Soil and Land Contamination Flashcards
6 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 6 Soil and Land Contamination flashcards as text
What is the purpose of a soil boring log completed during a contamination investigation?
Answer: To document lithology, moisture content, color, odor, and sample collection details at each depth interval
A soil boring log records geology (lithology), color, moisture, odor, and physical characteristics at each depth interval, providing the stratigraphic context needed to interpret contamination distribution.
Which natural attenuation process is most effective for biodegrading chlorinated solvents like TCE in anaerobic groundwater plumes?
Answer: Reductive dechlorination by anaerobic bacteria
Reductive dechlorination by anaerobic bacteria sequentially removes chlorine atoms from TCE, ultimately producing ethene, and is the dominant natural attenuation pathway for chlorinated solvents.
An inspector reviewing a soil remediation project notices the site uses soil vapor extraction (SVE). What contaminant type is SVE best suited to treat?
Answer: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the unsaturated zone
SVE applies a vacuum to the unsaturated (vadose) zone to volatilize and extract VOCs from soil, making it effective for gasoline constituents, chlorinated solvents, and other volatile compounds.
Under RCRA land disposal restrictions (LDR), what must a generator do before disposing of characteristic hazardous soil in a permitted hazardous waste facility?
Answer: Treat the waste to meet LDR treatment standards and submit a one-time written notice to the receiving facility
LDR requirements mandate that characteristic hazardous waste be treated to meet specific treatment standards before land disposal, and the generator must provide a one-time written notice and certification to the receiving facility.
What distinguishes a 'responsible party-led' cleanup from a 'fund-led' Superfund cleanup?
Answer: In responsible party-led cleanups, identified PRPs conduct and pay for remediation; in fund-led cleanups, EPA uses Superfund trust money when PRPs are unknown or unresponsive
When viable PRPs are identified and cooperative, they perform the cleanup under EPA oversight; when PRPs are unavailable or uncooperative, EPA uses Superfund trust funds and may later recover costs.
A compliance inspector is reviewing a facility's spill prevention plan for aboveground storage tanks (ASTs). Which regulation requires this plan?
Answer: SPCC Rule under Clean Water Act Section 311 (40 CFR Part 112)
The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule under Clean Water Act Section 311 (40 CFR Part 112) requires facilities with ASTs above threshold quantities to develop and implement SPCC plans.