This ICR is approved. Before resubmission of this ICR, the agency is encouraged to confirm estimates of the time required to comply with reporting requirements, taking into account respondents' adoption of flexible measure and electronic reporting tools.
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
04/30/2012
36 Months From Approved
1,542
0
0
124,976
0
0
495,900
0
0
Title IV of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (the acid rain title) established goals to reduce annual emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and place a national cap on SO2 emissions beginning in the year 2000. To ensure compliance and to provide the national consistency, Title IV require the designated representative of each affected acid rain source to obtain an operating permit for the affected source and to certify that an approved emissions monitoring system has been installed and is properly operated at each affected unit's source of emissions. In addition, under a Federal NOx Budget Trading Program, sources also must meet similar requirements as part of an emissions trading program. In May 2005, EPA promulgated the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), which may broaden the trading program concept to additional sources.
Emissions monitoring and reporting is the foundation upon which these allowance trading systems are based. Without accurate monitoring and reporting of emissions there would be no assurance that emissions had been reduced.
Data handling or reporting is required by the law, and under promulgated regulations EPA imposes data handling, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. The EPA requires that all affected units required to monitor and report emissions under these trading programs use a data acquisition and handling system (DAHS) to record and submit hourly data in an electronic data report (EDR) format.
The Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) has undertaken the re-engineering of the process and data systems into the new Emissions Collection and Monitoring Plan System (ECMPS) reviewing how data and emissions are reported, quality assured, maintained and submitted. Adding flexibility to the process is one of the main reasons for changing how monitoring and emissions data are quality assured and submitted.
The existing requirements in 40 CFR Part 75 are mandatory for all sources subject to the Acid Rain Program under Title IV of the Clean Air Act, as well as certain other emissions trading programs administered by EPA. These requirements are covered by existing ICRs for the Acid Rain Program (ICR No. 1633.13, OMB No. 2060-0258), the NOx SIP Call (ICR No. 1857.03, OMB No. 2060-0445), and the Clean Air Interstate Rule (ICR No. 2152.01). The information requirements in this ICR are based on revisions to the monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements, and reflect the one time costs necessary for sources to review the rule revisions and to adapt their recordkeeping and reporting systems to the revised requirements. These revisions do not impose new requirements upon sources with regard to monitoring or quality assurance activities. Thus, this ICR only covers specific monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting elements that will be necessitated by the proposed revisions: (1) reviewing the new requirements; (2) making changes to data acquisition and handling systems (DAHs); and (3) debugging software changes.
All burdens associated with other elements of Parts 72 and 75 will remain covered by the underlying ICRs of the existing programs. When changes covered by this rule are final, the burden estimates under the existing program ICRs will be adjusted accordingly.
The Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) has undertaken the re-engineering of the process and data systems associated with emissions, monitoring plan, and certification data into the new Emissions Collection and Monitoring Plan System (ECMPS). As part of the ECMPS project, CAMD reviewed how monitoring plan information, certification/recertification applications, on-going quality assurance data, and emissions data are maintained, quality assured, and submitted. CAMD also reviewed the tools
available for checking and submitting data on a quarterly and ozone season basis.
Adding flexibility to the process is one of the main reasons for changing how monitoring and emissions data are quality assured and submitted. Several of the changes add flexibility to the process. First, monitoring plans will no longer be required as part of the quarterly file. Second, sources will be able to submit on_going quality assurance test data after the tests are performed, and will not have to wait to submit the data as part of a quarterly report. Lastly, the new XML file format will allow the data to be organized based on dates and hours instead of pollutant type. To accomplish these objectives, EPA is proposing certain modifications to 40 CFR parts 72 and 75. In addition, EPA also is proposing some additional changes to clarify certain provisions, implement approaches approved through existing guidance, or make similar types of minor rule improvements
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
2203ss02.doc
Revisions to the Emissions Monitoring Rule under the Acid Rain Program, NOx Budget Trading Program, and Clean Air Interstate Programs