CPA Environmental Compliance & Spill Response 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which U.S. federal law requires facilities to report oil spills of 25 gallons or more to the National Response Center?
- Clean Water Act (Correct answer)
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
- Comprehensive Environmental Response Act
- Safe Drinking Water Act
Correct answer: Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act requires immediate reporting of oil discharges exceeding reportable quantities to the National Response Center.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan?
- To document spill history for insurance claims
- To prevent oil discharges from reaching navigable waters (Correct answer)
- To outline employee vacation schedules during emergencies
- To satisfy annual tax reporting for petroleum companies
Correct answer: To prevent oil discharges from reaching navigable waters
SPCC plans are required by the EPA to prevent oil from reaching navigable waters or adjoining shorelines through containment and response procedures.
Question 3: Which containment method involves placing absorbent barriers around a spill perimeter to prevent spread?
- Vacuum extraction
- Booming and berming (Correct answer)
- In-situ burning
- Chemical neutralization
Correct answer: Booming and berming
Booming and berming uses physical barriers such as booms on water or earthen berms on land to contain and prevent spill spread.
Question 4: What does OSHA's HAZWOPER standard (29 CFR 1910.120) primarily address?
- Routine petroleum drilling operations
- Worker safety during hazardous waste operations and emergency response (Correct answer)
- Pipeline inspection intervals
- Environmental impact assessments for new wells
Correct answer: Worker safety during hazardous waste operations and emergency response
HAZWOPER establishes safety and health requirements for workers involved in hazardous waste operations and emergency response activities.
Question 5: Which agency administers the Superfund program (CERCLA) for cleaning up contaminated petroleum sites in the U.S.?
- Department of Energy (DOE)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Correct answer)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Correct answer: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The EPA administers CERCLA (Superfund), which funds and oversees cleanup of the nation's most contaminated sites including petroleum-impacted properties.
Question 6: Secondary containment at an oil storage facility is typically designed to hold at least what percentage of the largest single tank's capacity?
- 50%
- 75%
- 100%
- 110% (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 110%
EPA SPCC regulations require secondary containment structures to hold at least 110% of the largest tank's storage capacity to account for precipitation.
CPA Environmental Compliance & Spill Response 1
Which U.S. federal law requires facilities to report oil spills of 25 gallons or more to the National Response Center?