Planner III-Environmental Review (5298) Natural Resources and Lands Management Division-(Moccasin) SFPUC (167779)

Role Description:

The Environmental Planner performs complex environmental planning, permitting, compliance, and lands management work supporting operational and Capital Improvement Program activities of the SFPUC Water Enterprise, including CEQA/NEPA environmental review, Chapter 31 implementation, resource-agency permitting, environmental construction compliance, professional-services administration, federal-land coordination, natural and cultural resources management, Tribal engagement, and strategic program development.

This position reports to the Senior Environmental Planner of the Moccasin Planning and Compliance Section and may supervise the work of professional services consultants and junior planning staff. This is an external-facing position that works closely with federal and state agency staff, City attorneys, Tribal representatives, and SFPUC multidisciplinary teams. The incumbent develops project descriptions; evaluates environmental impacts and mitigation measures; prepares, manages, and reviews technical studies and regulatory documentation; supports professional services contract administration; coordinates multidisciplinary project teams; and provides technical guidance regarding environmental review, permitting, and regulatory compliance.   

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Analyzes proposed project activities to determine environmental review, documentation, consultation, and permitting requirements, identifies environmental and regulatory risks, and recommends avoidance measures, mitigation measures, and best management practices to minimize environmental impacts and regulatory risk.

• Applies and interprets federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, permits, agreements, authorizations, and SFPUC policies, including the Raker Act.

• Prepares or coordinates permit applications, right-of-way and special use authorization requests, and related submissions to local, state, and federal agencies.

• Obtains authorizations under CWA §§401/404, NPDES §402, Fish & Game Code §§1602/1610, ESA/CESA, NHPA §106, ARPA, FLPMA, Raker Act, Wilderness Act, Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, and related federal/state authorities. Prepares, reviews, and coordinates CEQA, NEPA, NHPA, FLPMA, and related environmental review and compliance documentation.

• Prepares and manages technical studies and reports concerning environmental, biological, cultural, land, and other natural resource matters.

• Critically reviews and evaluates consultant work associated with planning, permitting, environmental review, technical studies, and compliance monitoring, and develops scopes of work and supports consultant contract administration, including schedules, budgets, deliverables, and fieldwork coordination.

• Coordinates interdisciplinary review of project proposals, technical studies, and environmental documentation; performs environmental review of third-party applications for use of SFPUC lands.

• Identifies environmental and regulatory risks, evaluates available information, and develops practical recommendations when requirements or project conditions are uncertain.

• Represents SFPUC interests during interagency consultations, stakeholder meetings, public meetings, and field visits, and collaborates with multidisciplinary staff, consultants, regulatory personnel, Tribal representatives, and other  parties.

• Exercise sound and objective judgment, including when information is incomplete, requirements are uncertain, or competing priorities must be reconciled.

• Manages competing priorities and communicates emerging issues, schedule risks, and recommended actions to project managers and supervisors.

• Communicate complex legal, technical, and procedural information clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.