Board Appointment, ULR Decisions, and PWD Program Updates

The VAWP Certifications Committee continues to monitor and support issues affecting the Certified Professional Wetland Delineator (PWD) program in Virginia. Below are several updates from the past six months.

New Appointment to the DPOR Board

On January 15, 2026, the Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the appointment of Emily Salkind (Senior Environmental Lead, Westwood Professional Services) to the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists. Ms. Salkind will fill the Board seat vacated by Nathan Kuhn, and she will serve the remainder of the seat term through June 30, 2028. The Certifications Committee welcomes Ms. Salkind to her new role helping guide regulatory oversight of the PWD program and thanks her for her service.

PWD Exam Administration – Potential Changes

At the March 9, 2026 meeting, the Board approved DPOR staff to solicit interest from independent, third-party testing providers to manage administration of the Certified Professional Wetland Delineator (PWD) examination.

This approach would align the PWD exam with many other professional examinations administered through DPOR, which are often delivered through contracted testing vendors at independent testing centers.

If implemented, this model could allow eligible PWD applicants to sit for the examination at testing locations across the Commonwealth on a rolling basis. Currently, the PWD exam is administered only twice per year and is offered at DPOR’s Richmond office. Transitioning to a third-party testing system could increase flexibility for applicants while maintaining oversight of examination content and standards.

Universal License Recognition – Board Determinations on Comparable Programs

During the December 2025 and March 2026 Board discussions related to Universal License Recognition (ULR), the Board reviewed whether several out-of-state wetland delineation credentials meet the statutory requirement of having a “similar scope of practice” to Virginia’s Certified Professional Wetland Delineator (PWD) program.

The Board determined that the New Hampshire Certified Wetland Scientist (CWS) credential qualifies as substantially similar and may be recognized under Virginia’s ULR law. However, the Board did not find the Minnesota Wetland Delineator Certification Program or the Wisconsin Assured Delineator Certification Program to be sufficiently similar to the Virginia PWD certification at this time.  No additional state-level wetland delineation certification programs were identified by DPOR Staff that meet the criteria for comparison to Virginia’s PWD program.

The Certifications Committee will continue to monitor how these determinations influence future ULR applications and Board policy.

PWD Statistics

As of 3/9/2026, the Board reported:

• Total Certified PWDs: 152

At the March 9, 2026 meeting, DPOR staff shared that between February 2018 and August 2024, the average pass rate for the PWD Exam was 50.6%. Results of the February 2026 exam have not yet been made available at this time.

Upcoming Board Meeting

The next general meeting of the DPOR Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3 at 10 am at 9960 Maryland Drive Richmond, Virginia 23233. Meetings are open to the public, but dates and locations are subject to change. For the most current information on meetings, agendas, and minutes, visit: Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Board

The Certifications Committee remains committed to protecting the integrity of the PWD program and supporting improvements in professional credentialing. VAWP members with questions or suggestions are encouraged to contact the committee. As the PWD program continues to evolve alongside Virginia’s regulatory landscape, the Certifications Committee remains committed to supporting a strong and credible professional certification program.