Manager, Environmental Permitting

What The Role Is

Reporting to the Senior Director, Environmental Permitting, the Manager, Environmental Permitting is responsible for leading and directing discretionary permitting and environmental survey activities in support of Clearway Energy Group's 10 GW solar, wind, and storage project pipeline. Working closely with the Development Project Manager, and other groups such as Engineering and Real Estate, the Manager will lead and provide oversight in the development and acquisition of discretionary land use permits, environmental assessments, and surveys completed in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations for utility-scale solar, wind and storage projects located in the central and mountain region of the United States. The successful candidate will have at least five years of environmental consulting, land use planning, or site land development experience within the renewable energy industry or related field, with demonstrated prior expertise in leading complex discretionary permitting activities for large capital projects. Experience in supporting project acquisition and financing due diligence is also preferred.

What You'll Be Doing

• Provide technical expertise for a pre-construction development portfolio (10 GW) of utility-scale generation solar, wind, and energy storage projects in central and mountain regions of the United States to ensure that projects obtain necessary discretionary entitlements and agency approvals and complete necessary diligence and survey activities in compliance with state and federal regulations that are required prior to commencing construction and achieving financial close.
• Develop strategies for discretionary permit processes and environmental compliance, including the schedule and budgets associated with those activities.
• Manage the entitlement process with local, state, and federal government authorities, including day-to-day interaction with city and county planning boards and state and federal permitting agencies.
• Manage a network of external consultants in the scoping of biological and cultural surveys and the preparation of diligence documents, including legal counsel for permit opinions and guidance.
• Careful review of documents critical to a successful permitting and financing process.
• Work collaboratively with and be responsive to requests from internal colleagues. Coordinate with and solicit feedback from a network of internal colleagues who are geographically dispersed, in the preparation of land use permit applications and environmental documents.
• Conduct due diligence on pre-construction, and project acquisition opportunities, including evaluating accuracy, adequacy, and implications of permits, environmental assessments prepared according to local/state/federal regulations, Phase I ESAs, biological and cultural resource assessments, wetland delineations, and land use restrictions.
• In partnership with the development team, review zoning, floodplain, biological resources, wetlands, permitting fees, entitlement processes, and other site-specific considerations to support early project development.
• Support the resolution of land development-related issues that arise during financing, including ensuring that projects comply with lender and tax equity requirements for discretionary permits and land use.
• Support the implementation of creative project development approaches that reduce exposure to permitting risks, minimize permitting requirements, and/or optimize development schedules.
• Evaluate and propose solutions that may arise from various stakeholder concerns during the entitlement process.
• Track and engage with advocacy groups to leverage industry support to address streamlined and efficient permitting in the Western US.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in natural sciences, land use planning, or related field.
• At least five years of experience in the energy/utility industry or closely related sector.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, as well as strong analytical skills and the ability to work independently as well as in multi-disciplinary teams required.
• Experience in leading the acquisition of land use permits (including conditional use permits, special use permits, and zoning amendments), and environmental approvals and permits pursuant to state and/or federal law.
• Experience with federal permit processes including Section 106 NHPA, Section 7 and 10 Endangered Species Act, and BLM and/or Forest Service Right-of-Way Grants.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of survey and permit requirements for the USFWS Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines, Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance, and eagle take permits.
• Demonstrated experience navigating complex, multi-faceted discretionary permitting processes related to wind/solar development, particularly projects with biological resource constraints.
• Demonstrated experience navigating the federal Endangered Species Act and pursuing incidental take authorization for listed species.
• Demonstrated experience managing or preparing eagle conservation plans, bird and bat conservation strategies, and firsthand experience navigating informal and formal consultations with USFWS concerning federally protected species such as eagles and bats as well as other candidate species or species of concern, such as the lesser prairie chicken and/or sage grouse.
• Knowledgeable in changes to state and federal regulations, particularly the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), and Nationwide Permit Program, and ability to develop a permitting strategy with consideration to project schedule.
• Understanding of diverse forms of renewable electrical power generation technologies (e.g., PV, wind, battery storage).
• Strategic thinker with demonstrated in-depth knowledge and understanding of environmental regulations.
• Experience in managing consultants and influencing internal stakeholders.
• Able to summarize complex issues and identify opportunities or next steps with limited guidance.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and think creatively in addressing issues with agencies.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• The ability to manage multiple time-sensitive projects simultaneously.
• Candidates for this position will be motivated self-starters who can work both independently, and as part of a team.
• Ability and willingness to travel approximately 20% as required.
• If you don't meet 100% of the above qualifications but see yourself contributing, please submit your resume.

What Would Be Nice

• Master's degree preferred.
• Prior project development experience in wind and/or solar is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated prior experience to as many of the following is strongly preferred:
  • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and similar state environmental processes such as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and Section 1041 regulations in Colorado.
  • State licensing processes (i.e., Certificate of Public Necessity and Convenience, Energy Facility Siting Council processes).
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Bald and Golden Eagle Act (BGEPA).
  • USFWS and state endangered species protection policies and programs, including incidental take permits pursuant to the Endangered Species Act and/or state equivalent.
  • Section 404 Nationwide Permit Program, Section 401 Water Quality Certifications, Section 10 Rivers and Harbors Act, and state-jurisdictional wetlands permitting.
  • Agricultural contracts, including the Conservation Reserve Program.
  • Successful financing of projects, addressing due diligence concerns related to Environmental Permitting as they arise.
  • A thorough understanding of environmental mitigation requirements, and experience implementing cost-effective mitigation strategies.

Clearway will not sponsor nonimmigrant visas for this position (H-1B, TN, E-3, etc.).