Environmental Regulations and Sustainability Practices 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 Regulations and Sustainability Practices flashcards as text
Under the Clean Water Act's NPDES program, a general permit differs from an individual permit in that it:
Answer: Authorizes a category of discharges with similar characteristics under one permit
NPDES general permits cover multiple dischargers of the same type (e.g., stormwater construction sites) under a single permit, reducing administrative burden.
ISO 14001 is best described as a standard for:
Answer: Environmental management systems
ISO 14001 specifies requirements for an environmental management system (EMS) that organizations can use to enhance environmental performance.
A 'significant deterioration' of air quality in a Class I area (such as a national park) is regulated under which Clean Air Act provision?
Answer: Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
The PSD program prevents air quality from degrading significantly in areas that already meet NAAQS, with the strictest increments applying to Class I areas.
Which regulatory concept requires new or modified major stationary sources in non-attainment areas to obtain 'offsets' greater than their new emissions?
Answer: Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER) with emission offsets
In non-attainment areas, new sources must apply LAER and obtain emission offsets at a ratio greater than 1:1 to demonstrate net air quality benefit.
Under RCRA, a 'small quantity generator' (SQG) generates between how many kilograms of hazardous waste per calendar month?
Answer: 100–1,000 kg
RCRA classifies SQGs as facilities generating between 100 and 1,000 kg of hazardous waste per month, with intermediate regulatory requirements.
The concept of 'environmental justice' in U.S. regulatory practice originates primarily from:
Answer: Executive Order 12898 signed by President Clinton in 1994
Executive Order 12898 directed federal agencies to identify and address disproportionately high and adverse environmental effects on minority and low-income populations.
A facility's Environmental Management System (EMS) audit under ISO 14001 is intended to verify:
Answer: Whether the EMS conforms to planned arrangements and is properly implemented
ISO 14001 internal audits determine whether the EMS conforms to the organization's own arrangements and to the standard's requirements, and whether it is effectively implemented.