985 to 2013. Mount Sopris manufacturesand sells borehole logging systems and software. He is cur-rently board chairman. Prior to that, John served as deputydirector of the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission, and as anengineering consultant. From 1970 until 1981, Stowell wasan engineer and manager with Schlumberger. He received adegree in physics from the University of Colorado at Boulderin 1970, and is a registered professional engineer. He is amember of SEG, EAGE, SPE, EEGS, and SPWLA. He is a pastpresident of EEGS, the Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society, and is general chair for the EEGS annualmeeting, Symposium on the Application of Geophysics toEngineering and Environmental Problems, to be held in Denverin the spring of 2016.

Mike Neal is the Eastern Operations Manager for Ruen DrillingIncorporated, with 35 years in the drilling industry. He is experi-enced in surface and underground diamond core drilling,tooling, equipment, operations and procedures.

20 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015


June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 21

Short Course 5:Environmental and Engineering Geology Applications in Marcellus and Utica-PointPleasant Exploration and ProductionDate: Saturday, September 26, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–4:00 pm


Who Would Benefit?Geologists interested in learning more about the shale gasindustry in general and applications of environmental and engineering geology, in particular.

About The CourseThe short course will be co-taught by Dan Billman and JeffreyDick. Other speakers may be added as needed. They are plan-ning a full-day course with morning and afternoon sessions sep-arated by a lunch break. Topics include: geological andhistorical overview of the Marcellus and Utica shale plays,unconventional well drilling and stimulation, drill pad locationand design considerations, pipelines and midstream pro-cessing, induced seismicity issues associated with hydraulicfracturing and class 2 disposal, NORM and TENORM concernsand ground water monitoring.

InstructorsJeffrey C. Dick, PhD, Professor and Chair Department of Geo-logical and Environmental Sciences is also Director, Natural Gasand Water Resources Institute. Dick started his professionalcareer in the energy related fields of applied geology in 1980doing permit work for the coal mining industry. He shifted tothe petroleum industry in 1982 as an offshore Gulf of Mexicoexploration and development geologist for Chevron USA beforemoving back to Ohio in 1986 where he worked for LocustEnergy evaluating oil and gas joint venture opportunities for avariety of basins within the US. Dick currently divides his timebetween Youngstown State University where he has been a fac-ulty member since 1991 and his private consulting business,J.D. Geological and Environmental Services. He received BSand MS Degrees in geology and a PhD in applied geology fromKent State University. His combined professional experiencespans more than 30 years has established him as a leadingexpert on eastern Ohio hydrogeology and Appalachian regionoil and gas exploration and production. Much of his attention inrecent years has been devoted researching and solving prob-lems related to the rapidly expanding shale gas industry ofOhio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Dan Billman, PG, CPG, Billman Associates has over 25 yearsof experience in the Appalachian Basin with the last 21 as aconsulting geologist and president of Billman Geologic Consult-ants, Inc. Prior to independent consulting, Billman worked as anexploration and development geologist for Mark Resources Corporation and Eastern States Exploration Company. He has

extensive experience both in both unconventional (shales andtight gas sandstones) and conventional development and explo-ration plays in the Appalachian Basin, and also has experiencein the Illinois, Black Warrior, Anadarko, Delaware/Permian, EastTexas and Fort Worth Basins. He has performed numerous geo-logic and economic reviews of natural gas and oil explorationprospects throughout Appalachian Basin, as well as feasibilitystudies for gas storage and coal bed methane development.

Billman is a visiting instructor for the University of Tulsa,Continuing Engineering and Science Education department,teaching “Basic Petroleum Geology for Non-Geologists.” Billmanreceived his BS degree in geology from the University of Toledo(Ohio) and his MS in geology from West Virginia University. He isa member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologistsand is currently the AAPG Delegate representing the PittsburghGeological Society. He is a Past-President of the Eastern Sec-tion of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, afterserving as the organizations Vice-president, Secretary andTreasurer. He is a former President (2 terms), Vice-President,and Treasurer (2 terms) of the Pittsburgh Association of Petro-leum Geologists. He is a member of the Independent Oil andGas Associations of Ohio and Pennsylvania, the PittsburghAssociation of Petroleum Geologists, Pittsburgh GeologicalSociety, Ohio Geological Society, Appalachian GeologicalSociety, Buffalo Association of Professional Geologists andOntario Petroleum Institute. Billman is a board member of thePennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists, and haswritten and/or co-authored numerous published papers andtechnical presentations on the petroleum geology of theAppalachian Basin.

New This Year – Guest OpportunitiesWe are offering just one Guest Registration option this year.Included with every Guest Registration:

● Ability to sign up for our four amazing Guest Tours

● Coffee and Tea Station with morning and afternoonsnacks near Registration on Monday and Tuesday

● Access to the Exhibit Hall with coffee/tea offered everyday (Wednesday-Friday)

● Icebreaker Reception – Tuesday, 9/22 from 6:30–8:30pm (one drink ticket included)

● Complete Registration with Conference Giveaway

Guest Tour 1:Pittsburgh Neighborhood TourDate: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015

Time: 9:00 am–2:15 pm


Cost: $65/person by 8/1/15, $75/person after 8/1/15

Learn about the development of Pittsburgh, from a fort in thewilderness to one of America’s Most Livable Cities. This com-prehensive tour includes a stop at the West End Overlook withits magnificent view of the Golden Triangle. This tour will coverdowntown Pittsburgh, including Pittsburgh’s Crown Jewel, PPGPlace and Oakland, the city’s cultural center. A visit to the Uni-versity of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning and its NationalityClassrooms is one of the many highlights on this tour.

Guest Tour 2:Heinz History CenterDate: Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015

Time: 9:45 am-–2:15 pm


Cost: $89/person by 8/1/15, $99/person after 8/1/15(Transportation and lunch included)

Visit the Senator John Heinz History Center, Pennsylvania’slargest history museum and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Insti-tution, to celebrate more than 250 years of Western Pennsyl-vania history. The Center features six floors and 370,000square feet of traveling and long-term exhibitions that appeal tochildren and adults alike. From George Washington’s first adven-tures in the region during the French & Indian War to the SuperSteelers, Pittsburgh’s greatest stories are told at the HistoryCenter. Join us for a guided tour of this fascinating space.Lunch will be provided.

Guest Tour 3:Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water and Kentuck KnobDate: Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015

Time: 8:00 am–3:45 pm


Cost: $135/person by 8/1/15, $145/person after 8/1/15(Transportation and box lunch included)

Falling Water and Kentuck Knob are Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses located in the beautiful PennsylvaniaLaurel Highlands. Fallingwater was commissioned in 1935


22 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

Guest ToursBe sure to sign up for one of these exciting Guest Tours when you register

for the AEG Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh.

by Pittsburgh department store magnate Edgar Kaufmannas a summer home so that he and his family could enjoy thesimple comforts of nature. The result was an architecturalmilestone, which has been named “50 Places of a Lifetime”by National Geographic Traveler magazine and included inSmithsonian Magazine’s “28 Places you Should See in YourLifetime.” In the more than seven decades since its comple-tion, it has been visited by millions of travelers, includingAlbert Einstein and Frida Kahlo.

Not far from Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s mountainhouse, Kentuck Knob, sits. Built in the early 1950s on a bluff2,000 feet above sea level, it stands just below the crest of the mountain with which it shares its name. Facing east, justbeyond the home’s back terrace, one sees an incrediblepanorama: a long stretch of the Youghiogheny River Gorge, surrounded by wooded mountainsides.

Tours at Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob are guided and ledby professional interpreters. You will become aware of therhythmic interplay between interior and exterior space by thenumerous terraces, open-air walkways and unexpected views of the trees and water as you move through the houses on thisguided experience.

Guest Tour 4:Burgh Bits and Bites Walking TourDate: Friday, Sept. 25, 2015

Time: 10:00 am–12:00 pm


Cost: $49/person by 8/1/15, $59/person after 8/1/15

Strip District Market Tour – Smoke hangs in the air alongSmallman Street in the Strip District. Yet unlike a century agowhen it was the numerous factories and mills along the riversbelching smog into the atmosphere, today it’s the bakeries,coffee shops, and eateries emitting fragrant wafts to temptpassers-by. The Strip District Market Tour is a latemorning/early afternoon weekday jaunt featuring a behind-the-counter look at a variety of eateries in Pittsburgh’s historic market district. This tour links local history with theeating establishments peppered along Penn Avenue, withtaste samples from around the world including Italian pas-tries, Mediterranean and Polish specialties, European meats,and French bread.

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June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 23


STUDENTS: Check the insidefront cover for details on these terrificstudent OPPORTUNITIES at theAnnual Meeting:

Student/Professional Networking EventStudent/Young Professional Career Discussion

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24 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

SPECIAL SECTION – 2014 ANNUAL MEETINGSPECIAL SECTION – 2015 ANNUAL MEETING

Registration Rates &Deadlines

Rate By 8/1/15 After 8/1/15

AEG Member – Full Registration $395.00 $445.00

Non-Member – Full Registration* $495.00 $545.00

*BECOME AN AEG MEMBER and save $100 on your registration fee.

Corporate Registration $395.00 $445.00One floating registration pass for employees for the three days of technical sessions; one pass for Ice Breaker; one pass for Exhibitors’ Lunch

Field Trip ONLY – $75.00 $100.00Limited Registration

AEG Student Member – $95.00 $120.00Full RegistrationFull-time student with proof of current enrollmentNot a member—student membership is FREE!

Student Volunteer $0.00 $0.00Volunteer 8 hrs (2 in Registration) and receive a complimentarymeeting registration. Contact [email protected] to register.

Guest Registration $75.00 $125.00(Includes Icebreaker, Exhibit Hall, Guest Giveaway and ability tosign up for Guest Tours)

Daily – AEG Member $200.00 $250.00

Daily – Non-Member $300.00 $350.00

Daily – Student Member $55.00 $55.00

SPECIAL EVENT –Gateway Clipper Dinner Cruise $95/person

Field Trips and Guest Tours

Rates and Deadlinesare listed within thedescription on theircorrespondingpages beginningon page 15 in thisissue.

Register Early!

Field trips and special events can sell out. Be sure to secure

your spot for these exceptional events. Go to

www.aegannualmeeting.org for the full

Registration Form

Dinner Cruise on the Gateway ClipperWednesday, September 236:00–9:30 pm$95 per person (includes food and two drink tickets)

This unique Pittsburgh dining experience isaboard one of the magnificent riverboats of theGateway Clipper Fleet, presenting an unforget-table experience that truly captures the person-ality of a great river city—Pittsburgh. Aboard thisfabulous riverboat tour, you will dine on world-class cuisine that is expertly prepared by ourexecutive chef. Join us for this dinner cruise andsee the spectacular city skyline as the sun setson the three rivers—a night out on thewater lets you see Pittsburgh from a wholea new point of view!

Special EventSpecial Event

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June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 25

unique four-step geohazard risk assessmentmethodology was developed by Engineering

Knowledge Management LLC based upon an evaluation of thousands of failures over the past 35 years. Theimpact of man’s activities and extreme weather on sinkhole col-lapse, subsidence, slope, and landslide failures were analyzedalong with conventional triggering mechanisms and risk factors.Failure evaluations indicated that aging infrastructure andextreme weather events were combining to greatly increase therisk and severity of sinkhole collapse, subsidence, slope, andlandslide failures.

As part of the above research effort, a simple unmannedvehicle named GeoBot was developed for the assessment sink-hole, subsidence, and slope failures associated with stormwater line, catch basin, drainageway, and detention-retentionfacility failures. The first use of the GeoBot was a 2013forensic investigation of a sinkhole collapse adjacent to under amajor 36-inch reinforced concrete storm water line. Migrationof surface water caused a small sinkhole void to form adjacentto the major storm water line which eventually grew in size andcaused collapse of a handicapped parking area. The GeoBotwas used to inspect the condition of the storm water line andalso provide monitoring of pressure grouting that was used tostabilize the adjacent sinkhole.

GeoBot was used again in the 2014 forensic investigationand stabilization of an aging concrete storm water arch thatcollapsed due an extreme rainfall event. GeoBot provided acondition assessment of the 100-year-old concrete and stonestorm water arch as well as monitoring of the filling of the archto prevent any future collapse.

The success of the low technology off-the-shelf compo-nents of the GeoBot on storm water related sinkhole collapseand subsidence failures led to consideration of adding ther-

mography, microgravity, ground penetrating radar (GPR), lidar,acoustic, and GPS sensors to the GeoBot for sinkhole col-lapse, slope and landslide failure investigations. Developmentof a companion GeoCopter unmanned aerial vehicle systemwas also initiated that would utilize the same interchangeablesensors as the GeoBot.

Applications for the next generation of GeoBot and com-panion GeoCopter were studied by authors Max Perlow andJoshua Wagner while at the University Pittsburgh as part a2014 undergraduate internship program sponsored by Engi-neering Knowledge Management. The study objective was todevelop specifications for the next generation of the unmannedvehicles to provide unique pre- and post-failure assessments ofsinkhole, landslide, slope, wall, and utility failures. Details of theabove next generation plans for the GeoBot - GeoCopter aresummarized in the following sections.

Unmanned Vehicle and Sensor OptionsBoth system prototypes were to be designed to utilize off-the-shelf radio controlled crawlers, aerial copter and eventu-ally drone platforms. The configuration of the crawler orcopter units would be dependent upon the terrain and surveyarea requirements. Payload, cruise speed, power needs, andwireless control range would dictate the type of unmannedvehicle used.

Each system would have the ability to deploy single or multiple interchangeable wireless sensors including real-timevideo, high resolution panoramic photo, acoustic, GPS, tilt-level,3D scanning, lidar, thermography, and microgravity.

Roof or front mounted sensor packages could also beused with conventional vehicles for urban infrastructure appli-cations or off-road ATV’s for site-specific, pre- and post-failureinvestigations and monitoring programs.

GeoBot and GeoCopter DevelopmentMax W. Perlow, Joshua Wagner, and Michael Perlow Jr., PE

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Figure 1. GeoBot-GeoCopter Prototypes & Sensor Applications

A

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26 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

GeoBot - GeoCopter ApplicationsTypical pre- and post-failure application uses are highlightedusing actual failure case histories to demonstrate how theGeoBot and GeoCopter systems would be used in theassessment of geologic hazards, monitoring of previous fail-ures, and most importantly emergency response assessmentof on-going failures.

Sinkhole Collapse – Subsidence Application Matrix1. Emergency stability assessment of cavity bottom & slopes2. Stability assessment of sinkhole side slopes – adjacent areas3. 3D scanning for estimation of ground loss4. Thermography-microgravity-GPR forensic survey5. Water, sanitary, storm utility line forensic inspections6. Post-stabilization utility geophysical surveys7. Bi-annual utility line condition assessment8. Periodic thermography-microgravity-GPR Survey

Landslide – Slope Failure Application Matrix1. Emergency stability assessment of landslide – slope failure2. Stability assessment of assessment of adjacent slope areas3. 3D laser scanning of slope topography and volume4. GPS, acoustic, seismic monitoring of slope movements5. Thermography-microgravity geophysical survey6. Post-stabilization GPS, acoustic, thermography surveys7. Post extreme precipitation event GPS, acoustic,

thermography surveys

Railroad Retaining Wall Failure Application Matrix1. Emergency stability assessment of retaining wall failure2. Stability assessment of assessment of adjacent areas3. 3D laser scanning of slope failure for volume estimates4. GPS, acoustic, seismic monitoring of slope movements5. Thermography-microgravity-GPR geophysical surveys6. Post-stabilization GPS, acoustic, geophysical surveys7. Post extreme precipitation event GPS, acoustic, geophysical

surveys


Figure 2. Sinkhole Collapse Case Histories PHOTOS BY M. PERLOW & MORNING CALL

Figure 3. Landslide Case Histories PHOTOS BY PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, NASA

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June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 27

Water Main Break – Gas Explosion Application Matrix1. Emergency assessment of main break voids and pipe

support2. Stability assessment of assessment of adjacent areas3. Thermography-microgravity-GPR geophysical surveys4. Water, sanitary, storm water utility inspection and condition

assessment5. Post extreme precipitation event utility and geophysical

surveys

NASA Technological DevelopmentsThe technologies developed by NASA over the years with itsMars Rover programs have demonstrated the great potential ofsensor packages deployed from small unmanned crawlerrobots. Opportunity, also known as MER-B, is arobotic rover active on the planet Mars since 2004. Launchedon July 7, 2003, it landed on January 25, 2004 and remainsactive as of 2015. Opportunity has exceeded its planned opera-tion life by 11 years moving about Mars gathering scientificobservations and reporting back to Earth.

Summary and ConclusionsThe advancement in technology of small unmanned aerial vehi-cles and drones enables the deployment of a wide variety ofsensors that have been used on robotic crawlers and rovers.

Engineers and geologists are on the threshold of a majortechnological revolution with the use of unmanned vehicles forgeologic hazard assessment, 3D Scanning and imaging.

The GeoBot and GeoCopter concept of using small off-the-shelf crawler and UAV platforms to deploy a suite of inter-changeable sensors will greatly enhance geo-environmentalhazard failure investigations, risk assessments, mitigation, andprevention programs.

For more information contact, Michael Perlow Jr., PE, viaemail at [email protected] or 267-664-3250.

Related Publications and Presentations:Perlow M. Jr. and Perlow Max W. (2014) Utility Failure Risk Assessment, PA-

AWWA Infrastructure Expo, Hollywood Casino, Grantville PA, November12–13, 2014.

Perlow M. Jr. and Perlow Max W. (2014) Extreme Precipitation and the LandslideMulti-Hazard Conundrum, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting,Vancouver BC, Canada, October 19–22, 2014.

Perlow M. Jr. and Perlow Max W. (2013) Eastern PA Sinkhole, Slope and UtilityFailures Triggered by Extreme Precipitation Events, 56th Annual AEGMeeting, Seattle Washington, September 10–14, 2013.

Perlow M. Jr. (2012) Sustainable Utility Infrastructure Planning & Replacement inKarst Areas, 64th Annual Conference, Pennsylvania Section – AmericanWater Works Association, Lancaster PA, May 2–4, 2012.

Perlow M. Jr. (2011) A Simple Risk Assessment Model for Municipal, Transporta-tion, and Energy Infrastructure in Karst Areas, 25th Central PA GeotechnicalConference, Hershey PA, March 30 – April 1, 2011


Figure 5. Water Main Break-Gas Explosion Case History

Figure 4. Retaining Wall Failure Case History PHOTOS BY FERN SHEN

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28 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

old fever was in the air this past April! Phil Bradley,Senior Piedmont Geologist for the NC Geological

Survey; Heather Hanna, Geologist for the NC Geolog-ical Survey; Stephen Challenger, geology graduate student atNorth Carolina State University; and Aaron Kepley, Reed GoldMine Historic Interpreter hosted this successful spring trip.These knowledgeable volunteers took 50+ people (geo- professionals, students, and kids) on a tour of the Reed GoldMine historic site. It was a hoot, but we didn’t run off with anyloot (maybe next time!).

Phil Bradley, Heather Hanna, and Stephen Challengertook folks on a geology tour of the site. We first discussedthe regional structural geology of the area within the Gold Hillshear zone and the Silver Hill fault. The main structural fea-ture at the site is the Reed Mine northeast plunging anticlinethat includes a greenstone body mapped on the Upper,Middle, Lower, and Lake Hills. The host rocks of the TilleryFormation are laminated argillite and felsic tuff with sec-ondary greywacke and rhyodacite. The trio walked the groupthrough the site stopping at outcrops in and near LittleMeadow Creek, to look at the northeast plunging anticlineand explained that the greenstone is likely either a sill or con-cordant layer involved in regional folding. The gold at the siteis confined to quartz veins within the greenstone body. Thequartz veins are likely the result of along-axis extensionduring folding.

The geology story continued into the Reed Gold Mineunderground and above ground tours, led by Aaron Kepleyand other Reed Gold Mine staff. Some of the featuresshown and discussed on this phase of the tour includedLittle Meadow Creek and the story of how gold miningbegan at this site with a 12-year-old boy named ConradReed tracking down his arrow in the creek and finding ashiny rock in 1799. At the underground mine at Linker Adit,we learned that the gold was mined by following quartzveins; saw a kibble (Cornish for bucket) where miners,equipment, and ore were raised and lowered into the mine;watched a demonstration on how miners used hammer,chisel, and blasting to mine out the quartz and rock; learnedabout miners digging holes a few feet below the ground sur-face to find gold nuggets; and saw a Stamp Mill in operationwhere rock is crushed and gold is separated out from thecrushed rock on a large panning table.

The last activity was trying our luck at panning for gold.The Reed Gold Mine staff gave each of us a pan of sedimentdug from along the banks of Little Meadow Creek, the locationof the first documented discovery of gold in the United States,and taught us how to maneuver the pan to reveal any gold.Some folks were lucky that day and found a flake or two ofgold in their pans!

FIELD TRIPS

AEG Carolinas Section Field Trip – April 11, 2015

Reed Gold Mine – Midland, NCSue M. Buchanan, Field Trip Chair

G

Entrance to Reed Gold Mine underground tour at Linker Adit

Phil Bradley, Heather Hanna, and Stephen Challenger explaining the regional andlocal geology to the AEG field trip attendees

AEG would like to thank Phil, Heather, Stephen, Aaron, andthe Reed Gold Mine staff for all their hard work in puttingtogether a wonderful field trip. Many field trip attendees enjoyedlearning about the geology, the gold mine, and panning.

TOP LEFT: Morgan Shaft andkibble—this shaft is 50 feet deepand used to raise and lower men,equipment and ore.

TOP RIGHT:Phil Bradley andHeather Hanna showing the struc-tural geology of the greenstonebody to AEG field trip attendees.

LEFT: AEG field trip members panning for gold

FIELD TRIPS

June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 29

We appreciateyour MEMBERSHIPin AEG.Names in BOLDthroughout AEG Newsindicate currentmembers.

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30 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

ISSUES IN PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE

In this series, we present the opinions of the author as he explores the issues that are important in the implementation and operation of statutory licensure for geologists. The author’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists or any other organization or entity.

Issue LXXIVLicensure As a Job Qualification:

Who Absolutely Needs It, Who Might Need It, and Who Does Not Need It?

Robert E. Tepel, PG, CEG, and Past President AEG

IntroductionWhich geoscientists absolutely need licensure to do their job?For which geoscience jobs is licensure an optional? Which geo-science jobs do not require licensure at all?

The answers are important in terms of career opportuni-ties, and are also in terms of the liabilities and responsibilitiesaccepted by (or placed on) the practitioner. This articleaddresses these questions in two ways: career planning for stu-dents and professionals, and, career flexibility for professionalsin typical employment settings in the major practice disciplines.

This is a general discussion about typical practice situa-tions broadly categorized. There are exceptions for specific sit-uations that might apply to some readers, so, as always, it isup to the professional do dig into the details.

Students: Career Planning and Licensure The best time to become licensed is as early in a career aspossible. Passing the Fundamentals of Geology examination(the first of a two-part licensure exam) is easier for studentsand recent graduates than for more experienced profes-sionals simply because it is focused on academic knowledge.Some states allow students to take it in their senior year. Forany individual the question “Do I now or will I in the futureneed a license to practice geology?” can be answered by con-sidering their desire for career flexibility in either the technicalsense (the knowledge base used by the practitioner) or geo-graphic sense (practice location desired by (or thrust upon)the practitioner.

The answers also vary according to employment set-ting. An employer or client might require licensure of theirgeologist(s) either as a condition of working for them basedon their own internal standards, even if there is no legalrequirement for the geologist to be licensed in a particularsituation. Some employers have career (promotion) laddersthat do not require licensure at the entry level but do requireit at supervisory levels.

For students, the value of a professional license is in theirfuture. Licensure offers the professional geoscientist careerflexibility and promote-ability, even if the student plans to prac-tice in an exempt part of the profession or to practice in a juris-diction that lacks a licensure law. Career changes can occurquickly and, for some us, often. As a matter of career planning,students should be aware of where licensure is required, and

for which practice disciplines, and they should take coursesthat will help prepare them for (and qualify for) the licensureexamination (for additional discussion, see Tepel, 2012)

Professionals: Licensure Requirements InPractice Disciplines And Employment Settings Who Does Not Need a License?Employment Settings. Federal government employees areexempt from state licensure laws when acting in the course oftheir federal duties. Geoscientists who work in 1) an exemptindustry, 2) in academia, 3) in some state and local governmentpositions, 4) in some nonprofit organizations, 5) in tribal posi-tions, or, 6) work in a jurisdiction that does not have licensure,do not need to be licensed. Geoscientists working in subordi-nate positions do not need licensure. In some cases, geoscien-tists who work in these employment settings, whether as anemployee or as a consultant, can have an entire career withoutthe need to be licensed imposed by law. A geologist who doesnot charge for (or receive non-monetary compensation for)his/her geological services does not need to be licensed forsuch practice if state law allows this exemption.

Practice Disciplines. As noted in Issue LXXIII (Tepel, 2015),petroleum geologists and (or) mining geologists are exemptfrom licensure in several jurisdictions. This exemption mightapply only to those employed in industry, or might be availableto independent consultants who practice before the public orwho practice only for industry, depending on state law. Geolo-gists who offer geologically-based expert witness testimonybefore a court of law or a state regulatory agency might, inspecific situations, either be required to be licensed (especiallyif acting on behalf of a client), or the body accepting their testi-mony might rule that the public interest over-rides a require-ment for licensure (see, for example, Tepel, 2003).

Who Must Be Licensed?Employment Setting. Positions in engineering geology or envi-ronmental geology (typically contaminant hydrogeology) requirelicensure for practice in responsible charge of the work (as asole proprietor consultant or as an employee of a firm) inalmost every instance in almost every licensing jurisdiction.Eventually, this will also apply in Louisiana and New York, butthose boards are not yet fully functioning under mature rulesand laws Positions in state and local regulatory or permitting

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June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 31

ISSUES IN PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE

agencies typically require licensure for those in responsiblecharge of the work. See Oregon State Board of GeologistsExaminers (2015) as an example of how a typical state lawapplies to employment settings in that state.

Practice Setting. Geologists who .offer to practice before thepublic in economic geology (petroleum and mining) consultingmust be licensed if not exempt under the law. Geologists inindustry whose work products travel outside the offices of theiremployer (e.g., if the geologist signs a geologically-basedrequest or report to a state regulatory agency) must belicensed unless a specific exemption is in state law.

For Whom Is Licensure Optional?Employment Setting. Licensure is optional for subordinateemployees who qualify for it and who want to remain in a subor-dinate position, if their employer’s policy allows. They give upcareer flexibility, and like give up mid-ladder promotional oppor-tunities by remaining unlicensed. Licensure is optional for geo-scientists in employment settings exempt under the law. If theyremain unlicensed, they give up career flexibility and possiblypromotional opportunities. Licensure is optional for academicand research geologists; if unlicensed they give up consultingopportunities that require licensure, and might give up careerflexibility. Licensure is optional for geologists practicing in juris-dictions that do not license geologists. They can becomelicensed in any convenient state; failure to do so may have acost in career flexibility or promotional opportunities. Thesepeople might think of the license as either 1) “nice to have if Ineed it, nice to have on my resume, and the certificate looksgood on the wall” (if they become licensed), or 2) “I’ll take mychances on career flexibility and development” (if they opt tonot become licensed). As licensure laws became morecommon in recent decades, so did the laments I heard fromgeologists who practiced in exempt employment and, uponretirement, realized that they now needed a license for almostall consulting work, and had let convenient opportunities passthem by during their careers.

Practice Setting. Licensure is optional for geologists prac-ticing in economic geology if employed in a exempt industry.

Summary and ConclusionsState licensure laws vary considerably in defining who mustbe licensed across the employment settings and practice disciplines of geology.

Professional licensure is a job requirement for a relativelysmall proportion of all practicing geologists in the UnitedStates. In terms of discipline, a requirement for licensure mostcommonly applies to engineering and environmental geologistswho are in responsible charge of geological work on which thepublic will rely, if they practice in in jurisdictions that have licen-sure laws. That makes sense because these are the geolo-gists whose work most directly and most commonly (and likelymost probably and most profoundly) affects the public health,safety, and wellbeing. In terms of employment setting,employers who offer geological services in engineering

geology and environmental geology may require licensure foremployment in (or promotion to) a highly responsible position.Licensure is also required in some jurisdictions for economicgeologists in positions that produce work products on whichthe public will rely. The public interest in their work hingesmostly on the need for accountability to the public for work inboth the economic sense (mineral deposit evaluation, e.g.) andthe public health and safety sense.

Licensure is desirable for almost all geologists because ofthe career flexibility it offers. In some employment situations,being licensed (even if it is optional) can be a positive in com-peting for a career advancement opportunity.

References CitedOregon State Board of Geologist Examiners, 2015, Geology Practice in the

Public Sector, Oregon Geologist Examiner, Spring, 2015, p. 1. Tepel, Robert E., 2003, Issue XXIX: Is Professional Licensure Required for Testi-

mony before a Public Decision-Making or Policy-Making Body? AEG News,June 2003, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 20-22.

Tepel, Robert E., 2012, What Geology Students Need to Know about Profes-sional Licensure. The Professional Geologist, American Institute of Profes-sional Geologists, Vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 10-11.

Tepel, Robert E., 2015, Issue LXXIII: The Industry Exemption in Geology LicensureLaws: Should it Stay? AEG News, March 2915, vol. 58, no. 1., pp. 27-29.

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32 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

The HomefrontCarolinas SectionAlex Rutledge (Chair) and Madeline German (Vice Chair)

The Carolinas Section held our most recent meeting at NattyGreene’s Brewing Company in Raleigh on April 16. Jahns Lec-turer, Eldon Gath, presented a well-received talk on TectonicGeomorphic and Paleo Seismic Investigations for the PanamaCanal. Approximately 80 geologists, students, engineers, andregulators attended the meeting. The Carolina’s Section is plan-ning to add a summer meeting to our schedule, also in Raleigh,with the focus on fostering conversation between regulatorsand consultants.

During his trip to the Carolinas, Eldon enthusiasticallyendured the demanding schedule prepared by our StudentLiaison Rick Kolb and visited students at eight Universities:Furman University, UNC Charlotte, UNC Asheville, East Tennessee State University, Guilford College, NC State, WakeTechnical Community College, and UNC Chapel Hill.

Rick Kolb has also had great success with the Visiting Professionals program this spring, coordinating geologist pre-sentations with students at UNC Wilminton, UNC Charlotte, UNCChapel Hill, NC State and Clemson.

Sue Buchanan planned and executed another fantasticfield trip, this time to Reed Gold Mine, in Midland, NC, on April11, 2015. Approximately 40 geologists, students, and rockenthusiasts toured the mine, museum and viewed the local out-crops related to gold prospecting with Phil Bradley from the NCGeological Survey. Everyone was able to try their hand at pan-ning for gold, with many geologists returning home with goldsouvenirs (See the article on page 28 for the full story). We arelooking forward to another successful field trip with a “Wine Ter-roir and Tasting Tour” in the Yadkin Valley this fall.

The Charter for the Carolina’s Section Scholarship, whichwas seeded with surpluses from the Vapor Intrusion Conferenceheld in January 2014, was recently finalized by our SectionBoard and the AEG Foundation. We hope to be issuing scholar-ships by the spring of 2016.

The Carolinas Section has 196 members, 108 of which arestudents, that we hope will translate into full members followinggraduation. We have made a concerted effort to increase andhold membership this year. The work of Eric Cross, our Mem-bership Chair, and others in our section has resulted in anincrease in seven full members and many more student mem-bers for our Section this year!

We currently have 23 sponsors for the Carolinas Sectionfor 2015. Rick Kolb, our Sponsorship Chair, has been busygetting our existing sponsors renewed and recruiting new ones.The generosity of our sponsors allows AEG Carolinas to fundour outreach programs to students, our profession, and to thegeneral public.

Jennifer Thomas is producing our quarterly Sectionnewsletter, GeoNews. The latest issue was published in April2015, and provides section members with section and national

AEG news updates, a summary of our section financials,geology-related articles, and a place for our section sponsorsto advertise.

The Social Committee, led by Adam Phillips, is planningmore baseball-related networking events, a few brew pubsocials, and a sporting clay shoot over the spring and summer.

Great Basin SectionJesse Ruzicka, Chair

Despite the economic slump in the Great Basin region, we arefortunate to have continued solid attendance at our monthlymeetings. We have had a series of great presenters the lastquarter of 2014 continuing through the first quarter of 2015.

Speakers and topics in the last quarter of 2014 included:Get Reacquainted No-Host Social; Gary Luce (Resource Concepts, Inc.), Tailings Dams 101 – An Introduction; StephenDickenson (New Albion Geotechnical, Inc.), Geotechnical Challenges Associated with “Unique” Soils: When the Engineering Behavior is Not as it Seems; and, Corné Kreemer(University of Nevada, Reno), Plate Tectonics 2.0: Using GPS toRewrite Textbooks and Forecast Earthquakes.

The first quarter of 2015 featured Jonathan Pease (MarvinE. Davis & Associates), Crossing the Truckee River and theTruckee Canyon at Vista: Geotechnical Design and GeologicImplications, Washoe County, Nevada; Eldon Gath (2014–15Jahns Lecturer), Tectonic Geomorphic and Paleoseismic Investigations for the Panama Canal; Brett Whitford, Oil Sandsand the Kearl Project; and, Richard Perry (State of Nevada, Division of Minerals), Mineral Production and Mining Activities,Geothermal Production and Activities, Hydraulic Fracturing Regulations, and Oil Activity.

Whereas in the past, the Great Basin Section has spon-sored up to three students each month, we have recently calledupon local firms to sponsor increase that to four. This approachhas been successful and provides a venue for local firms andstudents to connect. As a result we have seen an increase instudent attendance at our monthly meetings.

We are also excited about our recent coordination withthe Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering at theUniversity of Nevada-Reno to encourage student participation,and have gained large support from the dean, several profes-sors, and career development faculty at the school. Further-more, Gary Norris, current section vice-chair and long-timeprofessor at the university, continues to provide a valuablelink with the department of civil and environmental engineeringat the university.

Through the efforts of Merrily Graham (our “unofficial” com-munity liaison), we have been fortunate to raffle several itemsdonated from the community at our monthly meetings to raisefunds for student involvement. The hope is to hold a StudentNight next year where students can present and discuss their v -arious projects with members and community professionals.

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Finally, we continue to explore ways to provide additionalmember benefits including workshops, field trips, and profes-sional development hour (PDH) opportunities. Informationregarding these opportunities will be available as discussionsand planning progress, so stay tuned.

New York – Philadelphia SectionMia Painter, Newsletter Editor

The NY-P Section has had an active spring! In February we wel-comed Dr. Lee Slater, Professor and Chair of the Departmentof Earth & Environmental Sciences at Rutgers UniversityNewark. His talk, A Fractured Rock Geophysics ToolBox (FRGT)for improving Characterization and Monitoring at ChlorinatedSolvent Contaminated Sites, was well received. We are pleasedto continue increasing student participation at our meetings.

Dr. Greg Herman (NJDEP) gave us another great presenta-tion—his fifth for our Section since 1999 (and we know it won’tbe his last!)—Update on Borehole Imaging and Visualization ofFractured-Bedrock Aquifers. Greg discussed the bigger pictureview about his theories and research looking at how the frac-tures observed in New Jersey are related to impact tectonics.Check out his website at www.impacttectonics.org for moreinformation.

April brought our first annual Student Night! Many thanks toDr. Chad Freed, Associate Professor of Environmental Scienceat Widener University, for organizing the event. Six universitieswere represented: Widener, Penn, West Chester, Villanova,Ramapo, and Delaware County Community College. Over 12student posters were on display and we enjoyed excellent discussions about their research. After dinner, five studentspeakers made presentations on their recent research, andwere well received. We are very pleased to have awarded allstudent presenters with a small gift for their efforts, and toaward one larger gift to a speaker based on evaluations

completed by the audience. The gifts were made possible by personal and corporate sponsorships. Thank you all and we arealready looking forward to next year’s student night!

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June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 33

Greg Herman linking fracture patterns with impact tectonics.

(l to r) student Derek Harzinski, Dr. Chad Freed, Benjamin MacLuckie, SarahGensel—all of Widener University

Student Presenters: Brian Wlodawski (Ramapo), Derek Harzinski (Widener),Michael Papili (Ramapo), Sara Rife (Villanova), Sarah Gensel (Widener)

Students Beatrice O’Hara and Matt Serzega (West Chester University) with theirStudent Night poster

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34 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

In May, Steve Spayd spoke on the naturally occurringboron and arsenic in the Newark Basin. Our annual field trip willbe held in early June, exploring dinosaur paleontology in NewJersey. Visit our LinkedIn page for future activities and howthese events turned out.

NY-P Chair Curt Schmidt and Niall Henshaw attended themid-year board meeting in Columbus. Niall is serving as co-chair of the finance committee and Curt is serving on the Gov-ernance Restructuring Committee.

Upcoming Event

The RE3 Conference will be held in Philadelphia, PA, September16–18, 2015. NY-P members will be assisting in the review ofthe abstracts, marketing of the Conference, and we will likelyhost an exhibition table and spend some time promoting AEG.Stop by to see us! And of course we’ll see you at the AEGAnnual Meeting in Pittsburg!

We continue to thank everybody for keeping our NY–P Section vibrant, either by attending, presenting, serving on acommittee, and/or by offering feedback or ideas. We alwayswelcome new ideas and look forward to meeting you at ournext meeting!

New Student Chapter Formed – Widener UniversityIn other news, we are proud to support our new StudentChapter at Widener University! The Widener University Engineering Geology Club was started to promote the appliedgeosciences across the disciplines of civil engineering andenvironmental science and also to be active in our AEG Section. The club is inclusive to any student at Widener inter-ested in geology. Club officers are President BenjaminMacLuckie (Environmental Science), Vice President OliviaPfautz (Civil Engineering); Treasurer Alexander McCarthy (Environmental Science), Secretary Brooke Durnin (Environ-mental Science). Dr. Chad Freed, Associate Professor of Environmental Science at Widener University, is the Chapteradvisor. Currently the club is studying the hydrology sur-rounding a lake in the Poconos experiencing eutrophication.Summer and fall include plans for field trips to areas of geologic interest in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Oregon Section Mark Swank, Secretary

The Pacific Northwest has been going through the West Coast’sdrought, just in our Oregon way—with slightly milder tempera-tures and a little more sun than usual in March and April. Withthat, the Oregon Section has continued its great participation atthe monthly meetings due to a strong line-up of presentationsthroughout the year—and attendance rarely suffers when localpartners sponsor the beverages.

In March, this year’s Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lec-turer in Engineering Geology, Eldon Gath, presented his Mitiga-tion of Surface-Fault Rupture: Updating California’s Alquist-Priolo

Earthquake Fault Zoning Act for the New Millennium. This wasour second AEG Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer of thefiscal year, as Greg Hempen presented at the Octobermeeting. His discussion focused on how the public, and ourprofession, is better served by upgrading the A-P for consis-tency with the risks associated with other natural hazards. TheOregon Section enjoyed hearing the application of these guide-lines, which has been so important in California’s developmentand response to natural hazards.

Our April guest speakers were Michael Reynolds and BrianMcNamara with Shannon & Wilson and the Oregon Departmentof Transportation (ODOT) respectively. The duo presentedAdvantages of Early Hazardous Material Assessment: Hwy212/224: Sunrise Corridor JTA, Clackamas County, Oregon.The talk covered one Superfund site, six DEQ cleanup sites,numerous leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs), and onemilitary reservation with the potential for unexploded ordinance.So how do you build a new 2.5-mile-long expressway in aheavily industrialized area? It takes early involvement and thedevelopment of a comprehensive Contaminated Media Manage-ment Plan addressing more than 150 project elements.

In May, we held our annual Oregon AEG Student PosterNight where the student awards (the always-needed cash) werepresented to four winners in different categories. We alwaysencourage the professional community to attend this event tosupport our student members and future geologists. In addi-tion, this year the Oregon Section will be offering TWO StudentAwards to attend the Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh.

Membership Challenge

The Oregon Section was proud to have initiated the first annualBOD Membership Challenge earlier this year, wherein we chal-lenged all the other AEG Sections to add 10 new full membersin the first quarter of 2015. Five of our sections met this goalincluding New York-Philadelphia, Oregon, Rocky Mountain, SanFrancisco, and Southern California. Due to this initiative, 146professionals either became new members or renewed. Con-gratulations to the Southern California Section for winning thecontest with a whopping 30 individuals signing up.

Philanthropic Endeavors

We have also begun a fundraiser for GeoGirls Youth Technologyand Geology Field Camp and are matching donations up to atotal of $500. In conjunction with an anonymous sponsor whois also matching funds up to $7,000, we are hoping to create afund that could sustain several years of activities for the group.

Looking Toward 2020!

A very hearty congratulations goes to the Section awarded the2020 AEG Annual Meeting—Oregon! We could not be moreexcited to be hosting the meeting in our great region with itsdiverse climates (yes, we have a desert—with sun and littlerain) and varying geology that includes just about everythingyou could think of from volcanoes carved by glaciers, lavaplains, the basin and range, with accreted terrane, landslides,and earthquakes (a big one is coming!), oh my.

THE HOMEFRONT

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Rocky Mountain SectionDenise Garcia, Secretary

The Rocky Mountain Section annual Student Night was held inMarch, with six students from Colorado School of Mines (CSM)presenting their research: Robert Duran, Ethan Faber, Benjamin Haugen, Joshua Stewart, Kevin McCoy, andMack McLain. We continued to use the format of both posterand oral presentations, and it worked out well again this year.All of the student presenters were impressive and the Sectionenjoyed learning of their ongoing research. Ethan Faber tookhome the grand prize for his poster and research presentationLandslide Risk Identification and Reduction Matrix for Precar-ious Settlements in Guatemala City. The CSM AEG StudentChair organized a silent auction to raise money for the studentchapter. Due to the generosity of our members and affiliatecompanies, we raised significant funds to support students atour monthly meetings throughout the year. Thank you to allthose generous sponsors!

We did not have an April meeting because our Marchmeeting was so late this year. In May, we had a work meetingto discuss the I-70 Hogback POGI Trail Clean-Up Project and tostart planning the 2017 Annual Meeting to be held in ColoradoSprings. The purpose of the clean-up project is to maintain thewalkways along the north and south sides of the I-70 road-cutthrough the Dakota Hogback in Jefferson County, CO. We planto remove soil and rock that has accumulated on the walkwayand clean it. There is also the goal of upgrading the signage.

The Rocky Mountain Section will take a Summer breakfrom meetings for June through August, however, we plan tohave some field trips this summer and fall. All are welcometo attend!

Sacramento SectionChase White, Secretary

The Sacramento Section held its February 2015 meeting atSudwerk Brewery in Davis. We were honored and pleased tohost the 2015 Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer, EldonGath for our meeting. Eldon spoke and presented on the Tectonic Geomorphic and Paleoseismic Investigations for thePanama Canal, summarizing five years of geological explorationin Panama to identify and quantify fault hazards to the PanamaCanal and Canal Expansion Project.

Our March meeting was held at Aviator’s Restaurant atthe Executive Airport in south Sacramento. Speaker RobertBurns, CEG, with the California Department of WaterResources (DWR) – Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) gavea presentation entitled ShakeMaps, ShakeCast, and CaliforniaDam Safety. He explained how DSOD uses the USGS Shake-Cast software to continually download, compile, and analyzestrong-motion record data and enable DSOD to prioritizeresponses and mobilize field inspection personnel after sig-nificant earthquakes. Prior to dinner and the presentation,the Section hosted a rock and mineral specimen silent auc-tion as a fundraiser for the Section scholarship funds. Many

beautiful and interesting specimens were donated for thecause, including a solid 5-foot stick of granite rock core, asection of a polished countertop slab of granite pegmatite,peridot-bearing basalt from Arizona, a cut and polished section of Precambrian schistose metasediments from theCanadian Shield, and even a couple bottles of El DoradoCounty wine! Thanks to the generosity of both our memberswho donated items and those who attended the meeting andbid on them, the Section raised $411 from the silent auctionto augment the scholarship fund. Thank you all for your generosity and support!

Annual Student Night

On April 21 we held this, one of the most anticipated eventsof each year. We tried a new venue this year, the OldSpaghetti Factory restaurant in eastern Rancho Cordova. In addition to over 20 professionals, we had more than twodozen students and four professors in attendance from fouruniversity campuses within the Section boundaries, including:

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Sacramento Section Scholarship Committee Chair Wendy Key looks over someof the specimens donated for the scholarship fundraiser silent auction held atthe March Section Meeting.

Sacramento Section members Bill Fraser and Chase White peruse and bid onitems during the scholarship fundraiser silent auction held during the Marchmeeting.

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36 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

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University of California, Davis (UC Davis); California State University, Sacramento (CSU Sacramento); California StateUniversity, Fresno (CSU Fresno); and California State University, Chico (CSU Chico).

The first portion of the evening focused on providing dedi-cated time for interaction and networking between students andprofessionals before sitting for dinner, allowing student posterpresenters to give brief summaries of their work, andannouncing the 2015 Section Scholarship winners and awards.

Seven students submitted abstracts and presented postersand summaries of their research projects at the meeting, witheach presenting student awarded $50 at the meeting. Theposter presentation titles and students follow: Looking forNormal in the Lodo Gulch: Magnetostratigraphy Across thePaleocene-Eocene Boundary, Julie Rieth, CSU Fresno; RapidScientific Response as an Educational Opportunity IntegratingGeoscience and Advanced Visualization, Justin Lindeman, UCDavis; Seismic Profiling and Volume Estimates of the ClevelandCorral Landslide, Joan Lopez, CSU Sacramento; Ground WaterAssessment of the Dotta Canyon Meadow Restoration Project,Jason Dunn, CSU Sacramento; Waste Water Injection in VenturaCounty Basins, Ed Treguboff, CSU Sacramento: Arroyo SecoGravels, Eric Page, CSU Sacramento; and, Laguna FormationOutcrops and Overview, Kathryn Jelinek, CSU Sacramento.

Following a secret ballot vote from all those present, the“Best Poster” award and cash prize of $100 was presented toJason Dunn of CSU Sacramento.

After dinner, our Section Scholarship Chair, Wendy Key,had the honor of announcing the recipients of the H. Ray TaberAEG Founders Scholarship awards from the Section (beginningin 2013 the annual scholarship awards were named in honor ofHarmon Ray Taber, one of the founding members of AEG).Scott Mitchell of CSU Fresno was announced as the recipientof the $1,000 undergraduate scholarship, and Casey Polon,also of CSU Fresno, was announced as the recipient of the$1,500 graduate scholarship.

After the scholarship winners were announced, it was timefor our raffle prize drawing. Since the focus was on networkingbetween students and professionals, and to offer some extra

incentive for student-professional interaction, a ticket wasentered in the raffle drawing signed by the student and theprofessional participating in each conversation (a little like an AEG “speed dating” session!). Raffle prizes were donatedby professionals, employers, and sponsoring vendors, andincluded geologic maps and reference publications,mineral/rock and fossil samples, rock hammers, giftcards,and cash.

Coming Events

We expect to hold an election sometime in June to select newSection Officers and will in turn have a new Section Chair torepresent us at the 2015 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA. Wewant to express our gratitude and appreciation for the years ofservice and efforts from Pete Holland who will be steppingdown as Chair, and from Tim McCrink who will be steppingdown from many years of dedicated service as our SectionTreasurer. We will share the results of the election and namesof the new Section officers in the next issue of AEG News!

St. Louis SectionStefanie Voss, Section Editor

AEG St. Louis welcomed Curt Fahnestock, PG, of McMillan-McGee Corporation as our speaker in February. He discussedElectro-Thermal Dynamic Stripping Process for In-Situ ThermalRemediation. The presentation focused on the use of closelyspaced subsurface electrodes to heat the soil (through elec-trical resistance) and remediate volatile organic compound contamination. The method, although expensive up-front, hasbeen shown to be very effective in quickly reducing concentra-tions of volatile organic compounds in soil. The meeting wassponsored by Bulldog Drilling.

Nick Eldred was our speaker for the March meeting. Histalk entitled Canterbury Earthquakes, near Christchurch,

New Zealand: Impact, Response,and Recovery was a personaltopic for him, as he experiencedthe earthquake first-hand. Themagnitude 6.2 earthquakeoccurred 5 km below the surface,causing the death of 185 people.The alluvial deposits, upon whichthe city was founded, liquefied andflowed to the surface. Over 4,000metric tons of sediment wasremoved. The region also experi-enced lateral spreading, 0.5 to 1

meter of settlement, flooding, cliff collapse, and boulderrolls from nearby mountains into homes and other struc-tures. Recovery has consisted of rezoning residential areasto restrict building in areas of severe earthquake hazards;replacing 500 km of wastewater sewers and 1,000 km ofroadways; and closing and redesigning the downtown andcentral business district.

Students and professionals mingling and networking during the 2015 Sacramento Section Student Night Meeting

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June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 37

THE HOMEFRONT

Our April meeting saw the return of the Student Panel presentations. Students from the University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri University of Science and Technologypresented their research to AEG members. Their topics werevaried and illustrated research on the forefront of engineeringand environmental geology.

Southeastern SectionMatthew Howe, Chair

Over the course of the last four months, we had the pleasure ofwelcoming both, Ken Fergason, 2014–15 AEG President, andEldon Gath, the 2014–15 Jahns Lecturer, to the Atlanta areaon separate occasions. Following is a chronological list of activities that the Southeastern Section has been involved withfrom October 2014 to April 2015.

Shortly after the Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ, theSoutheastern Section helped to promote the SoutheasternStates Vapor Intrusion Symposium on October 1 & 2, 2014.The meeting was a success with a capacity crowd of people inattendance and even a few AEG Members.

On December 5, 2014, Eldon Gath was able to do a quickvisit to South Florida and make a presentation at Florida Interna-tional University in Miami, FL. He gave a presentation entitled, Tec-tonic Geomorphic and Paleoseismic Investigations for the PanamaCanal. Many thanks for Section Secretary Ron Kaufmann fordoing much of the legwork and coordination for this campus visit.

Ken Fergason visited Atlanta on January 22 and 23,where he gave presentations at Georgia State University, theUniversity of West Georgia, and the University of Georgia. Whileat Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta he gave a talkentitled Between a Rock and Geologic Disaster – Working as anApplied Geologist. This presentation was intended for students,where he discussed impressive projects he has worked onduring his career. Later that evening, he attended a low-key

“Meet and Greet” for AEG members and non-members at alocal British-style tavern in Northwest Atlanta. The following daystarted out at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, GA,where Ken gave a presentation entitled Someone is Paying Meto Do This! The Geologic, Geohazard, and Geotechnical FieldInvestigation for the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. He ended hisvisit to the area, with a trip to the University of Georgia inAthens, where he gave a presentation to the UGA geology clubentitled Application of Satellite-Based Interferometry (InSAR) toGeologic and Geotechnical Investigations.

Eldon Gath visited Atlanta on March 31 and April 1,where he gave presentations at the University of Georgia, theAEG-AGS meeting, University of West Georgia, and GeorgiaState University. Eldon began his tour at the University ofGeorgia, where he gave a presentation entitled Natural HazardIdentification, Impact Analysis, and Risk Assessment for Com-munity Disaster Mitigation Planning to the UGA Geology Club.From there he drove to the Fernbank Museum of Natural His-tory, where AEG had a joint meeting with the Atlanta GeologicalSociety. Eldon spoke on Tectonic Geomorphic and Paleo-seismic Investigations for the Panama Canal. The next day, hedrove out to the University of West Georgia, and presented

Ken Fergason and Matt Howe posing with both AEG members and non-membersat AEG Meet & Greet

Eldon Gath presenting at the Annual AEG–AGS meeting at the Fernbank Museumof Natural History

Eldon Gath presenting to students, faculty, and staff at Florida InternationalUniversity

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38 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

The Santa Ana Mountains: Indenter Tectonics and the Earth-quake Hazards of The OC. He finished up his visit to Atlanta bytraveling to Georgia State University, where he spoke on Natural Hazard Identification, Impact Analysis, and Risk Assessment for Community Disaster Mitigation Planning.

On April 8, Southeastern Section Officers Matthew Howe(Chair) and Michael Arles (Vice-Chair) were able to meet withUnited States Army Corp of Engineers Chief Geologist, MartyGoff in downtown Atlanta at a USACE Geotechnical and Mate-rials Community of Practice Meeting. The pair discussedMarty’s interest in getting more USACE employees to the nextAnnual Meeting in Pittsburgh and getting employees plugged-into local meetings. In addition, the Southeastern Section Chairwas able to give a quick five-minute presentation on what toexpect at the next Annual Meeting.

On April 9, Section Chair Matthew Howe visited the Univer-sity of West Georgia to participate in their geosciences careernight. At the event, a variety of professionals gave a brief introduc-tion as to who they were, where they worked, and what they did.After a brief presentation by the West Georgia Career Servicesoffice, the rest of the evening was spent individually interactingwith students. This was the fourth year that he has done this andhas enjoyed this event every year that he has been able to attend.

Southern California SectionInland Empire ChapterRiverside and San Bernardino Counties

Shaun Wilkins, Secretary

The first quarter of 2015 provided an array of interesting discussions for the members of the Inland Empire (EC) Chapter.The topics were all derived from California geology and showedhow diverse California geology can be.

February’s meeting was held at the Cask ‘n Cleaver inRiverside, which was convenient as the discussion was pro-vided by Dr. Gareth Funning, Associate Professor at the nearbyUniversity of California, Riverside campus. Dr. Funning enter-tained one of the largest turnouts of professionals and stu-dents we have hosted since our wine cave discussion inMarch. In total, 33 attendees (a majority of which were UCRstudents) enjoyed dinner and a discussion entitled The 2014South Napa, California Earthquake: A Complex Event on an(Almost) Unknown Fault. Dr. Funning detailed how he and hisstudents were some of the first geologists to be on theground following the August 24, 2014, earthquake (evenbeating the teams from the USGS!). His talk’s focus was mod-eling the movement and loading of the crust as observed byspace geodesy (InSAR and GPS) and seismology, based onfield instruments placed throughout the vicinity of the fault,both prior and subsequent to the earthquake. Some importantfindings were that this earthquake ruptured along multiplestrands, many of which were previously (almost) unknown, andcontinued to show significant shallow afterslip following theevent. In some places, the afterslip actually caused moredamage to roads and utilities than the original earthquake

movement. Dr. Fanning provided a wealth of geologic, geo-detic, and geophysical datasets to help model the movementand deformation associated with this event across a muchbroader area than just the surface fault traces.

The annual Jahns Distinguished Lecture was provided byEldon Gath, President of Earth Consultants International. TheGeology Department at UC Riverside was kind enough to hostthe event this year and everyone enjoyed a BBQ dinner prior tothe discussion. Our Section chose Natural Hazard Identification,Impact Analysis, and Risk Assessment for Community DisasterMitigation Planning from Gath’s offerings. This discussion wasparticularly suited for the location as it detailed Gath’s participa-tion with planning and collecting data for Riverside County’sLand Information System, which provides a variety of geotechni-cally-relevant information for use in land use planning, hazardmitigation, and loss prevention such as subsidence and lique-faction susceptibility and active fault zonation. This database isuseful for geotechnical studies within the county as very fewportions of the county have seismic hazard analysis performedby the State of California. Gath provided a follow-up discussionon how properly identified hazards can help to reduce risk anddamage in project planning and land use.

In April, we participated in the Annual Inland GeoscienceSocieties joint meeting between AEG–IE, the Inland GeologicalSociety (IGS), and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Held at the historic Old Spaghetti Factory inRiverside, the meeting was organized by the California StateUniversity – San Bernardino. The presenter was a DistinguishedLecturer from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Kay Pitts, a California PG with over 34 years ofexperience in the petroleum industry, principally in the Bakers-field area. Pitts is now retired, but was most recently a projectmanager for Aera Energy LLC, a California company owned byShell and ExxonMobil. Her discussion A Petroleum Geologist’sView of Oil and Gas in Southern and Central California; the Past,Present and Possible Future was presented to almost 100people from a wide array of backgrounds—including studentsand professionals in the geotechnical, environmental, govern-mental, academic, and mining industries. Pitts provided a briefhistorical background to oil exploration and production in California, as well as where California and the U.S. have rankedhistorically compared with the country and the world. She alsodescribed technological advancements over the years as wellas some of the technical, environmental, and political hurdlesfaced by the petroleum industry. A special emphasis wasplaced on the controversial topic of hydraulic fracturing, with adiscussion on the historic setting, environmental concerns, andrecent political compromises that affect current, and especiallyfuture fracturing practices in California.

The IE chapter is gearing up for a strong run to take usinto summer, including a Field Trip to the Cajon Pass, a seismi-cally active and geologically significant area; and a shortcourse offering discussions on the Many Facets of GeologicRisk and how to reduce liability in the geotechnical and environ-mental industries, which all practicing professionals should findrelevant, and will round out the quarter with a talk given by arepresentative of the USGS. It looks to be an exciting quarter!

THE HOMEFRONT

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June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 39

Texas SectionChristina Dance, Secretary

The AEG Texas Section SummerMeeting, Deepwater EngineeringGeology and Geohazard Assessment:From Tools and Techniques to Chal-lenges and Opportunities, was held inHouston, TX, on April 25, 2015 andhosted by Fugro GeoConsulting, Inc.William C. Haneberg, PhD, PG, andKerry J. Campbell, PG, introduced thetools and challenges of modern deep-water engineering geology from datacollection to advanced analysis andprocess-based modeling. They alsogave tours of the Fugro geotechnicaltesting and geohazard core lab. Thank you to the presenters,as well as those whom participated on the Ethics Panel, Cynthia Palomares, and Robert Traylor, for taking time tospeak at the meeting.

Washington SectionSabine Datum, Editor

Seattle Area News

As previously reported, Bertha, the world’s largest tunnelingmachine, has been stalled under downtown Seattle while dig-ging the Alaskan Way Tunnel since December 2013. Bertha’sfront end was finally lifted to the surface for repairs on March30, 2015. The lift had to be accomplished using a hugecrane designed by Mammoet. Planned repairs and enhance-ments include a new main bearing and system of seals aswell as a 160,000-pound steel reinforcement. Assumingrepairs go well and Bertha starts drilling again, her path willsoon turn east, directly under the Alaskan Way Viaduct. She’llthen veer north, under downtown Seattle. While Bertha’srescue pit was dug in its current location with minimal disrup-tion to the city, that won’t be the case if she breaks downagain farther along the route. Stay tuned…

You can follow Bertha here: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/About/FollowBertha

Section Meetings

The February 2015 meeting was held in Seattle and featuredAEG President Ken Fergason, PG, of AMEC Environmental &Infrastructure Inc., who spoke on Someone is Paying Me to DoThis! The Geologic, Geohazard and Technical Field Investigationfor the Hover Dam Bypass Bridge. A total of 75 members andstudents attended to hear Ken present. GeoStabilization Interna-tional (GSI) graciously sponsored dinners for a limited numberof AEG Student Members.

The March 2015 meeting was also held in Seattle and featured Dave McCormack, LEG, LHG, Senior Associate andEngineering Geologist with Aspect Consulting. Dave spoke onEmergency Stabilization of the Port Angeles Landfill. A limitednumber of AEG Student Members’ dinners were sponsored byApplied Professional Services (APS).

The April 2015 meeting was again held in Seattle and featured Tom Colligan, LG, LHG, Hydrogeologist and AssociatePrincipal with Floyd/Snyder. Tom spoke on Electrical ResistiveHeating of Soil – Overview and Case Study. Friedman & Bruya,Inc. graciously sponsored dinners for a limited number of AEGStudent Members.

THE HOMEFRONT

June 2015 AEG NEWS 58 (2) 39

Texas Spring meeting presentor William Haneberg of Fugro

Index of AdvertisersAEG 2015 Annual Meeting..................................Back CoverAEG 2016 Annual Meeting........................Inside Back CoverAEG Sponsors ...................................................................40Geotechnology....................................................................7REG Review.......................................................................31

For Information on supporting AEG through sponsorship and/or advertising in AEG News,

contact AEG Headquarters: [email protected].

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40 AEG NEWS 58 (2) June 2015

Corporate SponsorsCorporate SponsorsAEG is grateful to the corporations and individuals who contribute to our operating fund through their sponsorship.

President’sClubCreek Run Environmental Jason LenzPO Box 114Montpelier, IN 47359765-728-8051www.CreekRun.com

PlatinumKleinfelder, Inc. Chad Lukkarila550 West C Street, #1200San Diego, CA [email protected]

Ruen Drilling, Inc. Arlan Ruen2320 River RoadClark Fork, ID [email protected]

GoldParratt-Wolff, Inc.Gary Ellingworth501 Millstone Dr.Hillsborough, NC [email protected]

SilverEarth Consultants International, Inc. Tania Gonzalez 1642 East Fourth StreetSanta Ana, CA 92701714-544-5321tgonzalez@earthconsultants.comwww.earthconsultants.com

Exponent Betsy Mathieson475 14th St., Suite 400Oakland, CA [email protected]

Gregg Drilling & Testing, Inc.Patrick Keating2726 Walnut Ave.Signal Hill, CA [email protected]

Michael F. Hoover ConsultingMichael F. HooverPO Box 30860 Santa Barbara, CA 93130805-569-9670www.hoovergeo.com

Robertson Geotechnical, Inc.Hugh S. Robertson2500 Townsgate Road, Suite EWestlake Village, CA [email protected] www.robertsongeotechnical.com

Sage Engineers, Inc. Ara Sanjideh2251 Douglas Blvd., Suite 200Roseville, CA 95661916-677-4800asanjideh@sageengineers.comwww.sageengineers.com

Shannon & Wilson, IncBill Laprade400 N 34th St Seattle, WA [email protected]

BronzeEnviro-Equipment, Inc. Denise Chew11180 Downs Rd Pineville, NC [email protected]

Feffer Geological Consulting Josh Feffer 1990 S Bundy Dr, Suite 400Los Angeles, CA 90025310-207-5048www.feffergeo.com

Geodynamics Consulting Group, Inc.Harry Audell33282 Golden Lantern StreetDana Point, CA 92629949-493-1352www.geodynamicsinc.com

ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS LIST OF SUPPORTERS.See the ad on the inside cover to learn about the benefits of AEG Sponsorships.

MembershipDrive SUCCESS!Congratulations to theSOUTHERN CALIFORNIASECTION for winning the2015 Board of DirectorsMembership Challenge byadding 30 new members sofar in 2015!

A big thank you to the OREGON SECTION for sponsoring the award!

We urge all of our Sections,Chapters and individual Members to KEEP AT IT.Encourage your coworkersand associates to JOIN AEG!

Below the steep slopes of Mount Washington created by three great rivers, the City of Pittsburgh blends its industrial heritage with its forward focus on technology. Throughout this dynamic urban landscape, past and present collide in land use, environmental impacts, and shifting economic forces. The AEG 2015 Annual Meeting Planning Committee invites you to join us for the “Conference at the Confluence”.

WYNDHAM GRAND DOWNTOWN

Discover the 90 distinct neighborhoods of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania when you stay at the centrally located Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown.

The hotel is located in the Central Business District, also known as the Golden Triangle, at the meeting of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers to form the Ohio River. Where soaring skyscrapers and Pittsburgh’s famous three rivers meet, an upscale hotel experience awaits in downtown.

PITTSBURGH, PA I SEPTEMBER 19-26, 2015

Pittsburgh photo courtesy Roy Engelbrecht

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SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITOROPPORTUNITIES

Event sponsorship is effective advertising that builds lasting recognition and good will for your company. We anticipate over 500 professional registrants at AEG2015 in Pittsburgh! We also have a brand new, fully interactive mobile app that provides even more sponsorship opportunities, so be sure to check it out!

FIELD TRIPS, GUEST TOURS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

We have an exciting lineup of trips, tours and a very special event this year, an evening aboard the Gateway Clipper. Join us for a reception cruise and see the spectacular city skyline as the sun sets on the three rivers.

See our website for complete details: www.aegannualmeeting.org

ONLINE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN AT

WWW.AEGANNUALMEETING.ORG

Be sure to reserve your hotel room at the Wyndham Grand, they will sell out quickly. Visit www.aegannualmeeting.org and click on the hotel link on the homepage.

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