CEA Environmental Law & Enforcement Flashcards
6 cards from real CEA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CEA Environmental Law & Enforcement flashcards as text
Which federal environmental law created the Superfund program for cleaning up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites?
Answer: CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act)
CERCLA, enacted in 1980, established the Superfund program and the liability framework for cleanup of uncontrolled hazardous substance releases.
What is the purpose of a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) in an EPA enforcement settlement?
Answer: To allow violators to reduce penalties by funding environmentally beneficial projects
SEPs allow violators to reduce cash penalties by committing funds to environmentally beneficial projects that go beyond what is legally required.
Under the Clean Air Act, what threshold defines a 'major source' subject to the most stringent emission control requirements?
Answer: 10 or 25 tons per year of regulated pollutants depending on the area's attainment status
A major source emits 10 tons/year of any single HAP or 25 tons/year of combined HAPs, or 100/250 tons/year of criteria pollutants depending on the area's attainment status.
What is the key legal standard EPA must meet to issue an imminent and substantial endangerment order under RCRA Section 7003?
Answer: Solid or hazardous waste presenting an imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment
RCRA Section 7003 authorizes EPA to act when solid or hazardous waste handling presents an imminent and substantial endangerment, without waiting for formal rulemaking.
Which provision requires facilities handling extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities to notify their State Emergency Response Commission (SERC)?
Answer: EPCRA Section 302
EPCRA Section 302 requires facilities with extremely hazardous substances (EHS) above threshold planning quantities to notify their SERC and participate in local emergency planning.
What does an environmental auditor verify when reviewing a facility's compliance with TSCA Section 8(e)?
Answer: Whether substantial risk information about chemical substances was reported to EPA immediately
TSCA Section 8(e) requires manufacturers and processors who obtain information indicating a chemical poses a substantial risk to immediately notify EPA.