Residence Requirements:

THIS EXAMINATION IS OPEN TO ALL QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING. At present there are three vacancies at the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning.

The eligible list resulting from this examination will not supersede currently existing promotional eligible lists for this title, if any. The duration of all promotional eligible lists is four years from date of establishment unless otherwise indicated.

Examples of Duties:

An Environmental Compliance Specialist assisting with the planning and implementation of a County-wide environmental compliance program; 

Assists with the preparation and maintenance of an inventory of toxic/hazardous substances for which Erie County is responsible during storage, use, transportation, and disposal;

Assists with monitoring and maintaining compliance with New York State DEC regulations and Federal EPA regulations;

Participates in the assessment of County facilities to determine compliance with environmental requirements and the opportunity to apply for hazardous waste minimization techniques;

Assists Purchasing Department with identification of nonhazardous or less hazardous materials which can be substituted at County facilities;

Provides for the safe removal and disposal of toxic/hazardous substances in accordance with all applicable health and environmental laws, rules and regulations;

Coordinates training for County employees and local government officials on environmental regulations;

Participates in the coordination between Erie County operating departments, County institutions, County agencies, the Purchasing Department and the Law Department regarding environmental compliance activities;

Coordinates Technical assistance programs and resources with other assistance providers and business trade groups;

Responsible for administrative and budgetary tasks associated with state and federal grant programs;

Develops fact sheets, newsletters, guidebooks and other tools to inform businesses as well as county and local government officials of environmental compliance and waste minimization.

Qualifications:

QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR TAKING THE TEST: Candidates must be permanently employed in the competitive class and must be serving and have served continuously on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class for 12 months immediately preceding the date of the written test in the position of Junior Environmental Compliance Specialist plus the following:

A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or one of the natural sciences* (see Note 1), supplemented by two (2) years of environmental management experience; or:

B) Completion of a minimum of sixty (60) semester credit hours of study at a regionally accredited or New York State registered two (2) or four (4) year college or university including a minimum of twelve (12) semester credit hours in natural science* (see Note 1)  and four (4) years of environmental management experience; or:

C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).

Notes:

NOTES 1. *"NATURAL SCIENCE" means the branches of science collectively which deal directly with natural objects, organic or inorganic, and the substance composing them and the phenomena exhibited by them. These may include biology in all its branches, minerology, geology, chemistry, physics, geography and other sciences, but not abstract mathematics, philosophy or metaphysics.  2. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements. 3. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

Notice to Candidates: Transcripts will now be accepted by the Department of Personnel ONLY at time of application.

All subsequent transcripts must be submitted at time of interview.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However,candidates may find information in the publication "How to take a written test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: www.cs.ny.gov/testing/localtestguides.cfm

Subjects of Examination:

SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and /or abilities in the following areas: 

1. Environmental impact analysis, including identification, evaluation and mitigation of the effects of changes to the environment

These questions test for knowledge of concepts, principles, and procedures used in environmental impact analysis, including such areas as basics of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA); identification and characteristics of impacted ecosystems and affected historic and cultural resources; sources and effects of pollutants and human activities on various environments; and techniques and procedures used in impact investigation, identification, control, remediation, and mitigation including the analysis, review, and documentation process.

2. Application of Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations related to the administration of environmental programs

These questions test for knowledge and understanding of federal and New York State environmental laws, rules, and regulations, including such areas as the objectives and procedures involved in these laws, rules, and regulations; environmental impact and permitting programs and procedures; terminology used in implementation of environmental protection programs; and the proper roles and regulatory activities of various New York State and federal environmental agencies.

3. Program planning and implementation

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in effective program planning and implementation, and may include such areas as steps involved in program development, management techniques, proper planning, scheduling, coordination, and program evaluation.

4. Preparing written material

These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences. 

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:  Unless otherwise noted, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculators.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, "Spell Checkers", “Personal Digital Assistants", "Address Books", "Language Translators", "Dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited.  You may not bring books or other reference materials.

INFORMATION FOR PROMOTION CANDIDATES

Unless otherwise indicated, the eligible list resulting from this examination will have a duration of four years and will not supersede existing promotional lists, if any.

RATINGS REQUIRED:  Test is rated on a scale of 100 with a passing mark at 70.  Test instructions may further divide the tests into parts and set minimum standards for each part.

Points will be added to scores of candidates who achieve a passing mark as follows: Seniority:  For each year of service in the classified service:

Less than 1 year……………………..................…0 points

1 year up to 6 years…………….…........................1 point

Over 6 years up to 11 years.....………......….........2 points

Over 11 years up to 16 years….…........….........…3 points

Over 16 years up to 21 years………..................…4 points

Over 21 years………………………..................…5 points

VETERANS:  Disabled and non-disabled veterans as defined in Section 85, New York State Civil Service Law, will have 5 and 2.5 points, respectively added to their earned scores if successful in the examination.  You must claim these credits when you file application but you have an option to waive them any time prior to appointment.  If you have already used these credits for a permanent position in NYS, you may not claim them again.

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.