Question 1

Which of the following agencies has primary responsibility for implementing environmental laws in the United States?
A) Department of the Interior
B) Department of Natural Resources
C) Council on Environmental Quality
D) Environmental Protection Agency

Accepted Answer

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has primary responsibility for implementing and enforcing environmental laws in the United States. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Natural Resources have specific responsibilities related to natural resource management, but they do not have the broad authority of the EPA. The Council on Environmental Quality advises the President on environmental policy but does not have implementation authority.

Question 2

What did new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards passed in a 2007 energy bill improve?
A) controls on greenhouse gas emissions
B) the fuel economy of light trucks and cars
C) the price of gasoline, by lowering gas taxes across the country
D) automobile emissions and traffic congestions, by raising gas taxes across the country

Accepted Answer

The new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards passed in a 2007 energy bill improved the fuel economy of light trucks and cars. It set higher fuel efficiency standards for vehicle manufacturers, leading to a decrease in gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 3

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970, for the first time, developed ______.
A) a set of strict regulations focused solely on coal emissions across the United States.
B) uniform air quality standards for the entire United States.
C) market incentives for industry to reduce harmful emissions.
D) an agreement industry and the government about how to address declining air quality.

Accepted Answer

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 established uniform air quality standards for the entire United States, which had not previously existed. While the act did include market incentives for industry to reduce emissions, this was not the primary focus, and there was not an agreement between industry and the government to address declining air quality. The regulations were also not solely focused on coal emissions.

Question 4

What have recent IPCC reports claimed about climate change?
A) The rate of climate change has slowed, and it is likely we have many more decades until significant changes are observed.
B) Climate change is already occurring and having serious, widespread effects globally.
C) New data suggest that climate change is nowhere near as serious as originally thought, and concerns should be limited.
D) Climate change has actually reversed its course, and the climate is stabilizing back to the long-term average.

Accepted Answer

Recent IPCC reports have consistently stated that climate change is already occurring and having serious, widespread effects globally. There is also overwhelming evidence that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, are the main driver of current climate change.

Question 5

What is the primary (and controversial) biofuel that the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandated an increased use of?
A) switchgrass
B) soy-derived biodiesel
C) vegetable oils
D) corn-derived ethanol

Accepted Answer

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandated an increased use of corn-derived ethanol as a primary biofuel, but its use is controversial due to concerns about its impact on food prices and potential environmental consequences.

Question 6

When was the "environmental decade" of federal legislation?
A) 1960s
B) 1970s
C) 1980s
D) 1990s

Accepted Answer

The "environmental decade" of federal legislation refers to the 1970s, when major environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act were passed.

Question 7

The environmental problems of Love Canal, New York, are often referred to as a catalyst in the passing of what law?
A) Toxic Substances Control Act
B) Clean Water Act
C) Clean Air Act
D) Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act

Accepted Answer

Love Canal, a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, became an environmental disaster in the 1970s due to chemical waste dumping. This disaster led to the passage of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) in 1980, commonly known as Superfund, which provided funding for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites and established liability for responsible parties.

Question 8

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the federal government passed a number of acts to control pollution. Which of the acts listed below was not one of these major acts?
A) Clean Water Act
B) Superfund
C) Wetland Degradation Act
D) Clean Air Act

Accepted Answer

There is no such act as Wetland Degradation Act. The other three acts were major acts passed in the 1970s and early 1980s to control pollution.

Question 9

What is one of the most hotly contested natural resource policies?
A) Endangered Species Act
B) Wilderness Act
C) National Forest Management Act
D) Pollution Prevention Act

Accepted Answer

The Endangered Species Act is often a hotly contested policy because it can impose significant restrictions on land use and development to protect threatened and endangered species, leading to conflicts between conservation efforts and economic interests.

Question 10

What is one of the biggest concerns with renewable energy?
A) no one will use it
B) pollution
C) whether there is a sufficient supply
D) whether it can be produced efficiently (comparable cost)

Accepted Answer

One of the biggest concerns with renewable energy is whether it can be produced efficiently and at a comparable cost to non-renewable sources. It is important that renewable energy solutions are not only sustainable, but also economically viable, in order to encourage widespread adoption and usage.

Question 11

Which administration attempted to achieve environmental policy goals primarily through collaborative decision making?
A) the George W. Bush administration
B) the Reagan administration
C) the Clinton administration
D) the Carter administration

Accepted Answer

The Clinton administration attempted to achieve environmental policy goals primarily through collaborative decision making. This is evidenced by the establishment of the President's Council on Sustainable Development, which provided a forum for collaboration between industry, environmental groups, and government agencies. The administration also emphasized the use of voluntary programs and partnerships to achieve environmental goals, such as the Climate Wise program which encouraged businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 12

The EPA is a(n) ______.
A) government corporation
B) cabinet department
C) independent executive agency
D) regulatory commission

Accepted Answer

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is an independent executive agency which means that it operates independently from any cabinet department or the President's closest advisors. The EPA is responsible for enforcing and regulating laws that protect the environment and public health.

Question 13

Which statement describes the nature of the seven major environmental statutes enacted in the 1970s?
A) Each of the statutes was ambitious yet limited to a distinct issue or focus.
B) The statutes as a group were focused on issues of pollution related to use of energy.
C) The statutes were developed by environmental agencies.
D) Each of the statutes could be described as broad and far-reaching in scope and lacking focus.

Accepted Answer

The statement describes the seven major environmental statutes enacted in the 1970s as ambitious yet limited to a distinct issue or focus. This suggests that each statute had a specific purpose and was not broad or lacking focus.

Question 14

Which interests often come into direct conflict with environmental interests?
A) state interests
B) business and economic interests
C) individual interests
D) the interests of governmental institutions

Accepted Answer

Business and economic interests often come into direct conflict with environmental interests as the pursuit of profit may prioritize short-term gain over long-term environmental sustainability. This can result in unsustainable use of natural resources, pollution, and other negative impacts on the environment.

Question 15

A(n) ______ is a detailed and systematic study of all environmental effects of a proposed action.
A) environmental impact statement
B) cap and trade plan
C) regulatory analysis
D) environmental protection analysis

Accepted Answer

An environmental impact statement is a comprehensive analysis of the potential environmental impacts of a proposed action, addressing everything from air and water quality to wildlife and land use. It is required by the National Environmental Policy Act for any federal action that may have significant environmental impacts.

Question 16

Which level of government typically makes environmental policy?
A) state
B) local
C) Policy making is shared across all levels.
D) federal

Accepted Answer

Federal government typically makes environmental policy, although policymaking may also be shared across all levels.

Question 17

A ______ program is an emissions-control policy and market incentive that limits an industry's emission allowance and allows it to purchase emission permits from other lower emitting industries.
A) proactive policy approach
B) cap-and-trade
C) CAFÉ standard
D) carbon tax

Accepted Answer

The description matches the characteristics of a cap-and-trade program, where there is a limit or "cap" on the total emissions allowed, and industries can buy and sell permits to emit below or above their allotted allowances. A proactive policy approach refers to a general strategy or attitude towards addressing a problem, rather than a specific policy tool. CAFÉ standards are fuel efficiency regulations for vehicles, and a carbon tax imposes a fee on emissions rather than setting a limit on them.

Question 18

What is ecosystem-based management?
A) utilizing local ecosystems to better serve human needs
B) prioritizing the natural environment over human needs, assuming most human needs can be accomplished through a stable and healthy ecosystem
C) a shift in emphasis toward principles of protecting habitat and maintaining biological diversity
D) the process of restoring ecosystems that had been previously damaged by earlier policy decisions

Accepted Answer

Ecosystem-based management involves a shift in emphasis towards protecting habitat and maintaining biological diversity. It seeks to balance human needs with the need to maintain a healthy and sustainable ecosystem. It does not prioritize the natural environment over human needs, but rather seeks to find ways to utilize local ecosystems in a sustainable manner. It may involve restoring ecosystems that had been previously damaged, but this is not the primary focus.

Question 19

Which level of government is typically involved in implementing environmental policy?
A) state
B) federal
C) local
D) all levels implement policy evenly

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which level of government is typically involved...

Question 20

The seven major statutes that were enacted in the 1970s focused on ______.
A) pollution control and protection of human health
B) protection of ecosystems and biodiversity
C) protection of natural resources by strengthening protections of endangered species
D) development of stronger energy policies that were designed to clean up the air

Accepted Answer

The seven major statutes that were enacted in the 1970s focused on pollution control and protection of human health. These statutes include the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. These laws were created to address the growing concerns over environmental degradation and the harmful effects of pollution on human health.

Quiz 11: Environmental and Energy Policy

Which of the following agencies has primary responsibility for implementing environmental laws in the United States?

What did new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards passed in a 2007 energy bill improve?

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970, for the first time, developed ______.

What have recent IPCC reports claimed about climate change?

What is the primary (and controversial) biofuel that the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandated an increased use of?

When was the "environmental decade" of federal legislation?

The environmental problems of Love Canal, New York, are often referred to as a catalyst in the passing of what law?

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the federal government passed a number of acts to control pollution. Which of the acts listed below was not one of these major acts?

What is one of the most hotly contested natural resource policies?

What is one of the biggest concerns with renewable energy?

Which administration attempted to achieve environmental policy goals primarily through collaborative decision making?

The EPA is a(n) ______.

Which statement describes the nature of the seven major environmental statutes enacted in the 1970s?

Which interests often come into direct conflict with environmental interests?

A(n) ______ is a detailed and systematic study of all environmental effects of a proposed action.

Which level of government typically makes environmental policy?

A ______ program is an emissions-control policy and market incentive that limits an industry's emission allowance and allows it to purchase emission permits from other lower emitting industries.

What is ecosystem-based management?

Which level of government is typically involved in implementing environmental policy?

The seven major statutes that were enacted in the 1970s focused on ______.