Upcoming Events PSLS Webinars July 8, 2026 Preparing for Geospatial Trends in Transportation Digital Delivery Speakers: Allen Melley, Scott McMasters, Kevin Martin, Chris Abbott August 12, 2026 Railroads and Railroad Rights of Way Speaker: Gary Kent, LS View the 2026 webinar schedule Save the date for the 2027 Surveyors’ Conference in Hershey, PA from January 10-13, 2027!

As of April 30, all twelve annual appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026 were signed into law to keep the Federal government open through September 30. The controversial bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, which included FEMA’s flood mapping program, was finally enacted into law and was accompanied by the following report language:

4.1 DEFINITION of a DEED CALL; “to the “Grading” of a Railroad. The “Grading called for in the deed is the “Artificial Monument”. Call made in deed after rails and ties were removed. What remains; the railroad bed or grading.

Tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Viktor Stergarsek. I was born and raised in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia. I studied on the Zagreb Faculty of Geodesy to get my Bachelors in Geodesy and Geoinformatics. I moved to the United States in late 2016 to marry my long-term long-distance girlfriend (now wife of 9 years) and start my surveying career in the Pittsburgh, PA area. I have been honing my craft and learning more about the wonderful world of surveying every day.

Pennsylvania’s Clean and Green Law (Act 319) was enacted to preserve farmland and forestland by allowing qualifying properties to be taxed based on agricultural or timber use value rather than fair market value. While this preferential tax treatment can create substantial savings for landowners, subdividing enrolled property requires careful planning because mistakes can trigger significant roll-back taxes and penalties.

National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) /Spring 2026 Meeting The annual in-person NSPS Spring 2026 Meeting was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC - Crystal City in Arlington, VA on April 13 through April 17, 2026. The annual Day on the Hill was held on April 14, 2026, and I attended congressional meetings with the staff of the following Senators and Congressman to discuss: Geodesy Prioritization in 2026 Highway Bill

As we move toward the summer months, it appears that Pennsylvania surveyors are busier than ever. PSLS committees continue to meet regularly and remain active on many important initiatives. The Education Committee is working diligently on the 2027 Conference and future educational programs. The Bylaws Committee has been providing model bylaws for chapters to adopt if they do not already have them in place. Our Legislative Committee continues to keep us informed on development

Upcoming Events PSLS Webinars April 8 from 12-2PM: General Rules of Construction (Speaker: Knud Hermansen) April 22 from 12-1PM: What’s Changed? Introducing the New 2026 ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Standards (Speaker: Gary Kent, LS) Save the date for the 2027 Surveyors’ Conference in Hershey, PA from January 10-13!

Tell us a bit about yourself. I am a resident of Bradford County, PA. I have served on the Geospatial Committee and the Bylaws Committee for PSLS. I am a graduate of Penn State Wilkes-Barre with a Bachelor of Science Surveying Engineering degree class of 2021 and a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky. Most of the work I have done has been in oil and gas, as well as solar. I am also a proud Eagle Scout.

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the 2026 Surveyors’ Conference in Hershey such a standout event! From our dedicated attendees and engaging speakers to our generous sponsors, exhibitors, students, hosts, and guests, it took nearly 600 of you to create an energizing, collaborative experience that truly showcased the strength of our profession.

From frozen ground to the first signs of spring construction, professionals across the Commonwealth continue to define the boundaries of progress. It is an honor to serve as your 2026 President of the Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors during such an important time for our profession.

(This is what the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has said) The following case is for educational purposes and not for any other use other than to gain knowledge about those pesky fence questions that land surveyors are often confronted with. This case may shed some knowledge on a portion of those fence disputes that surveyors deal with. The section of this article titled: (Highlights of the Foregoing Case for Surveyor’s) are the sole opinions of Michael F. Brinkash, P.L.S. an

As of February 3, eleven of the twelve annual appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026 were signed into law to help keep the Federal government open through September 30.

On February 3rd, Governor Shapiro gave his 2026 Budget address in which he proposed 53.3 billion dollars, which is an increase of 2.7 billion dollars, or a 5.4% increase. Currently, the Senate and House are in budget hearings from February 24th to March 20th. The House will be going into session on March 23rd and the Senate on March 16th. Below are the tentative House and Senate session schedules:

Joseph Knapick, PLS, owner of Keefer & Associates Land Surveying of Sunbury, PA, attended a career fair at his alma-mater, Shamokin Area Junior-Senior High School on Friday, November 14th.

Upcoming Events PSLS Webinars 2026 webinar details coming soon! 2026 Surveyors’ Conference in Hershey, PA from January 11-14, 2026!

It’s the time of year when the northern part of the US is starting to see snow accumulation, especially if you’re in the Great Lakes area. Most of the areas north of the Mason Dixon Line can expect at least some snow to fall and accumulate after the winter solstice.

On October 1, the Federal Government entered into a shutdown following the lack of funding legislation being moved by Congress and enacted into law by the Administration. On November 12, President Trump signed legislation (H.R. 5371) to re-open the Federal government through January 30, 2026. The package also funds military construction, veterans’ affairs, the Department of Agriculture and the legislative branch through the remainder of fiscal 2026, which ends on September 30

PSLS Featured Member: Timothy Rojahn, PLS

This year, as I watched the retailers jump from Halloween directly to Christmas, I was determined not to skip Thanksgiving and do something during our family get-together that would be more meaningful and memorable. Needless to say, I’m GLAD that we did. The evening before Thanksgiving, I sent my family members a text asking them to be prepared to say what they are Grateful for, something they Learned over the past year, something they Accomplished, and something which Deligh