CESSWI Part I Exam Prep The
Ultimate 300-Question Test
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(2026 Edition) Already Graded
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1. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the
Clean Water Act (CWA)?
A) Regulate air emissions from factories
B) Protect public drinking water supplies
C) Eliminate the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States
D) Manage solid waste disposal
Answer: C
Explanation: The CWA’s fundamental goal is to restore and maintain the
integrity of the nation’s waters by prohibiting the discharge of pollutants
unless authorized by a permit.
2. Under the CWA, which federal program issues National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for construction
activities?
A) EPA’s Office of Water
B) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
C) Department of the Interior
D) NOAA
Answer: A
Explanation: The EPA’s Office of Water administers the NPDES program,
issuing permits that control stormwater discharges from construction
sites.
,3. The Construction General Permit (CGP) primarily applies to which
type of stormwater discharges?
A) Discharges from industrial manufacturing processes
B) Discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants
C) Discharges associated with land disturbance of 1 acre or more
D) Discharges from agricultural irrigation
Answer: C
Explanation: The CGP covers stormwater runoff from construction
activities that disturb one acre or more of land, requiring a Stormwater
Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).
4. Which of the following is NOT a required component of a
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for a construction
site?
A) Site map showing disturbed areas
B) List of all subcontractors’ insurance policies
C) Description of BMPs to be implemented
D) Schedule for inspection and maintenance
Answer: B
Explanation: Insurance documentation is not a SWPPP requirement; the
plan must focus on site layout, BMPs, and inspection schedules.
5. In the context of stormwater permitting, what does the term
“Notice of Intent” (NOI) signify?
A) The contractor’s intention to stop work due to non-compliance
B) The owner’s request for a variance from the permit conditions
C) The applicant’s declaration to obtain coverage under the CGP
D) The EPA’s notice to terminate a permit
Answer: C
Explanation: The NOI is the formal notice submitted to the permitting
authority that the operator intends to be covered under the general
permit, thereby initiating the permitting process.
6. What are the horizontal distances between elevation changes?
Answer: Contour Lines
,7. What is the 303d list?
Answer: A list of bodies of water that are impaired or not meeting water
quality standards .
8. In a civil suit, the citizen must first notify the violator of the intent
to sue and provide how many days grace period prior to filing the
suit?
Answer: 60 days .
9. What type of control is the first line of protection?
Answer: Erosion control .
10. What is the primary federal statute regulating protection of the
nation's waters?
Answer: The Clean Water Act (CWA) .
11. What should be the first consideration when going on site?
Answer: Safety .
12. An inspector should be aware that a site is ___________ and always
____________.
Answer: dynamic, changing .
13. It is the inspector's responsibility to prepare for the ___________
___________, such as weather, ticks, mosquitos, bees, snakes, and
poisonous plants.
Answer: environmental conditions .
14. ___________ ___________ look at the angle of the slope using a
protractor with 90 degrees being completely vertical and 0 degrees
being completely horizontal.
Answer: Slope degrees .
15. __________ __________ provides the slope in horizontal units to
vertical units. For instance, a three (3) ft horiz. run with a one (1) ft
vert. change would be expressed as a 3:1 slope.
Answer: Slope ratios .
, 16. ____________ is the study of fluids, including both fluids in motion
and fluids at rest.
Answer: Hydrology .
17. Any accidents or unsafe conditions onsite should immediately be
reported to the site _______________.
Answer: supervisor .
18. Where can someone access Federal and Provincial Safety
regulatory information?
Answer: OSHA, Canadian Labor Code .
19. The narrative description will identify whether the project is
____________________, ________________, _________________, and _______________
__________________, as applicable.
A) small, medium, large, extra large
B) new, old, updated, in progress
C) residential, commercial, industrial, transportation development
D) cool, lame, ok, super awesome
Answer: C
20. The overall purpose of scheduling/sequencing is to....
Answer: Minimize the amount and duration of exposed soil .
21. What state has the largest amount of trees?
Answer: Alaska .
22. ______________ are provided by the CGP to provide effective
reduction or elimination of sediment and sediment related
pollutants in stormwater discharges from the site.
Answer: Erosion and sediment controls .
23. Erosion control or soil stabilization consist of ___________ __________
measures that are designed to prevent soil particles from detaching
and becoming transported in stormwater runoff.
Answer: source control .
24. Sediment controls are ____________ or ____________ structural
measures that are intended to complement the selected erosion
Ultimate 300-Question Test
Bank with Verified Answers
(2026 Edition) Already Graded
A+ [MOST RECENT]
1. Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the
Clean Water Act (CWA)?
A) Regulate air emissions from factories
B) Protect public drinking water supplies
C) Eliminate the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States
D) Manage solid waste disposal
Answer: C
Explanation: The CWA’s fundamental goal is to restore and maintain the
integrity of the nation’s waters by prohibiting the discharge of pollutants
unless authorized by a permit.
2. Under the CWA, which federal program issues National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for construction
activities?
A) EPA’s Office of Water
B) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
C) Department of the Interior
D) NOAA
Answer: A
Explanation: The EPA’s Office of Water administers the NPDES program,
issuing permits that control stormwater discharges from construction
sites.
,3. The Construction General Permit (CGP) primarily applies to which
type of stormwater discharges?
A) Discharges from industrial manufacturing processes
B) Discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants
C) Discharges associated with land disturbance of 1 acre or more
D) Discharges from agricultural irrigation
Answer: C
Explanation: The CGP covers stormwater runoff from construction
activities that disturb one acre or more of land, requiring a Stormwater
Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).
4. Which of the following is NOT a required component of a
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for a construction
site?
A) Site map showing disturbed areas
B) List of all subcontractors’ insurance policies
C) Description of BMPs to be implemented
D) Schedule for inspection and maintenance
Answer: B
Explanation: Insurance documentation is not a SWPPP requirement; the
plan must focus on site layout, BMPs, and inspection schedules.
5. In the context of stormwater permitting, what does the term
“Notice of Intent” (NOI) signify?
A) The contractor’s intention to stop work due to non-compliance
B) The owner’s request for a variance from the permit conditions
C) The applicant’s declaration to obtain coverage under the CGP
D) The EPA’s notice to terminate a permit
Answer: C
Explanation: The NOI is the formal notice submitted to the permitting
authority that the operator intends to be covered under the general
permit, thereby initiating the permitting process.
6. What are the horizontal distances between elevation changes?
Answer: Contour Lines
,7. What is the 303d list?
Answer: A list of bodies of water that are impaired or not meeting water
quality standards .
8. In a civil suit, the citizen must first notify the violator of the intent
to sue and provide how many days grace period prior to filing the
suit?
Answer: 60 days .
9. What type of control is the first line of protection?
Answer: Erosion control .
10. What is the primary federal statute regulating protection of the
nation's waters?
Answer: The Clean Water Act (CWA) .
11. What should be the first consideration when going on site?
Answer: Safety .
12. An inspector should be aware that a site is ___________ and always
____________.
Answer: dynamic, changing .
13. It is the inspector's responsibility to prepare for the ___________
___________, such as weather, ticks, mosquitos, bees, snakes, and
poisonous plants.
Answer: environmental conditions .
14. ___________ ___________ look at the angle of the slope using a
protractor with 90 degrees being completely vertical and 0 degrees
being completely horizontal.
Answer: Slope degrees .
15. __________ __________ provides the slope in horizontal units to
vertical units. For instance, a three (3) ft horiz. run with a one (1) ft
vert. change would be expressed as a 3:1 slope.
Answer: Slope ratios .
, 16. ____________ is the study of fluids, including both fluids in motion
and fluids at rest.
Answer: Hydrology .
17. Any accidents or unsafe conditions onsite should immediately be
reported to the site _______________.
Answer: supervisor .
18. Where can someone access Federal and Provincial Safety
regulatory information?
Answer: OSHA, Canadian Labor Code .
19. The narrative description will identify whether the project is
____________________, ________________, _________________, and _______________
__________________, as applicable.
A) small, medium, large, extra large
B) new, old, updated, in progress
C) residential, commercial, industrial, transportation development
D) cool, lame, ok, super awesome
Answer: C
20. The overall purpose of scheduling/sequencing is to....
Answer: Minimize the amount and duration of exposed soil .
21. What state has the largest amount of trees?
Answer: Alaska .
22. ______________ are provided by the CGP to provide effective
reduction or elimination of sediment and sediment related
pollutants in stormwater discharges from the site.
Answer: Erosion and sediment controls .
23. Erosion control or soil stabilization consist of ___________ __________
measures that are designed to prevent soil particles from detaching
and becoming transported in stormwater runoff.
Answer: source control .
24. Sediment controls are ____________ or ____________ structural
measures that are intended to complement the selected erosion
