CEPSCI Site Assessment and Planning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) must be developed for sites disturbing:
- Any amount of soil
- One acre or more of land (Correct answer)
- Five acres or more of land
- Ten acres or more of land
Correct answer: One acre or more of land
Under the EPA Construction General Permit, a SWPPP is required for construction sites disturbing one acre or more, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development.
Question 2: What does 'common plan of development' mean in the context of construction site permitting?
- A shared architectural blueprint
- A contiguous area where multiple construction activities will occur under a unified plan (Correct answer)
- A neighborhood zoning ordinance
- A shared stormwater detention facility
Correct answer: A contiguous area where multiple construction activities will occur under a unified plan
A common plan of development refers to a contiguous area where multiple separate construction activities are planned, and the total disturbed area determines permit requirements even if individual phases are smaller.
Question 3: Which document should be reviewed first when assessing a site's erosion control requirements?
- The construction budget
- The local municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit and local ordinances (Correct answer)
- The architect's floor plan
- The equipment rental agreement
Correct answer: The local municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit and local ordinances
Local MS4 permits and ordinances establish the minimum requirements for erosion and sediment control that all construction sites within that jurisdiction must meet.
Question 4: A buffer zone around a stream on a construction site primarily serves to:
- Provide equipment staging area
- Protect the stream bank from disturbance and filter runoff before it reaches the water (Correct answer)
- Mark property boundaries
- Designate areas for topsoil stockpiles
Correct answer: Protect the stream bank from disturbance and filter runoff before it reaches the water
Buffer zones protect stream banks from direct disturbance and allow vegetation and soil to filter sediment and pollutants from runoff before it enters the waterway.
Question 5: When planning construction phasing to minimize erosion, the best approach is to:
- Disturb the entire site at once to complete faster
- Limit the area of disturbance at any one time and stabilize completed areas before moving on (Correct answer)
- Focus disturbance near the site entrance first
- Disturb all slopes simultaneously
Correct answer: Limit the area of disturbance at any one time and stabilize completed areas before moving on
Phased disturbance limits the area of exposed soil at any given time, reducing the volume of potential sediment generation and making BMPs more manageable.
Question 6: Which factor is NOT typically evaluated during a site's pre-construction erosion control assessment?
- Soil type and erodibility
- Rainfall intensity and frequency
- Adjacent property owner's personal finances (Correct answer)
- Slope gradient and length
Correct answer: Adjacent property owner's personal finances
Pre-construction assessments focus on physical site characteristics such as soil, slope, rainfall, and hydrology, not the financial status of adjacent property owners.
CEPSCI Site Assessment and Planning 2
A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) must be developed for sites disturbing: