SEO Emissions Control & Environmental Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) primarily requires federal agencies to:
- Set numerical emission limits for all industries
- Assess the environmental impacts of major federal actions before proceeding (Correct answer)
- Issue fines for all state-level environmental violations
- Regulate private sector greenhouse gas emissions directly
Correct answer: Assess the environmental impacts of major federal actions before proceeding
NEPA requires federal agencies to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed major federal actions through Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) or Environmental Assessments (EA).
Question 2: Which document is required under NEPA for federal projects that may significantly affect the environment, providing the most detailed level of environmental review?
- Environmental Assessment (EA)
- Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (Correct answer)
- Record of Decision (ROD)
Correct answer: Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is the most comprehensive NEPA document, required when a federal action is found to significantly affect the human environment.
Question 3: Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), hazardous waste generators are classified based on:
- The toxicity level of the waste alone
- The quantity of hazardous waste generated per month (Correct answer)
- The geographic location of the facility
- The number of employees at the facility
Correct answer: The quantity of hazardous waste generated per month
RCRA classifies generators as Very Small, Small, or Large Quantity Generators based on how many kilograms of hazardous waste they generate per month.
Question 4: A company wishes to expand an existing plant in an area that is classified as a nonattainment area for ozone. Under New Source Review, the facility must obtain emission offsets at a ratio greater than 1:1 primarily because:
- The area already exceeds the NAAQS, so new emissions must be more than compensated to improve air quality (Correct answer)
- Federal law requires a flat 2:1 offset ratio nationwide
- Offset ratios apply only to sulfur dioxide, not ozone precursors
- State implementation plans prohibit any new construction in nonattainment areas
Correct answer: The area already exceeds the NAAQS, so new emissions must be more than compensated to improve air quality
In nonattainment areas, emission offsets greater than 1:1 are required so that new emission additions result in a net improvement in air quality.
Question 5: Which ISO standard provides the international framework for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an Environmental Management System (EMS)?
- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001 (Correct answer)
- ISO 45001
- ISO 50001
Correct answer: ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is the internationally recognized standard specifying requirements for an Environmental Management System (EMS) to improve environmental performance.
Question 6: Under the Clean Water Act, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit is required when:
- Any chemical substance is stored on-site near a waterway
- A facility discharges pollutants from a point source into waters of the United States (Correct answer)
- Stormwater runoff occurs naturally without human modification
- A facility uses water from a public utility
Correct answer: A facility discharges pollutants from a point source into waters of the United States
NPDES permits are required for any point source discharge of pollutants into navigable waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act.
Question 7: Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions differ from Scope 1 and Scope 2 because they:
- Are always larger in volume than Scope 1 emissions
- Include indirect emissions from a company's value chain, not directly owned sources (Correct answer)
- Are regulated differently by the EPA under the GHGRP
- Only apply to manufacturing companies, not service industries
Correct answer: Include indirect emissions from a company's value chain, not directly owned sources
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions from sources not owned or controlled by a company, including supply chain, business travel, and product use.
SEO Emissions Control & Environmental Compliance 3
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) primarily requires federal agencies to: