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 can happen if a company reports a spill to the wrong agency?
Delays, fines, and legal consequences
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
Who usually arrives first to investigate local environmental violations?
State environmental 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 is one penalty the EPA can impose for noncompliance?
Fines, shutdown orders, or criminal referral
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
Which agency investigates worker training logs after an exposure incident?
OSHA
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
In 2024, how many people were charged with environmental crimes by the EPA?
121
What is the EPA’s role when a company exceeds emissions limits?
Issue permits, levy fines, enforce compliance actions
If toxic waste contaminates farmland, which two agencies may be involved?
EPA and state environmental agency
A tanker truck transporting gasoline tips over on the highway. Which agency has primary jurisdiction for the spill response?
Department of Transportation
Who is responsible for providing PPE — the employer or employee?
The employer
A factory explosion injures workers and releases toxic gas. Which four agencies are involved?
EPA, OSHA, DOT, state environmental agency
If a company fails to label hazardous waste containers, which two agencies could fine them?
EPA and OSHA
Name two ways the EPA monitors air or water quality in communities.
Air sensors, water testing, inspections, permit reviews
What is the EPA’s ultimate goal when it enforces cleanup actions?
Protect public health and restore the environment
Why does the Department of Transportation also work with the EPA in hazmat cases?
Because spills affect both safety and the environment
Give one example of a confined space OSHA regulates for environmental hazards.
Tanks, silos, sewers, underground vaults
A railcar leaks hazardous chemicals while parked near a school. Which agencies respond?
DOT, EPA, OSHA, and state environmental agency
What’s one difference between civil and criminal environmental penalties?
Civil = fines; Criminal = possible jail time