CPWM Environmental Compliance 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A public works department operates a municipal solid waste landfill. Under RCRA Subtitle D, the agency must install a landfill gas collection system when methane concentration reaches what threshold at the facility boundary?
- 5% methane by volume
- 25% of the lower explosive limit (LEL)
- 1.25% methane by volume (25% of LEL) (Correct answer)
- 500 ppm by volume
Correct answer: 1.25% methane by volume (25% of LEL)
RCRA Subtitle D requires landfill gas control when methane reaches 1.25% concentration (25% of the lower explosive limit of 5%) at the facility boundary.
Question 2: The Environmental Justice Executive Order 12898 requires public works agencies to:
- Allocate infrastructure spending equally across all census tracts
- Identify and address disproportionate environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations (Correct answer)
- Prioritize environmental remediation in communities with median income below poverty level
- Conduct bilingual environmental impact assessments for all major projects
Correct answer: Identify and address disproportionate environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations
EO 12898 requires federal agencies and recipients of federal funds to identify and address disproportionately high adverse environmental and health effects on minority and low-income populations.
Question 3: A public works fleet management program can best demonstrate Clean Air Act compliance by implementing which strategy?
- Converting all vehicles to propane fuel by 2030
- Maintaining records of diesel particulate filter inspections and replacements (Correct answer)
- Reducing total vehicle miles traveled by 10% annually
- Installing GPS tracking on all fleet vehicles
Correct answer: Maintaining records of diesel particulate filter inspections and replacements
Documented diesel particulate filter (DPF) maintenance demonstrates compliance with emissions control requirements and provides an audit trail for regulators.
Question 4: Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, a public water system must issue a public notification within 24 hours when it experiences a:
- Turbidity exceedance above 1 NTU in filtered water
- Tier 1 violation posing an acute risk to public health (Correct answer)
- Failure to collect the required number of bacteriological samples
- Detection of any synthetic organic contaminant above MCL
Correct answer: Tier 1 violation posing an acute risk to public health
Tier 1 violations involving acute health risks require public notification within 24 hours, typically via radio, TV, or direct contact for potentially dangerous contamination.
Question 5: Which environmental assessment tool is required for major federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment under NEPA?
- Environmental Site Assessment (ESA Phase I)
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (Correct answer)
- Categorical Exclusion Determination (CED)
- Record of Decision (ROD)
Correct answer: Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
NEPA requires preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for major federal actions that may significantly affect the human environment, analyzing alternatives and mitigation measures.
Question 6: A public works department's vehicle maintenance shop generates used oil. Under EPA regulations, used oil is best managed by:
- Mixing with hazardous waste for co-disposal at a licensed facility
- Storing on-site for on-road dust suppression applications
- Sending to a permitted used oil processor or re-refiner (Correct answer)
- Applying to unpaved parking areas for dust control
Correct answer: Sending to a permitted used oil processor or re-refiner
EPA regulations encourage used oil recycling through permitted processors and re-refiners, which is the most environmentally appropriate disposal method for vehicle maintenance shops.
Question 7: When a stormwater permit requires a public works agency to conduct post-construction stormwater management, the primary goal is to:
- Ensure construction contractors carry adequate liability insurance
- Mimic pre-development hydrology and protect water quality in completed developments (Correct answer)
- Fund ongoing road maintenance through stormwater utility fees
- Monitor groundwater levels in areas with high impervious cover
Correct answer: Mimic pre-development hydrology and protect water quality in completed developments
Post-construction stormwater management aims to restore pre-development runoff characteristics and prevent long-term water quality degradation from new impervious surfaces.
CPWM Environmental Compliance 4
A public works department operates a municipal solid waste landfill.
Under RCRA Subtitle D, the agency must install a landfill gas collection system when methane concentration reaches what threshold at the facility boundary?