20537 - Env Planner

Virginia Department of Transportation • Suffolk, VA

2d • $71,797 - $116,670

About The Position

Ensure compliance with state and federal laws, regulations and policy for complex environmental programs and services. Maintain VDOT's compliance in all aspects of program and project delivery. Provide interpretation, analysis, and application as an environmental compliance subject-matter expert. Provide environmental leadership, technical guidance and assistance by assessing the applicability interdivisional meetings or contributing to interdivisional work products.

Requirements

• Ability to analyze and interpret data.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing to include preparing and delivering presentations regarding construction projects and environmental impacts.
• Ability to effectively coordinate consultant activities.
• Ability to effectively negotiate solutions to environmental obstacles.
• Ability to plan, organize, and work on multiple technical projects and tasks concurrently.
• Ability to read and interpret project plans, contracts, special provisions, laws, regulations and environmental program and project documents.
• Ability to work with project managers to avoid, minimize, and mitigate environmental impacts on projects.
• Demonstrated experience solving problems effectively and making decisions.
• Demonstrated interpersonal relationship skills.
• Experience planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating programs.
• Knowledge of a broad range of environmental issues, and the experience communicating with a broad range of state and federal environmental agencies and specialists.
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret state and federal environmental laws, regulations, policies, programs, and procedures related to transportation project development and implementation.
• Knowledge of and experience performing technical environmental analysis and compiling analytical results to include environmental impact analysis.
• Knowledge of environmental processes with an ability to assess how proposed actions may impact or be mitigated by proposed project plans.
• Knowledge of project planning, construction alternative analysis and coordination procedures and practices.
• Knowledge of the NEPA process and its role in transportation project development.
• Negotiation and management skills.
• Skill in the use of computers and various software applications.
• Skilled in computers to include spreadsheet and database software.
• Ability to build rapport and to convey technical information in a format easily understood by a diverse groups.
• Ability to work as a team member or leader of inter-disciplinary teams under the pressure of deadlines.
• Knowledge and experience performing technical environmental analysis and compiling reports of analytical results to include environmental impact analysis.
• Knowledge of environmental laws, regulations, policies, programs, and procedures relative to transportation.
• Knowledge of transportation project development practices involving planning, traffic, design, right of way, and construction.
• Valid driver's license.

Nice To Haves

• A combination of training, experience, or education in Environmental Science, Natural Science, Forestry, Vegetation Management, Biology, Ecology, Hydrology, Hydraulics, Cultural Resources, Urban Planning or related field desired.
• Experience preparing NEPA documents for highway projects evaluating the impact of development projects on the environment.
• Experience preparing NEPA or Section 4(f) documents, including but not limited to Categorical Exclusions.
• Experience with GIS or other mapping and data analyses software
• Progressively responsible experience in professional level environmental technical programs, planning, and engineering.

Responsibilities

• Provides coordination and oversight of the assigned environmental programs. Ensures effective execution and continual compliance. Determines improvements and works to execute approved changes to benefit the agency.
• Responds to legislative, local government, citizen, consultant and other concerns with regard to VDOT's environmental compliance.
• Coordinate with others to provide schedule and estimate of environmental deliverables, including NEPA and SERP documents to project manager. Ensure all project documentation and files are available electronically to support administrative records. Request schedule revisions for activities and maintain CEDAR project files. Advocate options to design engineers for avoidance and, or minimization and identify mitigation alternatives. Ensure document deliverables are reviewed for content and legal sufficiency per current Environmental Division policy before distribution. Collect input and comment from other members of the environmental section and consolidate and deliver this input to project teams in written format or by presenting at meetings. Document environmental reviews and clearances consistent with federal regulations and expectations.
• Provide oversight and assistance to VDOT’s Locally Administered Project (LAP) program. Attend meetings, compile and provide the Environmental Scoping Recommendations form, as well as other technical environmental guidance, to ensure applicant's regulatory compliance on Enhancement or Locally Administered Projects. Coordinate with staff developing LAPs, as well as VDOT SMEs and those engaged in current LAP policies to provide the most informed input to project development and delivery.
• Ensure deliverables are reviewed for content and legal sufficiency per current Division policy. Compile environmental commitments on project assignments in CEDAR, distributing them to other Divisions as appropriate. Manage time to accomplish work tasks and assignments within established deadlines.
• Analyze proposed and existing environmental law, regulation, and guidance and determine its impact on VDOT operations facilitating VDOT compliance with law and regulation. Reviews and analyzes law, regulation, bills and proposed rules and determines impact on VDOT.
• Handles Divisional issues with statewide impact such as workload planning, General Assembly impact statements, audit coordination, special programs etc.
• Provides technical advisory subject matter expertise for assigned programs. May also develop and deliver training for assigned programs and projects to a variety of stakeholders.
• Provide professional technical expertise and guidance. Represent and coordinate written responses for internal coordination, communication with other VDOT districts or divisions. Notify other environmental areas of plan availability and need for written comments. Identify environmental risks to project development and strategies to minimize risk. Manage unplanned changes to project development. Manage studies in support of environmental documents. Coordinate plan submissions to ensure comments from previous submissions were addressed. Research and review other environmental study related public relations and complaint responses. Ensure all complaint and inquiry responses are reviewed before distribution and maintain copies in master file.

Benefits

• VDOT employees must abide by VDOTs Code of Ethics and the Commonwealths Standards of Conduct.
• VDOT utilizes a market based pay program, which has been approved by DHRM. Therefore, advertised rates of pay may or may not align with the Commonwealth pay bands.
• In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process.
• Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Please be aware all VDOT positions require pre-employment screenings. These screenings may include the following: Fingerprint based Criminal History Background Check, DMV Record Check, Work History Verification, References, Pre-employment physical, Drug screen

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed