Environmental Compliance Inspector Environmental Compliance Inspector Enforcement and Reporting Questions and Answers 2

Question 1

Under the Clean Water Act, what is the maximum civil penalty per day per violation for unpermitted discharges?

Accepted Answer

Up to $56,460

Answer

Up to $25,000

Answer

Up to $37,500

Answer

Up to $100,000

Question 2

Which type of enforcement action does NOT require formal adjudication and is typically used for minor violations?

Accepted Answer

Field citation

Answer

Consent decree

Answer

Administrative compliance order

Answer

Criminal referral

Question 3

What document must an inspector prepare after discovering a significant environmental violation during a facility inspection?

Accepted Answer

Inspection report with documented findings

Answer

Environmental impact statement

Answer

Remedial action plan

Answer

Consent agreement

Question 4

When preparing a case for judicial enforcement under RCRA, which element is MOST critical to establish?

Accepted Answer

Chain of custody for all collected samples

Answer

The facility's annual revenue

Answer

The inspector's years of experience

Answer

The number of employees at the facility

Question 5

What is the primary purpose of a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) in an enforcement settlement?

Accepted Answer

To provide environmental or public health benefits beyond compliance

Answer

To reduce the total penalty amount owed to the government

Answer

To delay the compliance schedule for the violator

Answer

To transfer liability to a third-party contractor

Question 6

Under EPA's Audit Policy, which condition must a facility meet to qualify for penalty mitigation after self-disclosing a violation?

Accepted Answer

The discovery must result from a voluntary environmental audit or due diligence

Answer

The violation must have persisted for at least one year

Answer

The facility must be a small business

Answer

The violation must involve only air emissions