Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0400 - Environment and Conservation
Subtitle 0400-48 - Water Resources (Groundwater Protection)
Chapter 0400-48-01 - Regulations To Govern Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems (Transferred from 1200-01-06)
Section 0400-48-01-.18 - APPROVED SOIL CONSULTANTS

(a) Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in soil science, agronomy and/or agriculture with an emphasis in plant and soil science or agronomy, or graduation from an accredited college or university with a minimum of thirty (30) quarter hours biological, physical and earth sciences and an additional twenty-two and one-half (22 1/2) quarter hours in soil science.

(b) A minimum of two (2) years full time or equivalent of soil evaluation experience in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture system. Experience must include studies of soil physical characteristics, geology, and soil relationships, soil-landscape relationships, soils identification, landscape features, mapping techniques, interpretive ranges, sewage systems and soil improvement design variations.

(c) Candidates must pass a written examination to demonstrate mastery in soil science. A test result of eighty (80) percent correct shall constitute a passing score.

(d) Candidate must pass a field soil mapping test to demonstrate mastery in soil classification, soil mapping, soil interpretations and cartography skills. A score of eighty (80) percent is satisfactory. Candidate then receives interim approval as a soil consultant.

(e) After completing the first five (5) soil maps, if no serious errors were made, the candidate then becomes a soil consultant approved to make general and high intensity soil maps.

(f) If the candidate fails the written examination, the field test or any of the first five (5) soil maps, the testing procedure may begin again after a six (6) month period. The second time, if the candidate fails the written test, the field mapping test or any of the first five (5) high intensity soil maps, the testing procedure may begin again after a twelve (12) month waiting period. The testing procedure may be repeated only one time.

(g) After a period of one year and the completion of a minimum of twenty-five (25) high intensity soil maps with a total of one hundred (100) acres, and approved soil consultant who has not been reprimanded or suspended may apply to become approved to make all intensity soil maps.

(h) Soil maps shall be made to comply with criteria set forth by the most current edition of the "Soils Handbook of Tennessee" prepared by the Division of Water Resources.

(a) The department may review the performance of any approved soil consultant and require the submission of any soil map or other information necessary for performance review.

(b) The department may revoke or suspend the approval of any soil consultant for the practice of any fraud or deceit in obtaining the approval or any gross negligence, incompetence or misconduct in the practice of soil evaluation or any continued disregard of evaluation criteria as required by the "Soils Handbook of Tennessee" prepared by the Division of Water Resources. Any person whose approval as a soil consultant has been denied, suspended or revoked, may request a hearing before the Commissioner by making such request in writing within thirty (30) days of the date of his denial, suspension or revocation. Any hearing granted under this rule shall be conducted in accordance with T.C.A. §§ 4-5-301 et seq.