Question 1

Until a state assumes partial or complete responsibility for a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) program, the federal government administers the program.

Accepted Answer

This is correct according to the provisions of the RCRA. States can assume the responsibility of the program only after their state program has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Until then, the federal government remains responsible for the administration of the RCRA program in a given state.

Question 2

A developer seeking a local zoning change so she can build a major commercial or residential development may find that she is asked to finance a study of the potential environmental impact of her proposed project, as required under the _____.

Accepted Answer

A developer seeking a local zoning change so she can build a major commercial or residential development may find that she is asked to finance a study of the potential environmental impact of her proposed project as required under the National Environmental Policy Act. While the federal and state laws requiring the preparation of environmental impact statements appear directed at government actions, it is important to note that the government actions covered often include the granting of permits to private parties. Thus, businesspeople may readily find themselves involved in the preparation of an environmental impact statement.

Question 3

The Clean Air Act requires that new stationary sources, such as factories and power plants, install the best available technology for reducing air pollution.

Accepted Answer

This is true. The Clean Air Act, passed in 1970 and amended in 1990, requires new stationary sources to install the best available control technology (BACT) for reducing air pollution. This helps to ensure that new facilities operate at the highest level of environmental performance possible.

Question 4

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) empowers the federal government, not the states, with the authority to regulate facilities that generate, treat, store, and dispose of hazardous waste.

Accepted Answer

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) does empower the federal government to regulate hazardous waste, but it also allows states to implement their own hazardous waste programs that can be more stringent than federal regulations, provided they are authorized by the EPA.

Question 5

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to require that a hazardous waste site be cleaned up by those persons who were responsible for it, either as the owner or operator of the site, a transporter of wastes to the site, or the owner of wastes deposited at the site.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The EPA has the authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) to require responsible parties to clean up hazardous waste sites.

Question 6

According to the Clean Water Act, anyone who discharges wastewater other than just domestic sewage to a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) must obtain an industrial discharge permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Accepted Answer

The Clean Water Act requires that discharges to a POTW must comply with local pretreatment standards, and it is typically the local authority or the POTW itself, not the EPA, that issues industrial discharge permits or approvals.

Question 7

Industrial discharge permits impose limitations known as pretreatment standards because they normally require the discharger to provide some on-site treatment of the wastewater before it enters the sewer system.

Accepted Answer

Pretreatment standards are limitations imposed on industrial discharge permits to require the discharger to provide some on-site treatment of the wastewater before it enters the sewer system.

Question 8

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA):

Accepted Answer

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that an environmental impact statement be prepared for every recommendation or report on legislation and for every major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the environment.

Question 9

Under the Clean Air Act, no manufacturer may sell vehicles subject to emission standards without prior certification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the vehicles meet the required standards.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Under the Clean Air Act, vehicle manufacturers must receive certification from the EPA before selling vehicles subject to emission standards, ensuring that the vehicles meet the required standards.

Question 10

The Kyoto Protocol was drafted with the intention of addressing climate change through collective international action.

Accepted Answer

The Kyoto Protocol was a global agreement aimed at combating climate change through collective international action.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is true of an environmental impact statement?

Accepted Answer

An environmental impact statement must be prepared for every recommendation or report on legislation and for every major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the environment. The environmental impact statement must (1) describe the environmental impact of the proposed action, (2) discuss impacts that cannot be avoided, (3) discuss the alternatives to the proposed action, (4) indicate differences between short- and long-term impacts, and (5) detail any irreversible commitments of resources.

Question 12

National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits establish limits on the concentration and amount of various pollutants that can be discharged and require the discharger to keep records, to install equipment to monitor the discharges, and report the monitoring results to the state environmental agency.

Accepted Answer

NPDES permits do establish limits on pollutants and require monitoring, reporting and record-keeping.

Question 13

The private sector is required to set national ambient air quality standards for the major pollutants that have an adverse impact on human health.

Accepted Answer

The responsibility of setting national ambient air quality standards lies with the government or public agencies, not the private sector.

Question 14

Under the Clean Air Act, the primary air quality standards are designed to protect the:

Accepted Answer

The Clean Air Act established a comprehensive approach for dealing with air pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set national ambient air quality standards. The ambient air quality standards are to be set at two levels: (1) primary standards, which are designed to protect the public's health from harm, and (2) secondary standards, which are designed to protect vegetation, materials, climate, visibility, and economic values.

Question 15

Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only requires states it classifies as major polluters to develop a state implementation plan for meeting the national ambient air quality standards.

Accepted Answer

The Clean Air Act requires all states, not just those classified as major polluters, to develop a State Implementation Plan (SIP) to demonstrate how they will meet national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).

Question 16

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 provides for fines of $5,000 for every barrel spilled, with the amount increasing to $10,000 per barrel if the government successfully demonstrates applicability of the strict liability doctrine.

Accepted Answer

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 does not specify fines in the amounts of $5,000 or $10,000 per barrel for oil spills. Instead, it outlines various liability measures and penalties, but the specific fines are determined by the EPA and can vary, often being much higher than these figures.

Question 17

Primary ambient air quality standards are designed to protect vegetation, materials, climate, visibility, and economic values.

Accepted Answer

Primary ambient air quality standards are designed to protect public health, particularly the health of sensitive populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly.

Question 18

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) is commonly known as Superfund.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. CERCLA is commonly referred to as Superfund, which is the federal program created under CERCLA to clean up hazardous waste sites and hold responsible parties accountable for the costs of the cleanup.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true of the Environmental Protection Agency?

Accepted Answer

In 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created to consolidate the federal government's environmental responsibilities. Over the decade of the 1970s, Congress passed comprehensive new legislation covering, among other things, air and water pollution, pesticides, ocean dumping, and waste disposal. Much of the initial effort to address such problems involved what is known as command and control regulation, an approach that is heavily prescriptive and relies on an intensive enforcement presence to ensure the regulations are followed.

Question 20

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet set ambient air quality standards for nitrogen oxide or sulfur oxide.

Accepted Answer

The EPA has set ambient air quality standards for nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide.

Quiz 47: Environmental Regulation