PCOC PCOC Environmental Protection and Pollution Prevention 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Clean Water Act, it is illegal to discharge oil or hazardous substances into US navigable waters unless the discharge is what?
- Less than 1 gallon per hour
- Permitted by a valid NPDES permit (Correct answer)
- Beyond 3 nautical miles offshore
- From a vessel under 26 feet
Correct answer: Permitted by a valid NPDES permit
Discharging oil or hazardous substances into US navigable waters without a valid NPDES permit is illegal under the Clean Water Act.
Question 2: What must a recreational vessel operator do immediately upon discovering an oil spill from their vessel?
- Apply dish soap to disperse the sheen
- Report the spill to the US Coast Guard National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if the sheen disappears naturally before reporting
- Only report if the spill exceeds 25 gallons
Correct answer: Report the spill to the US Coast Guard National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802
Any oil spill that causes a visible sheen must be reported immediately to the US Coast Guard National Response Center.
Question 3: Which federal regulation prohibits the discharge of untreated sewage from recreational vessels in US inland waters?
- The Rivers and Harbors Act
- The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) Section 312 (Correct answer)
- The Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act
- The Coastal Zone Management Act
Correct answer: The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) Section 312
Clean Water Act Section 312 governs vessel sewage discharge and generally prohibits untreated sewage discharge in US inland and coastal waters.
Question 4: A 'No Discharge Zone' (NDZ) for vessel sewage means that operators must:
- Only discharge treated sewage from a Type I MSD
- Not discharge any sewage, treated or untreated, into designated waters (Correct answer)
- Discharge sewage only beyond 3 miles offshore
- Use a portable toilet that is emptied on land
Correct answer: Not discharge any sewage, treated or untreated, into designated waters
In a No Discharge Zone, operators are prohibited from discharging any sewage — treated or untreated — and must retain waste onboard or pump out at a facility.
Question 5: Which type of Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) is required on vessels operating in a No Discharge Zone?
- Type I MSD (flow-through treatment)
- Type II MSD (advanced treatment)
- Type III MSD (holding tank — no discharge) (Correct answer)
- Any certified MSD is acceptable
Correct answer: Type III MSD (holding tank — no discharge)
In a No Discharge Zone, a Type III MSD (holding tank) is required because it retains all sewage for pump-out ashore with zero discharge.
Question 6: MARPOL Annex V regulations prohibit the discharge of what material anywhere in US navigable waters?
- Food waste beyond 3 miles
- All plastics, regardless of size or distance from shore (Correct answer)
- Gray water from sinks
- Ballast water from any vessel
Correct answer: All plastics, regardless of size or distance from shore
MARPOL Annex V and US law prohibit the discharge of any plastic material anywhere in navigable waters, regardless of distance from shore.
PCOC PCOC Environmental Protection and Pollution Prevention 1
Under the Clean Water Act, it is illegal to discharge oil or hazardous substances into US navigable waters unless the discharge is what?