SEO Emissions Control & Environmental Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Clean Air Act, which EPA program requires major stationary sources to obtain an operating permit that consolidates all air quality requirements into a single document?
- New Source Review (NSR)
- Title V Operating Permit Program (Correct answer)
- National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
- Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
Correct answer: Title V Operating Permit Program
The Title V Operating Permit Program requires major stationary sources to obtain a comprehensive permit that incorporates all applicable Clean Air Act requirements.
Question 2: Which greenhouse gas is measured as the baseline unit in CO2-equivalent (CO2e) calculations used in emissions inventories?
- Methane (CH4)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) (Correct answer)
- Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
Correct answer: Carbon dioxide (CO2)
CO2 is the baseline reference gas with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1, against which all other greenhouse gases are measured.
Question 3: A facility discovers it exceeded its permitted NOx emission limit last quarter. What is the FIRST required action under most Title V permit programs?
- Immediately shut down operations
- Notify the permitting authority within the required deviation reporting timeframe (Correct answer)
- Purchase offset credits to cover the exceedance
- Request a permit revision before notifying regulators
Correct answer: Notify the permitting authority within the required deviation reporting timeframe
Title V permits require prompt deviation reporting to the permitting authority, typically within 2 or 10 business days depending on severity.
Question 4: The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of methane over a 100-year time horizon is approximately:
- 1
- 12
- 28 (Correct answer)
- 265
Correct answer: 28
Methane has a 100-year GWP of approximately 28-34, meaning it traps about 28 times more heat than CO2 over that period.
Question 5: Which regulatory tool allows companies to earn credits by reducing emissions below required levels and sell those credits to other regulated entities?
- Command-and-control regulation
- Cap-and-trade (emissions trading) (Correct answer)
- Technology-based standards
- Ambient air quality monitoring
Correct answer: Cap-and-trade (emissions trading)
Cap-and-trade systems set an overall emissions cap and allow companies to buy and sell allowances, creating a market-based incentive for reductions.
Question 6: Under EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of CO2e per year must report by what annual deadline?
- January 31
- March 31
- June 30 (Correct answer)
- September 30
Correct answer: June 30
The EPA GHGRP requires covered facilities to submit annual greenhouse gas reports by March 31 for the prior calendar year.
Question 7: Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) are required primarily to:
- Estimate future emission projections
- Provide real-time, verifiable data on actual stack emissions (Correct answer)
- Replace the need for permit applications
- Calculate carbon offset credit values
Correct answer: Provide real-time, verifiable data on actual stack emissions
CEMS provide continuous real-time measurement of actual emissions from stacks, ensuring compliance data is verifiable and accurate.
SEO Emissions Control & Environmental Compliance 2
Under the Clean Air Act, which EPA program requires major stationary sources to obtain an operating permit that consolidates all air quality requirements into a single document?