Gary H. Haag,
Secretary/Treasurer of the South Dakota Section, American Institute of
Professional Geologists receives the 2017 J.P.
Gries Geologist of the Year award from Past-President Foster Sawyer
(right.) Award announced March 8, 2017 at AIPG South Dakota
Section annual meeting, Pierre, SD, and presented
April 6, 2017 at
the Western South Dakota Hydrology Conference in Rapid City, SD.
Photo taken by
retired AIPG Executive Director Bill
Siok.
2017 J.P. Gries Geologist of the Year award announced
April 12, 2017 – The South Dakota section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (SD-AIPG) has named Gary Haag as 2017 J.P. Gries Geologist of the Year. The award is named in honor of Dr. John Paul Gries for his exceptional work in the field of geology and is provided each year by the South Dakota Section AIPG in memory of Dr. Gries, a longtime geology professor at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Gary Haag has worked for more than 25 years as a professional geologist in the state of South Dakota, where he has been a leader in applying geological principles to protect our environment through work at the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (SD DENR) and the United States Forest Service (USFS). Gary has spent his career working to protect the environment in this field of applied geology. He has also been a strong supporter of the SD-AIPG Section serving as secretary/treasurer for many years.
Gary grew up in New Jersey and completed a Master’s Degree in Hydrogeology at Rutgers University. He moved to South Dakota in the late-1980's and pursued a career as a professional geologist. He started as a hydrologist with SD DENR in 1989 and rapidly advanced to Senior Hydrologist. During this period, Gary was relied upon by SD DENR and other state and federal agencies to provide expertise on hydrology, ground-water protection and ground-water remediation. Gary managed South Dakota ground-water quality standards, ground-water discharge permits, SD-DENR’s spills handbook and updates, and complex spill case assignments. Gary also developed recommendations to update and modernize the Class Ill in-situ mining Underground Injection Control rules. Gary's efforts contributed to South Dakota's Ground Water Quality Program becoming one of the top-notch state ground-water quality programs in the country.
Gary currently works for the USFS where he continues a successful career focused on application of geological principles to provide for both resource development and environmental protection. In his current position, Gary is responsible for permitting and regulation of active mines, reclamation of abandoned mines, and geological analysis of proposed actions on National Forest System lands in the Black Hills. Gary works with miners and prospectors to make sure their projects protect the environment and comply with modern regulations. Gary also works to mitigate adverse effects of historic mining practices conducted prior to the advent of modern environmental laws through reclamation of abandoned mines. Since Gary started work at the USFS, he has been responsible for reclamation of dozens of abandoned mines and prospects in the Black Hills National Forest.
Gary is one of the most-senior members of the SD-AIPG, and he has consistently supported the section through good times and challenging times. He was instrumental in forming the SD-AIPG years ago, when the Dakota Section split to form separate sections in North Dakota and South Dakota. Gary has continuously played an important role in the success of the section.
Previous J.P. Gries award recipients include Richard Hammond with Heine Electric and Irrigation; South Dakota School of Mines & Technology professors Dr. Arden Davis, Dr. Colin Paterson, Dr. Edward Duke, Dr. Perry Rahn, Dr. Jack Redden, Dr. Alvis Lisenbee, Dr. James Fox, and Dr. J. Foster Sawyer; Mark Anderson with the United States Geological Survey, and South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources geologists Dr. Mark Fahrenbach, Fred Steece, and Derric Iles.
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