This section limits what licensed geoscientists may do, creates exceptions for some engineers, surveyors, driller activities, and petroleum geologists, and requires the boards to resolve conflicts and give advance notice in one licensing scenario.
§711.3. Application of Chapter A. This Chapter shall not authorize the practice of professional land surveying by a licensed geoscientist. This Chapter shall not apply to a qualified and licensed professional land surveyor who confines the professional land surveyor's practice to the practice of land surveying as described in Chapter 8 of this Title. B. This Chapter shall not authorize the practice of engineering by a licensed geoscientist. C. This Chapter shall not require a licensed professional engineer, or a person acting under the responsible charge of a licensed professional engineer, who also regularly performs geoscientific services or work that is both engineering and geoscience, to be licensed as a geoscientist or to work under the supervision of a licensed geoscientist. D. A recommendation, design, analysis, redesign, or review and evaluation, the supervision, or a summary analysis of an engineered structure or work, the performance of which requires engineering education, training, and experience in the application of special knowledge of mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, is the practice of engineering and is subject to Chapter 8 of this Title. E. This Chapter shall not permit a licensed geoscientist to perform an engineering analysis supporting an engineering design unless the action is under the responsible charge of a professional engineer. F. This Chapter shall not permit a licensed geoscientist to provide construction quality control and evaluation, to perform materials engineering and testing, or to design, develop, or perform engineering review and evaluation of engineering plans and engineering specifications for an engineered structure or work unless the action is under the responsible charge of a professional engineer. G.(1) With regard to an environmental and pollution remediation project, this Chapter permits the characterization, study, appraisal, investigation, analysis, and geoscientific review and evaluation of and the making of recommendations regarding the geoscientific components of the project by a licensed geoscientist. (2) This Chapter shall not permit the design, development, or performance of engineering review and evaluation of a component of the project consisting of an engineered structure, work, or process or a related constructed improvement by a licensed geoscientist. H.(1) With regard to a geoscientific investigation of geological conditions affecting an engineered structure, work, or process, this Chapter permits the characterization, study, appraisal, investigation, analysis, and geoscientific review and evaluation of and the making of recommendations regarding the geoscientific components of the engineered structure, work, or process by a licensed geoscientist. (2) This Chapter shall not permit the design, development, or performance of engineering review and evaluation of the engineered structure, work, or process or a related constructed improvement by a licensed geoscientist. I. The board and the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board by rule, memorandum of understanding, or other appropriate procedure or document shall jointly resolve any conflict between this Chapter or a rule adopted under this Chapter and Chapter 8 of this Title or a rule adopted under that Chapter. J. This Chapter shall not authorize a licensed geoscientist to act as or offer to perform services as a water well driller. This Chapter shall not apply to a licensed water well driller who confines his activities to those described under R.S. 38:3098. K.(1) This Chapter shall not apply to any person employed or acting as a petroleum geologist. (2) No person employed or acting as a petroleum geologist shall be required to be licensed or certified by the board or to pay any fee to the board in order to practice or testify regarding any environmental geology or geoscientist case on any wells or facilities owned by the person or the company for which the petroleum geologist is employed. (3) No person employed or acting as a petroleum geologist shall be required to be licensed or certified by the board in order to testify or prepare and present an exhibit or document for the sole purpose of being placed in evidence before any entity of state government or its political subdivisions. (4) If any change in state law requires the board to license petroleum geologists, the board shall provide written notice to the New Orleans Geological Society, the Baton Rouge Geological Society, the Shreveport Geological Society, and the Lafayette Geological Society at least ninety days prior to taking any action. Acts 2010, No. 974, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2012, No. 308, §1, eff. May 25, 2012.