I agree with the goals of ensuring that Professionals, and particularly Professional Engineers, keep current with rapidly changing professional practices and technology. I personally feel that my active involvement in Professional Societies such as the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and the Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA), appointment to the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee (MWAQC), Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and participation and attendance at technical conferences such as the five-day A&WMA Annual Conference and Exhibition (ACE) keeps me current with the state of art in my environmental engineering practice. 

 

I have been elected by my peers to be the Pollution Prevention and Sustainability Division Chair of the A&WMA Technical Council. In that position I am obligated to attend four days of meetings every year to organize the technical sessions for the ACE. I also chair at least one technical session every year, a duty that requires that I read and review a half dozen technical papers every year some times four or five times as technical or editorial revisions are made. As the field of Sustainability, which includes global warming, gains prominence I have been asked to assist on the organizing committees for technical specialty conferences in the field. This position requires that I participate in approximately 30 hours of organizing conference calls, in addition to attending the two-day technical conference. I have also been elected to serve on the Board for the South Atlantic States Section of the A&WMA. In that capacity I work to help foster local chapters in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and the District of Columbia. Before moving to Virginia I lived in San Diego and there I was the Vice President of the local NSPE. Volunteers are the core of professional organizations and without them these societies could not exist. Professional Societies establish standards of practice and provide technical information for members and society at large. The NSPE establishes standard contract terms for Engineers in Private Practice. Unfortunately these organizations are finding it more and more difficult to find volunteers to serve on committees.  

 

Virginia has a number of voluntary boards, committees and commissions that could benefit from participation by Professional Engineers. Participation on these boards, committees and commissions involve research and analysis of new and complex issues at least equivalent to 8 hours of continuing education. The MWAQC, TAC, on which I have served on for the last four years, is responsible for the development of Maryland, Virginia and DC State Implementation Plans (SIP) - the plan for how the nonattainment area will reach attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). While I have been serving on the TAC we have developed both the 8-hour ozone and fine particulate (PM_2.5) SIPs. The TAC holds two-hour meetings every month with dozens of additional subcommittee conference calls to discuss particularly complex or contentious issues. I was appointed by the chair of the TAC which rotates between the chief air quality officer of each jurisdiction either Virginia, Maryland or DC. 

 

Represent the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Association (Fairfax Federation) on the TAC. I also serve as the Chairman of the Fairfax Federation Environmental Committee Chair. In that capacity I attend Federation Board and membership meetings and prepare resolutions about environmental issues that affect the county and testify to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and others on environmental issues of general interest to Citizens of the County.

 

In conclusion I suggest that holding an elective office in an active professional society or appointment to a Board, Committee or Commission by a Virginia State official, should count as equivalent to 8 hours or continuing education. Additionally, attendance at technical conferences should count as equivalent of 8 hours of continuing education for every two days of conference attendance. This proposal not only fulfills the goals of keeping me personally informed on developments in the Engineering Profession, but also supports these organizations that serve such a critical role in the furtherance of our profession.