Duties
Duties include representing NOAA in matters relating to its natural resource trustee responsibilities under CERCLA, OPA, and the NMSA and their implementing regulations and developing damage claims under those authorities. The position involves working with a team of NOAA scientists, natural resource economists and restoration experts to assess the extent of injuries to NOAA trust resources caused by the release of hazardous substances, the discharge of oil and/or physical impacts (within natural marine sanctuaries) and determine the types and amount of restoration necessary to address those injuries. The workload of the attorney may include cases on both coasts of the country, including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill case. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to, assisting in the development of injury assessment work and the planning and implementation of restoration projects including review of documents for OPA, CERCLA, NMSA and NEPA compliance; representing NOAA as a legal advisor at trustee meetings; and assisting with assessment study and restoration project specific legal issues such as chain of custody, document preservation requirements, memoranda of understanding, cost documentation, access agreements, easements, etc. The NOAA attorney would work closely with the U.S. Department of Justice, other federal and state natural resource trustees, NGOs, state and industry representatives. The NOAA attorney must take into account U.S. and NOAA policies during the development of the damage claim and the implementation of natural resource restoration. Frequently, overnight travel is required. For more information see www.darrp.noaa.gov.
Please do not apply to this position through USAJobs. All documentation must be sent to GCNaturalResoures.vacancy@noaa.gov for further consideration.