Environmental Glossary

EPA's Environmental Terms at http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/

DEQ Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

A
 AAC  Acceptable Ambient Concentration
acfm  actual cubic feet per minute
ALUS Aquatic Life Use Support
AQ Air Quality
AQI Air Quality Index
AQIP Air Quality Improvement Plan
AST Above Ground Storage Tank

 

B
BACT Best Available Control Technology
BAT Best Available Technology
BLM U.S. Bureau of Land Management
BMP Best Management Practice
BNR Biological Nutrient Removal or Biological Nutrient Reduction
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand
BRC Below Regulatory Concern
Btu British thermal unit
BU Beneficial Use
BURP Beneficial Use Reconnaissance Program

C
CAA Clean Air Act (Federal)
CAFO Confined Animal Feeding Operation
CALM Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology
CAP Compliance Action Plan
CE Categorical Exclusion
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (Federal) - applies to waste cleanup and remediation at federal facilities
CERCLIS Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Information System - national database program application to collect CERCLA data elements
CES Cooperative Extension Service
CESQG Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator
CFC Chlorofluorocarbons
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
cfs cubic feet per second
cm centimeter
CMC Criterion Maximum Concentration
COE US Army Corps of Engineers
CPP Continuing Planning Process
CRP Conservation Reserve Program
CWA Clean Water Act (Federal)
CWE Cumulative Watershed Effects
CWS Community Water System

D
DEM Digital Elevation Model
DEQ Department of Environmental Quality
DO dissolved oxygen
DOC Dissolved Organic Carbon
DOD U.S. Department of Defense
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
DOI U.S. Department of the Interior
DOP dissolved ortho-phosphate
DOT U.S. Department of Transportation
dps disintegrations per second
dscf dry standard cubic foot
DSL Deep Stable Layer
DW Drinking Water
DWS Domestic Water Supply

E
EDMS Environmental Data Management System
EI Emissions Inventory
EID Environmental Information Document
EIIP Emission Inventory Improvement Program
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
EMAP Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ESA Endangered Species Act (Federal)

F
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FHWA Federal Highway Administration
FIFA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
FLIR Forward Looking Infrared Radiometry (a remote sensing technique for temperature)
FNSI Finding of No Significant Impact
FR Federal Register
FTA Federal Transit Authority
FWPCA Federal Water Pollution Control Act
FWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

G
GEP  Good Engineering Practice
GIS Geographical Information System
GNIS Geographic Names Information System
gpd gallons per day
gpm gallons per minute
GPS Global Positioning System
gr grain (1 pound – 7,000 grains)
 

H
H2S Hydrogen Sulfide
HAP Hazardous Air Pollutant
hp horsepower
HUA Hydrologic Unit Area
HUC Hydrologic Unit Code
HW Hazardous Waste
HWFSA Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Act
HWMA Hazardous Waste Management Act (Federal)

I
IPP Inventory Preparation Plan
ISO International Organization for Standardization
IUP Intended Use Plan

L
LA Load Allocation
LAER Lowest Achievable Emission Rate
LC Load Capacity
LQG Large Quantity Generator
 

M
MBI Macroinvertebrate Biotic Index
MCL Maximum Contaminant Level
MDAT Maximum Daily Average Temperatures
MDC Minimum Detectable Concentration
MDL Method Detection Limit
MDMT Daily Maximum Temperatures
mgd million gallons per day
MMBtu Million British thermal units
MOA Memorandum of Agreement
MOS Margin of Safety
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
mR milliroentgen
MSA  Minimum Site Assessment
MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet
MSW Municipal Solid Waste
MSWLF Municipal Solid Waste Landfill
MWMT Maximum Weekly Maximum Temperatures
 

N
N Nitrogen
NAA Nonattainment Area
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NAMS National Air Monitoring Site
NAWQA National Water Quality Assessment
NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCDC National Climactic Data Center
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NESHAP National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
Ng/L Nanograms per Liter
NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide
NOAEL No Observed Adverse Effect Level
NOEC No Observed Effect Concentration
NORM Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material
NOV Notice of Violation (enforcement)
NOx Nitrogen Oxides
NPDES National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
NPS Nonpoint Source
NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service
NSPS New Source Performance Standards
NSR New Source Review
NTR National Toxics Rule
NTU Nephelometric Turbidity Units
NURP National Urban Runoff Program
NWS National Weather Service

O
O3 Ozone
OP Orthophosphate
ORW Outstanding Resource Water
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration

P
P2 Pollution Prevention
PA Preliminary Assessment
PBR Permit by Rule
PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyl
pCi picocuries
PCR Primary Contact Recreation
PCS Petroleum Contaminated Soils
P.E. Professional Engineer
PFC Proper Functioning Condition
PL Public Law
PM Particulate Matter
PM2.5 Particulate Matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less
PM10 Particulate Matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 micrometers or less
POC Particulate Organic Carbon
PON Particulate Organic Nitrogen
POP Particulate Organic Phosphorus
POTW Publicly Owned Treatment Works
PPA Performance Partnership Agreement
ppb parts per billion
ppm parts per million
psi pounds per square inch
psig pounds per square inch gage
PST Petroleum Storage Tank
PTE Potential to Emit
PWS Public Water System
 

Q

QA Quality Assurance
QAP Quality Assurance Plan
QC Quality Control
 

R

RACM Reasonably Available Control Measures
RACT Reasonably Available Control Technology
RBP Rapid Bioassessment Protocol
RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (Federal)
RHCA Riparian Habitat Conservation Area
RM River Mile
RMP Risk Management Plan
RP Responsible Party
RMO Riparian Management Objectives
RHCA Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas
 

S

SARA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (Federal)
scf standard cubic foot
SCR Secondary Contact Recreation
SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act (Federal)
SDWIS Safe Drinking Water Information System
SIC Standard Industrial Classification
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SOx Sulfur Oxides
SPM Special Purpose Monitor
SQG Small Quantity Generator
SRF State Revolving Fund (grant and loan program for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure improvements)
SSC Suspended Sediment Concentration
STORET Storage/Retrieval Data System
STP Sewage Treatment Plant
SW Storm Water or Solid Waste
SWMM Stormwater Management Model
SWP Surface Water Program
 

T

T&E Threatened and Endangered (Species)
TAP Toxic Air Pollutant
TBA Targeted Brownfield Assessment
TDG Total Dissolved Gas
TDS Total Dissolved Solids
TEOM Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (air quality monitor)
TIN Total Inorganic Nitrogen
TKN Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen
TLD Thermoluminescent Dosimeter
TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load
TN Total Nitrogen
TNCWS Transient Non-Community Water System
TP Total Phosphorus
TPY Tons Per Year
TS Total Solids
TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act
TSD Treatment, Storage or Disposal
TSDF Treatment, Storage, or Disposal Facility (of hazardous waste)
TSP Total Suspended Particulate
TSS Total Suspended Solids
TSSed Total Suspended Sediment
TWA Time Weighted Average
 

U

UAA Use Attainability Analysis
Ug/L Micrograms per liter
UIC Underground Injection Control Program
URF Unit Risk Factor
USBR U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDI U.S. Department of the Interior
USFS U.S. Forest Service
USFWS U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
USGS U.S. Geological Survey
UST Underground Storage Tank
UTM Universal Transverse Mercator
 

V

VE Visible Emissions
VFC Volumetric Flow Control
VMT Vehicle Miles Traveled
VOC Volatile Organic Chemical or Compound
 

W


WHIP Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
WHPP Wellhead Protection Program
WLA Wasteload Allocation
WQ Water Quality
WQI Water Quality Index
WQS Water Quality Standard
WRAS Watershed Restoration Action Strategies
WRP Wetlands Reserve Program
WW Wastewater
WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plant