Environmental Permits and Licensing Flashcards
6 cards from real DEQ practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Environmental Permits and Licensing flashcards as text
What is 'anti-degradation' policy in the context of water quality permitting?
Answer: A policy protecting existing water quality and preventing it from being lowered below existing use designations
Anti-degradation policy requires that existing uses and water quality levels be maintained and protected, preventing new or increased discharges from lowering water quality below established levels.
When a permitted facility wants to make a significant change to its operations, what permit action is typically required?
Answer: The facility must apply for a permit modification to incorporate the operational change
Significant changes to permitted operations typically require a permit modification, allowing the DEQ to evaluate whether the change affects compliance with applicable standards.
What does 'best available technology economically achievable' (BAT) mean in NPDES permitting?
Answer: The most stringent effluent limitation level achievable by the best-performing facilities in an industry, considering cost
BAT represents the most effective pollution control technology used by the best performers in an industry, serving as the basis for effluent limits for toxic pollutants.
What is a RCRA Part B permit and who must obtain one?
Answer: A permit required for facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste for extended periods
A RCRA Part B permit is required for facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste for longer than temporary generator accumulation periods, ensuring they meet strict design and operational standards.
What is the public notice and comment process in DEQ permitting designed to accomplish?
Answer: To give affected citizens and stakeholders an opportunity to provide input before a permit is issued
Public notice and comment requirements ensure transparency and community participation, allowing affected parties to raise concerns that the DEQ must consider before finalizing a permit.
What is 'effluent limitation' in the context of an NPDES permit?
Answer: Specific numeric or narrative restrictions on the concentration or mass of pollutants a facility may discharge
Effluent limitations are the specific pollutant discharge restrictions in an NPDES permit, expressed as concentration limits, mass loading limits, or narrative standards.