Steamboat Springs — Scott Cowman, of Steamboat Springs, was named Tuesday as Routt County’s new environmental health director, replacing Mike Zopf, who retired in September after 38 years working for the county.

Cowman is currently employed by Twentymile Coal Company as an environmental specialist. His responsibilities there include environmental compliance and serving as the reclamation manager.

“Mr. Cowman has worked his entire career in positions related to the field of environmental and public health or a closely related field,” County Manager Tom Sullivan wrote in a memo to Human Resources Director Chris Hensen. “He has worked seven years as a biologist, watershed manager and common water unit leader with the U.S. Forest Service” and with an environmental consulting firm.

Cowman said Wednesday his work at Twentymile has provided the background that best applies to his new role with Routt County.

“My experience gained through working for Peabody and Twentymile is most relevant, dealing with air and water quality issues, wastewater treatment systems and drinking water systems,” Cowman said.

Cowman, who spent part of his youth in Steamboat while his parents ran property management companies, is expected to begin his new role with the county Dec. 21. He said he is aware the staff of his new department has been working without a director since Zopf’s retirement and deserves credit for holding things together.

“There has been a team of people who have been taking care of things in Mike’s absence who have been doing a very good job,” he said. “They are very capable, and we’re lucky to have them.”

The Board of County Commissioners approved Sullivan’s request Tuesday to hire Cowman at step five of the pay scale for the environmental health director at the county, given Cowman’s 19 years of work-related experience in combination with his bachelor of science degrees in natural resources management and watershed sciences from Colorado State University. Accordingly, his starting salary would be $83,075, with the potential for an increase to $85,654, if his six-month review is positive.

The responsibilities of the county’s environmental health director are many. In addition to enforcing the environmental health laws of the state of Colorado, Cowman will be expected to monitor air quality with sampling equipment on the courthouse roof and provide a consumer protection program under contract with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that includes sanitary regulation of childcare centers, retail food businesses, swimming pools and others.

To reach Tom Ross, call 970-871-4205, email tross@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ThomasSRoss1