PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management will offer the first licensing examination for Class IV soil evaluators on Thursday, November 18 at the University of Rhode Island's W. Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich.

The exam will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will have both a written and a field component. A pre-examination training session will be held on Wednesday, November 10, from 9 a.m. to noon at DEM headquarters in Providence. Applications to take the exam must be received at DEM no later than Friday, November 5. Seating for both the training and the exam sessions is by pre-registration only.

A Class IV license will be required for all soil evaluators beginning in January 2001, one year after the first Class IV licenses are granted. 1997 Individual Sewer Disposal System (ISDS) regulations call for soil evaluations to be performed as part of a comprehensive site evaluation process for installation of new septic systems. Soil evaluations would improve the siting of septic systems and ensure that its location and design is based on a scientific analysis of the site, particularly of the soil. The soils-based approach concentrates DEM's efforts at the beginning of the siting process, and focuses on site suitability before a system is approved and installed.

Applicants for the Class IV exam must be registered as a professional soil scientist, or have a combination of experience and education that includes a minimum of nine semester hours in soil science from an accredited university. Over the past two years, DEM has worked with the University of Rhode Island to make soils courses available to professionals. In addition, a special course was created to apply soil science to the siting and design of septic systems.

Additional examinations will be given next spring and next fall, prior to the January 2001 likely start date of the new soil evaluation requirement.

For information about the exam, or to request an application, call Deb Knauss at 222-4700 ext. 7612, or send a request via E-mail to dknauss@dem.state.ri.us.

DEM also is proposing amendments to the ISDS regulations that set standards and procedures for soil evaluation. The amendments establish procedures and criteria for conducting and witnessing site evaluations and determining soil class, seasonal high water table, and other features of concern in the siting and design of septic systems. They also define several soil classes that will form the basis for sizing and design of septic systems under future amendments to the regulations.

A public hearing on the proposed amendments will be held on Tuesday, November 16, from 10 a.m. to noon at DEM Headquarters, Room 300, 235 Promenade Street, Providence. Although DEM encourages submission of written comments prior to the hearing, the public comment period will be kept open until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 24.

Copies of the proposed amendments are also available by calling 222-4700 ext. 7612, or by sending a request via E-mail to dknauss@dem.state.ri.us.