The DPA enters the 2009 Fiscal year in a very healthy financial position which allows for the
support of various projects and initiatives. The 2009 budget as approved at the Executive Council
meeting inApril at theAAPGAnnual Convention included support for the GeoDC. The DPA has
been a sponsor of this program since its inception in 2006 because the representation that it provides
our membership inWashington makes it a very worthy cause. Funding was also approved for two
related items. One is for the subscription to TrendTRACK which tracks bills at the state and federal
levels. This will allow DPA members to stay abreast of relevant legislation in their states as well as
pending federal legislation. The second item is travel support for DPA members who wish to attend
the CongressionalVisitation Days (CVD). Members who have attended the CVD in the past have
said it is an eye opening experience and most of those who have attended in the past utilized their
own funds to make those trips toWashington.
Other projects of note include 1) an informational CD about the O&G industry that is distributed
to government representatives, 2) sponsorship of a DPA function at eachAAPG section meeting, and
3) support for development and advertising of web-based ethics short-courses.
The Executive Committee is continually looking at new ways to provide benefits to their members
and the DPA's strong financial position allows them to do this.