Pizarchik joined the Department of Environmental Protection in 1991. Before becoming its director of the Bureau of Mining and Reclamation in 2002, he served as assistant director of the Bureau of Regulatory Counsel.

Pizarchik was one of the authors of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Good Samaritan Act and provided counsel during the development and implementation of the Good Samaritan program, which he currently oversees.

In addition to working on various mining related statutory and regulatory amendments, Pizarchik helped develop Pennsylvania’s program for volunteers to clean up abandoned coal refuse sites and helped develop the state’s program for mine operator’s to establish trust funds as a means of meeting their financial obligations. This ensures funds are available to perpetually treat the discharges caused by mining.

Pizarchik also has worked closely with the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security promulgating regulations for security at explosive storage magazines to prevent unauthorized access to the sites.

Prior to joining the Department of Environmental Protection, Pizarchik severed as counsel to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation dealing with contracts, mass transit, aviation, contractor qualifications, and minority business enterprises. He also formerly worked in private practice and for an insurance company.

Pizarchik joins a long a long line of Pennsylvanians providing leadership to federal environmental agencies including: Walter Heine, the first Director of the federal Office of Surface Mining, Jeffrey Jarrett, also Director of the Office of Surface Mining (and longest serving), Richard Stickler, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health Administration, Kim Nelson, the first Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, James Seif, EPA Region III Administrator and Donald Welsh, EPA Region III Administrator.