Question 1

Acid rain can be defined as

Accepted Answer

Acid rain is rain that has a pH level less than 5, indicating that it is more acidic than natural rain, which has a pH of around 5.6.

Question 2

Industrial developers would prefer to be located in an area designated Class I, because the air can degrade to slightly below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Accepted Answer

Class I areas are those with the strictest air quality standards, primarily national parks and wilderness areas, where air quality is protected and cannot degrade below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Industrial developers would likely prefer areas with less stringent regulations.

Question 3

The most impressive result of the Clean Air Act so far has been

Accepted Answer

The most impressive result of the Clean Air Act has been the reduction of lead emissions, which have decreased significantly since the Act's implementation, largely due to the phase-out of leaded gasoline and tighter emission controls on industrial sources.

Question 4

The courts initially supported the attempt by the EPA to weaken New Source Review under the Clean Air Act, but in 2006 reversed their earlier holding to prevent a significant weakening of the act.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. Initially, the courts supported the EPA's attempt to weaken New Source Review, but in 2006 they reversed their decision to prevent a significant weakening of the Clean Air Act.

Question 5

Under the 1977 Clean Air Act amendments, air quality regions classified as Class II:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under the 1977 Clean Air Act amendments,...

Question 6

Sick building syndrome"

Accepted Answer

Sick building syndrome is often a result of poor ventilation, leading to poor air quality, which can result in respiratory problems and other health issues. In more severe cases, it can impair the nervous system and even lead to cancer.

Question 7

By 1997, all of the NAAQSs had been met nationwide.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. While progress had been made towards achieving the NAAQSs, not all of them had been uniformly met nationwide by 1997.

Question 8

Which of the following is not a conventional air pollutant?

Accepted Answer

Ozone and sulfur dioxide are both considered conventional air pollutants. Ozone is a major component of smog, and sulfur dioxide is a significant pollutant from burning fossil fuels.

Question 9

In 2008, a court held that the Clean Air Mercury Rule violated the Clean Air Act.

Accepted Answer

In 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held that the Clean Air Mercury Rule violated the Clean Air Act due to the EPA's failure to adequately consider the ruling's impact on public health.

Question 10

Acid rain

Accepted Answer

Acid rain is indeed a complex issue to address due to disagreements over its severity, the most effective solutions, and the specific pH level that defines it as acid rain. While human activities significantly contribute to the production of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that lead to acid rain, natural sources also exist. Acid rain can affect both industrialized and non-industrialized areas, as air masses can transport pollutants over long distances.

Question 11

One of the reasons for the ineffectiveness of early air pollution control legislation was that these laws imposed such strict standards on the states that the states rebelled and did not even attempt to meet these standards.

Accepted Answer

Early air pollution control legislation was often criticized for being too weak, with standards that were not strict enough to significantly reduce pollution levels. States did not rebel due to strictness but rather struggled with enforcement and implementation due to lack of resources, technology, and clear guidance.

Question 12

State implementation plans:

Accepted Answer

State implementation plans are developed by the state, but they must receive approval from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to receive funding and avoid enforcement action. The EPA administrator may modify the plan, but ultimately the responsibility for implementation lies with the state EPA.

Question 13

If the ambient air quality in a region is cleaner than mandated by the NAAQSs, the air quality will be allowed to degrade down to the level of the NAAQSs.

Accepted Answer

The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs) serve as minimum requirements for ambient air quality. If the air quality is cleaner than the NAAQSs, it is considered to be in attainment. The goal is to maintain and improve air quality, not allow it to degrade. Therefore, it is false that the air quality will be allowed to degrade down to the level of the NAAQSs.

Question 14

Which was not an early act regulating air quality?

Accepted Answer

All the options listed were early acts or initiatives aimed at regulating air quality, but the Motor Vehicle Control Act of 1960 is not a real piece of legislation related to air quality, making the statement that none of the options were not early acts regulating air quality incorrect.

Question 15

Which of the following is not currently regulated as a hazardous air pollutant?

Accepted Answer

Vinyl chloride and radionuclides are both regulated as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

Question 16

Primary Ambient Air Quality Standards protect human health and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards protect the environment; the former are more stringent than the latter.

Accepted Answer

Primary Ambient Air Quality Standards are indeed designed to protect human health, including the health of "sensitive" populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards are set to protect the environment, including damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings. However, the statement that primary standards are more stringent than secondary standards is not universally true; the stringency of the standards depends on the specific pollutant and the scientific understanding of its health and environmental impacts. Both sets of standards are based on scientific studies, but they focus on different outcomes (human health vs. environmental health), and one is not inherently more stringent than the other.

Question 17

Originally, the Acid Rain program focused on NO_x levels, and not SO₂ levels.

Accepted Answer

The Acid Rain Program originally focused on reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) levels, not the nonsensical "NO_x" and "SO₂" levels.

Question 18

The United States is home for only four percent of the population of the Earth, yet it is responsible for 20 percent of all greenhouse gases

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The United States is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, despite having a relatively small percentage of the world's population.

Question 19

Reformulated gasoline

Accepted Answer

Reformulated gasoline is not free from pollution, but it contains a reduced amount of certain pollutants that contribute to smog formation. It is used in areas with high levels of smog to lower emissions and improve air quality. MTBE is one of several oxygenates that can be used in reformulated gasoline, but it is not the only one.

Question 20

People have been monitoring the success of the Acid Rain Control Program carefully because it is the first major environmental program that is market-oriented.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The Acid Rain Control Program, implemented in 1990, was the first major environmental program to use market-based mechanisms such as emissions trading to reduce pollution. Its success has been closely monitored by policymakers and environmentalists alike.

Quiz 5: Air-Quality Control