AQUAPHYTE ONLINE
Winter 1996

Environmental Professionals To Be Licensed?

Should "environmental professionals" be regulated and licensed by the state in the same way that other professionals are, such as engineers, surveyors, geologists and bankers? The Florida Association of Environmental Professionals, the Florida Lake Management Society, and other organizations think so. They have formed a coalition to file a bill with the Florida Legislature for consideration in its spring 1997 session. Four years in the writing, the bill would require anyone whowants to "practice environmental management" (make ecological predictions or environmental determinations) to have alicense, or to work under the guidance of someone who does. Owners and managers of private companies that offerenvironmental services in the state would be affected. Government workers in general would be exempted, "provided theirwork is reviewed and/or prepared under the supervision of a licensed environmental professional". The management ofagricultural and aquacultural resources are exempt.

According to the bill, a licensee must provide proof of "having earned a four-year college degree in one of the environmental managment sciences", "having completed a minimum of 5 accumulative years of experience" and "having met the continuing education requirements." A "grandfather clause" is included in the bill, which allows some applicants to substitute experience for a degree in environmental management.

Licensure is a good idea, according to Dr. Tom Cuba, because the general public needs more assurance that reliable ecological decisions are made and that environmental professionals are more liable for their actions; and because there is "too much tax money wasted" on and environmental damage caused by bad environmental management advice and activities. Cuba is the Executive Director of the Environmental ProfessionalsAction Coalition, a lobbying organization that has been shepherding the bill.

As of now, according to Cuba, only British Columbia requires licensing of itsenvironmental professionals. However, five states are monitoring the progress ofFlorida's bill. "I am very optimistic that it will pass this spring," says Cuba. He isinterested in comments and suggestions: Dr Tom Cuba, Delta Seven, Box 54697,St. Petersburg, FL 33739 (813/532-0709). V.R.

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