63 replies to this topic

[Dleg]

I've never heard of any exemptions from the CWA for CZARA compliance. ?????

[Road Guy]

I am in Georgia and I have my CPESC registration. At this time, it isn't required for any of the work we are doing although we do GDOT work and I thought I read someone mentioned that GDOT requires a CPESC??? Having it do allow me to take my Level II Certification prior to getting my PE (hopefully I can replace EIT with PE this week!!)

The Level II Certification for a Plan Preparer is pretty weak and really does not prove a designer's expertise in erosion and sediment control. I could see making the requirements stiffer which could mean having a CPESC review all plans.

Keep in mind, CPESC is an INTERNATIONAL organization with members in every state and many countries. I do think the point of the organization is for lobbying of stiffer environmental rules concerning erosion and sediment. I just wanted to get my CPESC ahead of the wave.

Now, if you are going to take the test, you need to THOROUGHLY read the review manual. I did not attend the review class but studied the manual. If you are a practicing ESC designer, then a lot of it will be repetitive. However, remember the review manual and test were developed by environmentalist so you have to skew your thinking in that manner to understand some of the questions and desired solutions.

Good Luck!!

I got the CPESC thing confused with the Ga "Level II Designer" Certification..

These certifications are mainly intendid for developers to have a standard to go from and I think they are both fairly meaningless, look at your average site around town, they just draw in two rows of Type C Silt Fence, even on the "High Side" of the site, like the rain is going to travel up-hill and carry sediment with it..... anyways most people that review site plans have taken some similar class, but they dont really understand the meaning behind the EC Guidelines, ( You should have to be a PE or an engineering, design, drainiage background to approve them IMO) I believe you can get the CEPSC without any real education in engineering....

[redwards]

The CPESC and CPSWQ certifications are becoming more required every day.

Several states have regulations or draft regulations specifying these certifications for development of plans and for inspections.

I got my CPESC in 2001. Back then very few colleagues had heard of it. Now I get several jobs a year because of this and other qualifications.

The CPSWQ is catching up fast, but still has a ways to go.

I recommend that any civil PE that specializes in ESC or WQ obtain these certifications.

[Road Guy]

I just downloaded the CPESC Application, you know that they are a "real" organization when the first thing you have to fill out is your credit card number...

http://www.cpesc.org...fo/cpescapp.pdf

[Ambrug20]

Anyone have a CPESC certification? Anyone planning on taking the test? Anyone have an opinion on this certification?

I am tempted to take the exam and get the certification. I know one engineer who has that certification, and his ESC plans now are awesome. But I also know another, very experienced PE who thinks the CPESC certification is "meaningless" and puts little value on it.

Seeing how the Civil and Env. PE exams do not cover ESC, I can see some value to this. I am also working on new stormwater regulations that include a certification program for designers and contractors, but the CPESC might be a good thing to incorporate to ensure better ESC plans - our new regs and manuals are mostly focused on post-construction stormwater design.

Comments and opinions welcome.

I am CPESC for the past 4 years. I wasn’t being able to use my stamp a single time. I was trying to find a job where I could fully use this certification, but had no luck.
I am roadway designer, working with SWPP and construction plans. It’s nice to have this certification for a resume, but I believe that my PE license (one day I will get it) will overwrite my CPESC.
The exam wasn’t easy for me. I had to study, but review class is very helpful.

[JPenviro]

Found out in August...PASSED the exam!

Coming from someone who has sat for the EIT exam (and passed), this exam is not on that level, but it's challenging nontheless.

I called for my score and I did well, better than expected. BUT, there were definitely some questions that had me scratching my head. Ethically, I won't go into details...but that test gives you your money's worth. Also, there were several folks there taking it for the 2nd time.

I'm proud to be a CPESC.

[JPenviro]

I just downloaded the CPESC Application, you know that they are a "real" organization when the first thing you have to fill out is your credit card number...

http://www.cpesc.org...fo/cpescapp.pdf

Hey...you have to pay for the EIT & the PE exams before you can even apply to take them as well. It is what it is.

[Road Guy]

I dont think the EIT / PE have "insert your credit card #" in bold print at the top of the application though....

[picusld]

Just passed this exam. I will say that I did not have a warm and fuzzy after leaving the test room, but passed none the less. My prep consisted of the following...attended review course at which time I recieved the review manual. I got up early the day of the exam and went through the manual.

This test is not even remotely comparable to the EIT or PE.

[picusld]

One year later and I can't say that this certification has materialized financially generating anything that I would not have gotten with my PE alone.

They are now requesting that I pay the 200 or so in annual dues.

I think that I am done

[PJ3346]

One year later and I can't say that this certification has materialized financially generating anything that I would not have gotten with my PE alone.

They are now requesting that I pay the 200 or so in annual dues.

I think that I am done

I was debating on going for CPESC as well cause there are a few people in my office that have it. However, I just obtained my PE in Civil so i doubt I'll be going for this as PE encompasses much more than this certification alone and I think the 200 in annual dues just doesnt fly with me...

[pinkpig]

Anyone has a spare CPESC exam review guide book to sell?
email me: jimhan27 at gmail dot com

[CU07]

Even though this thread has been slow, I thought that I would add my experience with the CPESC exam. It is not remotely comparable to the FE/PE. I attended the review class and, having worked for several years on various stormwater projects, felt very comfortable with the material presented. I spent about a week studying before the exam and made sure I knew the regulations cold. I used roak's study tips from 2009 because they were literally the only ones I could find online, and CPESC does not give you any real indication what the format of the exam will be like.

That said, I think I just about aced it. I just wish more information about the actual format of the test and the types of problems had been released. As of spring 2011, the exam is now entirely multiple choice. Everyone at my office who had taken it had essay questions or design problems, so my experience was pretty different.

Part 2 was supposed to have 6 problems of which you have to choose 3: Agriculture, Mining, Linear Construction, Small Commercial Development, Residential Development, and Forestry, with each section having 12 questions to answer. My test only had three sets of questions, so I didn't have a choice. I believe I had agriculture, linear construction, and small commercial, but they were all pretty similar types of questions with a different scenario.

I do a lot of SWPPP preparation and review, so the CPESC credential has been helpful. Even after becoming a PE, I think it verifies that you have legitimate knowledge about erosion and sediment control, so it looks good to have even if it isn't necessary in combination with a PE.

[John Q]

I just took this last week. I found it a very reasonable exam, if you have been working in the field for any decent amount of time (10+ years for me).

No, it's not the FE/PE ... it is topic specific. Why do you need to test someones knowledge of Diffy Q or Electricity and Magnetism on an ENS exam?