Question 1

The United States Acid Rain Trading Program of 1990 set up what type of incentive for reducing acid rain?

Accepted Answer

The United States Acid Rain Trading Program of 1990 established a system of marketable discharge permits, allowing companies to buy and sell allowances for sulfur dioxide emissions, thus incentivizing the reduction of emissions contributing to acid rain.

Question 2

________ sets specific limits on the amount of pollutants which can be discharged.

Accepted Answer

Direct regulation sets specific limits on the amount of pollutants that can be discharged, often through permits or standards that specify the maximum level of emissions allowed for different pollutants.

Question 3

If emissions standards are established for cars but the cars cannot possibly meet those emissions standards with any current technology or manufacturing processes, the new emissions standards are an example of what type of regulation?

Accepted Answer

Technology forcing regulations are those that set standards or requirements that cannot currently be met with existing technology, with the intention of pushing the industry to innovate or develop new technologies to comply.

Question 4

The government determines a permissible amount of carbon emissions and issues a required number of permits to get to that amount. This is an example of :

Accepted Answer

Marketable discharge permits involve the government issuing permits that allow the holder to emit a certain amount of pollution. These permits can be bought and sold, providing an incentive for companies to reduce emissions in order to sell their excess permits.

Question 5

How is the appropriate remedy in a nuisance claim determined?

Accepted Answer

The appropriate remedy in a nuisance claim is typically determined by balancing the damages suffered by the plaintiff against the cost and feasibility of preventing the nuisance, aiming to find a fair and practical solution.

Question 6

Protection of the environment through federal regulations is primarily the responsibility of ________.

Accepted Answer

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary federal agency responsible for enforcing environmental laws and regulations in the United States, aimed at protecting human health and the environment.

Question 7

Every five years the EPA must ________ to determine whether new discoveries have shown that the National Ambient Air Quality Standards should be changed.

Accepted Answer

The EPA is required to review the scientific evidence every five years to assess if the National Ambient Air Quality Standards need to be updated based on new discoveries or advancements in understanding. This process ensures that the standards remain effective in protecting public health and the environment.

Question 8

Which of the following is a federal law whose purpose is to protect and improve the quality of the air through the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, mobile-source performance standards, and new-source performance standards?

Accepted Answer

The Clean Air Act is the federal law established to control air pollution on a national level. It authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards to protect public health and the environment.

Question 9

The government gives power plants a $10,000 reduction on their annual taxes for each pollution control device installed. The tax reduction is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The tax reduction given to power plants for installing pollution control devices is a form of government subsidy. Subsidies are financial assistance provided by the government to encourage activities that have positive externalities, such as reducing pollution.

Question 10

Referencing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, ________ standards are standards necessary to protect the public health, including an adequate margin of safety.

Accepted Answer

Primary standards are designed to protect public health, including the health of "sensitive" populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly, with an adequate margin of safety.

Question 11

Referencing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which of the following are standards that will protect the public welfare (crops, buildings, and animals) from any known or anticipated adverse effect associated with a pollutant?

Accepted Answer

Secondary standards are designed to protect the public welfare, including protection against damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings.

Question 12

A .50 tax on each soda not sold in non-refillable container to discourage use of disposable containers is an example of:

Accepted Answer

This is an example of green taxes, which are taxes levied to discourage behaviors that harm the environment, such as using non-refillable containers for soda.

Question 13

A state implementation plan established following the establishment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards must address the means by which the state is going to ensure that the pollutants in the air within its boundaries will meet the primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards within ________ of their establishment.

Accepted Answer

State implementation plans must address how they will ensure pollutants meet the primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards within three years of their establishment. This timeframe allows states to develop and implement strategies to reduce air pollution and comply with federal standards.

Question 14

Which of the following, if any, references regulations passed primarily on health considerations with the assumption that once standards have been established, industries will be forced to develop the technology to meet the standards?

Accepted Answer

Technology forcing regulations are designed with the expectation that new technologies will need to be developed to meet the set standards, often driven by health or environmental considerations. This approach assumes that by setting the regulatory bar high, it will stimulate innovation and the development of new technologies to comply with these standards.

Question 15

Regulations that aim to achieve the greatest possible improvements while taking into account the existing levels of technology are known as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Regulations that aim to achieve the greatest...

Question 16

States that did not meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards are known by which of the following terms?

Accepted Answer

Nonattainment areas are regions designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as not meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for certain pollutants.

Question 17

When a nuisance occurs, a party can seek ________ which prohibits the continuation of the nuisance.

Accepted Answer

An injunction is a legal remedy that can be sought to prohibit the continuation of a nuisance, effectively ordering the party responsible to stop the offending activity.

Question 18

Once the administrator of the EPA establishes National Ambient Air Quality Standards, who must draft an implementation plan?

Accepted Answer

Each state must draft an implementation plan once the administrator of the EPA establishes National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This is part of the process to ensure that states comply with federal air quality standards.

Question 19

Which of the following was the result in the Case Opener, the case in which the company was found to have generated waste with excessive concentrations of PCBs?

Accepted Answer

The company was found liable under federal law for failing to clean up the hazardous area in a timely manner, as it is typically the responsibility of the company to manage and remediate hazardous waste they generate.

Question 20

Popular in Europe already, ________ impose taxes on environmentally harmful activities.

Accepted Answer

Green taxes are specifically designed to tax pollution or the use of natural resources to encourage environmental sustainability.

Quiz 46: Environmental Law