Illinois § 15

§ 15.

Definitions. In this Act: "Address of record" means the designated address recorded by the Department in the applicant's application file or the licensee's license file, as maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit. "Email address of record" means the designated email address recorded by the Department in the applicant's application file or the licensee's license file, as maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit. "Board" means the Board of Licensing for Professional Geologists. "Department" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. "Geologist" means an individual who, by reason of the individual's knowledge of geology, mathematics, and the physical and life sciences, acquired by education and practical experience as defined by this Act, is capable of practicing the science of geology. "Geology" means the science that includes the treatment of the earth and its origin and history including, but not limited to, (i) the investigation of the earth's crust and interior and the solids and fluids, including all surface and underground waters, gases, and other materials that compose the earth as they may relate to geologic processes; (ii) the study of the natural agents, forces, and processes that cause changes in the earth; and (iii) the utilization of this knowledge of the earth and its solids, fluids, and gases, and their collective properties and processes, for the benefit of humankind. "Person" or "individual" means a natural person. "Practice of professional geology" means the performance of, or the offer to perform, the services of a geologist, including consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, mapping, inspection of geologic work, and other services that require extensive knowledge of geologic laws, formulas, principles, practice, and methods of data interpretation. Any person shall be construed to practice or offer to practice professional geology, within the meaning and intent of this Act, if the person (i) by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card, or any other means, represents oneself to be a Licensed Professional Geologist or through the use of some title implies that the person is a Licensed Professional Geologist or is licensed under this Act or (ii) holds oneself out as able to perform or does perform services or work defined in this Act as the practice of professional geology. Examples of the practice of professional geology include, but are not limited to, the conduct of, or responsible charge for, the following types of activities: (i) mapping, sampling, and analysis of earth materials, interpretation of data, and the preparation of oral or written testimony regarding the probable geological causes of events; (ii) planning, review, and supervision of data gathering activities, interpretation of geological data gathered by direct and indirect means, preparation and interpretation of geological maps, cross-sections, interpretive maps and reports for the purpose of determining regional or site specific geological conditions; (iii) the planning, review, and supervision of data gathering activities and interpretation of data on regional or site specific geological characteristics affecting groundwater; (iv) the interpretation of geological conditions on the surface of the Earth and at depth in the Earth for the purpose of determining whether those conditions correspond to a geologic map of the site or a legally specified geological requirement for the site; and (v) the conducting of environmental property audits. "Licensed Professional Geologist" means an individual who is licensed under this Act to engage in the practice of professional geology in Illinois. "Responsible charge" means the independent control and direction, by use of initiative, skill, and independent judgment, of geological work or the supervision of that work. "Rules" means the rules adopted pursuant to this Act. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation. "Seal" means the seal in compliance with Section 60 of this Act. (Source: P.A. 104-427, eff. 8-15-25.)