[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54681-54682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26462]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5319-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following renewal Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the ICR to OMB for 
review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of 
the proposed information collections as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 26, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Emissions 
Monitoring, and Analysis Division (MD-14), Research Triangle Park, NC 
27711.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Lutz, Emissions Monitoring and 
Analysis Division (MD-14), U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 541-5476, FAX (919) 
541-1903.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those State and local air pollution control agencies which collect and 
report ambient air quality data for the criteria pollutants to EPA.
    Title: Ambient Air Quality Surveillance, OMB Number 2060-0084, EPA 
ICR # 940.13, expires 1/31/96.
    Abstract: The general authority for the collection of ambient air 
quality data is contained in sections 110 and 319 of the Clean Air Act 
(42 USC 1857). Section 110 makes it clear that State generated air 
quality data is central to the air quality management process through a 
system of State implementation plans (SIP). Section 319 was added via 
the 1977 Amendments to the Act and spells out the key elements of an 
acceptable monitoring and reporting scheme. To a large extent, the 
requirements of section 319 had already been anticipated in the 
detailed strategy document prepared by EPA's Standing Air Monitoring 
Work Group (SAMWG). The regulatory provisions to implement these 
recommendations were developed through close consultation with the 
State and local agency representatives serving on SAMWG and through 
reviews by ad-hoc panels from the State and Territorial Air Pollution 
Program Administrators and the Association of Local Air Pollution 
Control Officials. These modifications to the previous regulations were 
issued as final rules on May 10, 1979 (44 FR 27558) and are contained 
in 40 CFR part 58.
    Major amendments, which affect the hourly burdens, were made in 
1983 for lead, 1987 for PM-10, and 1993 for the enhanced monitoring for 
ozone. The specific required activities for the burden include 
establishing and operating ambient air monitors and samplers, 
conducting sample analyses for all pollutants for which a national 
ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) has been established, preparing, 
editing, and quality assuring the data, and submitting the ambient air 
quality data and quality assurance data to EPA.
    Some of the major uses of the data are for judging attainment of 
the NAAQS, evaluating progress in achieving/maintaining the NAAQS or 
State/local standards, developing or revising SIP's, evaluating control 
strategies, developing or revising national control policies, providing 
data for model development and validation, supporting enforcement 
actions, documenting episodes and initiating episode controls, 
documenting population exposure, and providing information to the 
public and other interested parties.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments 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. 

[[Page 54682]]

    Burden Statement: It is estimated that there are presently 136 
State and local agencies which are currently required to submit the 
ambient air quality data and quality assurance data to EPA on a 
quarterly basis. The current annual burden for the collection and 
reporting of ambient air quality data has been estimated on the 
existing ICR to be 1,260,887 hours, which would average out to be 
approximately 9,270 hours per respondent. As a part of this ICR 
renewal, an evaluation will be made of the labor burden associated with 
this activity.
    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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9.
    Send comments regarding these matters, or any other aspect of the 
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, 
to the address listed above.
    Dated: October 16, 1995.
William F. Hunt, Jr.,
Director, Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 95-26462 Filed 10-24-95; 8:45 am]
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