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NSPS
As a professional society, rather than a trade association, NSPS operates a government affairs program that generally concentrates on surveying issues, not generic business issues. For the most part, NSPS members are individual surveyors, generally not firms of any structure. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump shortly before Christmas signed by President Trump, has no provisions that specifically or uniquely affect the surveying profession. However, in response to several inquiries from members, NSPS is pleased to report on the new law’s treatment of the many surveyors who operate firms as sole proprietors, subchapter S corporations, or LLCs, wherein they are taxed personally and at individual tax rates, rather than as other forms of corporations at the corporate rate. Such firms are not exclusively in surveying, but can be in a variety of industries and professions. In order to assure that such "pass through" firms are not taxed at higher rates than other corporations, Congress provided specific treatment to lower the tax rates on these firms. For information on these provisions, click here.
NSPS
Committee Chair Joanne Williamson (HI) and the entire UAS Committee continues to work on issues related to the use of this new technology within the surveying profession. The Committee has requested that we share with the readers of NSPS News & Views an article about new UAS restricted areas over crucial DOE sites.
NSPS
Lost among many pre-holiday activities, including President Trump signing the tax bill into law, was the President’s issuance of an Executive Order on Critical Minerals on December 21. Aimed at reducing disruptions in America’s access to minerals, and reliance on foreign sources, the directive seeks to assure adequate supplies of “rare earth” materials for U.S. industry and technology. A statement from the Interior Department, which also includes an embedded link to the Interior report mentioned in the Executive Order, specifically mentions a focus on surveying, mapping and topographic data. Also, here is a report from the Washington Post. It is estimated that only 20 percent of the surveying needed is complete, an Interior Department representative told NSPS. The White House staff briefed the NSPS government affairs consultant team on the Executive Order upon it is release.
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We help thousands of real estate closers across the country each month. We need surveyors everywhere to join our network to provide one of the most crucial pieces of due diligence. We bring you the business, never white label your work, and you get paid. Read more about it.
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NSPS
In this issue:
Message from Jim
Resources: "Mapping the Zone: Improving Flood Map Accuracy", "Flood Risk Management: Value to the Nation" and "Protecting Building Utility Systems from Flood Damage"
Flood Q & A: What use are preliminary flood maps?
In the News: "Federal Maps Underestimate Flood Risk for Tens of Millions of People, Scientists Warn" and "Rising Seas At Acadia: Implications and Strategies for a Changing Landscape"
Real Estate Corner: "18 Things Real Estate Agents Should Do Before 2018" and "Assessing Risk A Growing Part of Valuing Real Estate”
READ MORE
NSPS
The Trump Administration recently released its latest Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions that federal agencies intend to pursue in the coming months and beyond. The Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy has been hosting regional regulatory reform roundtables across the country to obtain small business input into which regulatory and deregulatory actions would be most beneficial to small business and endorsed the NSPS campaign for repeal of AAM 212, the controversial Obama Administration policy that defined members of survey crews as "laborers and mechanics" under the Davis-Bacon Act.
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3DReshaper is an easy-to-use and polyvalent software dedicated to point cloud processing. It is a complete toolbox to meet many 3D modeling and inspection needs. Thanks to its Topography module, it is an essential software for all surveyors working with any type of point clouds. Free demo version
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NSPS Foundation Chair, Joe Dolan, PLS
I hope you and your families all had a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season! During this time between Christmas and New Year’s; many of us have taken time off to be with family and prepare for the New Year. Some of us may be working harder than ever to close out 2017 and be ready to start 2018 a clean slate. Whatever your thoughts and plans for the coming year are, your Foundation’s Trustees send our best wishes for a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous 2018!
Please think about putting “Your Foundation” in your plans for the New Year. Even though you are an NSPS member, you are not automatically a Foundation member. The Foundation is a totally separate organization and has its own membership category available; please check the website to join.
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NSPS
We wish for America’s Web-radio station manager David Moxley a rapid recovery from surgery that will take place this Friday, January 5. As a result of the surgery there will be no "live" broadcast of the show on Monday January 8. At this time, it is unclear when live broadcasts will resume. In the meantime, we hope listeners will enjoy rebroadcasts of previous shows. As always, thanks to all of our listeners for your loyalty.
Curt
To listen to archives of previous shows, visit americaswebradio.com/nsps-radio-hour. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.
NSPS
NSPS lobbyist John "JB" Byrd recently met with Carla Nelson (R), a candidate for an open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota to be created by the retirement of Rep. Tim Walz (D), who is running for Governor. The primary in the 1st Congressional District is set for March 2018. Currently serving in the State Senate, Nelson is a former teacher, small business owner, and a nationally recognized leader in the insurance industry. She has also been involved in the Office on the Economic Status of Women Advisory Committee, and with the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board of Directors.
By Marc Cheves, The American Surveyor
 In talking to surveyors, I'm hearing that companies are having a hard time finding qualified people, and I can't help but wonder how the last 8-10 years of 1 percent GDP growth has forced many qualified surveyors out of the industry. Some are saying that our country will end the fourth quarter of 2017 with 4 percent growth. Already, construction backlog is climbing. If this translates to the 2018 construction economy, the shortage of qualified surveyors will become acute.
READ MORE
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No matter what the future holds, prepare to meet challenges head on. Future-proof your resume by becoming a Certified Survey Technician (CST). This unique four-level certification program indicates official recognition by NSPS that a person can perform surveying tasks at a specific technical level.
Show what you can do! Decide between the field or office track. Visit www.nsps.us.com for details.
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Did you know there is an on-line training program for the CST exams? It is www.learncst.com
GPS World
As another holiday season passes us by, it is customary to look back at the year and recall the trends, new products and services, and breakthroughs we experienced with the GNSS environment and its effect on the professional surveyor. While 2017 was not filled with groundbreaking instruments and programming, it did provide a good look at what are going to be trends and gamechangers for the near future.
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Point of Beginning
President Donald Trump signed a presidential executive order on Dec. 20 that could benefit the private-sector geospatial community. It all depends on how the order is implemented.
The executive order, "Presidential Executive Order on a Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure and Reliable Supplies of Critical Minerals," contains a lot of language about reducing U.S. dependence on foreign-sourced strategic minerals and the vulnerability of those supply chains to disruption, but it also calls for high-quality geospatial data.
READ MORE
Geospatial World
The Department of Defense's research and development arm — DARPA — is teaming up with NASA to create a new generation of satellites whose job will be to maintain existing ones. The new satellites could extend the lives of billion-dollar satellites and fix minor maintenance issues, problems that are currently not possible. Such service stations, however, could also interfere with the satellites of adversaries.
READ MORE
Inside GNSS
Phil Falcone's Harbinger Capital is seeking $2 billion in damages for "massive fraud" alleging that Apollo Global Management and others sold it on a plan to launch a terrestrial broadband network while concealing test results showing the network would cause crippling GPS interference and be unlikely to be approved.
READ MORE
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Note: NSPS members may receive calls from MultiView sales associates regarding advertising opportunities in News & Views. MultiView, a partner of NSPS, produces the News & Views newsbrief each week.
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