Fall 2026
Environmental Regs and Interp
Name of Department: Safety, Health, & Environment
Course Subject Area, Number, Title, and Section Number: EPCT 1349-E1 – Environmental Regulation Interpretation & Applications
Instructor Name: Crockett, Ronnie
Building/Office Number: West Orange-Stark High School, Room 806
Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 4:00–6:00 p.m.
Virtual Hours: By appointment
Office Telephone: N/A
Email Address: ronnie.crockett@lsco.edu
An in-depth study of the major federal and state environmental regulations.
This course emphasizes the interpretation and application of environmental regulations in industrial settings. Students will examine regulatory requirements related to air, water, hazardous and solid waste, chemical management, reporting, recordkeeping, inspections, enforcement, and environmental compliance. Course activities will include regulatory interpretation, industrial case studies, compliance scenarios, and applied environmental problem-solving.
No pre-requisites or co-requisites are listed for EPCT 1349 – Environmental Regulation Interpretation and Applications.
Catalog Description: An in-depth study of the major federal and state environmental regulations.
There is no required textbook for this course. Course materials will be provided by the instructor. Supplemental readings, regulatory documents, handouts, electronic resources, and other instructional materials may be supplied throughout the semester.
Students will need access to:
Upon registration for classes, LSCO students are automatically enrolled in the Gator Book Pack, which provides access to required course materials when applicable. Students should review their LSCO account and the Barnes & Noble course-material listing for EPCT 1349-E1 to confirm whether any additional materials are assigned for the section.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Course Topical Outline – Fall 2026
EPCT 1349-E1 is delivered as a dual-credit course at West Orange-Stark High School. The LSCO portion of the course begins after the start of the WOSHS fall semester. Instruction completed before the official EPCT 1349-E1 start date is part of the WOSHS instructional schedule and is not represented as LSCO instructional time.
Week 1 – Course Introduction and Environmental Regulation Foundations
• EPCT 1349 course orientation
• Purpose of environmental regulation
• Federal and state regulatory authority
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Texas environmental regulatory agencies
• Environmental compliance terminology
Week 2 – Environmental Compliance Fundamentals
• Permits
• Compliance
• Monitoring
• Recordkeeping
• Reporting
• Inspections
• Violations and enforcement
Week 3 – Clean Air Act
• Air pollution and emission sources
• Regulated pollutants
• Air permits
• Monitoring and reporting
• Industrial compliance applications
Week 4 – Clean Water Act
• Water pollution
• Point-source discharges
• Wastewater
• Stormwater
• Discharge permitting
• Spill prevention and reporting
Week 5 – RCRA: Hazardous Waste Management
• Solid and hazardous waste
• Waste identification
• Generator responsibilities
• Accumulation and storage
• Containers and labeling
• Cradle-to-grave management
• Waste manifests
• Treatment, storage, and disposal
Week 6 – RCRA Compliance and CERCLA / Superfund
• Hazardous-waste documentation
• Recordkeeping and inspections
• Hazardous-substance releases
• Contaminated sites
• Emergency response
• Cleanup responsibilities
• Liability and Superfund concepts
Week 7 – Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
• Emergency planning
• Chemical inventories
• Release notification
• Community Right-to-Know
• Facility reporting responsibilities
Week 8 – TSCA and Chemical Management
• Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
• Regulated chemicals
• Chemical management
• Required documentation
• Facility responsibilities
• Environmental compliance applications
Week 9 – Worker Right-to-Know and Environmental Compliance
• Hazard communication
• Safety Data Sheets
• Chemical labeling
• Employee information and training
• Relationship between environmental and occupational safety requirements
Week 10 – Hazardous Materials Transportation
• Basic DOT requirements
• Hazardous-material identification
• Packaging
• Marking and labeling
• Placarding
• Shipping documentation
Week 11 – Environmental Inspections, Enforcement, and Industrial Compliance
• Regulatory inspections
• Environmental audits
• Documentation review
• Violations
• Corrective actions
• Enforcement procedures and penalties
• Oil and gas operations
• Refining and petrochemical operations
• Manufacturing and maintenance
• Permit compliance
• Spill and release scenarios
Week 12 – Applied Environmental Compliance Case Study, Review, and Final Examination
• Interpretation of environmental requirements
• Identification of compliance deficiencies
• Corrective and preventive actions
• Regulatory documentation
• Major applied compliance assignment
• Review of major federal and state environmental regulations
• Regulatory agencies
• Environmental terminology
• Compliance responsibilities
• Applied industrial compliance scenarios
• Comprehensive final examination
Final Exam Date: During the approved Fall 2026 LSCO/WOSHS course completion period.
Final Exam Time: During the student's assigned class or examination period.
Final Exam Location: West Orange-Stark High School, Room 806.
The exact instructional dates and final examination date will follow the official EPCT 1349-E1 dual-credit schedule and the applicable West Orange-Stark High School calendar. Course pacing may be adjusted as necessary for school closures, testing, campus activities, LSCO requirements, or other instructional needs while maintaining the required EPCT 1349 course content and learning outcomes.
Academic honesty is expected at all times. Students are responsible for submitting work that is their own and for following all Lamar State College Orange and course-specific academic integrity requirements.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
Students should assume that assignments, quizzes, tests, and individual assessments are to be completed independently unless the instructor specifically states otherwise.
A grade of zero (0) may be assigned for any assignment, quiz, test, project, or other graded work involving academic dishonesty. Additional disciplinary action may also be taken in accordance with Lamar State College Orange policy, including possible removal or dismissal from the course when permitted by applicable college procedures.
Students who are unsure whether a resource, collaboration, or technology is permitted should ask the instructor before using it.
Electronic communication is an important part of this dual-credit course. Students are expected to regularly monitor their Lamar State College Orange email, Blackboard, and any other LSCO-approved course communication platform used by the instructor.
Official course communication may include:
Students are responsible for checking electronic communication regularly and for responding when a response is required.
All electronic communication with the instructor must be professional and appropriate for a college course. Messages should clearly identify the student and the reason for the communication. Disrespectful, inappropriate, or abusive communication will not be accepted.
Students should use their LSCO-issued email account for college-related communication whenever possible.
Instructor Email: ronnie.crockett@lsco.edu
Electronic communication does not replace the student’s responsibility to attend class, review course materials, meet deadlines, and ask questions when clarification is needed.
Students should not assume that a message sent immediately before an assignment or examination deadline will receive an immediate response. Students are encouraged to communicate questions or concerns as early as possible.
Federal regulations require students who receive financial aid to have begun “attending” and participate substantially in each course for which they are enrolled on or before the official census reporting date outlined on the LSCO Academic Calendar. Students documented as “not attending” a course upon the census date are assumed (for financial aid purposes) to have not begun attendance for that course This negatively affects their financial aid eligibility and disbursement and requires the student to repay any financial aid funds that have already been disbursed . Attendance in an ONLINE course is verified by substantial participation in the course on or before the census date published in the LSCO Academic Calendar. Substantial participation in this online course is defined as logging in and completing/participating in at least one requirement of the course. Note: Simply logging in to your online course does not constitute attendance.
Hybrid classes are a mix of face-to-face and online environments. Students will be expected to attend class during the scheduled meeting time. (Include the policy on absences and tardiness.) In addition to classroom attendance, your weekly active participation in the online component (Blackboard and/or homework software) will be considered and expected.
Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) courses utilize a blended course design that allows students to choose how they will ATTEND their class sessions. Students can choose to attend sessions in-person or live online without attending class on campus. A watch later option is available to students taking a HyFlex course, however, students may utilize watch later sessions no more than three classes during an 8-week term or five classes during a 16-week term.
Students are responsible for completing all required coursework, including work missed because of an absence.
When a student is absent, the student should review posted course materials, obtain missed assignments, and communicate with the instructor as soon as possible. Make-up work must be completed within the time allowed by the instructor and in accordance with Lamar State College Orange and West Orange-Stark High School requirements.
An absence does not automatically remove or extend an assignment deadline unless the instructor approves an extension.
Make-up quizzes, tests, laboratory activities, projects, or other assessments may be completed in an alternate format when necessary to preserve the integrity of the original assessment.
Students who miss an assessment because of an excused absence should arrange make-up work promptly after returning to class. Students who fail to complete approved make-up work by the assigned deadline may receive a zero (0).
Work missed because of an unexcused absence, skipping class, or failure to attend without proper documentation may be subject to reduced or no make-up credit as permitted by applicable LSCO and WOSHS policies.
It is the student’s responsibility to ask about missed work. The instructor is not responsible for repeatedly reminding students to complete missing assignments.
• Face-to-Face - No food, drink, tobacco, cell phones, etc.
• Online - Since face-to-face meetings in the classroom may be replaced by online meetings through discussion boards, emails, and/or Blackboard Collaborate, students are expected to follow the rules of netiquette in these forums.
• Hybrid - When face-to-face meetings in the classroom are replaced by online meetings through discussion boards, emails, and/or Blackboard Collaborate, students are expected to follow the rules of netiquette in these forums.
• Hyflex - Whether attending in person or online (synchronously or asynchronously)—students are expected to engage respectfully and responsibly. Arrive prepared, minimize distractions, and participate actively using appropriate tools (e.g., microphones, chat, discussion boards). When joining remotely, keep your camera on when possible, mute your microphone when not speaking, and use the chat feature constructively. In the classroom, be mindful of peers who are joining online by speaking clearly and allowing space for all voices. All communication should remain professional.
Examinations and major assessments in EPCT 1349-E1 will normally be administered in person during the student’s regularly scheduled class period at West Orange-Stark High School, Room 806, under instructor supervision.
Students are expected to complete exams independently and follow all academic honesty requirements. Unauthorized notes, websites, electronic devices, communication with other students, artificial intelligence tools, or other unapproved resources are prohibited during examinations unless specifically authorized by the instructor.
Students may be required to place cell phones, smart watches, earbuds, and other electronic devices in a designated area before an examination begins.
If a student is unable to complete an examination during the regularly scheduled in-person testing period, an alternate proctored testing arrangement may be required. Depending on the circumstances and LSCO requirements, approved options may include:
Students are responsible for following all identification, scheduling, technology, and testing-security requirements associated with an alternate proctoring method.
Failure to appear for a scheduled examination without an approved excuse or failure to complete an authorized make-up examination by the assigned deadline may result in a grade of zero (0).
The instructor reserves the right to use an alternate version or format of a make-up examination in order to protect the integrity of the assessment.
Students should use AI technology responsibly and ethically. This includes refraining from using AI to engage in harmful or unethical activities, such as generating false information, spreading misinformation, or engaging in malicious behaviors. The use of AI should align with the principles of academic integrity, honesty, and respect for others. Students are responsible for adhering to LSCO's Academic Honesty policy found in the Catalog. LSCO's full AI policy can be found at AI Policy | Lamar State College Orange (lsco.edu)
For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend additional time outside of class studying, reviewing course materials, and completing assignments.
EPCT 1349-E1 is a 3-credit-hour course delivered as a 12-week embedded dual-credit course. Students should expect to devote approximately eight to twelve hours per week outside of scheduled class meetings to reading, studying, completing assignments, preparing for assessments, and participating in required Blackboard activities.
Because this course is delivered at West Orange-Stark High School in regularly scheduled face-to-face class periods, actual weekly workload may vary depending on classroom instruction, assigned projects, assessments, and required online activities.
A = 90 - 100%
B = 80 - 89
C = 70 - 79
D = 60 - 69
F = below 60
The instructor will respond to emails within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. On weekends and holidays, the instructor will respond to emails from students within 24 hours of the first business day following the weekend or holiday.
Weekly participation and engagement in the courses are critical for student success. Assignments should be completed by the due date. Students should also refer to the instructor’s attendance policy for additional information. (See LSCO Catalog, Class Attendance.)
Students are responsible for reviewing examination, quiz, and major assessment grades when they are returned or posted.
If a student believes that a grade is incorrect or wishes to discuss the grading of an assessment, the student must contact the instructor within three (3) instructional days of receiving or being notified of the grade.
Grade-review requests should identify the specific question, score, or concern being challenged. The instructor may review the original assessment, answer key, grading criteria, and any applicable course requirements before making a determination.
Requests made after the three-day review period may not be considered unless there are documented extenuating circumstances.
A grade review does not guarantee that a score will be increased. After review, the grade may remain unchanged if the original grading is determined to be accurate.
This syllabus contains information, policies, and procedures for a specific course. By enrolling, the student agrees to read, understand, and abide by the rules, policies, regulations, and ethical standards of Lamar State College Orange as those contained in the current LSCO Catalog and schedule of classes.
The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus if deemed necessary. All changes will be provided to the students orally or in writing before the implementation of the change.
TimelyCare is a virtual health and well-being platform that is available 24/7 for all non-dual credit enrolled LSCO students. There is no cost to eligible students for this service. TimelyCare providers offer emotional support, mental health counseling, health coaching, psychiatry, and basic needs support. Non-Dual Credit students enrolled in classes can log in to the TimelyCare website or app available at timelycare.com/LSCO.
Any student who faces challenges securing their food, housing, transportation, or childcare for minor dependents and believes this may affect their performance in the course is encouraged to contact the student care office (studentcare@lsco.edu)for guidance on how to access possible resources. Please notify the instructor of your circumstance if you are comfortable doing so.
Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) is an equal opportunity educational institution and does not discriminate against any person regardless of race, sex, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status, in admissions, educational programs, student activities or employment. For further information about this policy, contact the Director of Student Care and Accessibility at studentcare@lsco.edu.
LSCO prohibits discrimination, including sexual harassment and retaliation, against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Any student who believes that he or she has experienced prohibited conduct or believes that another student has experienced prohibited conduct should immediately report the alleged acts to the Title IX Coordinator, Rebecca Gentry rebecca.gentry@lsco.edu.
LSCO students will access Blackboard through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: NetID@my.lsco.edu/Password. For help in identifying your NetID/Password, visit https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/userinfo1.asp.
Students needing help learning how to navigate Blackboard are encouraged to reach out to LearningTechnology@lsco.edu. Blackboard student resource videos and help-sites are available at https://www.lsco.edu/distanceed/blackboard-student.asp.
Lamar State College Orange provides career advising services to all students and alumni through Career Coach, an online career planning tool. Career Coach assists students through all phases of developing, initiating, and implementing career plans.
Information regarding employment opportunities and career options are provided along with access to live local job postings. Full-time and part-time employment opportunities, as well as internships, are available through Career Coach. Access https://www.lsco.edu/advising/career-planning.asp for more details on how to use LSCO’s Career Coach to plan for and learn more about your future career.
Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled students support for daycare and/or transportation costs on a first come first serve basis as funding allows.
Access https://www.lsco.edu/advising/gator-assistance.asp for details on assistance services.
Students needing course content or study skills support are encouraged to make an appointment or walk in to receive tutoring and academic support services. Our series of student success seminars, named Lifesavers, are available Face-to-face, online, and self-paced throughout the semester. Reach out to OASIS@lsco.edu for more information on how students can receive academic support. Visit https://www.lsco.edu/student-life/library/lifesavers.php for more information about Lifesavers.
Students are encouraged to visit library.lsco.edu to find the library’s current operating hours, access the catalog to locate print materials, and access GatorSearch to explore the vast electronic collection. The library provides over 77 electronic database collections that include eBooks, newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and streaming video. The physical library contains a specialized collection of research materials specifically chosen to support the degrees and courses offered. Additionally, Students with research questions or questions about library services are encouraged visit the library in person, call 409-882-3352, access the chat on the library webpage, or to email their question to lscolibrary@lsco.edu.
Under the Texas State System, Lamar State College Orange complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, pertaining to the provision of reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids for students with disability. We strive to provide reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids to students who request and require them.
Students who believe they have a disability requiring an academic adjustment/auxiliary aid are encouraged to contact the Director of Student Care & Accessibility at studentcare@lsco.edu. Students are encouraged to apply before the start of the semester when at all possible. The Accommodation Request Form and details regarding the appropriate documentation needed can be found here: https://www.lsco.edu/advising/disability.asp. Once approved, the signed accommodation form provided by the Director of Student Care & Accessibility must be submitted to the instructor at least two business days in advance of need.
Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled students with access to online tutoring through a partnership with Upswing, an online tutoring platform. Tutors are available 24/7 online in almost every subject.
Access https://www.lsco.edu/tutoring/online-tutoring.asp for details on how to log-in to the FREE services.
In the event of an emergency campus closure in excess of three class days, Lamar State College Orange’s classes will continue via the use of Blackboard. In such an instance, the college website, www.lsco.edu, will have information concerning the event and anticipated re-opening plans.
Please be considerate of other classmates’ feelings, ethnic background, cultural differences, situations, and level of maturity. Students will be asked to leave the course if disruptive or inappropriate behavior is exhibited in any of the course requirements. If your instructor feels that you have not contributed appropriately to course requirements, your final course grade may be reduced accordingly.
The instructor reserves the right to manage a positive learning environment and will not tolerate inappropriate conduct in the course. Rude correspondence (discourteous or impolite, especially in a deliberate way) in e-mails, telephone calls, in person, or comments made to other class members, the instructor, or the office staff.
Students should develop a backup plan should their computer system or their Internet provider fail. Computer or internet connectivity issues are not valid excuses for missing a deadline. The College provides many opportunities for using computer equipment, as do many public libraries. Refer to the LSCO website for operational hours of the Library and OASIS.
Students should check in advance with the institution to which they plan to transfer credit to confirm transferability.
LSCO awards some certificates and degrees in which a criminal history MAY disqualify candidates from becoming licensed, certified, and/or employed upon degree/certificate completion. Students with a criminal background enrolling in courses leading to a degree/certificate in Criminal Justice, Barber, Cosmetology, Emergency Medical Technology, HVAC, Electrician, Plumbing, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Vocational Nursing (VN), Registered Nursing (RN), Pharmacy Technician, Real Estate, or Teacher Preparation program are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to discuss the certification and/or licensing regulations of the program with the program director listed in order to learn more about the current guidelines related to criminal history as well as the right of individuals to request a criminal history evaluation letter.
Never attending or ceasing to attend classes DOES NOT constitute a drop or withdrawal. You remain registered until you request a drop from the instructor. Failure to act in a timely manner will result in an "F" grade for the course. It is the student's responsibility to follow up with the LSCO advising office to ensure that all drops/withdrawals are processed as desired.
The grade of "I" may be given when any requirement of the course, including the final examination, is not completed. Students seeking an incomplete should have completed 75% of the course requirements and be passing the course at the time of the request. Arrangements to complete deficiencies in a course should be made in advance of the end of the semester with the instructor. The instructor will process the Incomplete form online, and a confirmation will be sent to the student’s LSCO email.
Incomplete work must be finished during the next long semester. If not, the Office of Admission and Records must change the "I" grade to the grade of "F." The course must then be repeated if credit is desired. An "I" grade also automatically becomes an "F" if the student registers for the course prior to removing the deficiencies and receiving a grade change. The instructor may record the grade of "F" for a student who is absent from the final examination and is not passing the course.
Grade determination and awarding of grades in a course are the responsibility of the instructor and should be calculated according to college policy, procedures, and written details provided in the course syllabus. NOTE: Final grades are available to students within 48 hours of the instructor posting the grade in Banner. Students may view final grades by logging into MyGator and then accessing Gator Self-Service.
An academic appeal process is afforded to students who desire to dispute a grade or any decision that affects the student’s ability to complete and earn a grade for the course provided it is not related to a violation outlined in the LSCO Student Code of Conduct. If an informal conference with the faculty member regarding an academic complaint fails to reach the outcome requested by the student, the student may initiate the formal process. Even after initiating the formal complaint process, students are encouraged to seek informal resolution of their concerns. A student whose concerns are resolved may withdraw a formal complaint at any time.
Refer to the current catalog or for details on the formal grade appeal process.
Lamar State College Orange has identified seven educational goals to specify the knowledge and skills that students should gain from completing academic and technical programs with the College. These goals are:
• Critical thinking (General Education, Technical) – Students will be able to demonstrate creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information.
• Communication (General Education, Technical) – Students will be able to effectively develop, interpret and express ideas through written, oral and visual communication.
• Empirical and quantitative skills (General Education, Technical) – Students will be able to manipulate and analyze numerical data or observable facts and create informed conclusions.
• Teamwork (General Education, Technical) – Students will be able to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
• Social responsibility (General Education, Technical) – Students will be able to recognize and acquire a sense of intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities.
• Personal responsibility (General Education, Technical) – Students will be able to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
• Professional competency (Technical) – Students will be able to recognize or demonstrate skills that depict professional values and employability. If the career has licensure or certification requirements, students may prepare for the licensure and certification in a capstone course and sit for the licensure or certificate at the end of the program.
Current students will access many LSCO applications through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: NetID@my.lsco.edu/Password.
Students can set a password here: https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/
IMPORTANT: It is a violation of College policy, state laws, and federal laws for anyone to gain or help others gain unauthorized access to MyGator or any LSCO application or service. All accounts shall be for use by a single individual – the person for whom the account was approved or assigned. This includes Blackboard accounts as well as any application within MyGator. Sharing or loaning accounts is strictly prohibited, can be construed as a form of cheating, and violates College policy, state laws, and federal laws.
LSCO adheres to the policies and procedures established in the Texas Education Code, Texas State University System Rules and Regulations, LSCO Faculty Handbook, and LSCO Catalog.
No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. It is inappropriate for minor children to be on campus due to the potential liability to the College, the risk of harm to the children, and decreased employee productivity due to distractions and disruptions.
LSCO believes that all matters involving a staff member (non-instructor) OR an instructor are best resolved directly with the employee. Should it not be resolved at that level, access and complete the Student Complaint Intake form within five (5) business days from the date of the offense. The Student Complaint Intake Form can be found in any of these locations:
After a student completes the Student Complaint Intake Form, they will be contacted by an LSCO employee unrelated to the offense and provided guidance on how to proceed with the Complaint process.
Refer to the LSCO Catalog (Student Services, Complaints) for details on the complaint process.
Student-Staff and Student-Instructor Complaint Process involving Safety, Harassment, or Title IX:
Students who have experienced a safety, harassment, or title IX event should access and complete the Title IX/Clery: Anonymous Reporting Form found in any of these locations:
After a student completes the intake form, they will be contacted by an LSCO employee and provided guidance on how to proceed.
Refer to the LSCO Catalog (Student Services, Complaints) for details on the complaint process.
The privacy of all students, including Distance Education students, is protected through strict adherence to the rules of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. LSCO’s statement regarding the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act can be found in LSCO’s Catalog. Additional information regarding privacy for Distance Education students can be found in the Distance Education Handbook, appendix D.