CEM Environmental Auditing & Site Assessment Flashcards
6 cards from real CEM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CEM Environmental Auditing & Site Assessment flashcards as text
A 'baseline environmental assessment' (BEA) is most commonly used in which context?
Answer: Establishing pre-purchase contamination conditions to limit future liability under state innocent landowner protections
A BEA documents pre-existing contamination conditions before property acquisition, allowing buyers in states like Michigan to qualify for liability protections as innocent landowners.
Which federal law requires facilities to report releases of hazardous substances above reportable quantities, which environmental auditors must verify compliance with?
Answer: CERCLA Section 103
CERCLA Section 103 requires the person in charge of a facility to immediately notify the National Response Center when a hazardous substance is released above its reportable quantity.
In conducting an environmental audit, chain of custody for samples is important because:
Answer: It ensures sample integrity and legal defensibility by documenting who handled samples and when
Chain of custody documentation tracks sample possession from collection through laboratory analysis, ensuring results are legally defensible and that samples were not tampered with or mislabeled.
What is the purpose of a 'corrective action plan' (CAP) developed after an environmental audit?
Answer: To document specific actions, responsible parties, and timelines for addressing audit findings
A CAP provides a structured roadmap specifying what corrective steps will be taken, who is responsible, and by what date, ensuring findings are systematically resolved.
The concept of 'audit independence' requires that auditors:
Answer: Are free from bias and conflicts of interest that could influence audit findings
Auditor independence means the auditor has no financial, personal, or professional relationships that could compromise their objectivity in assessing and reporting findings.
Which tool is commonly used during environmental audits to ensure consistent evaluation of all regulatory requirements?
Answer: Audit protocol or checklist
Audit protocols and checklists provide structured, standardized questions and criteria that ensure all applicable regulatory requirements are systematically evaluated during every audit.