Environmental Compliance Flashcards
7 cards from real CRE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Environmental Compliance flashcards as text
Under the Clean Air Act's New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), which facilities are subject to these standards?
Answer: New and modified stationary sources in designated source categories
NSPS apply to new and significantly modified stationary sources in listed source categories, setting technology-based emission limits to reflect current best-demonstrated practices.
A CRE is evaluating the environmental risk of a chemical storage area. Which analytical tool is best suited to systematically identify potential failure modes that could lead to a release?
Answer: Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)
FMEA systematically identifies potential failure modes in equipment or processes, evaluates their effects, and prioritizes corrective actions to prevent environmental releases.
What is the role of secondary containment in environmental compliance for chemical storage facilities?
Answer: To capture spills or leaks before they reach the environment
Secondary containment structures (berms, dikes, liners) are designed to capture releases from primary containers and prevent contaminants from reaching soil or water.
Which principle guides the selection of Best Available Technology (BAT) for controlling industrial wastewater discharges under the Clean Water Act?
Answer: Technology that achieves the greatest feasible reduction of pollutants considering cost and benefits
BAT represents the best economically achievable performance for existing direct dischargers, balancing pollutant reduction capability against costs and other factors.
Environmental compliance requires tracking 'reportable quantities' (RQ) for hazardous substance releases. What triggers a mandatory federal notification?
Answer: Release of a hazardous substance at or above its RQ within 24 hours
Under CERCLA and EPCRA, facilities must immediately notify the National Response Center when a hazardous substance is released in a quantity equal to or exceeding its designated reportable quantity within a 24-hour period.
In a reliability context, which environmental compliance strategy aligns with predictive maintenance to minimize chemical spills?
Answer: Monitoring equipment condition to detect potential leaks before they occur
Condition-based predictive maintenance detects deterioration in seals, pipes, and containment systems before failure, directly reducing the likelihood of environmental releases.
Which document establishes legally binding environmental performance requirements specific to an individual facility as part of a regulatory permit?
Answer: Permit conditions and limitations
Permit conditions and limitations are legally enforceable requirements tailored to a specific facility that define allowable discharge rates, monitoring protocols, and reporting obligations.