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NYC Environmental Police Officer Exam Questions with
Correct Answers and explanations LATEST THIS YEAR -
JUST RELEASED
Summarized Exam Coverage – NYC Environmental Police Officer
The NYC Environmental Police Officer exam, administered by the NYC Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), focuses on Watershed Rules and Regulations (protection of public water supply), NYS
Penal Law (degrees of criminal trespass, theft of services, criminal mischief), Deposits and Discharges
into the Water Supply (prohibited acts), Deductive Reasoning (analyzing witness statements and
evidence), Reading Comprehension (applying codes to scenarios), Memory and Observation (recalling
details from descriptions), and Inductive Reasoning (drawing conclusions from specific facts).
Jurisdiction is limited to DEP property and watersheds, but EPOs possess peace officer authority under
NY Criminal Procedure Law.
1. You are patrolling the Croton Watershed and observe a vehicle parked within 100 feet of the
reservoirs high-water mark. The operator is fishing with a valid NYS license. What is the primary
violation under DEP Watershed Regulations?
A) Fishing without a watershed permit
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B) Unauthorized vehicle proximity to the water supply
C) Littering
D) Disorderly conduct
*Answer: B — DEP Watershed Regulations prohibit vehicle parking within 100 feet of the reservoir high-
water mark to prevent contamination from leaks or vandalism; fishing itself may be permitted with
proper license and DEP access permit.*
2. While on patrol in the Catskill watershed, you see a plume of white foam discharging from a pipe into
a tributary. The nearest industrial facility is 500 yards upstream. Under ECL Article 17, what offense has
likely occurred?
A) Legal agricultural runoff
B) Unauthorized discharge of pollutants into state waters
C) Natural algae bloom
D) Thermal pollution
Answer: B — ECL Article 17 prohibits any discharge of pollutants, including detergents or industrial
waste, into waters of the state without an SPDES permit; white foam often indicates surfactants.
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3. A landowner in the watershed district has removed the required DEP "Watershed Protection" signage
from his property boundary. What enforcement action is most applicable?
A) Littering violation
B) Violation of DEP Watershed Regulations for obstructing public notice
C) Criminal mischief because the sign is government property
D) No violation; signs are optional
Answer: B — DEP Watershed Regulations require landowners to maintain warning signs; removal
without authorization is a violation even if the sign was originally provided by DEP.
4. You stop a hiker on the West Branch of the Delaware River corridor. He has a small campfire built
directly on the ground with no fire ring. The area is not designated for camping. What regulation
applies?
A) No violation; campfires are allowed anywhere in the watershed
B) Open burning without containment or permit in a protected area
C) Theft of services
D) Trespass
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Answer: B — Watershed Regulations prohibit open burning without proper containment and permits;
fires on bare soil can damage vegetation and introduce ash into the water supply.
5. During a routine inspection of a wastewater treatment plant within NYC watershed boundaries, you
note that the chlorine contact tank is bypassed, and effluent is flowing directly into the stream. This
violation falls under which primary legal authority?
A) ECL Article 17 – Water Pollution Control
B) NYC Noise Code
C) Federal Aviation Act
D) NYS Agriculture and Markets Law
Answer: A — Bypassing treatment systems violates SPDES permit conditions and ECL Article 17;
untreated discharge poses a serious public health risk to downstream water users.
6. A watershed resident reports that a contractor is dumping concrete washout water into a dry
streambed. You arrive to find a pickup truck with a concrete mixing drum rinsing into a ditch. The ditch
leads to a tributary. What is the correct immediate action?
A) Issue a warning and leave
B) Order the cessation of the discharge and document the violation for potential criminal charges
NYC Environmental Police Officer Exam Questions with
Correct Answers and explanations LATEST THIS YEAR -
JUST RELEASED
Summarized Exam Coverage – NYC Environmental Police Officer
The NYC Environmental Police Officer exam, administered by the NYC Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), focuses on Watershed Rules and Regulations (protection of public water supply), NYS
Penal Law (degrees of criminal trespass, theft of services, criminal mischief), Deposits and Discharges
into the Water Supply (prohibited acts), Deductive Reasoning (analyzing witness statements and
evidence), Reading Comprehension (applying codes to scenarios), Memory and Observation (recalling
details from descriptions), and Inductive Reasoning (drawing conclusions from specific facts).
Jurisdiction is limited to DEP property and watersheds, but EPOs possess peace officer authority under
NY Criminal Procedure Law.
1. You are patrolling the Croton Watershed and observe a vehicle parked within 100 feet of the
reservoirs high-water mark. The operator is fishing with a valid NYS license. What is the primary
violation under DEP Watershed Regulations?
A) Fishing without a watershed permit
, Page 2 of 135
B) Unauthorized vehicle proximity to the water supply
C) Littering
D) Disorderly conduct
*Answer: B — DEP Watershed Regulations prohibit vehicle parking within 100 feet of the reservoir high-
water mark to prevent contamination from leaks or vandalism; fishing itself may be permitted with
proper license and DEP access permit.*
2. While on patrol in the Catskill watershed, you see a plume of white foam discharging from a pipe into
a tributary. The nearest industrial facility is 500 yards upstream. Under ECL Article 17, what offense has
likely occurred?
A) Legal agricultural runoff
B) Unauthorized discharge of pollutants into state waters
C) Natural algae bloom
D) Thermal pollution
Answer: B — ECL Article 17 prohibits any discharge of pollutants, including detergents or industrial
waste, into waters of the state without an SPDES permit; white foam often indicates surfactants.
, Page 3 of 135
3. A landowner in the watershed district has removed the required DEP "Watershed Protection" signage
from his property boundary. What enforcement action is most applicable?
A) Littering violation
B) Violation of DEP Watershed Regulations for obstructing public notice
C) Criminal mischief because the sign is government property
D) No violation; signs are optional
Answer: B — DEP Watershed Regulations require landowners to maintain warning signs; removal
without authorization is a violation even if the sign was originally provided by DEP.
4. You stop a hiker on the West Branch of the Delaware River corridor. He has a small campfire built
directly on the ground with no fire ring. The area is not designated for camping. What regulation
applies?
A) No violation; campfires are allowed anywhere in the watershed
B) Open burning without containment or permit in a protected area
C) Theft of services
D) Trespass
, Page 4 of 135
Answer: B — Watershed Regulations prohibit open burning without proper containment and permits;
fires on bare soil can damage vegetation and introduce ash into the water supply.
5. During a routine inspection of a wastewater treatment plant within NYC watershed boundaries, you
note that the chlorine contact tank is bypassed, and effluent is flowing directly into the stream. This
violation falls under which primary legal authority?
A) ECL Article 17 – Water Pollution Control
B) NYC Noise Code
C) Federal Aviation Act
D) NYS Agriculture and Markets Law
Answer: A — Bypassing treatment systems violates SPDES permit conditions and ECL Article 17;
untreated discharge poses a serious public health risk to downstream water users.
6. A watershed resident reports that a contractor is dumping concrete washout water into a dry
streambed. You arrive to find a pickup truck with a concrete mixing drum rinsing into a ditch. The ditch
leads to a tributary. What is the correct immediate action?
A) Issue a warning and leave
B) Order the cessation of the discharge and document the violation for potential criminal charges
