Environment Flashcards
Channelization
Channelization straightens and increases the volume of water delivered to streams.
Superfund
Federal program. According to the EPA, “EPA’s Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of the nation’s most contaminated land and responding to environmental emergencies, oil spills, and natural disasters. To protect public health and the environment, the Superfund program focuses on making a visible and lasting difference in communities, ensuring that people can live and work in healthy, vibrant places.” The program holds the current property owner liable for site contamination and requires the polluter to help pay for site cleanup.
Blueway
Blueways are defined as a network of approved and branded multi-activity recreational trails and sites closely linked with the water and often linked with access to other activities and experiences.
Planning for flood protection occurs at…
National level
Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)
SFHA are defined as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The 1-percent annual chance flood is also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood.
Food Waste Diversion Program
Diverting organic materials from landfills reduces leachate and reduces anaerobic decomposition that releases methane gas into the atmosphere; with composting it becomes carbon dioxide instead, while providing nutrients for soil.
Wastewater Treatment
Sewage flows from a drain into a pipe which then joins a larger sewer pipe in a right of way. This larger pipe then joins a central pipe that leads to a sewage treatment plan. Initially, the sewage is screened to capture larger items, such as plastic containers. It is then sent through a primary, then secondary, then tertiary treatment process before the treated water is released.
- primary treatment is the first step and involves settling of large particles
- secondary treatment involves aerobic bacteria and the removal of biological activity
- tertiary treatment is the final step and involves the removal of nutrients and waste particles that might damage the ecosystem once the water is released
Warren County Protests
The environmental justice movement was launched into mainstream media attention when in 1982, predominantly Black residents of Warren County, North Carolina protested the state choosing to dispose of toxic PCB waste near the county’s water supply. The over 500 arrests encouraged national efforts against racist siting practices.
Air Quality Planning
States are required to develop a state implementation plan for air quality. Transportation is a major source of air pollution - for example carbon monoxide, which is required to be addressed as part of the state implementation plan.
These air quality plans must include the following: Provisions for ozone nonattainment areas, Provisions for carbon monoxide nonattainment areas, Provisions for particulate matter nonattainment, provisions for designated nonattainment for sulfur oxides, nitrogen dioxide, or lead.
Environmental Indicator
Environmental indicator is a scientific measurement that tracks environmental conditions over time.
Land Capability Analysis
Land capability analysis allows the planner to understand the suitability of land for development. Analyzes the geologic, hydrologic, soil, and other physical data.
Auger Test
Used to retrieve soil samples and then examined for the soil profiles.
Permeability Test
Conducted on soils to determine the rate at which the soil allows water to flow through it.
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Nonpoint Source Pollution is caused by water moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, depositing them into waters such as lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters.
Air Quality Index
The Air Quality Index measures the concentration level of six pollutants. An overall rating of 101 to 150 is harmful for people with respiratory problems but little risk for most of the population.
