EARTH SCIENTISTS IN STATE GOVERNMENT* The various functions of the units and subunits are detailed below under the unit/subunit headings. Michigan, from its very beginning as a state, has had a Entry into the Division is gained through the medium of deep and lasting interest in the development of its rich the Civil Service examination. Upon completion of a mineral resources. Just two hours after it became a degree in geology, the interested individual should make state on January 26, 1837, a bill was introduced in the application to take the next Geologist Trainee 07 exam. First Legislature, proposing a thorough geological survey A Bachelor's degree in geology is the only requirement of the state. This bill became law as Act 20 on February to take this exam even though many staff members have 23. It provided for one person to carry out its mandate. Masters degrees. From such modest beginnings, the Michigan Geological Over many years, with the emphasis on the preservation Survey has grown and developed until now it employs of the environment, the Division has expanded greatly. 62 earth scientists, mostly geologists, in twelve locations Increased surveillance of oil and gas operations, throughout the state. Recently, its name was changed passage of the Mineral Well Act and the Mine from the Geological Survey Division (of the Department Reclamation Act, and an awareness of the need to of Natural Resources) to the Geology Division but to the protect the ground waters of the state have led to oldtimers, it will always be the Geological Survey. substantial increases in personnel. We see this trend The Division is headed by a Division Chief who is also continuing into the future with the possible control of known as the State Geologist and Assistant Supervisor natural gas wells by the Division. As it becomes clear to of Wells. He has two assistants who head up the two more and more people that a knowledge of the geology main sections of the Division: the Economic and of an area is basic to many of the decisions concerning Environmental Geology Section and the Oil and Gas that area, geologists will play an even greater role in the Section. In turn, each of these sections is broken down decision-making process in Michigan, just as they will into units and subunits as follows: become increasingly important in the decision-making of the world. Economic and Environmental Geology Section Since geology has been primarily a “man’s profession,” General Geology Unit the question might well be asked, “What opportunities Geology and Minerals Research Unit are there for women in the Division?” Ground Water Geology Unit Geohydrology Subunit Many women geologists have worked for the Division. Glacial and Environmental Geology Subunit One of the well known Michigan geologists, Helen M. Mineral Wells Unit Martin, worked for the Division for many years. At Brine Wells Subunit present, there are three women in two different units. Industrial Waste Disposal Wells Subunit Two are supervisors. With almost every position Test Wells Subunit Mine Reclamation Unit requiring some field work, women, as well as men, Mining and Economic Geology Unit interested in obtaining employment with the Division must expect some field experience. With changing Oil and Gas Section times and changing attitudes, there should be many Petroleum Geology Unit more opportunities for women in earth sciences. The Production and Proration Unit same opportunities for rewarding work, for personal and Regulatory Control Unit professional growth, and advancement as her male counterparts enjoy will be available to women. All of the above sections and units are housed in the Mason Building, Lansing. *The number of earth scientists in state government are as follows: In addition, the state is divided into three regions with Regional and Field Offices located as follows: Department of Natural Resources, Geology Division - 62 Region I - Upper Peninsula - Marquette office Resource Recovery Division - 2 Escanaba Field Office Water Management Division - 1 Region II - Northern Lower Peninsula - Roscommon Department of State Highways and Transportation, office Testing and Research Division - 1, Lansing Cadillac Field Office - 8, Ann Arbor Gaylord Field Office Department of Commerce, Grayling Field Office Public Service Commission, Gas Division, Mt. Pleasant Field Office Petroleum Engineering Section – 1 Region III - Southern Lower Peninsula - Lansing Office Imlay City Field Office Lansing Field Office Plainwell Field Office Earth Scientists in State Government – Page 1 of 7 ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL The Section Chief assists the State Geologist in other GEOLOGY SECTION matters, including the coordination of Division budgeting. Robert C. Reed, Section Chief !n addition to supervising the six units making up this Section, the Section Chief has several other major responsibilities. The Division administers three tax GENERAL GEOLOGY UNIT statutes involving metallic mineral properties. Currently, The functions of the General Geology Unit are many and the Section Chief represents the State Geologist as varied. One of the principal tasks involves editing the Appraiser of Mines. He is assisted by two geologists material prepared for publication by the Division from the Mining and Economic Geology Unit. geologists and directing and accomplishing the A staff member of the Division has acted as Appraiser of processes necessary to arrive at final printing and Mines since 1911. The current amended authority is Act publication. The Unit works in cooperation with the No. 66, P.A, 1963. In summary, the Act directs the Information and Education Division in carrying out this determination of the true cash value of metallic mining function. Advice on layout and editorial assistance are properties and mineral rights consisting of metallic provided by information and Education Division but most resources which are either producing, developed, or of the final layout work and preparation of the manuscript have a known commercial mineral value. The intent is to for the publisher is done by this Unit. compute a sales value or what a willing buyer would pay The Geology Division has various coooperative a willing seller. A value determination is made for each programs with other agencies; i.e., the U.S. Geological affected property. To do this job effectively, an appraiser Survey. Some publications are generated through these must have sufficient educational training and extended cooperative programs and publication is done by the experience in structural and economic geology, ore Geology Division. reserve estimation, mineral economics, mining development methods, mining extraction methods, and The Unit functions as a general information center for mining costs. the Division. Many requests for information are submitted by teachers, students and lay people With the development of methods of concentrating iron regarding geology, minerals, rocks, et cetera. Such ore from low grade iron formation, a specific tax statute requests are handled by the Unit unless they specifically was passed to encourage the commercial development refer to mining, ground-water problems, oil and gas of these resources. Act No. 77, P.A. 1951, as amended, information, et cetera, in such cases the requests are provides for the specific taxation of low grade Iron ore. referred to the Unit dealing with the subject. This tax is based upon an average annual production multiplied by a percentage of ore value. The Appraiser As an aid to supplying information on the geology of computes the specific tax and allocates the tax among Michigan, the Unit generates publications of a popular the several assessing districts involved for each property nature which can then be distributed in answer to many annually. requests. On occasions, personnel of this Unit are required to give talks to various groups. The groups Act No. 68, P.A. 1963, provides for the specific taxation may be teachers, members of civic organizations, or of underground beneficiated or agglomerated iron ore. people from other state agencies or divisions within our For those properties which meet the requirements of the own Department of Natural Resources. Talks may also Act, the Mine Appraiser computes and allocates the tax be given at in-service training sessions. annually. The Unit is responsible for the management of the Since about 1940, the Division has supported a Division's library. This involves many aspects of library cooperative geological mapping program with the U.S. work including new book acquisitions, library Geological Survey. The area being mapped is the arrangement, organization, updating reference material, exposed Precambrian In the western Northern cataloging and so forth. Peninsula. Approximately one-half of exposed Precambrian rocks have been remapped. Ordinarily, General interviewing of walk-in job applicants is handled maps resulting from this work are placed in open-file and by this Unit. Initial correspondence with geologists who later published. In addition, approximately 70 percent of write to the Geology Division seeking employment is a the Northern Peninsula has been flown with an aerial function of the Unit. magnetometer under this program and resultant maps published. The U.S. Geological Survey provides one- The outlook for future employment in this Unit appears half of program funds and the Division the other half. bright because there is plenty of work to be done and not The mapping is done by U.S.G.S. geologists. The enough personnel to handle it all. The work is Section Chief acts as liaison with the U.S.G.S. in interesting and challenging, and will no doubt continue to program planning and on occasion works with the field be a function of the Division. geologists. Beverly L. Champion, Geologist in Charge of Unit Earth Scientists in State Government – Page 2 of 7 GEOLOGY AND MINERALS RESEARCH and protection, a multidisciplinary approach must be UNIT used. Depending upon the project, knowledge of the following sciences may be necessary: glacial geology, The Research Unit is a relatively recent addition to the chemistry, geochemistry, physics and geophysics, Geology Division having been staffed in July, 1375.