REP cheat sheet

Clean Air Act Title V operating permits apply to major sources; major-source thresholds are 100 tpy of any criteria pollutant, or 10/25 tpy for listed HAPs, depending on source category.

Clean Water Act NPDES permits regulate point-source discharges; stormwater associated with industrial activity requires coverage, and effluent limits are technology-based (BAT/BCT) plus water-quality-based where needed.

RCRA characteristic wastes (ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic) are regulated even if not listed; the toxicity characteristic uses the TCLP leachate test at 40 CFR 261.24.

CERCLA reportable quantities trigger a 24-hour notification to the National Response Center; failure to notify is a separate violation from the release itself.

EPCRA Section 312 Tier II reports are due March 1 annually for facilities storing threshold quantities of hazardous chemicals; Section 313 TRI Form R is due July 1.

The used oil and universal waste (batteries, lamps, mercury devices, pesticides) rules are streamlined subsets of RCRA; universal waste handlers have reduced requirements but still must meet accumulation time limits.

SPCC plans under the Clean Water Act are required for facilities with aboveground oil storage capacity over 1,320 gallons or buried capacity over 42,000 gallons, if a discharge could reach navigable waters.

Inspection protocol: document the warrant or consent basis, request credentials, record the scope in the opening conference, and log every sample split and document request in real time.

Mass balance: accumulation = inputs − outputs + generation − consumption; a control device's destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) = (mass in − mass out) / mass in × 100.

Dilution is not treatment: a concentration limit expressed as mass per volume can be met by dilution, but loading limits (mass per time) cannot; always check the permit basis.

BOD5 measures biodegradable organic demand over 5 days at 20 °C; COD measures nearly all chemically oxidizable matter, so COD is greater than or equal to BOD, and the BOD/COD ratio indicates biodegradability.

Gaussian plume model: ground-level centerline concentration C = (Q / (π·u·σy·σz)) · exp(−H²/(2σz²)), where H is effective stack height and u is wind speed at release height.

Henry's law (C_air = H·C_water) governs volatilization from water; higher H favors air partitioning, so air stripping is effective for volatile compounds like TCE but not for low-H compounds.

Remediation technologies map to contaminant properties: pump-and-treat for dissolved plumes, air sparging or SVE for volatile organics in the vadose zone, and in-situ chemical oxidation for reactive organics.

Air pollution control selection: cyclones for coarse particulates, fabric filters and ESPs for fine particulates, wet scrubbers for acid gases, and thermal or catalytic oxidation for VOCs.

OSHA PELs are 8-hour time-weighted averages: TWA = Σ(Ci·Ti) / 8; compare the result to the PEL, and apply excursion limits when a short-term exposure limit exists.

Inhalation exposure assessment requires representative personal breathing-zone samples; area samples do not establish compliance with personal exposure limits.

Hazard communication requires a Safety Data Sheet in the 16-section GHS format, container labels with pictograms and signal words, and employee training before exposure.

Permit-required confined space entry needs pre-entry testing (oxygen, flammables, then toxics), an attendant outside, continuous or periodic monitoring, and a rescue plan before entry.

Noise: the OSHA action level is 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA; hearing conservation (audiograms, protection, training) is triggered, and a 5 dBA increase halves allowable exposure duration.

PPE selection follows a hierarchy: engineering controls first, then administrative controls, then PPE as the last line of defense; respirators additionally require fit testing and medical evaluation.

Incident investigation should establish the causal chain and root causes, not just proximate acts; corrective actions must be tracked to closure and verified for effectiveness.

The paramount obligation is protection of public health, safety, and welfare; when it conflicts with client or employer interests, public protection prevails.

Sign and seal only work you personally prepared or directly supervised; sealing drawings prepared by others without review is a violation.

Confidentiality applies to client information, but it does not shield information that a regulator or court lawfully requires; disclose only what is required.

Conflicts of interest must be disclosed in writing and managed or declined; undisclosed financial interest in a vendor or contractor is a conflict.

If a client or employer insists on an action that would violate environmental law or endanger the public, the professional should refuse, document the objection, and escalate through internal channels before considering external reporting.

Continuing education and competency maintenance are ethical obligations, not optional; practicing outside your competence without disclosure is a violation.

Professional reports must distinguish measured data from modeled or estimated values, and must not omit material findings that would change a reader's conclusion.

Clean Air Act Title V operating permits apply to major sources; major-source thresholds are 100 tpy of any criteria pollutant, or 10/25 tpy for listed HAPs, depending on source category.

Clean Water Act NPDES permits regulate point-source discharges; stormwater associated with industrial activity requires coverage, and effluent limits are technology-based (BAT/BCT) plus water-quality-based where needed.

RCRA characteristic wastes (ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic) are regulated even if not listed; the toxicity characteristic uses the TCLP leachate test at 40 CFR 261.24.

CERCLA reportable quantities trigger a 24-hour notification to the National Response Center; failure to notify is a separate violation from the release itself.

EPCRA Section 312 Tier II reports are due March 1 annually for facilities storing threshold quantities of hazardous chemicals; Section 313 TRI Form R is due July 1.

The used oil and universal waste (batteries, lamps, mercury devices, pesticides) rules are streamlined subsets of RCRA; universal waste handlers have reduced requirements but still must meet accumulation time limits.

SPCC plans under the Clean Water Act are required for facilities with aboveground oil storage capacity over 1,320 gallons or buried capacity over 42,000 gallons, if a discharge could reach navigable waters.

Inspection protocol: document the warrant or consent basis, request credentials, record the scope in the opening conference, and log every sample split and document request in real time.

Mass balance: accumulation = inputs − outputs + generation − consumption; a control device's destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) = (mass in − mass out) / mass in × 100.

Dilution is not treatment: a concentration limit expressed as mass per volume can be met by dilution, but loading limits (mass per time) cannot; always check the permit basis.

BOD5 measures biodegradable organic demand over 5 days at 20 °C; COD measures nearly all chemically oxidizable matter, so COD is greater than or equal to BOD, and the BOD/COD ratio indicates biodegradability.

Gaussian plume model: ground-level centerline concentration C = (Q / (π·u·σy·σz)) · exp(−H²/(2σz²)), where H is effective stack height and u is wind speed at release height.

Henry's law (C_air = H·C_water) governs volatilization from water; higher H favors air partitioning, so air stripping is effective for volatile compounds like TCE but not for low-H compounds.

Remediation technologies map to contaminant properties: pump-and-treat for dissolved plumes, air sparging or SVE for volatile organics in the vadose zone, and in-situ chemical oxidation for reactive organics.

Air pollution control selection: cyclones for coarse particulates, fabric filters and ESPs for fine particulates, wet scrubbers for acid gases, and thermal or catalytic oxidation for VOCs.

OSHA PELs are 8-hour time-weighted averages: TWA = Σ(Ci·Ti) / 8; compare the result to the PEL, and apply excursion limits when a short-term exposure limit exists.

Inhalation exposure assessment requires representative personal breathing-zone samples; area samples do not establish compliance with personal exposure limits.

Hazard communication requires a Safety Data Sheet in the 16-section GHS format, container labels with pictograms and signal words, and employee training before exposure.

Permit-required confined space entry needs pre-entry testing (oxygen, flammables, then toxics), an attendant outside, continuous or periodic monitoring, and a rescue plan before entry.

Noise: the OSHA action level is 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA; hearing conservation (audiograms, protection, training) is triggered, and a 5 dBA increase halves allowable exposure duration.

PPE selection follows a hierarchy: engineering controls first, then administrative controls, then PPE as the last line of defense; respirators additionally require fit testing and medical evaluation.

Incident investigation should establish the causal chain and root causes, not just proximate acts; corrective actions must be tracked to closure and verified for effectiveness.

The paramount obligation is protection of public health, safety, and welfare; when it conflicts with client or employer interests, public protection prevails.

Sign and seal only work you personally prepared or directly supervised; sealing drawings prepared by others without review is a violation.

Confidentiality applies to client information, but it does not shield information that a regulator or court lawfully requires; disclose only what is required.

Conflicts of interest must be disclosed in writing and managed or declined; undisclosed financial interest in a vendor or contractor is a conflict.

If a client or employer insists on an action that would violate environmental law or endanger the public, the professional should refuse, document the objection, and escalate through internal channels before considering external reporting.

Continuing education and competency maintenance are ethical obligations, not optional; practicing outside your competence without disclosure is a violation.

Professional reports must distinguish measured data from modeled or estimated values, and must not omit material findings that would change a reader's conclusion.

Clean Air Act Title V operating permits apply to major sources; major-source thresholds are 100 tpy of any criteria pollutant, or 10/25 tpy for listed HAPs, depending on source category.

Clean Water Act NPDES permits regulate point-source discharges; stormwater associated with industrial activity requires coverage, and effluent limits are technology-based (BAT/BCT) plus water-quality-based where needed.

RCRA characteristic wastes (ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic) are regulated even if not listed; the toxicity characteristic uses the TCLP leachate test at 40 CFR 261.24.

CERCLA reportable quantities trigger a 24-hour notification to the National Response Center; failure to notify is a separate violation from the release itself.

EPCRA Section 312 Tier II reports are due March 1 annually for facilities storing threshold quantities of hazardous chemicals; Section 313 TRI Form R is due July 1.

The used oil and universal waste (batteries, lamps, mercury devices, pesticides) rules are streamlined subsets of RCRA; universal waste handlers have reduced requirements but still must meet accumulation time limits.

SPCC plans under the Clean Water Act are required for facilities with aboveground oil storage capacity over 1,320 gallons or buried capacity over 42,000 gallons, if a discharge could reach navigable waters.

Inspection protocol: document the warrant or consent basis, request credentials, record the scope in the opening conference, and log every sample split and document request in real time.

Mass balance: accumulation = inputs − outputs + generation − consumption; a control device's destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) = (mass in − mass out) / mass in × 100.

Dilution is not treatment: a concentration limit expressed as mass per volume can be met by dilution, but loading limits (mass per time) cannot; always check the permit basis.

BOD5 measures biodegradable organic demand over 5 days at 20 °C; COD measures nearly all chemically oxidizable matter, so COD is greater than or equal to BOD, and the BOD/COD ratio indicates biodegradability.

Gaussian plume model: ground-level centerline concentration C = (Q / (π·u·σy·σz)) · exp(−H²/(2σz²)), where H is effective stack height and u is wind speed at release height.

Henry's law (C_air = H·C_water) governs volatilization from water; higher H favors air partitioning, so air stripping is effective for volatile compounds like TCE but not for low-H compounds.

Remediation technologies map to contaminant properties: pump-and-treat for dissolved plumes, air sparging or SVE for volatile organics in the vadose zone, and in-situ chemical oxidation for reactive organics.

Air pollution control selection: cyclones for coarse particulates, fabric filters and ESPs for fine particulates, wet scrubbers for acid gases, and thermal or catalytic oxidation for VOCs.

OSHA PELs are 8-hour time-weighted averages: TWA = Σ(Ci·Ti) / 8; compare the result to the PEL, and apply excursion limits when a short-term exposure limit exists.

Inhalation exposure assessment requires representative personal breathing-zone samples; area samples do not establish compliance with personal exposure limits.

Hazard communication requires a Safety Data Sheet in the 16-section GHS format, container labels with pictograms and signal words, and employee training before exposure.

Permit-required confined space entry needs pre-entry testing (oxygen, flammables, then toxics), an attendant outside, continuous or periodic monitoring, and a rescue plan before entry.

Noise: the OSHA action level is 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA; hearing conservation (audiograms, protection, training) is triggered, and a 5 dBA increase halves allowable exposure duration.

PPE selection follows a hierarchy: engineering controls first, then administrative controls, then PPE as the last line of defense; respirators additionally require fit testing and medical evaluation.

Incident investigation should establish the causal chain and root causes, not just proximate acts; corrective actions must be tracked to closure and verified for effectiveness.

The paramount obligation is protection of public health, safety, and welfare; when it conflicts with client or employer interests, public protection prevails.

Sign and seal only work you personally prepared or directly supervised; sealing drawings prepared by others without review is a violation.

Confidentiality applies to client information, but it does not shield information that a regulator or court lawfully requires; disclose only what is required.

Conflicts of interest must be disclosed in writing and managed or declined; undisclosed financial interest in a vendor or contractor is a conflict.

If a client or employer insists on an action that would violate environmental law or endanger the public, the professional should refuse, document the objection, and escalate through internal channels before considering external reporting.

Continuing education and competency maintenance are ethical obligations, not optional; practicing outside your competence without disclosure is a violation.

Professional reports must distinguish measured data from modeled or estimated values, and must not omit material findings that would change a reader's conclusion.

Clean Air Act Title V operating permits apply to major sources; major-source thresholds are 100 tpy of any criteria pollutant, or 10/25 tpy for listed HAPs, depending on source category.

Clean Water Act NPDES permits regulate point-source discharges; stormwater associated with industrial activity requires coverage, and effluent limits are technology-based (BAT/BCT) plus water-quality-based where needed.

RCRA characteristic wastes (ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic) are regulated even if not listed; the toxicity characteristic uses the TCLP leachate test at 40 CFR 261.24.

CERCLA reportable quantities trigger a 24-hour notification to the National Response Center; failure to notify is a separate violation from the release itself.

EPCRA Section 312 Tier II reports are due March 1 annually for facilities storing threshold quantities of hazardous chemicals; Section 313 TRI Form R is due July 1.

The used oil and universal waste (batteries, lamps, mercury devices, pesticides) rules are streamlined subsets of RCRA; universal waste handlers have reduced requirements but still must meet accumulation time limits.

SPCC plans under the Clean Water Act are required for facilities with aboveground oil storage capacity over 1,320 gallons or buried capacity over 42,000 gallons, if a discharge could reach navigable waters.

Inspection protocol: document the warrant or consent basis, request credentials, record the scope in the opening conference, and log every sample split and document request in real time.

Mass balance: accumulation = inputs − outputs + generation − consumption; a control device's destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) = (mass in − mass out) / mass in × 100.

Dilution is not treatment: a concentration limit expressed as mass per volume can be met by dilution, but loading limits (mass per time) cannot; always check the permit basis.

BOD5 measures biodegradable organic demand over 5 days at 20 °C; COD measures nearly all chemically oxidizable matter, so COD is greater than or equal to BOD, and the BOD/COD ratio indicates biodegradability.

Gaussian plume model: ground-level centerline concentration C = (Q / (π·u·σy·σz)) · exp(−H²/(2σz²)), where H is effective stack height and u is wind speed at release height.

Henry's law (C_air = H·C_water) governs volatilization from water; higher H favors air partitioning, so air stripping is effective for volatile compounds like TCE but not for low-H compounds.

Remediation technologies map to contaminant properties: pump-and-treat for dissolved plumes, air sparging or SVE for volatile organics in the vadose zone, and in-situ chemical oxidation for reactive organics.

Air pollution control selection: cyclones for coarse particulates, fabric filters and ESPs for fine particulates, wet scrubbers for acid gases, and thermal or catalytic oxidation for VOCs.

OSHA PELs are 8-hour time-weighted averages: TWA = Σ(Ci·Ti) / 8; compare the result to the PEL, and apply excursion limits when a short-term exposure limit exists.

Inhalation exposure assessment requires representative personal breathing-zone samples; area samples do not establish compliance with personal exposure limits.

Hazard communication requires a Safety Data Sheet in the 16-section GHS format, container labels with pictograms and signal words, and employee training before exposure.

Permit-required confined space entry needs pre-entry testing (oxygen, flammables, then toxics), an attendant outside, continuous or periodic monitoring, and a rescue plan before entry.

Noise: the OSHA action level is 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA; hearing conservation (audiograms, protection, training) is triggered, and a 5 dBA increase halves allowable exposure duration.

PPE selection follows a hierarchy: engineering controls first, then administrative controls, then PPE as the last line of defense; respirators additionally require fit testing and medical evaluation.

Incident investigation should establish the causal chain and root causes, not just proximate acts; corrective actions must be tracked to closure and verified for effectiveness.

The paramount obligation is protection of public health, safety, and welfare; when it conflicts with client or employer interests, public protection prevails.

Sign and seal only work you personally prepared or directly supervised; sealing drawings prepared by others without review is a violation.

Confidentiality applies to client information, but it does not shield information that a regulator or court lawfully requires; disclose only what is required.

Conflicts of interest must be disclosed in writing and managed or declined; undisclosed financial interest in a vendor or contractor is a conflict.

If a client or employer insists on an action that would violate environmental law or endanger the public, the professional should refuse, document the objection, and escalate through internal channels before considering external reporting.

Continuing education and competency maintenance are ethical obligations, not optional; practicing outside your competence without disclosure is a violation.

Professional reports must distinguish measured data from modeled or estimated values, and must not omit material findings that would change a reader's conclusion.