Environmental Compliance Test 1 Exam UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Under OPA, what are the criteria for a facility to need secondary containment and an SPCC
plan? - CORRECT ANSWER Potential to discharge to navigable waters, Above
ground Oil storage >1320 gallons OR Below ground oil storage >42,000 gallons
Waters of the US/Navigable Waters - CORRECT ANSWER Territorial Seas
Tidal Waters
Non-Tidal Waters
Wetlands
CAA (Clean Air Act) - CORRECT ANSWER Permitting for almost all types of
industrial discharges into air.
Some are permits by rule, some require the full permitting process
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for hazardous air pollutants (HAPS):
Sulfur Oxides (Sox),
Nitrogen Dioxide / Nitrogen Oxides (NOX),
Ozone,
Carbon Monoxide,
Lead,
Particulate Matter.
State Implementation Plans (SIPs
RCRA - CORRECT ANSWER (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act)
Defined solid and hazardous waste
Standards for landfill design and construction (as well as permitting)
Standards for hazardous waste handling facilities (treatment, storage and disposal - TSD -
facilities)
Created "Cradle to Grave" responsibility for wastes.
, Created rules for Underground Storage Tanks
Also created the "Mixing Rule" - mixing a non-hazardous w
CERCLA - CORRECT ANSWER (Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act)
Created a trust fund to clean up abandoned hazardous-waste sites (orphan sites)
Gave EPA power to seek potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to either participate or repay
the superfund for the cleanup.
Created the "innocent landowner defense"
Defined "due diligence" as a Phase I EnvironmentalSite Assessment (ESA)
Under OPA, how much volume does the secondary containment have to contain? -
CORRECT ANSWER No specified amount but 110% is recommendation
Under CERCLA how does a buyer protect his/her innocent landowner defense - CORRECT
ANSWER Due Diligence by trying to figure out if the property has been impacted
What kinds of things are regulated under the CWA - CORRECT ANSWER Storm
Water, industrial, waste treatment, Dredge and fill 404, Water quality surface water
What are the two types of storm water permitting? - CORRECT ANSWER Municipal
Seperate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s); Industrial Storm Water Discharge (NAICS)
What's the name of the Texas Storm water program - CORRECT ANSWER Texas
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES)
If a facility or construction site must have a storm water permit, what sort of plan is required?
- CORRECT ANSWER SWP3 that includes BMPs to prevent pollution of storm water
What agency regulates dredge and fill permits for navigable waters? - CORRECT
ANSWER US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Under OPA, what are the criteria for a facility to need secondary containment and an SPCC
plan? - CORRECT ANSWER Potential to discharge to navigable waters, Above
ground Oil storage >1320 gallons OR Below ground oil storage >42,000 gallons
Waters of the US/Navigable Waters - CORRECT ANSWER Territorial Seas
Tidal Waters
Non-Tidal Waters
Wetlands
CAA (Clean Air Act) - CORRECT ANSWER Permitting for almost all types of
industrial discharges into air.
Some are permits by rule, some require the full permitting process
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for hazardous air pollutants (HAPS):
Sulfur Oxides (Sox),
Nitrogen Dioxide / Nitrogen Oxides (NOX),
Ozone,
Carbon Monoxide,
Lead,
Particulate Matter.
State Implementation Plans (SIPs
RCRA - CORRECT ANSWER (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act)
Defined solid and hazardous waste
Standards for landfill design and construction (as well as permitting)
Standards for hazardous waste handling facilities (treatment, storage and disposal - TSD -
facilities)
Created "Cradle to Grave" responsibility for wastes.
, Created rules for Underground Storage Tanks
Also created the "Mixing Rule" - mixing a non-hazardous w
CERCLA - CORRECT ANSWER (Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act)
Created a trust fund to clean up abandoned hazardous-waste sites (orphan sites)
Gave EPA power to seek potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to either participate or repay
the superfund for the cleanup.
Created the "innocent landowner defense"
Defined "due diligence" as a Phase I EnvironmentalSite Assessment (ESA)
Under OPA, how much volume does the secondary containment have to contain? -
CORRECT ANSWER No specified amount but 110% is recommendation
Under CERCLA how does a buyer protect his/her innocent landowner defense - CORRECT
ANSWER Due Diligence by trying to figure out if the property has been impacted
What kinds of things are regulated under the CWA - CORRECT ANSWER Storm
Water, industrial, waste treatment, Dredge and fill 404, Water quality surface water
What are the two types of storm water permitting? - CORRECT ANSWER Municipal
Seperate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s); Industrial Storm Water Discharge (NAICS)
What's the name of the Texas Storm water program - CORRECT ANSWER Texas
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES)
If a facility or construction site must have a storm water permit, what sort of plan is required?
- CORRECT ANSWER SWP3 that includes BMPs to prevent pollution of storm water
What agency regulates dredge and fill permits for navigable waters? - CORRECT
ANSWER US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
