A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
NA
Nonattainment.
NA, ND
Not applicable, not available; not determined.
NAA
Nonattainment Areas.
NA Number
see DOT Identification Numbers.
NAAQS
National Ambient Air Quality Standards; standards under CAA that require states to develop SIPs and establish maximum air pollutant emissions standards.
NAAS
National Air Audit System.
NAC
National Asbestos Council.
NACA
National Agricultural Chemicals Association.
NADB
National Atmospheric Data Bank.
NADP
National Atmospheric Deposition Program.
NAE
National Academy of Engineering .
NAEP
National Association of Environmental Professionals.
NAIS
Neutral Administrative Inspection System.
NALD
Nonattainment Areas Lacking Demonstrations.
NAM
National Association of Manufacturers.
NAMA
National Air Monitoring Audits.
NAMF
National Association of Metal Finishers.
NAMS
National Air Monitoring System.
NANCO
National Association of Noise Control Officials.
NAPAP
National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program.
NAPBN
National Air Pollution Background Network.
NAPBTAC
National Air Pollution Control Technical Advisory Committee.
NAR
National Asbestos Registry.
NARA
National Air Resources Act.
NARA
National Archives and Records Administration.
narcosis
stupor or unconsciousness often produced by exposure to organic chemicals.
narcotic
An material that produces stupor, insensibility and sometimes unconsciousness.
narrative summary
refers to an objective description of the actions observed by the evaluator during the exercise. Identifies issues raised during the course of the exercise activities and includes recommendations for improvement.
NARS
National Asbestos-Contractor Registry System.
NAS
National Academy of Sciences.
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
NATICH
National Air Toxics Information Clearinghouse.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
air quality standards established by EPA that apply to outside air.
National Emissions Standards For Hazardous Air Pollutants
also known as NESHAPS, these emissions standards set by EPA for an air pollutant not covered by NAAQS that may cause an increase in deaths or in serious, irreversible, or incapacitating illness.Primary standards are designed to protect human health, secondary standards to protect public welfare.
National Fire Protection Association
see NFPA.
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency Plan
the federal regulation that guides determination of the sites to be corrected under the Superfund program and the program to prevent or control spills into surface waters or other portions of the environment. (Also known as NOHSCP/NCP).
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
a provision of the Clean Water Act which prohibits discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States unless a special permit is issued by EPA, a state, or (where delegated) a tribal government on an Indian reservation.
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs)
developed by the U.S. EPA, these regulations were designed to keep drinking water clean and to protect the public from waterborne disease. These regulations define either a Maximum Contaminant Level or a treatment technique requirement to control the presence of contaminants in drinking water.
National Priorities List (NPL)
EPA's list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term remedial action under Superfund. A site must be on the NPL to receive money from the Trust Fund for remedial action. The list is based primarily on the score a site receives from the Hazard Ranking System. EPA is required to update the NPL at least once a year.
National Response Center
the federal operations center that receives notification of all releases of oil and hazardous substances into the environment. The Center, open 24 hours a day, is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, which evaluates all reports and notifies the appropriate agency.
National Response Team (NRT)
representatives of 13 federal agencies that, as a team, coordinate federal responses to nationally significant incidents of pollution and provide advice and technical assistance to the responding agency(ies) before and during a response action.
National Toxicology Program
see NTP.
natural gas
a natural fuel containing methane and hydrocarbons that occurs in certain geologic formations.
natural resources
means land, fish, wildlife, biota, air, water, ground water, drinking water supplies, and other such resources belonging to, managed by, held in trust by, appertaining to, or otherwise controlled by the United States (including the resources of the exclusive economic zone defined by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976), any state or local government, any foreign government, any Indian tribe, or, if such resources are subject to a trust restriction on alienation, any member of an Indian tribe.
natural selection
the process of survival of the fittest, by which organisms that adapt to their environment survive and those that don't disappear.
naturally occurring background levels
ambient concentrations of chemicals that are present in the environment and have not been influenced by humans (e.g., aluminum, manganese).
nausea
a tendency to vomit; a feeling of sickness in the stomach.
navigable waters
traditionally, waters sufficiently deep and wide for navigation by all, or specified sizes of vessels; such waters in the United States come under federal jurisdiction and are included in certain provisions of the Clean Water Act.
navigable waters
as defined by 40 CFR 110.1, means the waters of the United States, including the territorial seas. The term includes: (a) All waters that are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide; (b) Interstate waters, including interstate wetlands; (c) All other waters such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, and wetlands, the use, degradation, or destruction of which would affect or could affect interstate or foreign commerce including any such waters:(1) That are or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreational or other purposes;(2) From which fish or shellfish are or could be taken and sold in interstate or foreign commerce;(3) That are used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in interstate commerce; (d) All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as navigable waters under this section; (e) Tributaries of waters identified in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this definition, including adjacent wetlands; and (f) Wetlands adjacent to waters identified in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this definition: Provided, that waste treatment systems (other than cooling ponds meeting the criteria of this paragraph) are not waters of the United States.
NAWC
National Association of Water Companies.
NAWDEX
National Water Data Exchange.
NBAR
Nonbinding Preliminary Allocation of Responsibility.
NBS
National Bureau of Standards.
NCA
National Coal Association.
NCA
Noise Control Act.
NCAC
National Clean Air Coalition.
NCAF
National Clean Air Fund.
NCAMP
National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides.
NCAQ
National Commission on Air Quality.
NCAR
National Center for Atmospheric Research.
NCBC
Naval Coalition Battalion Center.
NCHS
National Center for Health Statistics.
NCI
National Cancer Institute. A part of the National Institutes of Health that studies cancer.
NCM
National Coal Model.
NCM
Notice of Commencement of Manufacture.
NCO
Negotiated Consent Order.
NCP
National Contingency Plan (1990); federal regulation promulgated to implement CERCLA and CWA sec. 311.
NCP
Noncompliance Penalties.
NCP
Nonconformance Penalty.
NCR
Noncompliance Report.
NCR
Nonconformance Report.
NCRIC
National Chemical Response and Information Center.
NCS
National Compliance Strategy.
NCWQ
National Commission On Water Quality.
NDD
Negotiation Decision Document.
NDDB
Natural Diversity Database.
NDIR
Nondispersive Infrared Analysis.
NDS
National Dioxin Study.
NDS
National Disposal Site.
NDSL
Non-Domestic Substances List (Environment Canada).
NDWAC
National Drinking Water Advisory Council.
NEA
National Energy Act.
NEC
National Electric Code.
necrosis
death of cells that can discolor areas on a plant or kill the entire plant.
NEDA
National Environmental Development Association.
NEDS
National Emissions Data Systems.
NEMA
National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
NEO
Neoplastic effects; production of tumors.
neoplasia
A condition characterized by the presence of now growths (tumors). EXAMPLE LAY LANGUAGE: (benign or malignant) tumor.
neoplasm
a new or abnormal tissue growth that is uncontrollable and progressive.
nephrotoxin
A material that may cause effects and potential injury to the kidneys. EXAMPLE LAY LANGUAGE: material that may cause kidney damage, kidney toxin, causes kidney damage.
nematocide
a chemical agent which is destructive to nematodes (round worms or threadworms).
NEP
National Estuary Program.
NEPA
National Environmental Policy Act.
NER
National Emissions Report.
NEROS
Northeast Regional Oxidant Study.
NESCAUM
Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management.
NESHAP
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants; federal emissions standards for HAPs regulated under CAA.
NETC
National Emergency Training Center.
NETTING
Emission Trading Used to Avoid PSD/NSR Permit Review Requirements.
neural
Describing a nerve or the nervous system.
neuritis
inflammation of the nerves.
neurotoxin
A material that affects the nerve cells and may produce emotional or behavioral abnormalities. EXAMPLE LAY LANGUAGE: cause effects on nervous system.
neutral
in pH terms, 7; neither acid nor basic.
neutralize
to render chemically harmless; to return the pH to the neutral level of 7 by adding acid (base) to a basic (acidic) compound.
neutralization
most commonly, a chemical reaction that produces a resulting environment that is neither acidic nor alkaline.Also, the addition of a scavenger chemical to an aqueous system in excess concentration to eliminate a corrosive factor, such as dissolved oxygen.
new source
any stationary source which is built or modified after publication of final or proposed regulations that prescribe a standard of performance which is intended to apply to that type of emission source.
new source performance standards (NSPS)
uniform national EPA air emission and water effluent standards which limit the amount of pollution allowed from new sources or from existing sources that have been modified.
new tank system
means a tank system that will be used to contain an accumulation of regulated substances and for which installation has commenced after December 22, 1988 (See also "Existing Tank System.")
NFA
No Further Action.
NFAN
National Filter Analysis Network.
NFMA
National Forest Management Act.
NFPA
National Fire Protection Association. An international voluntary membership organization to promote/improve fire protection and prevention and establish safeguards against loss of life and property by fire. Best known for the National Fire Codes, 16 volumes of standards, recommended practices, and manuals developed (and periodically updated) by NFPA communities. NFPA 704M publication is the code for showing hazards of materials using the familiar diamond-shaped label with appropriate numbers or symbols (NFPA hazard rating).
NFS
National Forest Service.
ng
Nanogram. One billionth, 10^^-9, of a gram.
NGA
National Governors Association.
NGPA
Natural Gas Policy Act.
NGWIC
National Ground Water Information Center.
NHANES
National Health and Nutrition Examination Study.
NHWP
Northeast Hazardous Waste Project.
NICS
National Institute for Chemical Studies.
NIEHS
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
NIEI
National Indoor Environmental Institute.
NIH
National Institutes of Health.
NIM
National Impact Model.
NIMBY
Not In My Back Yard.
NIOSH
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. The agency of the Public Health Service that tests and certifies respiratory and air sampling devices. It recommends exposure limits to OSHA for substances, investigates incidents, and researches occupational safety.
NIPDWR
National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations.
NIS
Noise Information System.
NITEP
National Incinerator Testing and Evaluation Program.
Nitrate
a compound containing nitrogen which can exist in the atmosphere or as a dissolved gas in water and which can have harmful effects on humans and animals. Nitrates in water can cause severe illness in infants and cows.
nitric oxide (NO)
a gas formed by combustion under high temperature and high pressure in an internal combustion engine. It changes into nitrogen dioxide in the ambient air and contributes to photochemical smog.
nitrification
the process whereby ammonia in wastewater is oxidized to nitrite and then to nitrate by bacterial or chemical reactions.
Nitrilotriacetic Acid (NTA)
a compound being used to replace phosphates in detergents.
nitrite
(1) an intermediate in the process of nitrification.(2) Nitrous oxide salts used in food preservation.
nitrogen dioxide (NOà)
the result of nitric oxide combining with oxygen in the atmosphere; a major component of photochemical smog.
nitrogen oxide (NOx)
product of combustion from transportation and stationary sources and a major contributor to the formation of ozone in the troposphere and acid deposition.
nitrogenous wastes
animal or plant residues that contain large amounts of nitrogen.
NJDEP
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
NLAP
National Laboratory Audit Program.
NLM
National Library of Medicine.
NMFS
National Marine Fisheries Service.
NMHC
Nonmethane Hydrocarbons.
NMOC
Nonmethane Organic Compound.
NMP
National Municipal Policy.
NMR
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
NNC
Notice of Noncompliance.
NNPSPP
National Non-Point Source Pollution Program.
NO
a notation meaning oxides of nitrogen. See nitric oxide.
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level.
NOC
Not otherwise classified.
NODCC
Non Ozone Depleting Chlorinated Cleaners.
NOFOAM
Octal Alcohol No Foam (ETUS).
NOHSCP
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency Plan.
NON
Notice of Noncompliance.
non-attainment areas
geographic area which does not meet one or more of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the criteria pollutants designated in the Clean Air Act.
noncarbonate hardness
hardness in water caused by chlorides, sulfates, and nitrates of calcium and magnesium.
noncommercial purposes
with respect to motor fuel means not for resale.
non-community water system
a public water system that is not a community water system, e.g., the water supply at a camp site or national park.
noncondensibles
gaseous material not liquefied when associated water vapor is condensed in the same environment.
non-conventional pollutant
any pollutant which is not a statutorily listed or which is poorly understood by the scientific community.
non-detects
chemicals that are not detected in a particular sample above a certain limit. This limit usually will be the quantitation limit for the chemical in that sample. (Note, however, that it is possible to detect and estimate concentrations of chemicals below the quantitation limit but above the detection limit.
nonflammable
incapable of being easily ignited or burning with extreme rapidity when lighted. Also, a DOT hazard class for any compressed gas other than a flammable one.
non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation
(1) radiation that does not change the structure of atoms but does heat tissue and may cause harmful biological effects. (2) Microwaves, radio waves, and low frequency electromagnetic fields from high voltage transmission lines.
non-liquefied compressed gas
DOT describes as a gas, other than gas in solution, which under the charged pressure is entirely gaseous at a temperature of 70¿F.
non-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL)
in dose-response experiments, the experimental exposure level representing the highest level tested at which no adverse effects were demonstrated.
nonpoint source
pollution sources which are diffuse and do not have a single point of origin or are not introduced into a receiving stream from a specific outlet. The pollutants are generally carried off the land by stormwater runoff. The commonly used categories for non-point sources are: agriculture, forestry, urban, mining, construction, dams and channels, land disposal, and saltwater intrusion.
nonreactive silica
polymerized or colloidal silica.
nontransient noncommunity system
in contrast to the transient noncommunity systems described above, nontransient noncommunity water systems serve the same 25 people for at least six months a year.Examples include schools, factories, and other workplaces that have their own drinking water supply.
noise
any undesired sound.
no-observed-effect-level
in dose-response experiments, the experimental exposure level representing the highest level tested at which no effects at all were demonstrated.
NOPES
Non-Occupational Pesticide Exposure Study.
NORA
National Oil Recyclers Association.
NOS
National Ocean Survey.
Notification
refers to a process involving the dissemination of the emergency and informational messages provided to the public regarding a hazardous materials incident/accident. This notification process should follow the alert.
NOV
Notice of Violation.
NOx
nitrogen oxide; gases released primarily from the burning of fossil fuels; associated with breakdown of Earth's protective ozone layer.
NOV/C/D
Notice of Violation/Compliance/Demand.
NPAA
Noise Pollution and Abatement Act.
NPCA
National Paint and Coatings Association. The trade association of manufacturers that developed the HMIS labeling system. (1500 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20005; (202) 462-6272). See HMIS.
NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System; federal permitting system required for hazardous effluents.
NPDWS
National Primary Drinking Water Standards.
NPIRES
National Pesticide Information Retrieval System.
NPL
National Priorities List; official list of hazardous waste sites to be addressed by CERCLA.
NPM
National Program Manager.
NPN
National Particulate Network.
NPR
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
NPS
National Park Service.
NPS
National Permit Strategy.
NPS
National Pesticide Survey.
NRC
Nuclear Regulatory Commission; National Response Center.
NRC
National Research Council.
NRC
National Response Center.
NRCA
National Resource Council of America.
NRDC
Natural Resources Defense Council.
NRT-1
National Response Team - 1 "Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide"
NRT-2
National Response Team - 2 "Developing a Hazardous Materials Exercise Program"
NRWA
National Rural Water Association.
NSDWR
National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations.
NSF
National Strike Force (SARA); National Sanitation Foundation.
NSF
National Sanitation Foundation.
NSF
National Science Foundation.
NSPE
National Society for Professional Engineers.
NSPS
New Source Performance Standards; air emissions standards under CAA for new air pollutions sources.
NSSC
the neutral sulfite, semichemical pulping process.
NSWMA
National Solid Waste Management Association.
NSWS
National Surface Water Survey.
NTA
nitrilotriacetic acid, a chelant with the sodium salt being the usual form.
NTA
Negotiated Testing Agreement.
NTGS
National Technical Guidance Studies.
NTIS
National Technical Information Service.
NTP
National Toxicology Program. Federal activity overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services with resources from National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Center for Disease Control. Its goals are to develop tests useful for public health regulations of toxic chemicals, to develop toxicological profiles of materials, to foster testing of materials, and to communicate the results for use by others.(NTP Information Office, MD B2-04, Box 12233 , Research Triangle Park , NC 27709 ).
NTSB
National Transportation Safety Board.
nuisance particulates
dusts that do not produce significant organic disease or toxic effects from "reasonable" concentrations and exposures. TLV of 10 mg/m3 or 30 mppcf.
nuclear power plant
a device that converts atomic energy into usable power; heat produced by a reactor makes steam to drive electricity-generated turbines.
nuclear winter
prediction by some scientists that smoke and debris rising from massive fires resulting from a nuclear war could enter the atmosphere and block out sunlight for weeks or months. The scientists making this prediction project a cooling of the earth's surface, and changes in climate which could, for example, negatively effect world agricultural and weather patterns.
nutrients
elements or compounds essential to growth and development of living things; carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
NWA
National Water Alliance .
NWF
National Wildlife Federation.
NWPA
Nuclear Waste Policy Act.
NWS
National Weather Service.
nystagmus
spastic, involuntary motion of the eyeballs.
