The Business Council supports this legislation that would provide for the licencing of professional geologists, and recommends that it be approved by the State Legislature.

The Business Council represents 3,600 businesses across New York State. This legislation has been reviewed by a wide range of environmental professionals from within our membership structure, and we find it to include reasonable and appropriate technical criteria for professional licencing, and a fair and reasonable administrative process.

Most important, this licencing bill will result in individuals involved in the practice of geology being held accountable to a higher standard of performance when they work with our state's natural resources. Geologists play a role in a wide range of activities that have a direct effect on public safety and environmental protection, including but not limited to environmental remediation, public water supplies, mining activity, and the development of buildings, bridges and other major structures and public works projects.

We believe that this legislation also properly recognizes and accommodates activities undertaken by other qualified persons, including professional engineers, doing site remediation and other environmental management work.

In summary, this bill assures that highly qualified professional geologists will be available to work in New York State. We believe that the important goal of public safety and environmental protection will be better served through the professional licencing of geologists.

For these reasons, we support approval of S.2174/A.4886.