2016 Mississippi Code
Title 73 - Professions and Vocations
Chapter 63 - Registered Professional Geologists Practice Act
§ 73-63-7. Activities requiring registration under chapter; exemptions

(1) A person shall not use the term "registered professional geologist" unless that person is registered under this chapter. Unless exempted under subsection (5) of this section, any individual practicing, offering or attempting to practice geology or claiming any specialty in geology, as a professional, business or commercial identification, title, name, representation or claim, or otherwise holding themselves out to the public, as being qualified to practice geology or any of its specialties shall be registered under this chapter.

(2) Unless exempted under subsection (5) of this section, no person other than an individual shall engage in the practice of geology unless the geologic work is performed by or under the supervision of one or more registered professional geologists, who is in responsible charge of the work and signs and seals all documents. If the principal business of the person, as determined by the board, is the practice of geology, then a principal, officer or director must be a registered professional geologist and have overall supervision and control of the geologic work performed in this state.

(3) Except as exempted under subsection (5) of this section, a person shall be construed to engage in the practice of geology or offer to practice geology under this chapter if that person:

(a) Practices any branch of geology;

(b) Represents by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card or any other way or implies through the use of the title "geologist" that the person is registered under this chapter;

(c) Holds himself or herself out as able to perform or does perform any geologic services or work recognized by the board as the practice of geology; or

(d) Makes geologic determinations and evaluations which may affect the public welfare, including, but not limited to, the following activities: protection of groundwater to ensure adequate quality and quantity for present and future generations; prevention and remediation of contamination of the earth, earth materials and water from improper disposal or accidental spills; determination of the suitability and risks in containment and disposal of wastes and hazardous materials, including, but not limited to, landfills, storage tanks and injection wells; siting of boreholes, depth of wells to be drilled, depth of casing and grouting requirements for the construction of monitoring wells or other borings into the earth that may affect one or more aquifers; the suitability for construction projects including excavations, buildings, dams, highways and other structures which may be affected by floods, landslides, earthquakes, sinkholes, erosion, and expansive or contractive earth and earth materials. These geologic determinations and evaluations do not include the design of structures as defined by Title 73, Chapter 13 and other engineering-related activities as clearly defined and mutually agreed upon between the Board of Registered Professional Geologists and the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors in the memorandum of understanding authorized under Section 73-63-53.

(4) Any geologic report or geologic portion of a report, which incorporates or is based on a geologic study or on geologic data and is required by or supporting compliance with any federal, state or local governmental law, ordinance, rule or regulation shall be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered professional geologist as evidenced by the geologist's signature and seal.

(5) The following activities shall not require registration under this chapter:

(a) Geologic work performed by an employee or a subordinate of a registered professional geologist, if that work does not include responsible charge of geologic work, provided that the work does not state, portray or infer by any manner or suggestion whatsoever that the employee or subordinate is in responsible charge of the geology or geologic work and that the work is performed under the direct supervision of a registered professional geologist who is responsible for that work and whose signature and seal must be conspicuously affixed thereto;

(b) Geologic work performed exclusively in the exploration for and development or proving out of petroleum resources, including the giving of testimony, or preparation and presentation of exhibits or documents regarding petroleum resources for the sole purpose of consideration by, or being placed into evidence before, any administrative agency, judicial tribunal or public hearing, if the testimony, exhibits or documents do not imply that the person is registered under this chapter;

(c) The practice of engineering, including the acquisition of engineering data and the utilization of these data in analysis, design and construction by professional engineers appropriately registered in this state;

(d) Work customarily performed by physical or natural scientists such as chemists, archaeologists, geographers, oceanographers, pedologists and soil scientists, if that work does not include the planning and execution of geologic investigations, being in responsible charge of geologic work or the drawing of geologic conclusions and making recommendations involving the practice of geology; and

(e) Geologic work which does not affect the public welfare as specified under subsection (3) (d) of this section.

(6) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit the practice of engineering by a geologist.