Air and Water Pollution - Quiz 6

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

ongoing hazardous waste generation

• subtitle c

• focuses on the right now

FCRT

• flammable, corrosive, reactive, toxic

ongoing non-hazardous waste generation

• subtitle d

• household waste

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)

orphaned sites

superfund

• currently funded by tax dollars

sites characterized via HRS

listed on NPL if > 28.5

Hazard Ranking System (HRS)

EPA measurement for sites to see if NPL eligible

takes into consideration:

• toxicant

• concentration

• area

• exposure

  • people

    • children? how many?

    • pathways to people

*Toxicity x Exposure

Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)

cercla amendment

release of hazardous materials must be reported

must self monitor

Superfund Cleanup Goals

evaluate all exposure media

• soil, water and air

cleanup level based on risk

• numbers based on MCL’s

  • maximum contaminant levels

• cancer/non cancer endpoints

  • inherent risk is .25

*no pathway = no exposure = no risk

reduce to 1 in a million

risk of cancer after 70 years of Superfund exposure post cleanup

• .2500001

South Chattanooga Lead Site (SCLS)

current level

• 360ppm

different areas have different exposure values

• residential v recreational

Clean Air Act (CAA)

established 1970

regulates air pollutants that “endanger public health and welfare”

established NAAQS for CAPs (sponcl)

• national ambient air quality standards

title I

• air pollution prevention and control

title III

• hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)

HAPs

• permit controlled

• no mcls

*states can make stronger regulations

Clean Air Act Cont’d

established state implementation plan (SIP)

• states description to EPA on how they will meet CAA

allows EPA to “write tickets”

• fines

title IV

• acid rain program (ARP)

  • power plant emissions of nox and sox

  • established market based incentives and permanent cap on SO2

*rain is naturally acidic

• surface water acidity depends on buffering capacity

CO2 a Pollutant?

2007

• Massachusetts sues EPA

SCOTUS

• if EPA concludes CO2 and other GHGs cause harm to public health and welfare, then EPA has to regulate

• CAA gives EPA authority to regulate tailpipe emissions