CMM Environmental Sustainability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law requires municipalities to develop Stormwater Management Programs to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff?
- Clean Air Act
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II (Correct answer)
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
- Safe Drinking Water Act
Correct answer: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II
NPDES Phase II requires small municipalities to obtain permits and implement stormwater management programs to control runoff pollutants.
Question 2: A city wants to reduce its urban heat island effect. Which strategy would be MOST effective?
- Increasing impervious surface coverage
- Expanding dark-colored roofing materials
- Planting urban tree canopy and installing green roofs (Correct answer)
- Widening roads to improve traffic flow
Correct answer: Planting urban tree canopy and installing green roofs
Urban trees and green roofs reduce surface temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration, directly countering the heat island effect.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit?
- To regulate wastewater treatment plant discharges
- To control pollutants entering waterways through storm drains (Correct answer)
- To manage drinking water quality standards
- To authorize solid waste disposal at municipal landfills
Correct answer: To control pollutants entering waterways through storm drains
An MS4 permit requires municipalities to implement best management practices to prevent pollutants in stormwater from entering local waterways.
Question 4: A municipality is evaluating its solid waste program. Which approach best reflects the EPA's waste management hierarchy?
- Landfill → Incineration → Recycling → Source Reduction
- Source Reduction → Reuse → Recycling → Recovery → Disposal (Correct answer)
- Recycling → Composting → Landfill → Source Reduction
- Incineration → Recycling → Composting → Landfill
Correct answer: Source Reduction → Reuse → Recycling → Recovery → Disposal
EPA's waste hierarchy prioritizes source reduction and reuse at the top, followed by recycling, energy recovery, and disposal as a last resort.
Question 5: Which greenhouse gas is primarily associated with municipal landfill operations?
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O)
- Methane (CH4) (Correct answer)
- Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
Correct answer: Methane (CH4)
Decomposing organic waste in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that many municipalities capture for energy generation.
Question 6: A city manager reviews a proposal for a new park. Which design feature best incorporates low-impact development (LID) principles?
- Large asphalt parking lot with curb and gutter drainage
- Bioswales and permeable pavement to infiltrate stormwater on-site (Correct answer)
- Concrete pathways with conventional storm drain connections
- Raised impervious surfaces to direct runoff to city storm sewers
Correct answer: Bioswales and permeable pavement to infiltrate stormwater on-site
LID principles emphasize managing stormwater where it falls by using features like bioswales and permeable surfaces to promote infiltration.
Question 7: Under the Clean Air Act, what are National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) designed to protect?
- Industrial emission limits for specific manufacturing processes
- Public health and welfare from criteria air pollutants (Correct answer)
- Municipal vehicle fleet fuel economy requirements
- Indoor air quality in government buildings
Correct answer: Public health and welfare from criteria air pollutants
NAAQS establish concentration limits for six criteria pollutants to protect public health (primary standards) and public welfare (secondary standards).
CMM Environmental Sustainability 2
Which federal law requires municipalities to develop Stormwater Management Programs to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff?