Chapter Twenty One

Question 0

defunct, derelict, or abandoned commercial or industrial sites; many have toxic wastes. 386-387

Answer 0

brownfields

Question 1

a mineral once used in insulation and other materials that can cause respiratory diseases. 375-377

Answer 1

asbestos

Question 2

a colorless, odorless gas that occurs as a by-product of fuel combustion that may result in death in poorly ventilated areas. 381

Answer 2

carbon monoxide (CO)

Question 3

nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals, containing atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, such as air conditioners and refrigerators. CFCs are safe in application but cause ozone depletion. 382

Answer 3

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Question 4

a federal law administered by the Environmental Protection Agency that establishes a process for identifying parties responsible for creating hazardous waste sites, forcing liable parties to clean up toxic sites,bringing legal action against responsible parties, and funding the abatement of toxic sites. 387-388

Answer 4

Comprehensive environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) / Superfund

Question 5

generated by the movement of electrical currents and may be related to a variety of health complaints. 384

Answer 5

electromagnetic fields (EMFs)

Question 6

a method of controlling environmental contamination by sealing off a dangerous substance. 376

Answer 6

encapsulation

Question 7

a statement that details the impact a federally funded project will have on the environment. 390

Answer 7

environmental impact statement (EIS)

Question 8

an evaluation of property to show that due care was exercised in the determination of environmental impairments. 390

Answer 8

environmental site assessment (ESA)

Question 9

an air pollutant that is a colorless chemical used to manufacture building materials and many household products, such as particleboard, hardwood plywood paneling, and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation. 391

Answer 9

formaldehyde

Question 10

water that exists under the earth’s surface within the tiny spaces or crevices in geological formations. 384

Answer 10

groundwater

Question 11

used as a pigment and drying agent in alkyd oil based paint in about 75 percent of housing built before 1978.

Answer 11

lead

Question 12

a form of fungus that can be found almost anywhere and can grow on almost any organic substance, so long as moisture, oxygen, and an organic food source are present. 382-383

Answer 12

mold

Question 13

used as an insulating material in dielectric oil. It can linger in the environment for long periods of time and can cause health problems. 382

Answer 13

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Question 14

a naturally occurring gas that is suspected of causing lung cancer. 391

Answer 14

radon

Question 15

an Act signed into law in 2002 which provides funds to assess and clean up brownfields, clarifies liability protections, and provides tax incentives toward enhancing state and tribal response programs. 387

Answer 15

Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (or Brownfields Law)

Question 16

an amendatory statute that contains stronger cleanup standards for contaminated sites, increased funding for Superfund, and clarifications of lender liability and innocent landowner immunity. 387

Answer 16

Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)

Question 17

commonly found on sites where petroleum products are used or where gas stations and auto repair shops are located. 385-386

Answer 17

underground storage tanks (USTs)

Question 18

insulating foam that can release harmful formaldehyde gases. 391

Answer 18

urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI)

Question 19

the natural level at which the ground is saturated. 384

Answer 19

water table