RPLS Environmental Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Clean Water Act Section 404, which federal agency issues permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States?
- Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Correct answer)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Correct answer: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers administers Section 404 permits for discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.
Question 2: A land surveyor locating a boundary near a coastal area must be aware that the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) requires federally-funded projects to be consistent with:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps
- State coastal management programs (Correct answer)
- Army Corps of Engineers navigation charts
- EPA wetland delineation guidelines
Correct answer: State coastal management programs
The CZMA requires that federal agency activities and federally-licensed projects be consistent with approved state coastal management programs.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes a 'FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area' (SFHA) as it relates to land surveying?
- An area with a 0.2% annual chance of flooding
- An area with a 1% annual chance of flooding requiring mandatory flood insurance (Correct answer)
- An area subject to 500-year flood events only
- An area where construction is prohibited by federal law
Correct answer: An area with a 1% annual chance of flooding requiring mandatory flood insurance
A Special Flood Hazard Area is defined as land with a 1% annual chance of flooding (100-year floodplain), where mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply.
Question 4: When a surveyor prepares a plat for a subdivision that includes wetlands, which document is typically required before the wetlands can be filled or altered?
- A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit
- A Section 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers (Correct answer)
- An Environmental Impact Statement under NEPA
- A Coastal Zone Consistency Determination
Correct answer: A Section 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers before dredging or filling jurisdictional wetlands.
Question 5: The Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 requires federal agencies to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when a project may affect listed species. A surveyor working on a federally-funded project must document which of the following?
- Presence of invasive plant species on the project site
- Potential impacts to threatened or endangered species and their critical habitat (Correct answer)
- Migratory bird nesting seasons within the project area
- State-listed species not covered under the federal ESA
Correct answer: Potential impacts to threatened or endangered species and their critical habitat
Section 7 consultation requires assessment of potential impacts to federally listed threatened or endangered species and designated critical habitat.
Question 6: A surveyor discovers what appears to be an underground storage tank (UST) during a boundary survey. Under RCRA regulations, the primary concern associated with USTs is:
- Structural instability of adjacent foundations
- Potential soil and groundwater contamination from leaking petroleum or hazardous substances (Correct answer)
- Interference with underground utility easements
- Violation of local building setback requirements
Correct answer: Potential soil and groundwater contamination from leaking petroleum or hazardous substances
USTs regulated under RCRA Subtitle I are primarily monitored for leaks that can contaminate soil and groundwater with petroleum or hazardous chemicals.
Question 7: Which environmental law requires federal agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for major federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment?
- Clean Air Act
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (Correct answer)
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Correct answer: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
NEPA requires federal agencies to assess and disclose the environmental impacts of proposed major federal actions through an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement.
RPLS Environmental Compliance 2
Under the Clean Water Act Section 404, which federal agency issues permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States?