Part II. Entry
18VAC145-30-20. Qualifications for certification.
Applicants for certification shall meet the requirements specified in Chapter 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and this chapter.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2203 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 20, eff. July 14, 2004.
18VAC145-30-30. Receipt of application.
The date the completely documented application and fee are received in the board's office shall determine if the application has been received by the established deadline.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2203 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 20, eff. July 14, 2004.
18VAC145-30-40. Qualification for examination.
A. In order to qualify for the examination, an applicant shall provide three written references that comply with subsection B of this section and satisfy one of the following criteria:
1. Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a wetland science, biology, biological engineering, civil and environmental engineering, ecology, soil science, geology, hydrology or any similar biological, physical, natural science or environmental engineering curriculum that has been approved by the board; have successfully completed a course of instruction in state and federal wetland delineation methods that has been approved by the board; and have at least four years of experience in wetland delineation, which meets the requirements of subdivision 1 or 2 of 18VAC145-30-50, the quality of which demonstrates to the board that the applicant is competent to practice as a certified professional wetland delineator;
2. Have a record of at least six years of experience in wetland delineation, which meets the requirements of subdivision 1 or 2 of 18VAC145-30-50, the quality of which demonstrates to the board that the applicant is competent to practice as a certified professional wetland delineator; or
3. Have a record of at least four years of experience in wetland science research or as a teacher of wetlands curriculum in an accredited institution of higher education, which meets the requirements of subdivision 3 of 18VAC145-30-50, and the quality of which demonstrates to the board that the applicant is competent to practice as a certified professional wetland delineator.
B. Every applicant shall provide three written references, on a form provided by the board, from wetland professionals with at least one from a certified professional wetland delineator. Individuals who provide references shall not be related to the applicant and shall have known the applicant for at least one year. Individuals who provide references may not also verify experience, including research or teaching experience.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 20, eff. July 14, 2004; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 20, eff. July 12, 2007; Volume 31, Issue 10, eff. March 1, 2015.
18VAC145-30-50. Qualifying experience in wetland delineation.
An applicant shall demonstrate experience in one of the following areas:
1. For those individuals applying pursuant to the provisions of 18VAC145-30-40 A 1 or A 2, the experience in wetland delineation must be as a wetland professional and include the preparation of no less than 10 delineations, which must be no more than 10 years old at the time of receipt by the board office, delineating wetlands in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations that include the proper identification of vegetation, soil and hydrology indicators. At least six of the 10 delineations must be for nontidal wetlands;
2. For those individuals applying pursuant to the provisions of 18VAC145-30-40 A 1 or A 2, the experience in wetland delineation must be as a wetland professional and include the inspection, review or confirmation of no less than 30 delineations as an employee of a federal, state or local governmental body that is authorized to review or approve such delineations, which must be no more than 10 years old at the time of receipt by the board office, delineating wetlands in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations that include the proper identification of vegetation, soil and hydrology indicators. Such experience must include the performance of field verifications of a portion of those wetland delineations that were inspected, reviewed or confirmed. At least six of the 30 delineations must be for nontidal wetlands; or
3. For those individuals applying pursuant to the provisions of 18VAC145-30-40 A 3, the experience as a wetland science researcher must include the preparation of a minimum of three field studies focused on wetland delineation practice and issues, which includes the proper identification of vegetation, soil and hydrology indicators, and the experience as a teacher of wetlands curriculum must have been acquired in an accredited institution of higher education as a field or laboratory instructor of quarter or semester length classes for a minimum of six semester hours, or equivalent, within the past 10 years prior to the receipt of the application by the board office, and the curriculum must have included the proper identification of vegetation, soil and hydrology indicators.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2203 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 20, eff. July 14, 2004.
18VAC145-30-60. Course requirements.
The education required pursuant to 18VAC145-30-40 A 1 must include the following:
1. For a bachelors degree in any similar biological, physical, natural science or environmental engineering curriculum to be approved by the board, it shall, at a minimum, contain the following:
a. Fifteen semester hours, or equivalent, in biological sciences including courses such as general biology, botany or zoology; general ecology; plant, animal, aquatic or wetlands ecology; invertebrate zoology; taxonomy; marine science; fisheries biology; plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant pathology, plant morphology; relevant environmental sciences, and similar courses;
b. Fifteen semester hours, or equivalent, in physical sciences including courses in soils, chemistry, hydrology, physics, geology, sedimentology, oceanography, coastal processes, environmental engineering, and similar courses; and
c. Six semester hours, or equivalent, in quantitative sciences including courses in math, computer sciences, basic statistics, population dynamics, experimental statistics, and similar courses.
2. The applicant must have successfully completed a course of instruction, of a minimum of 32 hours, in state and federal wetland delineation methods that includes the proper identification of vegetation, soil and hydrology indicators and a field component.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2203 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 20, eff. July 14, 2004.
18VAC145-30-70. Examination.
A. Once approved by the board, an applicant shall be eligible to sit for a board-approved examination.
B. An applicant must meet all eligibility requirements as of the date the completely documented application and fee is received by the board's office. For examination candidates, the completely documented application and fee must be received by the board's office at least 90 days prior to the examination.
C. A candidate approved to take an examination shall do so within one year of the date of approval or submit a new application and fee in accordance with these regulations. If an applicant should not pass the board-approved examination within one year of being approved, the applicant shall be required to submit a new application and fee in accordance with this chapter in order to take the examination.
D. A candidate who is unable to take the examination at the time scheduled must notify the department in writing prior to the date of the examination; such a candidate will be rescheduled for the next examination without an additional fee. Failure to so notify the department will result in forfeiture of the examination or reexamination fee.
E. Candidates will be notified of passing or failing the examination.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2203 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 20, eff. July 14, 2004.
18VAC145-30-80. Waiver from examination.
An applicant shall be granted a Virginia certificate without examination, provided that:
1. The applicant holds an unexpired professional wetland delineator certificate or equivalent issued on the basis of equivalent requirements for certification in Virginia, by a regulatory body of another state, territory or possession of the United States or has been provisionally certified under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineator Certification Program of 1993 and is not, nor has been, the subject of any disciplinary proceeding before such regulatory body, and such other regulatory body recognizes the certificates issued by this board, provided all other requirements of Chapter 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and this chapter are satisfied; or
2. Applicants who submit a complete application so that it is received by the board on or before June 30, 2006, and are found to be qualified pursuant to § 54.1-2206 B of the Code of Virginia (effective July 1, 2004), provided all other requirements of Chapter 22 (§ 54.1-2200 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and this chapter are satisfied.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-201 and 54.1-2203 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 20, Issue 20, eff. July 14, 2004.