Alaska Environmental
Practice Questions & Answers (2026)
Environmental questions on the Alaska exam cover both federal environmental laws and Alaska-specific disclosure requirements. Federal topics include lead-based paint (pre-1978 housing), asbestos, radon, underground storage tanks, and CERCLA liability. Alaska has additional state-level environmental disclosure requirements enforced by the Alaska Real Estate Commission — including Alaska-specific environmental conditions that affect property use and disclosure. Environmental questions trip up candidates who studied only federal law without reviewing the AK-specific overlay.
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Alaska Environmental — Practice Questions & Answers
69 questions on Environmental from the Alaska real estate question bank. First 10 are free — sign up to unlock all 69.
Q1. In Alaska, a real estate licensee who lists a property with known underground storage tanks (USTs) on the property should:
Explanation
Underground storage tanks are a known material fact that must be disclosed. Leaking USTs can contaminate soil and groundwater, creating significant environmental liability. Licensees must disclose known environmental hazards affecting property value or use.
Q2. The primary federal law governing the cleanup of contaminated properties and holding responsible parties liable for hazardous waste cleanup is:
Explanation
CERCLA (also known as Superfund) authorizes the federal government to clean up contaminated sites and hold potentially responsible parties (including past and current property owners) strictly liable for cleanup costs. In Alaska, this is particularly relevant due to the legacy of military and industrial contamination.
Q3. Radon gas is a concern in some Alaska properties because:
Explanation
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the decay of uranium in soil and rock. It can seep into buildings and accumulate to levels associated with increased lung cancer risk. Buyers should consider radon testing, particularly in areas with known elevated radon levels.
Q4. Lead-based paint disclosure requirements under federal law apply to:
Explanation
Under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act, sellers and landlords of housing built before 1978 must disclose known lead-based paint hazards and provide buyers/tenants with the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home.' Buyers must be given 10 days to conduct a lead inspection.
Q5. In Alaska, a seller's duty to disclose permafrost conditions on a residential property is based on which principle?
Explanation
In Alaska, permafrost conditions are considered material facts that affect property value, habitability, and safety. Known permafrost issues — including past thawing, foundation settlement, or drainage problems caused by permafrost — must be disclosed to buyers. Failure to disclose can result in rescission of the sale and damages.
Q6. Which federal statute requires the seller of a property with known contamination to disclose that contamination to buyers?
Explanation
No single federal statute mandates environmental disclosure to buyers. CERCLA creates liability for cleanup costs but is not a disclosure law. Disclosure duties arise from state common law (fraud, misrepresentation), state statutes (including Alaska's disclosure laws), and real estate license laws requiring disclosure of known material facts.
Q7. An underground storage tank (UST) on an Alaska property that has leaked petroleum products creates what type of concern for a buyer?
Explanation
A leaking underground storage tank creates soil and groundwater contamination that can trigger federal and state environmental cleanup obligations under CERCLA and Alaska's environmental laws. Cleanup costs can be enormous and a buyer who purchases contaminated property may assume strict liability. USTs are a major due diligence concern in Alaska.
Q8. Asbestos in a commercial building in Alaska poses the greatest risk when:
Explanation
Asbestos poses the greatest health risk when it is friable — meaning it is in a condition where it can be crumbled by hand pressure, releasing fibers into the air. Inhaled asbestos fibers cause mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. Intact, non-friable asbestos that is in good condition is generally left in place and managed rather than removed.
Q9. When a property in Alaska is located near an active landfill, the primary environmental concern for a real estate agent to disclose is:
Explanation
Active and former landfills can generate methane gas (a fire and explosion hazard) that may migrate into nearby structures and can contaminate groundwater through leachate. These are material facts that must be disclosed as they affect the health and safety of occupants and the market value of nearby properties.
Q10. Permafrost beneath an Alaska structure can cause which serious building problem?
Explanation
Permafrost thaw causes loss of ground stability, leading to differential settling, tilting, and structural failure. Buildings in permafrost areas must be specially engineered with pile foundations or other mitigation techniques.
Q11. An Alaska real estate agent is aware that a property's well water tested above the EPA action level for arsenic. The agent should:
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