81 FR 75815 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Implementation of the Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 211 (November 1, 2016)

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Implementation of Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program'' (EPA ICR No. 2375.03, OMB Control No. 2060-0648) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75815-75816]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26319]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050; FRL-9954-77-OEI]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Implementation of the Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Implementation of Ambient Air 
Protocol Gas Verification Program'' (EPA ICR No. 2375.03, OMB Control 
No. 2060-0648) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on 
specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described 
below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR. An Agency may not 
conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 3, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2010-0050 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), or 
by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail 
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Laurie Trinca, Air Quality 
Assessment Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code C304-06, Research Triangle 
Park, NC 27711; telephone: 919-541-0520; fax: 919-541-1903; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of 
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: 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 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, the EPA developed an Ambient Air 
Protocol Gas Verification Program (AA-PGVP) that provides 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. The EPA's Regions 2 and 7 have agreed to provide 
analytical services for verification of 40 cylinders/lab or 80 
cylinders total/year. Cylinders will be Start Printed Page 
30302verified at a pre-determined time each quarter.
    In order to make the appropriate selection, the EPA needs to know 
what specialty gas producers are being used by the monitoring 
organizations. Therefore, the 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.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (40 CFR part 58).
    Estimated number of respondents: 211 (total).

[[Page 75816]]

    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Total estimated burden: 70 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 
CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $4674 (per year).
    Changes in Estimates: The renewal ICR will address all changes in 
the total estimated respondent burden since the last renewal.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-26319 Filed 10-31-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P