Enforcement and Reporting Flashcards
7 cards from real Environmental Compliance Inspector practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Enforcement and Reporting flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting program under EPCRA Section 313?
Answer: To provide public information on toxic chemical releases by facilities
TRI reporting requires facilities to publicly disclose annual releases of listed toxic chemicals, empowering communities with right-to-know information.
Under EPCRA Section 304, facilities must immediately notify local emergency planning committees when a release exceeds what threshold?
Answer: The reportable quantity (RQ) for the released substance
EPCRA §304 requires immediate notification to LEPCs and state emergency response commissions when a release meets or exceeds the substance's reportable quantity.
In a multi-media inspection, an inspector finds Clean Air Act violations but no Clean Water Act violations. How should the inspector document this finding?
Answer: Document CAA violations separately and note no CWA deficiencies found
Each regulatory program's findings must be documented separately, with explicit notation of compliance status (in or out) for each statute reviewed.
What does a 'compliance schedule' in an enforcement order typically specify?
Answer: Milestones and deadlines the violator must meet to achieve compliance
A compliance schedule sets enforceable interim milestones (e.g., submit engineering study by date X, complete construction by date Y) leading to full compliance.
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, a public water system that fails to meet a primary MCL must take what immediate action?
Answer: Notify consumers and the primacy agency within prescribed timeframes
SDWA requires public water systems to notify both the state primacy agency and consumers when primary MCLs are violated, with timing dependent on violation severity.
Which of the following best describes the 'gravity' component of an EPA civil penalty calculation?
Answer: The seriousness of the violation based on potential harm and degree of deviation from requirements
Gravity reflects how serious the violation was, considering potential harm to health/environment and how far the facility deviated from the applicable standard.
An inspector discovers that a facility altered its stack testing data before submitting it to the state agency. This action most likely constitutes what type of violation?
Answer: Criminal falsification of records and obstruction
Falsifying environmental records submitted to a government agency is a federal criminal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and applicable environmental statutes.