State of Maryland

An Environmental Compliance Specialist I is the entry level of environmental regulatory compliance work in the areas of water pollution control; sediment and erosion control; tidal and non-tidal wetlands; flood control and waterway construction; stormwater management; coal, non-coal and surface mining; air quality and air management control; solid waste management; hazardous waste control; and oil pollution control. Employees in this classification ensure compliance with State and federal environmental laws and regulations through consultation, negotiation, inspection and investigation activities and initiate enforcement actions. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from an Environmental Compliance Specialist Supervisor. Employees may be required to work evenings and weekends and are subject to call-in for emergency situations, such as operational accidents or natural disasters. The work is performed out of doors in all kinds of weather and requires travel throughout the State. The work may require use of safety equipment such as protective clothing, eyewear, gloves and respirators. Employees may be exposed to physical hazards, such as toxic materials and fumes, asbestos, lead particles and falling debris. The work may require carrying specialized tools and testing devices while walking over uneven and rocky surfaces, along rooftops, and bending or stooping in confined spaces.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Environmental Compliance Specialist I, Environmental Compliance Specialist II and the Environmental Compliance Specialist III are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The Environmental Compliance Specialist I learns to perform duties under close supervision. The Environmental Compliance Specialist II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed. The Environmental Compliance Specialist III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to conduct consultations, negotiations, inspections and investigations at wastewater treatment plants, industrial and commercial facilities, agricultural operations and construction sites and regulated entities to ensure compliance and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in more than one of the following areas: water pollution control; sediment and erosion control; tidal and non-tidal wetlands; flood control and waterway construction; stormwater management; coal, non-coal and surface mining; air quality and air management control; solid waste management; hazardous waste control; and oil pollution control;

Learns to develop, negotiate and recommend implementation plans for improvements or corrective actions needed for regulatory compliance at wastewater treatment plants, industrial and commercial facilities, agricultural operations and construction sites and regulated entities;

Attends specified environmental and pollution control related training, seminars and courses;

Learns to review maps, permits, licenses, construction plans and specifications to ensure compliance with applicable State and federal laws and regulations;

Learns to collect samples, conduct field tests and measurements, take photographs, prepare drawings and diagrams and delineate boundaries;

Learns to examine business and public records, such as property ownership, licensing or certification requirements and historical data to verify and obtain facts concerning the construction or operation of a site;

Learns to initiate enforcement actions, such as issuance of warning notices, notices of violation or stop work orders when regulatory compliance has not been achieved through consultations and negotiations;

Learns to assess damage caused by regulatory violation, prepare fine assessments and draft civil penalty case reports;

Learns to recommend a course of action for violation case disposition, such as closure of file due to compliance, continuance of consultation, inspection or investigation activities, or referral of case for civil or criminal prosecution;

Learns to investigate and resolve complaints from citizens and other governmental agencies regarding environmental pollution concerns;

Learns to interview witnesses, complainants and clients to verify and obtain information related to site complaints;

Learns to prepare and maintain reports and case records on the results of consultations and negotiations and the findings of inspections and investigations;

Learns to testify at administrative hearings or in court proceedings concerning site findings and investigations or the conditions under which the citation was issued;

Learns to respond to emergency incidents or natural disasters to assess environmental impact and determine how to control and abate the situation;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the academic and technical disciplines related to the areas of water pollution control; sediment and erosion control; tidal and non-tidal wetlands; flood control and waterway construction; stormwater management; coal, non-coal and surface mining; air quality and air management control; solid waste management; hazardous waste control; and oil pollution control;

Knowledge of inspection, investigation, consultation and negotiation techniques and methods;

Knowledge of mathematics as it applies to area, density and volume, airflow and gas mixing computations;

Ability to learn to interpret, apply and explain State and federal laws and regulations applicable to the areas of water pollution control; sediment and erosion control; tidal and non-tidal wetlands; flood control and waterway construction; stormwater management; coal, non-coal and surface mining; air quality and air management control; solid waste management; hazardous waste control; and oil pollution control;

Ability to learn industry standards and practices and to interpret industry plans, specifications, drawings and maps applicable to the areas of water pollution control; sediment and erosion control; tidal and non-tidal wetlands; flood control and waterway construction; stormwater management; coal, non-coal and surface mining; air quality and air management control; solid waste management; hazardous waste control; and oil pollution control;

Ability to learn to conduct consultations, negotiations, inspections and investigations at wastewater treatment plants, industrial and commercial facilities, agricultural operations and construction sites and regulated entities to ensure compliance and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in the areas of water pollution control; sediment and erosion control; tidal and non-tidal wetlands; flood control and waterway construction; stormwater management; coal, non-coal and surface mining; air quality and air management control; solid waste management; hazardous waste control; and oil pollution control;

Ability to learn to collect field samples and conduct field tests and measurements;

Ability to learn to use specialized tools and testing devices, such as stream flow monitor, chlorine meter and safety equipment;

Ability to recognize potential environmental pollution problems and violations and issue appropriate enforcement actions;

Ability to learn to develop and negotiate implementation plans for improvements or corrective actions needed to meet regulatory compliance requirements;

Ability to learn to prepare and maintain reports and case records on the results of consultations and negotiations and the findings of inspections and investigations;

Ability to learn to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with public and private business owners and managers, contractors, government officials and the general public;

Ability to learn to testify at administrative hearings and court proceedings.

Experience: Four years of experience performing inspection or investigation work related to State, federal or local regulation, code or standard compliance.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute sixty credit hours from an accredited college or university which includes thirty credit hours in any combination of disciplines such as earth science, environmental science, geology, civil or environmental engineering, biology, chemistry, agronomy, forestry or other related discipline and two years of experience performing inspection or investigation work related to State, federal or local regulation, code or standard compliance for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in earth science, environmental science, geology, civil or environmental engineering, biology, chemistry, agronomy, forestry or other related discipline for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources classifications or Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources specialty codes in the Engineering and Natural Resources field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification may be required to obtain and maintain certification or license in the designated environmental compliance area.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System. All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions. Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professional classes. As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.  

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series. In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.