Prior to
submitting a request for extension, the Agency should clarify the
relationship between Protocol Gas Verification Programs and
consider consolidating similar collections of information to
improve transparency and avoid duplication.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
12/31/2013
36 Months From Approved
211
0
0
70
0
0
0
0
0
This ICR includes ambient air
monitoring data reporting and recordkeeping activities associated
with the 40 CFR part 58 Appendix A, Ambient Air Quality
Surveillance Quality Assurance Regulations. These data and
information are collected by state, local, and tribal air quality
management agencies and reported to the EPA. The EPA Ambient Air
Quality Monitoring Program's quality assurance requirements in 40
CFR part 58, Appendix A, require: "2.6 Gaseous and Flow Rate Audit
Standards. Gaseous pollutant concentration standards (permeation
devices or cylinders of compressed gas) used to obtain test
concentrations for CO, SO2, NO, and NO2 must be traceable to either
a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Traceable
Reference Material (NTRM), NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRM),
and Netherlands Measurement Institute (NMI) Primary Reference
Materials (valid as covered by Joint Declaration of Equivalence) or
a NIST-certified Gas Manufacturer's Internal Standard (GMIS),
certified in accordance with one of the procedures given in
reference 4 of this appendix. Vendors advertising certification
with the procedures provided in reference 4 of this appendix and
distributing gases as "EPA Protocol Gas" must participate in the
EPA Protocol Gas Verification Program or not use "EPA" in any form
of advertising." These requirements give assurance to end users
that all specialty gas producers selling EPA Protocol Gases are
participants in a program that provides an independent assessment
of the accuracy of their gases' certified concentrations. In 2010,
EPA will develop an Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program
(AA-PGVP) that will help to ensure that producers selling EPA
Protocol Gases participate in the AA-PGVP and will provide end
users with information about participating producers and
verification results. Each year, EPA will attempt to compare gas
cylinders from every specialty gas producer being used by ambient
air monitoring organizations. EPA Regions 2 and 7 have agreed to
provide analytical services for verification of 40 cylinders/lab or
80 cylinders total/year. Cylinders will be verified at a
pre-determined time each quarter. In order to make the appropriate
selection, EPA needs to know what specialty gas producers are being
used by the monitoring organizations. Therefore, EPA needs to
survey each primary quality assurance organization every year to
collect information on specialty gas producers being used and
whether the monitoring organization would like to participate in
the verification for the upcoming calendar year.
This ICR is for a new
information collection activity. It includes ambient air monitoring
data reporting and recordkeeping activities associated with the
40CFR part 58 Appendix A, Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Quality
Assurance regulations. These data and information are collected by
state, local, and tribal air quality management agencies and
reported to the EPA.
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.
2375ss01.doc
Implementation of Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program