Laurie Racca, PG 6980, Senior Registrar, Geology and Geophysics, California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists
Laurie Racca is a licensed Professional Geologist with 25+ years of experience specializing in complex environmental site investigations and leading multidisciplinary teams. Her experience includes working in private environmental and geotechnical consulting, providing regulatory agency oversight large military and civilian environmental cleanups for the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, and investigating fraud, waste and abuse as part of the Office of Enforcement at the California State Water Resources Control Board. She was appointed as the Senior Registrar for Geologists and Geophysicists by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) in June 2015. She also volunteers as the Examination Committee Chair for the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®).
The Subcommittee on Environment of the House Science Committee met on April 9 to discuss four bills to address ocean acidification: The National Estuaries and Acidification Research (NEAR) Act of 2019 (H.R.988), COAST Research Act of 2019 (H.R.1237), Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2019 (H.R.1716), and Ocean Acidification Innovation Act (H.R.1921). Committee members have two days to submit additional comments on the bills before they move on to the full committee for a vote.
On March 13, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NFIP was last reauthorized by Congress on December 21, 2018, authorizing the program through May 31, 2019. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), NFIP reauthorization gives Congress the chance to simplify this program and strengthen it financially so that it can effectively help individuals and communities to secure flood insurance.
On March 7, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee met to discuss the complex web of connections between the energy and water sectors, as well as the implications of this nexus for society and the economy. The committee heard from experts in academia, industry, and the non-profit sector.