The Environmental & Engineering Geology Committee provides educational opportunities for the HGS and the public by promoting better understanding of the environmental and engineering geology industry. We hold our monthly meetings at the Black Labrador (4100 Montrose Blvd.) on the second Wednesday of the month from September through May. Walk ups are welcomed. We have the ability to order nearly any entrée that they have on the menu and they have a great selection of beers to choose from. Each year we hold 8 to 9 presentations. These presentations count towards continuing education requirements for both the P.G. and P.E. license. One of our presentations each year is on the topic of ethics, which also fulfills the requirements for continuing education.

Our presentations are on a variety of subjects. Over the past few years our presentations have been from government agencies, university faculty, and members of the private sector. Topics that were presented ranged from issues with hydraulic fracturing, techniques in remediation, geotechnical studies, hydrologic settings for water-well drilling in third world countries, to oil and gas topics, and new techniques and instrumentation. Because many of our attendees are licensed professionals, updates on legislation that may affect the environmental and engineering geology community are presented when the Texas Legislature is in session.

This year we will be taking a look at the upcoming 2015 Legislative session and are hoping to have a presentation on induced seismicity, potential environmental issues with hydraulic fracturing, and the role of geology in regards to subsidence. Other topics that are in the works are more light-hearted but informative as well. Topics that are under consideration are the influence of geology on water, the portrayal of geologists in the movies and music, characteristics of beer, and early geologists of Texas.

For more information on upcoming meetings, check the Houston Geological Society’s website regularly (www.hgs.org). We will be having a September meeting and as soon as the details are received they will be posted. If you have a topic you wish to present or a speaker that you would like to hear, please feel free to contact us with the information and we will see what we can do!