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Environmental Compliance and Protection Flashcards

7 cards from real HSE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Environmental Compliance and Protection flashcards as text

  1. Under RCRA, which category of hazardous waste generator is subject to the most stringent regulatory requirements?

    Answer: Large Quantity Generator (LQG)

    Large Quantity Generators (LQGs) that generate 1,000 kg or more of hazardous waste per month face the most stringent RCRA requirements, including 90-day storage limits and full contingency plan requirements.

  2. Which section of the Clean Water Act requires facilities discharging pollutants into navigable waters to obtain a permit?

    Answer: Section 402

    Section 402 of the Clean Water Act establishes the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program for point source discharges into navigable waters.

  3. What is the primary purpose of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)?

    Answer: To identify and implement Best Management Practices to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff

    A SWPPP identifies potential sources of stormwater pollution and describes Best Management Practices (BMPs) to prevent pollutants from reaching receiving waters.

  4. Which EPA regulation governs the management of underground storage tanks (USTs) containing petroleum or hazardous substances?

    Answer: RCRA Subtitle I

    RCRA Subtitle I specifically regulates underground storage tanks, requiring leak detection, spill and overfill prevention, and financial assurance for corrective action.

  5. A company discovers that a neighboring property's historical contamination is migrating onto their site. Under CERCLA, what defense might protect the company from liability?

    Answer: Innocent Landowner defense

    The Innocent Landowner defense under CERCLA protects parties who conducted appropriate inquiry before purchase and had no knowledge of contamination at the time of acquisition.

  6. What does 'secondary containment' refer to in the context of chemical storage?

    Answer: A structure designed to contain spills or leaks from primary containers

    Secondary containment is a physical barrier such as a berm, dike, or containment basin designed to capture leaks or spills from primary storage containers before they reach the environment.

  7. Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), what triggers the requirement to report a chemical release to the National Response Center?

    Answer: A release that exceeds the Reportable Quantity (RQ) of a hazardous substance

    EPCRA Section 304 requires immediate notification to the NRC and local emergency planning committees when a release of a listed hazardous substance exceeds its established Reportable Quantity.