2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 12 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES (§§ 12-1-1 — 12-17-6) › Chapter 7 - CONTROL OF SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION (§§ 12-7-1 — 12-7-22) › Section 12-7-19 - Education and training requirements; required programs; instructor qualifications; expiration of certification

(a)
(1)
Persons involved in land development design, review, permitting, construction, monitoring, or inspection or any land-disturbing activity shall meet the education and training certification requirements, dependent on his or her level of involvement with the process, as developed by the commission in accordance with this Code section and in consultation with the division and the Stakeholder Advisory Board created pursuant to Code Section
12-7-20
.
(2)
On or after May 14, 2007, for each site on which land-disturbing activity occurs, each entity or person acting as either a primary, secondary, or tertiary permittee, as defined in the state general permit, shall have as a minimum one person who is in responsible charge of erosion and sedimentation control activities on behalf of said entity or person and meets the applicable education or training certification requirements developed by the commission present on site whenever land-disturbing activities are conducted on that site. A project site shall herein be defined as any land disturbance site or multiple sites within a larger common plan of development or sale permitted by an owner or operator for compliance with the state general permit.
(3)
Persons or entities involved in projects not requiring a state general permit but otherwise requiring certified personnel on site may contract with certified persons to meet the requirements of this chapter.
(4)
If a state general permittee who has operational control of land-disturbing activities for a site has met the certification requirements of paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section, then any person or entity involved in land-disturbing activity at that site and operating in a subcontractor capacity for such permittee shall have until December 31, 2007, to meet those educational requirements specified in paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of Code Section
12-7-19
and shall not be required to meet any educational requirements that exceed those specified in said paragraph.
(b)
No less than the following training programs shall be established:
(1)
A fundamentals seminar (Level 1) will be established which provides sufficient training to all participants as to the applicable laws, requirements, processes, and latest means and methods recognized by this state to effectively control erosion and sedimentation;
(2)
An advanced fundamentals seminar (Level 1) will be established which provides additional details of installation and maintenance of best management practices for both regulatory and nonregulatory inspectors and others;
(3)
An introduction to design seminar (Level 2) will be established which provides required training to design and review a successful erosion, sedimentation, and pollution control plan;
(4)
An awareness seminar (Level 1) will be established which does not exceed two hours in duration and which provides information regarding the erosion and sediment control practices and processes in the state and which will include an overview of the systems, laws, and roles of the participants; and
(5)
A trainer and instructor seminar will be established for both Level 1 and Level 2 trainers and instructors which will provide the minimum training as to applicable laws and best management practices and design of erosion, sedimentation, and pollution control plans in this state.
(c)
Trainer and instructor qualifications will be established with the following minimum requirements:
(1)
Level 1 trainers and instructors shall meet at least the following minimum requirements and any other requirements as set by the commission:
(A)
Education: four-year college degree or five years' experience in the field of erosion and sediment control;
(B)
Experience: five-years' experience in the field of erosion and sediment control. Where years of experience is used in lieu of the education requirement of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a total of ten years' field experience is required;
(C)
Approval by the commission and the Stakeholder Advisory Board; and
(D)
Successful completion of the Level 1 trainer and instructor seminar found in paragraph (5) of subsection (b) of this Code section; and
(2)
Level 2 trainers and instructors shall meet at least the minimum requirements of a Level 1 trainer or instructor, any other requirements as set by the commission, and successful completion of the Level 2 trainer and instructor seminar created under paragraph (5) of subsection (b) of this Code section.
(d)
In addition to the requirements of subsection (c) of this Code section, the commission shall establish and any person desirous of holding certification must obtain a passing grade as established by the Stakeholder Advisory Board on a final exam covering the material taught in each mandatory seminar; provided, however, that there shall be no final exam requirement for purposes of paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of this Code section. Final exams may, at the discretion of the commission, serve in lieu of attendance at the seminar. Any person shall be authorized to administer a final examination for any seminar for which he or she was the instructor.
(e)
(1)
A certification provided by achieving the requirements established by the commission shall expire no later than three years after its issuance.
(2)
A certified individual shall be required to attend and participate in at least four hours of approved continuing education courses, as established by the commission, every three years.
(3)
A certification may be extended or renewed by meeting requirements established by the commission.
(4)
Revocation procedures may be established by the commission in consultation with the division and the Stakeholder Advisory Board.
Amended by 2007 Ga. Laws 45,§ 3, eff. 5/14/2007.
Added by 2003 Ga. Laws 36, § 5, eff. 7/1/2003.