Friday, February 27, 2015

NSPS Radio Hour — March 2, 11 a.m. EDT

Ever think about collecting historical surveying equipment, or how it was used? Join host Curt Sumner and Dr. Dick Elgin, second generation surveyor, professor, and long-time collector and student of surveying equipment, for an enlightening conversation.

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months. 

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

NSPS meets with Rep. Paul Gosar


NSPS lobbyist John "JB" Byrd recently met with Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ). Representing Arizona's 4th Congressional District, Rep. Gosar serves on the House Committees on Natural Resources and Oversight, and Government Reform. These panels oversee Federal lands, the Interior Department, NOAA, and the Forest Service, as well as Federal procurement.

Rep. Gosar (R-AZ) introduced H.R. 924, the "Responsibility in Federal Contracting Act", to require the calculation of wages for public works projects, such as those under the Davis-Bacon Act, be based on actual statistics calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The bill also allows savings to be used on additional worthwhile infrastructure projects around the country. Research conducted by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that upwards of $13 billion could be wasted over 10 years if Davis-Bacon is left unreformed.  

Friday, February 20, 2015

NSPS Radio Hour — Feb. 23, 11 a.m. EDT

J. Anthony “Tony” Cavell, PLS, CFEDS will join host Curt Sumner for the second of two interviews with the candidates for the office of NSPS President-Elect. The election will take place electronically, beginning within the next few weeks.


Tony currently serves as NSPS Vice-President, and has formerly served as the NSPS Louisiana Governor, and as Secretary of the Board of Governors, as well as Director for the Public Lands Survey System Foundation (PLSSF). 

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcast, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

ACSM/ALTA QUESTION

Question:
Do I need to show record dimensions on an ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey when my survey resulted in calculated or measured dimensions that differ from the record dimensions?  It seems like I should only show the dimensions as I determined them to actually be on the ground.

Answer:
Section 6.B.iii. of the 2011 Minimum Standards Detail Requirements for ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys states that the plat or map of the survey must show, “All distances and directions identified in the record description of the surveyed property (and in the new description, if one was prepared). Where a measured or calculated dimension differs from the record by an amount deemed significant by the surveyor, such dimension shall be shown in addition to, and differentiated from, the corresponding record dimension.”

Showing the record dimensions is desirable for a number of reasons. The record description represents the current written title of the property, and it is – at least at the inception of the work – the basis for the survey. It is entirely appropriate to provide that description on the face of the plat or map. Even if the surveyor writes a new description based on his or her survey (see more on this below), the record description is likely to end up being the description that the title company will be asked to insure (sellers often loathe conveying a description that is not exactly as what was conveyed to them).

Subsequent research or fieldwork may show that the current record description is imprecise, contains errors, or was possibly inappropriately altered over the years since the parcel first came into existence. In those cases, if the surveyor deems it appropriate to write a new description, it and the record description should appear on the face of the plat or map – with their respective bearings and distances - and it would be very helpful for the surveyor to provide an explanation as to why a new description was written and how it differs from the current record description.

Even if the lender or buyer persuades the title company to insure a new description, the differences from the record are still relevant and desirable for all to see, and have the opportunity to understand.


We do understand that in one or two states regular practice may differ from the above; in responding to questions about ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys, we can only outline what the standards say and explain what the intent was in writing them.

Friday, February 6, 2015

NSPS meets with Rep. Keith Rothfus


Recently, NSPS lobbyist John "JB" Byrd met with Representative Keith Rothfus (R-PA), a member of the House Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the House Energy Action Team, and the Republican Policy Committee’s Subcommittee on Jobs and Economic Development. (Insert picture of Rothfus and JB).


Thursday, February 5, 2015

NOAA Briefing for Stakeholders on the President's FY 2016 Budget Request

Event Location

U.S. Department of Commerce Auditorium
1401 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20230



Driving Directions 
The auditorium is located near the main entrance of the Commerce Dept. building on 14th Street (between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues)
Use of the Metro is strongly encouraged! The closest stop is Federal Triangle on the blue/orange line. The Metro Center stop, on the red line, is a 10 minute walk. 

Event Contact


Sandy Aylesworth
Office of Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs 
(202) 482-4638
sandy.aylesworth@noaa.gov

You are invited to attend a briefing on the President's Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We hope you can join us either in person or by phone.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, will lead the briefing. After Dr. Sullivan's remarks, she and other members of NOAA leadership will answer questions and respond to comments.

WHAT:
NOAA Stakeholder Briefing on the President’s FY 2016 Budget Request

WHEN:
February 17, 2015, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST

WHO:
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, NOAA Administrator
Dr. Holly Bamford, NOAA Acting Deputy Administrator
Gary Reisner, NOAA Budget Director
NOAA Line Office Assistant Administrators

WHERE:
U.S. Department of Commerce Auditorium
1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230
(Please enter through the main entrance on 14th Street)

HOW:
Kindly register using the Register Now! link in this invitation. 

TELECONFERENCE:
Dial: 1-800-369-2170 / Passcode: 2352829

SLIDES & BUDGET MATERIALS:
Blue Book [PDF]

MORE RESOURCES:
Fact Sheet: NOAA Satellites [PDF]
Fact Sheet: NOAA Fisheries [PDF]
Fact Sheet: NOAA Research [PDF]
Fact Sheet: NOAA Ocean Service [PDF]
Fact Sheet: NOAA National Weather Service [PDF]
  
We look forward to seeing you.

Sandy Aylesworth
Sea Grant Fellow
Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs

Executive Order affecting floodplain development issued January 31, 2015

An Executive Order has been issued that is very important information for anyone working in the Special Flood Hazard Area.  It takes future conditions into account and requires Design Elevations for lowest floors to be 2 feet above BFE for standard construction and 3 feet above BFE for critical facilities, or construction to the 500 year / 0.2%. Implementation of this new standard will not occur until the end of the 60-day public input period and agencies have been able to update their standards and regulations, which will also trigger public comment periods.


Wednesday, February 4, 2015

NSPS-MAPPS national surveying, mapping conference gains attention

POB magazine  has called the upcoming NSPS-MAPPS conference, to be held April 13-16 in Crystal City (Arlington,), VA, just outside Washington, DC, “the place to be” this spring.  Information is available on the conference website, while exhibit, sponsorship and registration will be posted in the coming days.

Occupational Information Network (O*NET) again seeks help from NSPS members

Since posting the announcement below in the December 17, 2014 edition of the newsletter, we have received only a few responses from surveyors willing to assist in this effort. We have, however, received quite a few comments (apparently from people who did not see the solicitation below) from people who have learned about the O*NET project from some other source, and who are concerned that the Department of Labor will establish descriptions for surveyors and surveying technicians without input from surveyors. The only way to prevent that from happening is that surveyors and survey technicians participate in the process. Please consider doing so!!

Original Announcement 

Attention professional surveyors and survey technicians:

Occupational Information Network (O*NET) again seeks help from NSPS members 

NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner has recently been approached by the Skill Assessment Team of O*NET to again assist in a U.S. Department of Labor effort to identify occupation experts who can help to insure that occupation descriptions listed in the O*NET database are current and accurate. The two categories for which descriptions are being updated are Surveyor and Surveying Technician.

Volunteer participants identified by NSPS should have five (5) or more years of experience, or supervisory/training experience, in the respective categories for which they will provide input. Participants will be asked to complete O*NET questionnaires. The O*NET team has specifically asked that NSPS seek out current Surveying Technicians as part of the group that reviews the technician category.

Anyone interested in participating, or has staff they believe can contribute, should contact Curt at curtis.sumner@nsps.us.com. There is likely to be a time lag between the time a person volunteers and when they are contacted by O*NET. 

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

ACSM/ALTA Question


I have a client who wants me to prepare an ALTA survey for an easement area. Not the underlying parcel that the easement encumbers, but for the easement area itself. Theoretically it seems that since these are standards controlling the survey, they could be applied in principle to any survey. But I am struggling with how the title report would be prepared/connected to the survey since an easement is not a title ownership of property. Any thoughts? And would anything be different if the request was for a Lease area?

Answer:
Yes, it is perfectly fine to provide this type of survey. It isn’t certain what the title work will look like, but you just go with what is presented, and conduct your work accordingly.


The 2016 draft standards already include 'easements' as one of those odd types of parcels that a surveyor might be asked to survey.