Environmental Compliance Inspector Environmental Compliance Inspector Environmental Hazards & Risk Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under CERCLA, which federal agency maintains the National Priorities List (NPL) for contaminated sites requiring long-term remediation?
- U.S. EPA (Correct answer)
- OSHA
- Department of the Interior
- Army Corps of Engineers
Correct answer: U.S. EPA
The U.S. EPA administers CERCLA (Superfund) and maintains the National Priorities List of the most contaminated sites in the nation.
Question 2: During a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, what is the primary purpose of collecting subsurface soil and groundwater samples?
- To confirm or deny the presence of contaminants identified as potential concerns in Phase I (Correct answer)
- To satisfy local zoning requirements
- To determine the property's market value
- To create a topographic survey of the site
Correct answer: To confirm or deny the presence of contaminants identified as potential concerns in Phase I
Phase II ESAs involve intrusive sampling to confirm whether recognized environmental conditions from the Phase I assessment actually involve contamination.
Question 3: Which exposure pathway would an environmental compliance inspector prioritize when assessing risk at a site with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in shallow groundwater beneath an occupied building?
- Vapor intrusion into indoor air (Correct answer)
- Direct contact with surface water
- Ingestion of contaminated sediment
- Dermal contact with outdoor soil
Correct answer: Vapor intrusion into indoor air
VOCs in shallow groundwater can migrate upward through the subsurface and enter buildings through cracks in foundations, making vapor intrusion the priority pathway.
Question 4: What does the term 'de minimis' risk level typically represent in an EPA human health risk assessment?
- A cancer risk of 1 in 1,000,000 or less (Correct answer)
- A cancer risk of 1 in 100
- A hazard quotient greater than 10
- Any detectable concentration of a contaminant
Correct answer: A cancer risk of 1 in 1,000,000 or less
EPA generally considers a cancer risk at or below 10⁻⁶ (one in a million) to be de minimis, meaning the risk is too small to warrant regulatory action.
Question 5: When conducting a risk assessment at a brownfield site, which receptor population typically drives the most conservative cleanup standards?
- Future residential child occupants (Correct answer)
- Current adult industrial workers
- Transient construction workers
- Adjacent commercial property tenants
Correct answer: Future residential child occupants
Future residential child receptors drive the most conservative standards because children have higher exposure rates relative to body weight and longer future exposure duration.
Question 6: An inspector discovers improperly stored drums of hazardous waste at a facility that lacks a RCRA permit. Under which regulatory framework would enforcement action most likely be initiated?
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C (Correct answer)
- Clean Water Act Section 402
- Safe Drinking Water Act
- Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Correct answer: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C
RCRA Subtitle C regulates the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste, including permitting requirements for storage facilities.
