Environmental Compliance Inspector Enforcement and Reporting 3

Question 1

A Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) submitted 45 days after the deadline is considered what type of violation?

Accepted Answer

Reporting violation

Answer

Late submission of a DMR constitutes a reporting violation, which is separately enforceable from effluent limit exceedances.

Question 2

Under the Clean Air Act, which enforcement tool allows EPA to recover the economic benefit a violator gained by not complying?

Accepted Answer

Penalty calculation using BEN model

Answer

EPA's BEN (Benefit of Noncompliance) model calculates the economic savings a violator realized, which forms the baseline for penalty assessment.

Question 3

What is a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) in the context of enforcement settlements?

Accepted Answer

An environmentally beneficial project a violator agrees to perform in exchange for penalty mitigation

Answer

SEPs are projects that provide environmental or public health benefits beyond compliance, accepted in settlement to partially offset monetary penalties.

Question 4

Which agency division is typically responsible for referring criminal environmental cases to the Department of Justice?

Accepted Answer

EPA Criminal Investigation Division (CID)

Answer

EPA's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigates criminal environmental violations and coordinates referrals to the DOJ for prosecution.

Question 5

A facility challenges an EPA administrative compliance order in court. What standard of judicial review generally applies?

Accepted Answer

Arbitrary and capricious standard under the APA

Answer

Courts review EPA administrative orders under the arbitrary and capricious standard of the Administrative Procedure Act, deferring to agency expertise.

Environmental Compliance Inspector Practice Test

Environmental Compliance Inspector Practice Test

Environmental Compliance Inspector Enforcement and Reporting 3