CSC Environmental Regulations & Policy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which action is EPA authorized to take when a chemical poses an unreasonable risk?
- Issue civil penalties only
- Restrict or ban the chemical's manufacture or use (Correct answer)
- Refer the matter exclusively to state regulators
- Require congressional approval before action
Correct answer: Restrict or ban the chemical's manufacture or use
TSCA gives EPA authority to restrict, limit, or ban chemicals found to present unreasonable risk to health or the environment.
Question 2: Which federal law requires facilities that release toxic chemicals above threshold quantities to report those releases to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)?
- RCRA
- CERCLA
- EPCRA (Correct answer)
- CAA
Correct answer: EPCRA
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Section 313 established the TRI reporting requirement.
Question 3: A company discovers contamination at an abandoned industrial site it recently purchased. Under CERCLA, the company may avoid liability by proving it qualifies as which type of party?
- A responsible downstream user
- A bona fide prospective purchaser (Correct answer)
- A licensed environmental auditor
- A permitted waste handler
Correct answer: A bona fide prospective purchaser
CERCLA's bona fide prospective purchaser defense protects buyers who conducted proper due diligence before purchase and comply with ongoing obligations.
Question 4: Which provision of the Clean Air Act requires major stationary sources in nonattainment areas to install pollution controls representing the Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER)?
- New Source Review (NSR) – Nonattainment (Correct answer)
- Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
- National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
- Acid Rain Program
Correct answer: New Source Review (NSR) – Nonattainment
NSR in nonattainment areas requires major new or modified sources to meet LAER and obtain emission offsets.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the role of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under NEPA?
- It grants final federal approval for a project
- It imposes liability on project developers for environmental harm
- It discloses significant environmental impacts and considers alternatives for major federal actions (Correct answer)
- It replaces state-level environmental permitting requirements
Correct answer: It discloses significant environmental impacts and considers alternatives for major federal actions
An EIS is a disclosure document that analyzes significant environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives, informing federal decision-making.
Question 6: Under the Paris Agreement, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are best described as:
- Legally binding emission reduction targets set by the UN
- Self-determined climate pledges submitted by each participating country (Correct answer)
- Fixed carbon tax rates agreed upon by signatory nations
- Emission trading quotas allocated by the UNFCCC Secretariat
Correct answer: Self-determined climate pledges submitted by each participating country
NDCs are voluntary, self-determined climate action plans that each country submits and progressively strengthens over time.
Question 7: Which U.S. regulatory concept requires a facility seeking an air permit in an attainment area to demonstrate use of Best Available Control Technology (BACT)?
- Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) review (Correct answer)
- Nonattainment New Source Review
- Risk Management Program (RMP)
- National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)
Correct answer: Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) review
PSD review applies in areas meeting NAAQS and requires major new or modified sources to apply BACT.
CSC Environmental Regulations & Policy 2
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which action is EPA authorized to take when a chemical poses an unreasonable risk?