Air & Water
Which agency enforces the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act?
EPA
Which EPA program is also called Superfund?
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA
Which DOT division oversees commercial trucking?
FMCSA / Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Which agency enforces PPE requirements and the HazCom standard?
OSHA / Occupational Safety and Health Administration
A truck carrying pesticides crashes on the highway. Name 2 agencies involved.
Department of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
What 1970 disaster (a river catching fire) partly led to the creation of the EPA
Cuyahoga River fire
What is the first agency you’d likely call for an oil spill in Joplin, Missouri?
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Which DOT division regulates pipelines and hazardous materials?
PHMSA / Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Which OSHA program covers emergency response to hazardous waste incidents?
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, or HAZWOPER
A worker faints from fumes while cleaning up a chemical leak. Name 2 agencies involved.
OSHA & EPA/state agency
If a factory wants to release treated wastewater into a river, which law applies?
Clean Water Act
A company leaves unmarked barrels of mercury in a warehouse. Which EPA law is violated?
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA
What is one reason DOT cares about packaging and labeling chemicals?
Improper labels or leaks can cause spills and endanger first responders or the public
A worker is hospitalized after chemical exposure. Which agency investigates training and PPE violations?
OSHA / Occupational Safety and Health Administration
A construction project starts dredging a riverbed without permits. Which agency steps in?
United States Army Corps of Engineers / USACE, possibly EPA & state
What EPA law requires companies to manage hazardous waste “from cradle to grave”?
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA
If an abandoned factory site is leaking toxic waste into groundwater, which EPA program funds cleanup?
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA / Superfund
About how many hazardous material shipments occur daily in the U.S.?
Over 500,000 per day
On average, how often does a major chemical accident occur in the U.S.?
About every two days
Floodwaters carry hazardous waste barrels into a creek near a school. Name at least 3 agencies that respond.
EPA, OSHA, state agency; DOT if transport; USACE if floodplain
In 2024, the EPA recorded its first-ever climate crime. What was being smuggled?
Greenhouse gases
True or False: State agencies can enforce stricter rules than the federal baseline.
True!
What percentage of daily shipments fall under hazardous material regulations?
5–15%
In 2024, how many chemical-related incidents were reported to OSHA?
Over 3,200 incidents
A facility stores radioactive material improperly. Which specialized agency has jurisdiction?
Nuclear Regulatory Commission / NRC