EPA & Clean Air Act Compliance Flashcards
7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 EPA & Clean Air Act Compliance flashcards as text
Under the Clean Air Act, what is the primary purpose of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)?
Answer: Regulate emissions of toxic air pollutants from stationary sources
NESHAP regulates emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from stationary sources such as industrial facilities under CAA Section 112.
Which EPA program requires facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of CO2e per year to report their greenhouse gas emissions?
Answer: Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP)
The EPA's GHGRP (40 CFR Part 98) requires large emitters of 25,000 mt CO2e/year or more to report annual GHG emissions.
What does 'Prevention of Significant Deterioration' (PSD) permitting under the Clean Air Act primarily protect?
Answer: Air quality in areas already meeting NAAQS standards
PSD permits protect air quality in attainment areas by setting incremental limits on new pollution above baseline concentrations.
A facility undergoes a 'major modification' under the Clean Air Act New Source Review (NSR) program. What must it obtain before construction begins?
Answer: An NSR pre-construction permit incorporating BACT or LAER
NSR requires major new sources or major modifications to obtain a pre-construction permit requiring Best Available Control Technology (BACT) or Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER).
Under the Clean Air Act's Acid Rain Program (Title IV), electric utilities must comply with sulfur dioxide emission limits primarily by:
Answer: Surrendering SO2 allowances equal to actual emissions
Title IV uses a cap-and-trade system where utilities must hold and surrender SO2 allowances equal to their actual annual emissions.
Which section of the Clean Air Act authorizes EPA to regulate greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles following the Supreme Court's Massachusetts v. EPA decision?
Answer: Section 202
Section 202 authorizes EPA to set emission standards for new motor vehicles, and the Supreme Court confirmed this covers GHGs after Massachusetts v. EPA (2007).
What is the 'Tailoring Rule' that EPA issued in 2010 related to Clean Air Act GHG permitting?
Answer: A rule raising permitting thresholds so only the largest GHG emitters needed PSD/Title V permits
The Tailoring Rule set higher emission thresholds (100,000 tpy for new sources) to phase in GHG permitting requirements and avoid overwhelming regulatory agencies.