CCI Environmental Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Clean Water Act Section 402, a construction site disturbing 1 or more acres must obtain which permit?
- Section 404 Individual Permit
- NPDES Construction General Permit (Correct answer)
- RCRA Permit
- Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Correct answer: NPDES Construction General Permit
The NPDES Construction General Permit (CGP) is required under CWA Section 402 for sites disturbing 1 or more acres.
Question 2: Which document must be prepared and implemented at construction sites covered by the NPDES CGP to control stormwater pollution?
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan
- Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) (Correct answer)
- Hazardous Waste Management Plan
Correct answer: Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
A SWPPP is required for all NPDES CGP-covered sites and must identify BMPs to prevent stormwater pollution.
Question 3: A construction inspector notices turbid stormwater runoff leaving the site and entering a nearby stream. The FIRST corrective action should be to:
- File a Notice of Termination with the EPA
- Immediately implement or repair sediment controls to stop the discharge (Correct answer)
- Notify local media of the spill
- Request a variance from the state environmental agency
Correct answer: Immediately implement or repair sediment controls to stop the discharge
The immediate priority is to stop or reduce the discharge by repairing or adding sediment controls before reporting.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a typical Best Management Practice (BMP) for erosion control on a construction site?
- Silt fence installation
- Seeding disturbed areas
- Installing check dams in swales
- Stockpiling topsoil adjacent to a drainage inlet (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Stockpiling topsoil adjacent to a drainage inlet
Stockpiling topsoil next to a drainage inlet increases the risk of sediment entering the storm system, which is contrary to BMP goals.
Question 5: The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires construction projects to consult with which federal agency when activities may affect a listed species?
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or NOAA Fisheries (Correct answer)
- EPA Region Office
- Bureau of Land Management
Correct answer: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or NOAA Fisheries
Section 7 consultation under the ESA is conducted with USFWS (terrestrial/freshwater) or NOAA Fisheries (marine/anadromous species).
Question 6: Under RCRA, construction waste that exhibits the characteristic of ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity is classified as:
- Special waste
- Universal waste
- Hazardous waste (Correct answer)
- Solid waste only
Correct answer: Hazardous waste
RCRA classifies waste exhibiting any of the four hazardous characteristics as hazardous waste, subject to strict management requirements.
Question 7: A construction project uncovers previously unknown soil contamination. The inspector's FIRST obligation is to:
- Continue work and document contamination in the daily log
- Stop work, notify the project owner and applicable regulatory agencies (Correct answer)
- Remove the contaminated soil immediately using available equipment
- Cover the area with clean fill and proceed
Correct answer: Stop work, notify the project owner and applicable regulatory agencies
Discovery of unexpected contamination requires work stoppage and notification to the owner and regulators before any further action.
CCI Environmental Compliance 2
Under the Clean Water Act Section 402, a construction site disturbing 1 or more acres must obtain which permit?