CEP Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CEP exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CEP Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CEP Topics to Study (69)
✍️ Sample CEP Questions & Answers
1. An environmental planner must analyze the significance of a federal action under NEPA. Which factor is NOT among the standard criteria used to determine significance?
CEQ regulations identify 10 intensity factors for significance, including context and intensity criteria, but project cost is not among them.
2. Under the Clean Water Act, what is the 'antidegradation policy' designed to protect?
Antidegradation policy requires that existing uses be protected and maintained, and that high-quality waters not be lowered in quality unless economically and socially justified.
3. In an EIA, 'level of significance' for an impact is typically determined by evaluating both:
CEQ regulations specify that significance is evaluated based on the context (local, regional, national) and intensity (severity) of the impact.
4. Which document must an applicant submit to initiate formal Section 7 ESA consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?
A Biological Assessment (BA) is prepared by the project proponent to analyze potential effects on listed species and triggers formal Section 7 consultation.
5. Which federal law established the National Wilderness Preservation System in the United States?
The Wilderness Act of 1964 created the National Wilderness Preservation System, protecting lands where human impact is minimal.
6. In remote sensing, what does NDVI measure?
The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) uses near-infrared and red bands to quantify vegetation health and density, ranging from -1 to +1.