Rep. Hal Rogers (KY) to receive 2011 Pick and Gavel Award from AASG

AASG President Jim Cobb announced today that Congressman Hal Rogers of the Fifth Kentucky District is the AASG's 2011 "Pick and Gavel" honoree.

The Pick and Gavel Award honors those who have made significant contributions to advancing the role of geoscience in public policy and those who have supported AASG’s goals in national policy.

Rep. Rogers is in his 16^th term and was recently appointed Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. He was formerly chair and ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee. His district is the Appalachian Basin part of Kentucky incorporating the East Kentucky Coal Field and the Big Sandy Gas Field, and is a large coal, natural gas, and oil producer. It is also a large part of Appalachia. Recently there has been a large increase in horizontal drilling for gas. Pike County which is in his district is one of the nation’s largest coal producing counties. He has been instrumental in cleaning up the environment of his district with grass roots movements like Kentucky PRIDE. He has also pushed for nontraditional development through the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development organization (SKED).

The 5th district includes great mineral industries, an abundance of Pennsylvanian bedrock, a multitude of natural arches, Pine Mountain, Cumberland Gap, Daniel Boone National Forest, great natural and environmental resources, and wild and scenic rivers.

Colorado Geological Survey seeks rare earths

The Colorado Geological Survey is playing a prominent role in that state's "new gold rush" for rare-earth metals. An extensive article in today's Denver Post examines the growing demands for rare earth minerals, China's dominance of the market, and exploration activities across the Western U.S. with an emphasis on Colorado. [right, CGS geologist Jim Burnell with x-ray fluorescence analyzer. Credit, Cyrus McCrimmon, Denver Post]

Kansas Geological Survey experimenting with new technique for sequestering CO2

The Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University of Kansas, will use a $1.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy to test a technique that could cast light on the potential for sequestering carbon dioxide in the deep subsurface of south-central and southwestern Kansas.

The researchers will use a new tool, called volumetric curvature, to analyze data from seismic reflection, a technique commonly used in oil exploration to create images of underground rocks without the necessity of drilling.

If successful, the seismic data analysis tool would provide a cost-effective way to assess geologic CO₂ storage capacity and lead to a better understanding of the underground movement of CO₂ in the Arbuckle and other deep saline aquifers.

California's Earthquake Fault Zone Maps Online

The index map at right identifies all Official Maps of Earthquake Fault Zones delineated by the California Geological Survey through December 2010 under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act . Individual Earthquake Fault Zone Maps can be viewed on screen. Digital image files (pdf) and Geographic Information System files (GIS) of individual maps can be downloaded by selecting a specific quadrangle map.

Oregon's “LiDAR Landscapes” Posters and 2011 Calendar

The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) has released “LiDAR Landscapes”, a 2011 Calendar and series of wall posters of LiDAR images of the Oregon coast, which are attracting a lot of favorable attention.

To view and order posters, visit www.oregongeology.org/pubs/ll/p-posters.htm

To view and order the 2011 calendar, visit
www.oregongeology.org/pubs/ll/p-calendar2011.htm

Washington's geologic information portal

The Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources hosts the Washington State Geologic Information Portal where you can access interactive earth science mapping, data, and related information. [right, the prototype site for geothermal data]

More types of geologic information will be added to the information portal in the future, so please visit regularly to see what's new. You may also subscribe to our mailing list to receive announcements of new additions to the portal, as well as notification of our publications releases.

Using the interactive maps, you can create, save, and print custom maps, find out more information about map features, and download map data for use in a geographic information system (GIS). In addition to a variety of geoscience layers that can be turned on and off, each interactive map has many base layers to choose from, so you can customize your map in any number of ways. Please note that because of the volume of data available through these interactive maps, data loading and identification operations may not be instantaneous.

The site use ArcGIS Server v9.3.1 with a flex application. State Geologist Dave Norman reports they will be moving to v10 sometime next year which will likely give them more speed and a few more tools. He says the software has finally reached a stage where it is useful and fast enough for someone to consider using an interactive geology site.

The Geology mapping theme is the most advanced of the group but the others are adding data and functions continually.

Was new Utah dinosaur a brainiac?

Utah's State Paleontologist Jim Kirkland is co-author of a recent paper in the online journal PLos ONE describing the eighth new dinosaur species discovered in the state this year. Geminiraptor suarezarum's skull is six times larger than other dinosaurs, suggesting it might have evolved into a highly intelligent creature if it had not gone extinct. The dino also had other unique features, including an inflatable upper jaw bone and feathers on its arms and legs according to a post on the Utah Geological Survey blog. [right, Maxilla of Geminiraptor suarezarum. Credit, PLos ONE]


Ref: Senter P, Kirkland JI, Bird J, Bartlett JA (2010) A New Troodontid Theropod Dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Utah. PLoS ONE 5(12): e14329. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0014329

ND State Geologist leads effort on cancer risk from erionite dust

An investigation launched by North Dakota State Geologist Ed Murphy has found "levels of exposure to erionite [a zeolite mineral with characteristics similar to asbestos] in North Dakota are the same as in some of the Turkish villages ravaged by mesothelioma" according to a report in Nature.

"The North Dakota study eventually grew into a global collaboration including cancer biologists, geologists, epidemiologists, environmental scientists and physicians." Results were presented earlier this month at the Chicago Multi­disciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. [right, photomicrograph of an erionite fibre in road gravel from North Dakota. Credit, K. Eylands/UND EERC in Nature News]

"North Dakota doesn't seem to have a higher incidence of the disease than is normal nationwide," but it may take 30 years or more for effects to appear, so studies are underway on construction and quarry workers who may have had extended exposure to erionite dust used in road construction.

Geological Surveys are tweeting

A number of geological surveys in the U.S. and Canada are tweeting about geology and geoscience activities

Check out the tweets from:

Kansas @ksgeology

Utah @utahgeological

Arizona @AZGeology

Alberta @geology4u

Ontario @OGSgeology

USGS http://twitter.com/usgs

Arkansas Survey responds to earthquake swarm

The Arkansas Geological Survey is trying to determine the source of nearly 500 earthquakes that have shaken the small town of Guy since September.

CNN reports that the State issued a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the area while the Survey and others investigates a possibility the quakes are generated by deep underground disposal of oil and gas production waste water

Citation for Vicki Cowart's Ian Campbell Medal

In November, former Colorado State Geologist Vicki Cowart received the Ian Campbell Medal the Geological Society of America annual meeting in Denver. The full citation and response are posted here: http://www.geosociety.org/awards/10speeches/IanCampbell.htm.

[photo by Vince Matthews, CGS]

"Importance and Future Roles of State Geological Surveys" - White paper from AIPG

"Our nation’s state geological surveys serve a fundamental role in resolving many of the important issues facing our world today and in the future," according to a study carried out by the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) and issued as a white paper entitled, "Importance and Future Roles of State Geological Surveys."

The report states,

State geological surveys are vitally important to the economy of each state and to the nation. The information they collect and disseminate is used by other state agencies, by consultants, industry, developers, and the public as critical input in local and regional economic development plans, resulting in an economic advantage to the state. The information is essential for the responsible and sustainable development of a state’s mineral, energy, and water resources, safe development and modernization of infrastructure, protecting the public from losses due to geologic and natural hazards or anthropogenic hazards, and the wise use of the state’s natural resources for tourism and recreation. All of these are significant to the economy of the state and to the nation by providing jobs and various revenues, preventing or minimizing loss due to hazards and natural disasters, and by increasing our understanding of the earth’s resources and the need for sustainable use.

Buzz Ostrom, former State Geologist of Wisconsin

Meredith "Buzz" Ostrom, former Director of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey ((1972 - 1990), passed away yesterday, Thursday, November 11. Funeral and other arrangements have yet to be finalized. Buzz's wife Ann resides at Oakwood Village West, Apt. D-81, 6225 Mineral Point Road, Madison, WI 53711. [photo credit, Univ. Wisc. Extension]

The following is excerpted from History of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey: Part 2
Originally published in "The State Geological Surveys: A History", © 1988 Association of American State Geologists

Buzz was appointed director and state geologist to succeed Hanson in July of 1972. Ostrom received his Bachelor’s degree from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois in 1952 and his Master’s (1954) and Doctor’s (1959) degrees from the University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois.

Ostrom worked for the Illinois State Geological Survey beginning in 1953 as a project assistant in Subsurface Geology and in the Coal Section. In 1955 he was appointed as an assistant geologist in the Industrial Minerals Section, where he worked on a variety of subjects including black shales, sandstones, carbonate rocks, and clays. He joined the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey in November 1959 as assistant state geologist with principal responsibility for geology and groundwater. In 1968 he was promoted to associate state geologist and to associate professor in the newly created UW–Extension Department of Geology and Geography.

Under Ostrom’s tenure beginning in 1972 the WGNHS base budget grew from $365,325 to more than $1,000,000. The staff has included as many as 10 geologists, 3 part time soil scientists, 4 hydrogeologists, 1.5 climatologists, 0.5 biologists, 3 technicians, 2 computer specialists, 1 editor, 4 cartographers, 1 administrative assistant, and 5 secretaries, plus more than 20 students. The period was marked by publication of a new 1:1,000,000 scale bedrock geologic map, the first 1:500,000 Pleistocene geologic map, and more than 200 maps and reports. Ostrom retired in 1990, and Assistant Director Ronald G. Hennings served as Acting Director and State Geologist until mid-1991.

Alabama's Nick Tew elected AGI Secretary

The American Geological Instituted installed its new officers last week in Denver at the Geological Society of America annual meeting.

Nick Tew, AGI’s incoming Secretary, is currently the Alabama State Geologist and Oil and Gas Supervisor, roles he has served since 2002. Dr. Tew is also involved in the Association of American State Geologists, serving as President (2008-2009); the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, where he is the incoming 1st Vice Chairman; the Geological Society of America; and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, where he is an Associate Editor. Tew has recently been appointed to the National Petroleum Council.


AGI is a nonprofit federation of 47 geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.

Peter Scholle to retire as State Geologist of New Mexico

Peter Scholle announced that he is retiring as State Geologist and Director of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources in June 2011, after serving in that position for 12 years. Peter also served as President of AASG among many other roles in the organization.

The official vacancy announcement for the position of director/state geologist has been posted on the New Mexico Tech web site (at www.nmt.edu/hr-jobs-at-nmt), currently just below the job opening for a Test Range Gunner I at the university's explosives research center. The announcement is also posted on the Bureau of Geology web site (www.geoinfo.nmt.edu/DirectorSearch). If you know of people who would be interested in the Director Position (or Test Range Gunner), please pass along those web links.

Wunsch, Parrish, Kelly elected to Honorary status

AASG this morning elected three former state geologists to Honorary status in the Association: David Wunsch (NH), Jay Parrish (PA), and Bill Kelly (NY).

Honorary status is given for exemplary contributions to AASG by a State Geologist over a tenure typically of 7 years or longer.

Nevada's Jon Price receives GSA Public Service Award

Nevada State Geologist Jon Price received the 2010 Geological Society of America Public Service Award last night in Denver at the Presidential Awards Ceremony of the GSA Annual Meeting.

The citation by Steve Testa noted that throughout his career, Jon "has fervently pursued his goal to address societal and public policy issues related to mineral resources, geologic hazards, and professionalism."

Vicki Cowart receives Ian Campbell Medal at GSA

Former Colorado State Geologist Vicki Cowart received the 2010 AGI Medal in Memory of Ian Campbell last night in Denver at the Presidential Awards Ceremony of the Geological Society of America.

Vicki is presently CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

In her acceptance remarks, she commented how surprised she was to receive the award after being out of the geology field for a number of years and joked that it felt like she was being honored posthumously.

Geothermal energy in New Mexico

The Fall 2010 issue of Lite Geology published by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources is dedicated to the topic of geothermal energy. Articles provide an overview of the different types of geothermal resources and reports on geothermal applications across the state.

Delaware State Geologist John Talley retiring

Delaware State Geologist John Talley announced today that he will be retiring from the Delaware Geological Survey and University of Delaware on June 30, 2011, after more than 38 years of service.

The University of Delaware and the DGS have embarked on an open search recruiting program for a new Director and State Geologist. The goal is to have a new Director on board on or before July 1, 2011. John says the goal is to maintain continuity of leadership and have a seamless transition to a new Director. The University of Delaware has posted the position on its Human Resources web site http://www.udel.edu/udjobs.

The DGS has posted the Director Position announcement on its web site at http://www.dgs.udel.edu/director-search.