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H M
P
G
A
Hudson – Mohawk
Professional Geologists Association
N o v e m b e r
M E E T I N G
w w w . h m p g a . w i l d a p r i c o t . o r g
Sticks and Stones: How the Evolution of
Land Plants Changed Clastic
Depositional Systems
Speaker: Dr. Michael C. Rygel, Chair/Associate Professor,
Geology Department, SUNY Potsdam
Wednesday • November 18th, 2015
Abstract: The evolution of land plants in the Early Paleozoic forever
changed the surface of our planet by altering the dynamics of
sediment production, transport, and deposition. This presentation
provides an overview of the processes by which plants have shaped
our planet, tests early ideas by Stan Schumm and Ed Cotter, and
provides an overview of the sedimentological response to land plant
evolution as recorded in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Specifically, we demonstrate that the appearance of land plants
corresponds to a dramatic increase in the abundance of terrestrial
mudrocks, meandering fluvial systems, and storage of sediment in
overbank areas. This work represents a subset of a larger body of
research undertaken with Neil Davies (Oxford University) and Martin
Gibling (Dalhousie University).
Joint Meeting with New York State Council of
Professional Geologists (NYSCPG)
Afternoon Session & Regular Evening Program
Time Agenda/Schedule (details on next page)
1:00 – 2:00 pm NYSCPG Annual Membership Business Meeting
2:00 – 5:00 pm Presentation on Professional Geologist Licensure
5:00 – 6:00 pm Social Hour
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 8:00 pm Evening Presentation
N o v e m b e r M E E T I N G
About the Speaker: Michael earned a B.S. in Geology from the University of Pittsburgh
at Johnstown in 2000 and a Ph.D. in Earth Science from Dalhousie University in 2005.
He worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
from 2005-2006 before becoming a faculty member at SUNY Potsdam in 2006. He was
promoted to Associate Professor in 2012 and became Department Chair in 2014. He
worked as a consultant for Devon Energy from 2011-2013 and has spent his summers
co-teaching Indiana University’s Field Geology in the Northern Rocky Mountains (G429)
since 2011.
Michael’s research interests focus on the sedimentology and stratigraphy of shallow
marine-terrestrial clastic systems. He focuses largely on Late Paleozoic strata and has
worked in the Maritimes Basin (Atlantic Canada), Appalachian Basin (eastern USA),
Anadarko Basin (Texas and Oklahoma), and numerous depocenters in eastern
Australia. He has authored or co-authored 33 peer-reviewed journal articles and 77
presentations at scientific meetings.
He serves as the Vice President for the New York State Council of Professional
Geologists and as an Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences and
the Journal of Sedimentary Research. In 2010 he was awarded the Geological Society
of America’s Donald L. and Carolyn N. Biggs Earth Science Teaching Award.
Joint-Meeting Afternoon Session Agenda
1:00 – 2:00 pm | NYSCPG Annual Membership Business Meeting
2:00 – 5:00 pm | Presentation on Professional Geologist Licensure
• Brief Overview of NYSCPG and History of Law – Mark Williams
• Licensure and the Individual – John Nadeau
• Licensure and Corporations – John Nadeau and Peter O’Connell plus a
corporate accountant to discuss transition process.
• Licensure and Education – Michael Rygel
2 N O V 1 5
Dinner Sponsorships
Dinner Sponsors receive free dinner, a display table set up for the social hour and a 5 minute
presentation to the dinner audience, prior to the presentation. Please contact Sarah Benson at
[email protected] for more information or if you are interesting in sponsoring a
dinner meeting!
Reservations are required by Monday
November 16, 2015
See attendance options below
Register on-line at www.hmpga.wildapricot.org
or **NEW** call or email Marie Cole at (518) 724-7254, [email protected]
Location: Century House
997 New Loudon Road
Latham, NY 12110
Time: Afternoon 1:00 pm
Social Hour 5:00 pm
Dinner 6:00 pm
Program 7:00 pm
Attendance options:
1. Full Day (includes afternoon session, dinner & evening presentation) Cost: $35/person
2. Evening Program (includes dinner & evening presentation) Cost: $10.00 for student members, $20.00 for dormant geologists, $25.00 for members, $30.00 for non-members.
3. Evening Presentation Only: Free
Wednesday • November 18th, 2015
3 N O V 1 5
P r e s i d e n t ’ s M e s s a g e
Presidents Message November 2015 I hope you will attend our joint meeting next Wednesday with the NYSCPG. In addition to our featured speaker, you will hear what has been going on with licensure regulation. It seems appropriate that New York has finally recognized the profession of geology as the field emerges from relative obscurity into the popular consciousness. PBS has been airing "Making North America," a three-part NOVA series that integrates the 4 billion year story from the formation of the less dense rocks that constitute land masses to the present day configuration of our continent. The series nicely introduces the public to a broad range of geologic science beyond the sensationalized Jurassic paleontology that seems to dominate popular imagination. Speaking of public consciousness, we are looking for volunteers to lead high school field trips in the spring. We are planning our April meeting around a poster session for local college students to present their research interests and interact with our members. Thank those who have renewed their membership, and please ask others to join. Next month is our annual holiday party with beer, good food and door prizes. It's free for members who have paid their dues. Frank Williams, PG President 2015-2016
4 N O V 1 5
B o a r d
M e m b e r s
Luanne Whitbeck
(518) 475- 1008
Jen Kotch
(518) 877-7101 x 115
om
Jesse Vollick
(518) 724-7265
Josh Gowan
(518) 348-6995
Joe Osso
(518) 452-7826
Brian Taylor
(518) 560-5907
O f f i c e r s
President
Frank Williams
(518) 560-5912
Vice President
Sarah Benson
(518) 453-8749
Treasurer
Scott Hulseapple
(518) 348-6995
shulseapple@alphageoscienc
e.com
Secretary
Kevin Phelan
(518) 348-6995
m
Past President
Tanjia Maynard
(518) 275-5688
5 N O V 1 5
C a v e H o u s e M u s e u m o f M i n i n g a n d G e o l o g y
Paul Griggs is upgrading the geologic and mining sample descriptions for the Cave
House Museum of Mining and Geology in Howes Cave, New York. The Cave House
was the last hotel for Howes Cave and later served as a boarding room, quarry office
and cement plant lab before being turned into an all-volunteer educational museum
focusing on mining, geology, biology and caving. Each year, thousands of students
visit the Cave House. There are several hundred samples which at this point only have
simple labels such as "Quartz, Mt. Ida, Maine". The museum would like to come up
with one-half to one page descriptions of
each sample so that visitors to the museum
can learn more about the samples, what they
are used for, where they come from, how the
samples were formed (or made), etc. If you
can help, please contact Paul for photos of
the samples and the current description,
along with a template/example to use to
expand the display text. Paul Griggs -
[email protected] • (518) 270-5920
M i n e r a l o f t h e M o n t h
Africa (NWA) 7034, “Black Beauty”
“The contents of this meteorite may
challenge many long held notions about
Martian geology,” said John Grunsfeld,
associate administrator for NASA’s
Science Mission Directorate in
Washington.
This new class of meteorite was found in
2011 in the Sahara Desert. Designated
Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034, and
nicknamed “Black Beauty,” it weighs
approximately 320 grams (11 ounces).
NWA 7034 is made of cemented
fragments of basalt, rock that forms from
rapidly cooled lava. The fragments are
primarily feldspar and pyroxene, and are
older then other meteorites found.
Researchers theorize the large amount of water contained in NWA 7034 may
have originated from interaction of the rocks with water present in Mars’ crust.
The meteorite also has a different mixture of oxygen isotopes than has been
found in other Martian meteorites, which could have resulted from interaction
with the Martian atmosphere.
6 N O V 1 5
R i e s l i n g G e o l o g y S e r i e s b y F o x R u n V i n e y a r d s
A n E x p r e s s i o n o f P l a c e , M e t h o d , a n d T i m e
Around 12,400 years ago, the North American Laurentide ice sheet began its retreat
from what is currently western New York. The meltwater formed a proglacial lake
called Lake Dana, and over the next millennium, Lake Dana lost elevation as water
drained eastward to the Mohawk Valley and eventually to the north, setting the course
of today’s Genesee River. The waters were reduced to an elevation of 455 feet, and
became what we now call
Seneca Lake. Lake
Dana’s ancient shoreline,
now lying well above
Seneca’s, runs along the
western boundary of Fox
Run’s property. A thick
layer of sandy loam has
accumulated over the
shale and stone of the
proglacial lake shore. This
fertile, well-drained soil is
ideal for the cultivation and
ripening of Riesling vines.
Ancient shorelines aren’t
the only geological
characteristics that have
been identified on Fox
Run’s property. Evidence
of a paleodelta formed in a
post-glacial setting after
Lake Dana began to drop
from their proglacial
elevations. The paleodelta formed at a higher lake level and thus are now present as
hanging deltas exposed on hillsides adjacent to the modern lakes. Geologists identified
our hanging delta by the complex soil patterns near Seneca Lake. The gravelly silty
clay that dominates most of the vineyard transitions into a sand loam. The distinct
layers of unique sand (topset sandy load and lens sandy loam) and clay-rich forests
(including brown and pink clays) were deposited by an ancient stream.
Fox Run Vineyard’s Riesling Geology Series highlights the geological terroir of its
Seneca Lake vineyards, forging a provocative 21st century link to a landscape
http://www.foxrunvineyards.com/
Continued on page 11
8 N O V 1 5
P R O G R A M D I R E C T O R S
Being active in HMPGA is a fully volunteer activity that often demands a great deal of
attention. The following members chair this year’s committees and we thank them:
Committees Contact Email
Communications and
Educational Outreach Jen Kotch [email protected]
Membership Josh Gowan [email protected]
Newsletter Liz Haight [email protected]
Program Jesse Vollick [email protected]
Webmaster Scott Hulseapple [email protected]
W a t c h H i l l T r a i l , I n d i a n L a k e
h a s b e e n n e w l y d e s i g n a t e d .
The 1.6-mile Watch Hill Trail has been newly
designated, signed and marked. The trail is
located in the Jessup River Wild Forest off State
Route 30 between the Hamilton County
communities of Speculator and Indian Lake. The
trailhead is located on the east side of State
Route 30 near Griffin Brook approximately 1 mile
south of the Snowy Mountain Trailhead
(43.6891°N; 74.3431° W (NAD83/WGS84)).
H e a l t h a n d S a f e t y C o r n e r
For more information : www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/falls/4ladders.html
9 N O V 1 5
Ladder Safety: More than 90,000 people receive emergency room
treatment from ladder-related injuries every year.
10 N O V 1 5
M r . P h e l a n ’ s
G E O - C R Y P T O C I P H E R
CLUE: B equals D and each letter of the expression is
substituted by another letter.
Jxxaao namvbfps’q japbhpgx qgapgmjapzco
eipqq qpst gcmq qtsj ycxs gcxo qgpagxb thg
ts nmxib gamzq: “Jtssp gpdx p qxbmfxsgpao
kthasxo.”
Gerry Friedman’s graduate stratigraphy class
sang this song when they started out on field
trips: Gonna take a sedimentary journey.
Sponsor a HMPGA dinner and tell us about your services. Dinner Sponsors receive free dinner, a display table set up for the social hour and a
5 minute presentation to the dinner audience, prior to the speaker presentation.
11 N O V 1 5
R i e s l i n g G e o l o g y S e r i e s b y F o x R u n : C o n t i n u e d
spawned thousands of years ago. "We are at the forefront of a new era at Fox Run,"
says Scott Osborn, "gaining a deeper knowledge of these ancient landscapes and the
interplay between our unique terroir and our production of worldclass Riesling."
Riesling bottlings, from one of these vineyard blocks, will be produced each year;
each following a different vinification narrative. Under the guidance of winemakers
Peter Bell, the Geology Series hints at stories long past, hidden below the vineyard
soil, and will reflect Fox Run’s soil, altitude, position along Seneca Lake, aspect, and
weather. The three wines identified as Riesling 10, Riesling 11 and Riesling 12 will
bend in different directions as they become wine along different paths. The 2010
vintage, released in 2012 represented the first vintage year in the Geology Series.
Each of the three 2010 Rieslings came from the Lake Dana Vineyard Block 11.
http://www.foxrunvineyards.com/
12 N O V 1 5
Adirondack Environmental Services Mark Willson 585.721.2850
Advanced Environmental Geology, LLC Brian Norensky 518.373.2870
AECOM Walter Howard 518.951.2200
Alpha Analytical Patrick Filey 800.642.9220
Alpha Geoscience Scott Hulseapple 518.348.6995
Aquifer Drilling & Testing, Inc. Joe Miranda 518.326.1441
Aztech Environmental Technologies Liz Haight 518.229.0173
Barton and Loguidice Steve LeFevre 518.218.1801
Bond, Schoeneck & King Kevin Berstein 315.218.8329
Brown and Caldwell Frank Williams 518.472.1988
Callanan Industries, Inc Peter Zeh 518.374.2222
CHA Sarah Benson 518.453.8749
Chazen Environmental Danielle Marxer 845.454.3980
Cobleskill Stone Products Michael Moore 518.234.0021
Con-Test Analytical Labs Lauren Tirrell 413.525.2332
Continental Placer Bill Miller 518.458.9203
Geosyntec Eric Lovenduski 518.785.0800
Geotech Environmental Equipment, Inc. Peter Murray 888.558.5325
Griggs – Lang Consulting Geologists Jeff Lang 518.270.5920
H2H Associates Richard Hisert 518.270.1620
Hager – Richter Geoscience, Inc. Dorothy Richter 732.661.0555
Hanson VanVleet, LLC Kirby VanVleet 518.371.7940
HDR, Inc. Michael Lehtinen 518.937.9500
HRP Associates Jolene Lozewski 888.823.6427
Hydrogeologic, Inc Eric Evans 518.877.0309
Layne Christiansen Steve Crook 518.295.8288
Pace Analytical Bill Kotas 518.346.4592
Parratt Wolff, Inc. Danylo Kulczycky “DK” 800.782.7260
Phoenix Environmental Labs Buddy Beams 518.232.2420
Precision Environmental Services Daniel Nierenberg 518.885.4399
PVE Sheffler Chris Brown 845.454.2544
Regenesis Maureen Dooley 781.245.1320
Sanborn. Head and Associates Timothy White 603.229.1900
SJB Jim Vincent 518.899.7491
Sterling Environmental Engineering, P.C. Mark Williams 518.456.4900
TRC Solutions Marc Flanagan 518.348.1190
Zebra Environmental Matt Ednie 518.355.2201
C o r p o r a t e M e m b e r C o n t a c t s
Eastern New York (ENY) Chapter of the Air & Waste Management Association (MASS-A&WMA). They
encompass the greater Capital District and Hudson Valley region of eastern New York State. A
professional non-for‐profit association of engineers and scientists working in the environmental field, with
a particular focus on issues related to air and waste. www.awmanenychapter.wildMAYicot.org
The Geological Society of America (GSA) strives to be a leader in advancing the geosciences, while
enhancing the professional growth of its members, and promoting the geosciences in the service of
humankind. www.geosociety.org
The New York State Museum is a major research and educational institution. It is dedicated to promoting
inquiry and advancing knowledge in the fields of geology, biology, anthropology, and history, through the
investigation of material evidence germane to New York State's past, present and future.
www.nysm.nysed.gov
New York State Council of Professional Geologists (NYSCPG) strives to strengthen and advance the
geologic sciences as a profession, promote the protection of public health and welfare and the
environment through the professional practice of geologic sciences, and create high standards of ethical
conduct among its members and within the profession of geology, as well as the legal standing of
geologists and their ability to practice geology in New York State by promoting the licensing of geologists
in New York State through statutory regulation. www.nyscpg.org
The Capital District Environmental Breakfast Club is an informal group of environmental professionals
that meets monthly to discuss current environmental issues. Each meeting features a speaker on a topic
of interest, a regulatory update, and an open forum. Meetings are held on the first Friday of each month
except July and August. The Environmental Breakfast Club meets at the Holiday Inn Turf on Wolf Road
in Colonie, New York. Meetings start at 7:30 am. The cost is $15 per person, which includes a full
breakfast buffet. www.youngsommer.com
Buffalo Association of Professional Geologists (BAPG) conducts regular membership meetings on the
third Wednesday of the month, January through June and September through November. Meetings
feature distinguished speakers and interesting topics. Field trips and technical seminars sponsored by
the BAPG encourage the exchange of scholarship and expertise. www.bapg.org
Central NY Association of Professional Geologists (CNYAPG) conducts regular meetings on the second
Thursday of each month, unless otherwise posted, from September to May. Meetings feature dinner and
distinguished speakers whose presentations invite comment and discussion. www.cnyapg.org
Long Island Association of Professional Geologists (LIAPG) is a not-for-profit professional organization
dedicated to the professional and business needs of geologists located in the Long Island / Metro New
York area. www.lipg.org
HMPGA
P.O. Box 5506
Albany, NY 12205-0506
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