Environmental Regulations & Policy Flashcards
7 cards from real CSC 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 Regulations & Policy flashcards as text
The 'polluter pays' principle in environmental policy holds that:
Answer: Those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it and its impacts
The polluter pays principle internalizes environmental externalities by placing cleanup and prevention costs on those responsible for pollution.
A company wishes to offset its remaining GHG emissions by purchasing carbon credits. To ensure credibility, verified carbon credits must meet which core criteria?
Answer: Real, additional, measurable, permanent, and verified
High-quality carbon credits must be real, additional (beyond business-as-usual), measurable, permanent, verifiable, and enforceable.
Under the U.S. Clean Water Act, a facility discharging pollutants from a point source must obtain which type of permit?
Answer: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit
The NPDES permit program under CWA Section 402 regulates discharges of pollutants from point sources to waters of the United States.
The Precautionary Principle, as referenced in sustainability policy, states that:
Answer: When an action raises threats of harm, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established
The Precautionary Principle justifies preventive policy action under scientific uncertainty when potential harm is serious or irreversible.
Which federal agency administers the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for terrestrial and freshwater species in the United States?
Answer: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
USFWS administers ESA for land and freshwater species, while NOAA Fisheries covers marine and anadromous species.
California's cap-and-trade program links with which other jurisdiction's carbon market, creating one of the world's largest?
Answer: Québec
California's cap-and-trade program has been formally linked with Québec's carbon market since 2014, allowing allowance trading across both systems.
Which of the following describes an 'environmental justice' concern under U.S. EPA policy?
Answer: Addressing disproportionate environmental and health burdens on low-income and minority communities
Environmental justice focuses on fair treatment and meaningful involvement for all people in environmental decision-making, particularly communities bearing disproportionate burdens.