GEOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY: WHAT? WHY? AND HOW?

“Geology and public policy” seems well on its way to becoming one of those overused catch phrases. Perhaps the question should not be what and why, but why has it taken so long? The answer points right back to those of us who call ourselves geologists. In fact, 24 states now have geologist registration laws on the books, meaning that by statute we are part of public policy. Geology, or the broader earth science, plays a fundamental role in more than half of our public-policy decisions. Unfortunately, we geologists have not done a good job of publicizing our science. We know how important it is, but we continue to whine and "preach to the choir" that people should be using geology in making intelligent decisions in the public interest. Unfortunately we do very little to explain to others why it is important. Dr. Sharon Moser, past president of GSA, paraphrased Thomas Jefferson when she said, "Geology (science) is my passion, politics is my duty."

Is promoting geology as a contributor to public-policy decisions also our duty as well as our passion? We tend to hide behind worn-out excuses: "It takes too much time to get involved," "I’m a scientist, who presents unbiased facts, not a politician," "If I present an unpopular view even though it’s based on science, it may be unpopular and do more harm than good," "Most of the decisions are political anyway, not scientific--they’re all predetermined and made behind the scenes before the public gets any input."

So what do we really mean by geology and public policy? How can you get involved? Why get involved? Is it really important? What are the consequences of ignoring geology in policy decisions? Are we ever successful? We need to be involved in locating landfills, dealing with groundwater contamination, ensuring adequate water supplies, trying to mitigate flooding, locating sand and gravel and limestone aggregate, finding and using fossil fuels and strategic and critical mineral deposits, developing new subdivisions, shopping centers, and industrial parks in less desirable and geologically hazardous areas, and mitigating earthquake loss. Make no mistake about it, the science of geology is critical to our survival on this planet, and making that known is critical to the survival of our science. Let's look at some success stories, some failures, and finally, how you can become involved.