ECMC Cumulative Impacts & Emissions Specialist (EPS III)

The ECMC Cumulative Impacts & Emissions Specialist (EPS III) at the State of Colorado serves as the agency's expert on evaluating cumulative impacts from oil and gas operations. Responsibilities include reviewing permit applications, assessing air quality, climate impacts, and effects on wildlife and water resources. The role involves making recommendations for permit approvals or denials based on scientific evidence, and supporting emissions reduction efforts, particularly in disproportionately impacted communities.
About the position

This position is the Director's Staff Authority and the agency's subject matter expert (SME) in the evaluation of cumulative impacts (CI), particularly those resulting from oil and gas operations. The CI & Emissions Specialist will review the incremental impacts associated with proposed new oil & gas operations, and assess how those incremental impacts are likely to contribute to the past, current, and potential future cumulative impacts that affect nearby receptors. This evaluation is largely focused on impacts to air quality and climate, but also includes an assessment of impacts to people, wildlife, and water resources, as well as issues such as odor, noise, and transportation/truck trips. The evaluation is based on information provided by operators in their permit applications, and includes air quality data; emissions estimates for criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs); NOx and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity targets and status as defined by AQCC regulation; surface acreage disturbance; impacts to high priority habitat (HPH) and State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) habitats as designated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW); impacts to water resources including public water systems; and impacts to biological and soil resources. It also includes an evaluation of any beneficial impacts such as the plugging of offset wells, compensatory mitigation efforts, community benefit agreements, and reclamation and closure of other oil and gas sites. The goal of the evaluation is to make a recommendation for permit approval or denial based on quantitative and qualitative, science-backed evidence. This robust evaluation is conducted on each new Oil and Gas Development Plan (OGDP) or Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP) permit application, via the electronic Form 2B (Cumulative Impact Data Identification), Form 2F (Comprehensive Area PlanAP-CI Data Identification), and through the Cumulative Impacts Analysis (CIA) on the Form 2A (Oil and Gas Location Assessment). For operations proposed in the Denver Metropolitan/North Front Range ozone nonattainment area, Operator compliance with AQCC's NOx Intensity Target is assessed via ECMC's Form 2D (Emissions Intensity Assessment). In addition, this position will serve as the agency's lead on the evaluation of incremental and cumulative impacts from deep geothermal, carbon sequestration, and other related operations as permitted by ECMC, and particularly to evaluate any net adverse impacts in disproportionately impacted (DI) communities as prohibited by HB24-1346. This position will support the Commission's future rulemaking and policy efforts that address the reduction of emissions, net-zero emissions, and impacts to DI Communities. This position will also lead the Director's effort to publish the annual Cumulative Impacts Report to the Commission and will support the Commission's work to reduce GHG, methane, and other emissions in support of Colorado's GHG Pollution Reduction Roadmap.

Responsibilities
• Conduct SME Review of Cumulative Impacts Data and Analyses.
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• Attend pre-application meetings with the Operator and local governments to determine appropriate Areas of Evaluation for proposed oil and gas Locations.
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• Review data in the Form 2B for OGDP applications, the CIA for proposed Form 2A Locations, the Form 2F CAP-CI Data, the Form 2D for Emissions Intensity, and additional Form 2Bs or CIAs related to non-OGDP well permits.
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• Determine if the operator performed a sufficient CI analysis, followed the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, minimize, mitigate), and whether the application and proposed operations may be approved with little to no adverse impact to public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources.
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• Summarize findings in writing in the Director's Recommendation.
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• Review operators' best management practices (BMPs) to determine if they effectively and appropriately avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse impacts.
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• Inform the Commission about any problematic or unique impacts associated with an OGDP, CAP, or Form 2 prior to Commission hearing.
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• Lead the review of the most challenging or problematic data and be the point of contact for internal and external questions regarding the Form 2B, 2D, and 2F and the CI Analysis.
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• Conduct CI assessment of geothermal, carbon sequestration, and other related operation and projects as assigned.
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• Develop and Maintain Internal & External CI Resources and Training Program.
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• Train and provide support to LAS staff in conducting preliminary reviews of Form 2B emissions and NOx/GHG intensity data as well as CI Analysis review.
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• Develop training and internal SOPs to support LAS staff in determining the appropriateness of operators' proposed Area of Evaluation.
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• Develop and maintain relevant operator guidance documents for the Form 2B, 2D, 2F, and the CI Analysis.
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• Develop Content for the Director's Annual Report on Cumulative Impacts.
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• Participate in rulemaking and other speaking engagements as the agency's SME for evaluating and addressing cumulative impacts.
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• Participate in hearings on behalf of the Director when information related to cumulative impacts is required by the Commission.

Requirements
• Eight (8) years of relevant experience in air quality, emissions inventories or modeling, air permitting or monitoring, environmental science, oil and gas surface operations, oil and gas permitting, land use planning or permitting, resource conservation, wildlife, biology, or similar.
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• Two (2) of those years must be directly related to air quality, emissions, climate science or other experience as an air quality professional.
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• A combination of related education in environmental science, physical science (geology, hydrology, biology, ecology, etc), atmospheric science or air quality, resource conservation, natural resources management, engineering, public health, climate mitigation, or similar and relevant experience equal to eight (8) years.
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• Two (2) of those years must be directly related to air quality, emissions, climate science or other experience as an air quality professional.

Nice-to-haves
• Expertise in air quality and emissions data.
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• Experience developing or reviewing environmental site assessments (ESA), environmental assessments (EA), environmental impact statements (EIS), or similar reports or estimates of known or potential environmental impact to land, water, and air resources.
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• Familiarity with ECMC's permitting process.
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• Familiarity with oil and gas facilities, equipment, and operations, including drilling and completions, and the emissions generally associated with them.
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• Familiarity with BMPs related to reducing emissions.
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• Familiarity with state and federal regulations, conditions of, and efforts to improve the Denver Metro nonattainment area for ozone.
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• Familiarity with CDPHE's Regulation 7 for reporting emissions, including NOx and GHG Intensity programs.
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• Familiarity with environmental justice (EJ) programs and practices.
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• Strong ability to collaborate with operators, partner agencies, local governments, the public, and other stakeholders to find creative solutions to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts from oil and gas.
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• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong customer service experience.
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• Attention to detail; ability to multitask; and strong time management skills.
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• Government or industry experience in energy regulation or natural resources.
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• Current or former State experience relevant to this position.

Benefits
• Medical, Vision and Dental plans
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• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
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• Paid life insurance
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• Short- and long-term disability coverage
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• Employee Wellness programs
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• Flexible Spending Accounts
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• Health Savings Accounts
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• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
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• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
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• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
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• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program