06/01/1989 14230

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST

DEFINITION: This is professional work within a specialty area of the waste management program.

An employee in this class performs a variety of assignments within one of the waste management specialty areas. Waste management specialty areas include the following: superfund project officer; resource recovery and planning; toxic waste investigation and prosecution; or permit review and coordination. Work requires contact and effective working relationships with a wide variety of persons, including local government officials, legislators, the press and media, federal officials, planning commissions, special interest groups, and the public. Work is assigned in the form of goals, objectives, and priorities. Employees exercise judgement in planning, scheduling, and completing assignments within limits of broad program policies, guidelines, and applicable state and federal regulations. Work is reviewed upon completion by a professional supervisor for the attainment of objectives, completeness, technical accuracy, and overall quality.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Serves as a superfund project officer by managing all activities relating to assigned sites and serving as the primary Departmental technical representative during all phases of site remediation; conducts preliminary assessments and site inspections to determine the extent of contamination, to identify responsible parties, and to assess health risks, and prepares reports of findings; reviews and comments on technical documents prepared by consultants and Departmental staff for assigned sites; participates in the process to rank and prioritize sites to determine their eligibility for funding under state or federal programs; participates in the negotiation of site-specific contracts and cooperative agreements; provides technical support to legal staff for cost-recovery and other legal actions; attends public meetings as the department's representative to explain the state and federal superfund programs; oversees contractors retained by the department to implement remedial planning and design at sites; conducts site visits to ensure the proper implementation of remedial actions; serves as liaison with federal project officers, bureau staff, consultants, local officials, and the public; and participates in the development of guidance documents, policies and procedures, and program evaluations. Serves as a member of the Toxic Waste Investigation and Prosecution Unit in the Bureau of Waste Management, in conjunction with the state Attorney General's office, to conduct complex and sensitive criminal investigations of the alleged illegal transportation, storage, and/or disposal of industrial or hazardous waste; collects, compiles, and develops investigative leads and evidence concerning criminal violations in support of prosecution activities; assists in drafting affidavits for search and arrest warrants; conducts consented or warranted searches, and aerial and ground surveillance of suspected criminal activities; presents evidence in legal proceedings; collects environmental and chemical samples and interprets laboratory analyses to determine the degree and extent of contamination and degradation; and serves as liaison with federal, state, and local environmental and law enforcement agencies.

Coordinates resource recovery and planning activities for an environmental protection region; provides technical assistance and guidance to local officials, special interest groups, and regional staff on all matters relating to municipal waste management planning; administers the resource recovery grants program and the solid waste planning grants program in the region by conducting pre-application counseling to local officials, reviewing and prioritizing applications, preparing grants agreements, approving work completed and invoices for payment, and monitoring project status; initiates compliance actions against municipalities which fail to meet their waste planning and management responsibilities; serves as primary contact for market information on secondary materials in the region; and prepares and delivers presentations on waste planning and resource recovery topics to interested groups.

Coordinates permit review activities for the waste management program in an environmental protection region; reviews assigned portions of permit applications and renders technical decisions on their appropriateness and adequacy; coordinates review activities among technical staff, other regional programs, and Commonwealth agencies; identifies and resolves conflicts relating to permit applications; and prepares complete permit packages for approval and issuance by management.

Meets with a wide variety of persons and organizations, including local officials, industry representatives, the media, environmental and special interest groups, federal officials, and the public, to explain departmental programs, functions, actions, rules and regulations, and policies.

Prepares letters, correspondence, reports, and other written material as required.

Operates a motor vehicle to travel to various work sites.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the biological, chemical, and physical sciences relating to environmental protection, particularly waste and hazardous materials management.

Knowledge of the basic physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes.

Knowledge of the Department of Environmental Resources, Commonwealth, and federal laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to environmental protection, particularly waste and hazardous materials management.

Knowledge of the procedures, techniques, and equipment utilized in the conduct of inspections of hazardous or toxic waste disposal or dumping sites.

Knowledge of the procedures and techniques utilized in the development, evaluation, and approval of waste management plans.

Knowledge of the procedures and techniques utilized in the development, evaluation, and management of grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.

Knowledge of the procedures and techniques utilized in the review, evaluation, and approval of permit applications.

Knowledge of the procedures, techniques, and formats utilized in the determination of violations and the preparation of legal instruments for compliance activities.

Knowledge of the procedures and techniques utilized in the mitigation and containment of hazardous or toxic chemical spills.

Ability to plan, organize, schedule, coordinate, and evaluate program activities.

Ability to interpret and apply applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures to program activities.

Ability to read, understand, and interpret technical material and to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Ability to gather, analyze, and interpret data, to conduct technical inspections and surveys, and to exercise sound judgement in arriving at technical recommendations and Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, blueprints,and schematics submitted to meet program requirements.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental staff, local and federal officials, the media, environmental and special interest groups, and the public during the conduct of program activities.

Ability to operate a motor vehicle.

Ability to exhibit sufficient physical strength and stamina to permit working in adverse climatic conditions, carrying test equipment, walking long distances over rough terrain, and participating in emergency response teams.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: One year of experience as a journey-level specialist in a waste management program.

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Two years of experience in environmental protection and a bachelor's degree with major course work in biology, chemistry, or in a field closely related to environmental protection. A master's degree with major course work in any of the fields closely related to environmental protection may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

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Any equivalent combination of experience and training which affords the applicant the required knowledges and abilities.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator's license as issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.