[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 45 (Thursday, March 7, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10401-10402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5453]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7154-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Ambient Air Quality Surveillance

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): Ambient Air Quality Surveillance, OMB 
Number (2060-0084), EPA ICR # 0940.16 expires September 30, 2002. 
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed

[[Page 10402]]

information collections as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 6, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards; Emissions, 
Monitoring, and Analysis Division (C339-02), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Lutz, Emissions, Monitoring, and 
Analysis Division (C339-02), 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 # 0940.16 expires September 30, 2002.
    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 U.S.C. 1857). Section 110 makes it clear that State generated air 
quality data are central to the air quality management process through 
a system of State implementation plans (SIP's). 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 PM10, 1993 for the enhanced monitoring 
for ozone, and 1997 for PM2.5. 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. 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 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
    In the previous ICR approval, OMB requested that EPA update the 
1993 ``Guidance for Estimating Ambient Air Monitoring Costs for 
Criteria Pollutants and Selected Air Toxic Pollutants.'' The EPA agrees 
and is proceeding with this update.
    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 
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.
    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 (2,404,606) hours, which would average out to be 
approximately (17,681) hours per respondent. As a part of this ICR 
renewal, an evaluation will be made of the labor burden associated with 
this activity.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or 
provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time 
needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to 
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements, 
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; 
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; 
and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.

    Dated: February 22, 2002.
J. David Mobley,
Acting Director, Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 02-5453 Filed 3-6-02; 8:45 am]
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