Vermont Environmental
Practice Questions & Answers (2026)
Environmental questions on the Vermont exam cover both federal environmental laws and Vermont-specific disclosure requirements. Federal topics include lead-based paint (pre-1978 housing), asbestos, radon, underground storage tanks, and CERCLA liability. Vermont has additional state-level environmental disclosure requirements enforced by the Vermont Real Estate Commission — including Vermont-specific environmental conditions that affect property use and disclosure. Environmental questions trip up candidates who studied only federal law without reviewing the VT-specific overlay.
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Vermont Environmental — Practice Questions & Answers
126 questions on Environmental from the Vermont real estate question bank. First 10 are free — sign up to unlock all 126.
Q1. In Vermont, the presence of radon in residential properties is a concern because Vermont has some of the highest radon levels in the country. Radon enters homes primarily through:
Explanation
Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, enters homes primarily through cracks and openings in foundation walls and floors from underlying soil and rock. Vermont's granite bedrock contributes to elevated radon levels in many areas.
Q2. Vermont is known for having lead in older homes. Federal law requires disclosure of known lead-based paint hazards for homes built before:
Explanation
The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act requires disclosure of known lead-based paint hazards in housing built before 1978, when lead paint was banned for residential use.
Q3. Vermont's flood hazard area regulations are primarily implemented through:
Explanation
Vermont towns that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) must adopt and enforce flood hazard bylaws regulating development in designated flood hazard areas. These local bylaws implement federal floodplain management requirements.
Q4. An underground storage tank (UST) on a Vermont property that has leaked petroleum products creates:
Explanation
Leaking underground storage tanks can contaminate soil and groundwater, creating significant environmental liability. In Vermont, cleanup costs and regulatory requirements can substantially affect a property's value, title, and ability to be sold.
Q5. CERCLA (Superfund) holds which parties potentially liable for hazardous waste cleanup costs?
Explanation
CERCLA imposes joint and several liability on potentially responsible parties (PRPs), which can include current property owners, past owners at the time of disposal, waste generators, and transporters. An innocent purchaser defense exists for buyers who conduct proper due diligence.
Q6. Vermont requires testing and disclosure for which environmental hazard in homes built before 1978?
Explanation
Federal law (and Vermont practice) requires sellers to disclose known lead-based paint hazards in housing built before 1978. Buyers have the right to conduct a lead-based paint inspection during the contract period.
Q7. Asbestos in a Vermont commercial or residential building becomes a health hazard primarily when:
Explanation
Asbestos poses a health risk primarily when it is friable (easily crumbled) and releases fibers into the air that can be inhaled. Intact, well-maintained asbestos-containing materials that are not disturbed are generally considered less hazardous.
Q8. A Vermont property near an industrial site shows elevated levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) in the well water. This is best described as:
Explanation
TCE is a volatile organic compound commonly associated with industrial contamination. Elevated levels in drinking water present health risks and represent a material environmental concern that must be disclosed and investigated.
Q9. Vermont requires that new subdivisions and certain developments obtain a water and wastewater permit (Act 250 and/or state environmental requirements). This is primarily to ensure:
Explanation
Vermont requires water and wastewater permits to ensure that new developments have access to an adequate, safe water supply and that wastewater is properly treated and disposed of without contaminating water resources. This protects both public health and the environment.
Q10. A Vermont seller is aware that a former dry-cleaning business operated on the property 20 years ago. This fact is material because:
Explanation
Dry-cleaning solvents such as perchloroethylene (PCE/PERC) are hazardous chemicals that can contaminate soil and groundwater. A property with a history of dry-cleaning operations may have contamination issues that require investigation and disclosure.
Q11. Vermont's groundwater is primarily at risk from contamination by which common agricultural source?
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