Environmental Compliance Inspector Federal Environmental Regulations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A facility releases 500 pounds of a listed hazardous substance in one hour. Under CERCLA, what action is immediately required?
- Submit an annual toxic release inventory report
- Notify the National Response Center if the release meets or exceeds the Reportable Quantity (Correct answer)
- Apply for an emergency NPDES permit
- File a RCRA manifest with the EPA
Correct answer: Notify the National Response Center if the release meets or exceeds the Reportable Quantity
CERCLA Section 103 requires immediate notification to the National Response Center whenever a hazardous substance is released in an amount equal to or greater than its Reportable Quantity.
Question 2: Which Clean Air Act program requires large industrial facilities to obtain operating permits that consolidate all air quality requirements into a single document?
- New Source Review (NSR)
- Title V Operating Permit Program (Correct answer)
- Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
- National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
Correct answer: Title V Operating Permit Program
The Title V Operating Permit Program requires major sources of air pollution to obtain comprehensive permits that incorporate all applicable air quality requirements in one document.
Question 3: Under FIFRA, what must a pesticide manufacturer demonstrate before EPA will register a new pesticide product?
- The pesticide has no detectable toxicity to humans
- The benefits outweigh unreasonable adverse effects on humans and the environment (Correct answer)
- The product is identical to an already-registered pesticide
- The pesticide degrades within 24 hours in soil
Correct answer: The benefits outweigh unreasonable adverse effects on humans and the environment
FIFRA requires EPA to register pesticides only when the data show that, when used as directed, benefits outweigh any unreasonable risk of adverse effects on humans or the environment.
Question 4: An inspector discovers a drum of unknown waste at an industrial facility. Under RCRA, what is the first step in determining regulatory status?
- Immediately apply the Land Disposal Restrictions
- Determine whether the material is a solid waste, then whether it is hazardous (Correct answer)
- Contact the state agency and wait for instructions
- Apply the universal waste rule automatically
Correct answer: Determine whether the material is a solid waste, then whether it is hazardous
RCRA hazardous waste determination follows a two-step process: first confirm the material is a solid waste, then evaluate whether it is excluded, listed, or exhibits a hazardous characteristic.
Question 5: The Clean Water Act's Section 404 program, administered by the Army Corps of Engineers, regulates which specific activity?
- Stormwater discharges from construction sites
- Discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States (Correct answer)
- Industrial effluent discharges to publicly owned treatment works
- Ocean dumping of municipal sewage sludge
Correct answer: Discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States
Section 404 of the CWA establishes a permit program for the discharge of dredged or fill material into navigable waters, including wetlands, administered primarily by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Question 6: Which federal regulation requires chemical facilities to develop Risk Management Plans (RMPs) to prevent accidental releases of extremely hazardous chemicals?
- OSHA Process Safety Management Standard (29 CFR 1910.119)
- Clean Air Act Section 112(r) RMP Rule (Correct answer)
- EPCRA Section 313 TRI Reporting Rule
- RCRA Contingency Planning Requirements
Correct answer: Clean Air Act Section 112(r) RMP Rule
Clean Air Act Section 112(r) requires facilities that use certain regulated substances above threshold quantities to develop and submit Risk Management Plans to the EPA.
Question 7: Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), what is the significance of the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory?
- It lists all chemicals banned for use in the United States
- It identifies existing chemical substances; new chemicals not on the list require premanufacture notification (Correct answer)
- It establishes enforceable exposure limits for workplace chemicals
- It categorizes chemicals by their RCRA hazard characteristics
Correct answer: It identifies existing chemical substances; new chemicals not on the list require premanufacture notification
The TSCA Inventory lists existing commercial chemical substances; manufacturers must submit a Premanufacture Notice (PMN) to EPA at least 90 days before manufacturing or importing any chemical not already on the list.
Environmental Compliance Inspector Federal Environmental Regulations 3
A facility releases 500 pounds of a listed hazardous substance in one hour.
Under CERCLA, what action is immediately required?