RSA 310-A:84 · Qualifications for Certification

310-A:84 Qualifications for Certification. –

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I.

To be eligible for certification as a soil scientist, a person shall be of high ethical professional standards, have successfully passed an examination designed to determine the person's proficiency and qualifications, including references to soil characteristics in the New England region, to be engaged in the practice of soil science, and shall have one of the following qualifications:

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(a)

Be a graduate of an accredited 4-year college curriculum leading to a baccalaureate degree, where the applicant successfully completed 30 semester hours in biological, physical and earth science, including 15 semester hours in soil science, and have a specific record of an additional 3 or more years experience in the practice of soil science.

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(b)

Be a graduate of an accredited college curriculum leading to a baccalaureate or an associate degree, where the applicant has successfully completed 15 semester hours in soil science, and have a specific record of an additional 4 or more years experience in the practice of soil science.

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(c)

Be a graduate of an accredited college curriculum leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree, or have earned the equivalent number of credits, and have a specific record of an additional 6 or more years in the practice of soil science.

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II.

Experience in the practice of soil science shall be of a grade and character that indicates to the board that the applicant is competent to practice as a soil scientist. Experience shall be determined as follows:

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(a)

Teaching soil science courses or performing research in soil science at an accredited college, university, or institution offering an approved soil science or agronomy curriculum shall be considered as experience in the practice of soil science.

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(b)

Educational training shall not be considered as experience. Summer employment shall be considered experience for purposes of this section.

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(c)

Actual field mapping experience in an acceptable apprenticeship program shall count as experience time and shall account for a minimum of one year of the experience requirement.

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(d)

Each advanced degree in a related field shall be counted as one year of experience. II-a. To be eligible for certification as a wetland scientist, a person shall meet high ethical and professional standards, have successfully passed an examination designed to determine the person's proficiency and qualifications, including references to wetland characteristics in the New England region, be engaged in the practice of wetland science, and shall have one of the following qualifications:

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(a)

Be a graduate of an accredited college curriculum leading to a baccalaureate or an associate degree, where the applicant has successfully completed a minimum of 24 semester hours in any of the following environmental sciences: botany, soil science, hydrology, wetland science, biology, forestry, wildlife, ecology, water resources, plant science, agronomy, geology, or earth science, and have one or more years experience in the practice of wetland science.

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(b)

Have a minimum of 12 combined credit or non-credit semester hours in any of the environmental sciences under subparagraph (a), and have 3 or more years experience in the practice of wetland science. II-b. (a) Experience in the practice of wetland science shall be of a quality and character that indicates that the applicant is competent to practice as a wetland scientist. Experience shall be defined as one or more of the following:

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(1)

Teaching wetland science courses or performing research in wetland science at an accredited college, university, or institution offering an approved wetland science or wetland ecology curriculum.

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(2)

Actual field experience gained in an acceptable apprenticeship program.

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(3)

Actual field mapping experience, defined as the delineation of wetland boundaries and the preparation of wetland maps; the classification of wetlands; the preparation of wetland function and value assessments; the design of wetland mitigation; the implementation of wetland mitigation; the monitoring of wetlands functions and values; and preparation of associated reports, all in accordance with standards for the identification of wetlands adopted by the department of environmental services or the United States Army Corps of Engineers or their successors.

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(b)

For the purposes of this paragraph, educational training shall not be considered as experience; summer employment shall be considered experience.

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(c)

For the purposes of this paragraph, each advanced degree in a related field may be counted as one year of experience, however, a minimum of one year of actual field experience shall be required for all candidates.

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III.

A candidate failing an examination may apply for a re-examination upon payment of an additional fee. A candidate failing the examination 3 consecutive times shall be required to furnish to the office of professional licensure and certification evidence of additional experience, study, or education credits established by the board before being allowed to proceed with the examination. Source. 1988, 281:1. 1995, 136:34. 1997, 240:15-17. 2004, 116:3. 2010, 179:2, eff. June 21, 2010. 2024, 327:231, eff. July 1, 2024.

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