An appraiser who values an environmentally contaminated property is ________ required by the Competency Rule to be an expert in the scientific aspects of contamination.

The correct response indicates that an appraiser is not required to be an expert in the scientific aspects of environmental contamination when valuing a contaminated property. The Competency Rule in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) emphasizes that an appraiser must have the necessary knowledge and experience to complete the appraisal competently. However, this does not mandate that an appraiser be an expert in all specialized fields, such as the scientific details of environmental contamination.

Instead, the appraiser must understand the effect of the contamination on property values, which may involve working with or relying on experts who specialize in environmental studies or remediation. This allows the appraiser to incorporate relevant data into their analyses while ensuring that they maintain competence in the areas directly affecting their appraisal. Thus, it is sufficient for the appraiser to possess a general familiarity with the issues of contamination in real estate rather than an expert-level understanding of the scientific intricacies.