What does an environmental assessor do?

Answer 1

An Environmental Assessor performs environmental assessments. There are different types of environmental assessments including: (1) Environmental Impact Reports which identifies possible environmental effects, proposes measures to mitigate adverse effects, and predicts whether there will be significant adverse environmental effects, even after the mitigation is implemented (2) Environmental Site Assessments which identify and assess the nature and extent of contaminants on a specific site. (3) Environmental Compliance Audits which evaluate the environmental management and regulatory compliance of a specific operation. A California Registered Environmental Assessor Class I (REA I) is someone who has registered and demonstrated with the State the particular kinds of expertise in complying or maintaining compliance with environmental regulations. A California Registered Environmental Assessor Class II (REA II) is someone who has registered and demonstrated with the State the particular kinds of expertise in conducting investigation, assessments and remedial work and/or rendering opinions through managing or supervising scientific or engineering staff who are conducting multimedia investigations, assessments, and cleanup work at hazardous substance and hazardous waste sites (exclusive of the practice of geology or engineering). Most REAs provide all the appropriate inquiries into the current and previous ownership and uses of the subject property consistent with good commercial and prudent environmental practices in an effort to minimize liability prior to purchasing property, and follows, at a minimum, the latest protocols set forth by The American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) Standard E1527, Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments, Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process and and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) Final Rule 40 CFR Part 312. EPA’s AAI rule further requires an environmental assessor to also qualify as an environmental professional. An environmental professional is someone with sufficient education, training, and experience to exercise professional judgment and develop opinions and conclusions. Such an environmental professional must have:a state or tribal issued certification or license and three years of relevant full-time work experience; or a Baccalaureate degree or higher in science or engineering and five years of relevant full-time work experience; or ten years of relevant full-time work experience.