State of Maryland

A Power Plant Siting Assessor I is the intermediate level of work conducting and reviewing scientific research and studies of the design and structure of proposed and existing power plants and their emissions to assess the economic, atmospheric science, biological and environmental engineering impact on Maryland’s natural resources and eco-systems.  Employees in this classification ensure that power plants and their operations are in compliance with State and federal energy and environmental protection laws and regulations.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from a Director Power Plant Siting Program or other administrative official.  Employees visit the sites of proposed power plants or existing power plant facilities where hazardous conditions exist and the need to wear protective equipment may be necessary.

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 Power Plant Siting Assessor I and the Power Plant Siting Assessor II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Power Plant Siting Assessor I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed while the Power Plant Siting Assessor II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Conducts and reviews scientific research and studies of the design and structure of proposed and existing power plants and their emissions to assess the economic, atmospheric science, biological and environmental engineering impact on Maryland’s natural resources and eco-systems and ensures that such power plants are in compliance with State and federal energy protection laws and regulations;

Conducts complex technical evaluation of environmental, economic and engineering issues of proposed and existing power plant facilities in determining their ability to provide adequate electricity at reasonable cost while protecting Maryland’s natural resources;

Participates in the initiation, design, implementation and review of technical projects related to the operations of power plants; documents work through the preparation and publishing of scientific and statistical reports;

Evaluates the potential impact of proposed power plant facilities or the modification of existing power plant facilities on environmental resources, including air, surface and ground water, terrestrial resources, and cultural and historic resources, while assessing overall site suitability;

Attends adjudicatory proceedings regarding the proposal of the construction and design of new power plant facilities in Maryland before the Public Service Commission and provides testimony on behalf of the State recommending the approving or disapproval of such facilities;

Coordinates with other State agencies (e.g., Maryland Department of the Environment, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce, Maryland Energy Administration and Department of Planning) to develop a consolidated State position in power plant related proceedings or administrative hearings;

Coordinates and manages the assignments, work scope, budget and accountability of consultant/contractual employees assigned economic, atmospheric science, biological or environmental engineering research and statistical work involving the design, structure and emissions of power plant facilities;

Integrates the scientific and statistical findings of consultant/contractual employees involving the design, construction and emissions of power plants into a set of site-wide recommendations; reviews project activities completed by consultant/contractual employees for consistency with State or program policy and issues;

Visits the sites of proposed and existing power plant facilities where hazardous conditions may exist to conduct environmental studies and sampling;

Meets with representatives of State and federal environmental protection agencies, utility and non-utility generation industries, and citizen organizations (e.g., Alliance for Chesapeake Bay and Chesapeake Bay Foundation) to address and identify environmental issues concerning the impact of power plant facilities on Maryland’s natural resources;

Conducts on-going scientific research and studies on the impact of existing power plant facilities on Maryland’s natural resources and eco-systems;

Serves as technical experts on issues concerning nuclear power, high voltage transmission lines and electromagnetic fields, electricity conservation and advanced energy concepts, or environmental engineering (including coal combustion byproduct technology);

Reviews proposed State legislation affecting the operations of power plants in Maryland and prepares agency’s position and fiscal impact statements;

Prepares a variety of descriptive and statistical monthly reports on the status of projects;

Prepares correspondence relating to power plant issues for the signature of the program director, Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources or the Governor;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of research procedures and study designs;

Ability to conduct and review scientific research and studies to assess economic, atmospheric science, biological or environmental engineering impact on Maryland’s natural resources and eco-systems;

Ability to ensure power plants operations are in compliance with State and federal energy and environmental protection laws and regulations;

Ability to conduct complex technical evaluation of the environmental, economic and engineering issues of proposed and existing power plants in determining their ability to provide adequate electricity at reasonable cost while protecting Maryland’s natural resources;

Ability to initiate, design, implement and review technical projects related to power plant facilities; ability to prepare and publish scientific and statistical reports;

Ability to evaluate the potential impact of proposed or existing power plant facilities on environmental resources, including air, surface and ground water, terrestrial resources, and cultural and historic resources, while assessing overall site suitability;

Ability to attend adjudicatory proceedings regarding power plant facilities before the Public Service Commission and provide testimony on behalf of the State recommending the approval or disapproval of such facilities;

Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with representatives of other State agencies and offices charged with the protection of Maryland’s natural resources and ecosystems;

Ability to coordinate and manage the assignments, work scope, budget and accountability of consultant/contractual employees assigned economic, atmospheric science, biological or environmental engineering research and statistical work;

Ability to integrate the scientific and statistical findings of consultant/contractual employees involving the design, construction and emission of power plants into a set of site-wide recommendations;

Ability to visit the sites of proposed and existing power plant facilities where hazardous conditions may exist to conduct environmental studies and sampling;

Ability to meet with representatives of State and federal environmental protection agencies, utility and non-utility generation industries, and citizen organizations to address and identify environmental issues concerning the impact of power plant facilities on Maryland’s natural resources;

Ability to serve as technical experts on issues concerning nuclear power, high voltage transmission lines and electromagnetic fields, electricity conservation and advanced energy concepts, or environmental engineering (including coal combustion byproducts technology);

Ability to review State legislation affecting the operations of power plants in Maryland and prepare agency’s position and fiscal impact statements;

Ability to prepare correspondence relating to power plant issues for the signature of the program director, Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources or the Governor.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree in the environmental or physical sciences from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Five years of experience in administrative or professional environmental science work, two years must have involved experience as a project leader or managing environmental or scientific projects or programs.

Notes: 

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master’s degree in environmental or physical sciences from an accredited college or university for two years of the required general administrative or professional environmental science  experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a registration as a Licensed Professional Engineer (general) from the Maryland State Board for Professional Engineers for one year of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military experience as a commissioned officer in Environmental Specialist classifications or Environmental Science and Engineering specialty codes in the Environmental or Physical Sciences field of work.

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 Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as 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 Professionals 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.

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 level 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 by 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.