This area was included on the National Priority List for environmental remediation due to a mining process that used mercury to extract gold and silver. The mercury that escaped this process remains a concern in residential yard soil as it bioaccumulates in fish. My primary role involves acting as a liaison between residents within the site and the E.P.A., as well as managing the long-term response with overseeing new developments and soil sampling.
What is your favorite part of your job? What are your job's biggest challenges?
My favorite part of my job currently is learning the ropes in a very new field. I'm learning about soil sampling, regulatory requirements and their implementation on the job. A significant aspect of my job is managing a geo-database. In Nevada, mining is a huge part of the state's history and culture. I really enjoy our site visits and community meetings, which allow me to experience this part of the culture in depth. My biggest challenge is navigating the communications between the federal E.P.A. and our local community on the Superfund program. The E.P.A. has requirements and goals that often delay the communication process with community residents, and in working for the state, part of my responsibility is to be available and represent the community. I find it difficult not to have control of the timing of information that our community is interested in getting.
What advice do you have for a student interested in your industry? What skills are most crucial?
In both my previous wildlife biology work and my current environmental scientist work, there are transferrable skills that are very useful regardless of the specific job tasks. These skills include data management, G.I.S.
