About the Environmental PE Exam

Advice from Previous Examinees
Suggested References
Exam Dates
Passing Rates

The Environmental PE exam is a no-choice, all-objective exam. It is administered in two four-hour sections, morning and afternoon. There are a total of 100 multiple-choice problems, and examinees must solve every problem to receive full credit.

Exam Topics, with approximate percentage of questions on each topic

Planning, research, development, project implementation, operations, and monitoring of waste, wastewater, storm water, and natural water systems

• Wastewater.....11%
  
  1. Sources of pollution and minimization/prevention
     
  2. Treatment technologies
     
  3. Water chemistry
     
  4. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  5. Biology/microbiology
     
  6. Hydraulics/fluid mechanics
     
  7. Fate and transport
     
  8. Collection systems
     
  9. Residuals management (solid, liquid, and gas)
     
  10. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
      
  11. Mathematics and statistics
      
  12. Engineering economics
      
• Stormwater.....6%
  
  1. Sources of pollution
     
  2. Hydrology/hydrogeology
     
  3. Hydraulics/fluid mechanics
     
  4. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  5. Treatment technologies
     
  6. Collection systems
     
  7. Fate and transport
     
  8. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  9. Mathematics and statistics
     
  10. Engineering economics
      
• Potable Water.....11%
  
  1. Treatment technologies
     
  2. Water chemistry
     
  3. Hydraulics/fluid mechanics
     
  4. Biology/microbiology
     
  5. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  6. Distribution systems
     
  7. Residuals management
     
  8. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  9. Mathematics and statistics
     
  10. Engineering economics
      
• Water Resources.....6%
  1. Sources of pollution
     
  2. Hydrology/hydrogeology
     
  3. Water chemistry
     
  4. Biology/microbiology
     
  5. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  6. Hydraulics and limnology
     
  7. Fate and transport
     
  8. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  9. Mathematics and statistics
     
  10. Engineering economics
      
  11. Watershed management and planning
      

Air
Planning, research, development, project implementation, operations, and monitoring of air systems

• Ambient Air.....8%
  1. Meteorology
     
  2. Atmospheric chemistry
     
  3. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  4. Risk assessment
     
  5. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  6. Mathematics and statistics
     
• Emissions Sources.....4%
  
  1. Chemistry
     
  2. Aerosol science
     
  3. Thermodynamics
     
  4. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  5. Fate and transport (dispersion)
     
  6. Source categories
     
  7. Odor generation and control
     
  8. Sources of pollution and minimization/prevention
     
  9. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  10. Mathematics and statistics
      
  11. Engineering economics
      
• Control Strategies.....8%
  
  1. Treatment technologies
     
  2. Air transport systems
     
  3. Thermodynamics
     
  4. Aerosol science
     
  5. Chemistry
     
  6. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  7. Sources of pollution and minimization/prevention
     
  8. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  9. Mathematics and statistics
     
  10. Engineering economics
      

Solid and Hazardous Waste
Planning, research, development, project implementation, operations, and monitoring of solid and hazardous waste systems

• Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Commercial, and Industrial Wastes.....10%
  1. Definition and characterization of different types of solid waste
     
  2. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  3. Storage, collection, and transportation systems
     
  4. Minimization, reduction, and recycling
     
  5. Risk assessment
     
  6. Fate and transport
     
  7. Treatment and disposal technologies
     
  8. Chemistry
     
  9. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  10. Engineering economics
      
• Hazardous Waste, Special, and Radioactive Waste.....10%
  1. Definition and characterization of different types of waste
     
  2. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  3. Storage, collection, and transportation systems
     
  4. Minimization, reduction, and recycling
     
  5. Risk assessment
     
  6. Fate and transport
     
  7. Treatment and disposal technologies
     
  8. Chemistry
     
  9. Health physics
     
  10. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
      
  11. Mathematics and statistics
      
  12. Engineering economics
      

Environmental Assessments, Remediation, and Emergency Response
Research, development, project implementation, operations, and monitoring of environmental health, safety, and welfare

• Environmental Assessments.....8%
  
  1. Site assessment
     
  2. Hydrogeology
     
  3. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  4. Historical considerations and land use practice
     
  5. Fate and transport
     
  6. Sources of pollution
     
  7. Exposure/risk characterization
     
  8. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
• Remediation.....8%
  
  1. Remediation alternatives
     
  2. Minimization/prevention
     
  3. Hydrology/hydrogeology
     
  4. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     
  5. Engineering economics
     
  6. Sampling and measurement methods
     
  7. Control technologies
     
• Public Health and Safety.....10%
  
  1. Industrial hygiene, health, and safety
     
  2. Security, emergency plans, and incident response procedures
     
  3. Fundamentals of epidemiology and toxicology
     
  4. Exposure assessments
     
  5. Radiation protection/health physics
     
  6. Vector control and sanitation, including biohazards
     
  7. Noise pollution
     
  8. Indoor aur quality
     
  9. Codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines
     

TOTAL = 100%

Some problems may require knowledge of engineering economics.

Study materials for this exam are available in the Environmental PE Exam section of our Online Catalog.