What is a general description of a plan that addresses pollutant runoff and environmental protection at airports?

• A. A plan to prevent pollutant runoff, including preventive controls and monitoring.
• B. A plan to schedule security drills.
• C. A plan to regulate noise limits only.
• D. A plan to expand retail concessions.

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is an environmental protection plan that specifically tackles pollutant runoff at airports. Airports handle fuels, deicing agents, solvents, and other materials that can wash into waterways, so a plan that aims to prevent runoff and protect the environment is all about how to keep those pollutants from entering the stormwater system and how to verify that those protections work.

The best description outlines a plan to prevent pollutant runoff and includes preventive controls and monitoring. Preventive controls cover practices like spill prevention and response, secondary containment for fuels and chemicals, proper fueling and handling procedures, good housekeeping, waste management, and erosion and sediment controls. Monitoring involves regular inspections, sampling of stormwater discharges where required, and follow-up actions to correct any compliance gaps. Together, these elements create a proactive, accountable approach to safeguarding water quality around airport operations.

The other choices don’t address environmental runoff: one focuses on security drills, another on noise regulation, and the last on expanding retail concessions—none of which describe plans aimed at preventing pollutants from entering the environment.