[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 166 (Friday, August 27, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52663-52664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19613]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ORD-2004-0013, FRL-7807-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Application for Reference or Equivalent Method 
Determination, EPA ICR Number 0559.08, OMB Control Number 2080.0005

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 a 
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 28, 
2005. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 26, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number ORD-2004-
0013, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket, 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket (28221T), 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth T. Hunike, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Human Exposure and Atmospheric 
Sciences Division, Process Modeling Research Branch, Mail Drop D205-03, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-3737; 
facsimile number: (919) 541-1153; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number ORD-2004-0013, which is available for public 
viewing at the Office of Environmental Information Docket in the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, 
and the telephone number for the Office of Environmental Information 
Docket is (202) 566-1752. An electronic version of the public docket is 
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. 
Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, 
submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the 
contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in the 
public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, 
select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 
60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or on paper, will be made available for public 
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the 
comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose 
public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a 
comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference 
to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in 
EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted 
material, will be available in the public docket. Although identified 
as an item in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose 
disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the 
official public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in 
EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's 
Federal Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 
(May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
primarily manufacturers and vendors of ambient air quality monitoring 
instruments that are used by state and local air quality monitoring 
agencies in their federally required air surveillance monitoring 
networks, and agents acting for such instrument manufacturers or 
vendors. Other entities potentially affected may include state or local 
air monitoring agencies, other users of ambient air quality monitoring 
instruments, or any other applicant for a reference or equivalent 
method determination.
    Title: Application for Reference and Equivalent Method 
Determination (OMB Control No. 2080-0005; EPA ICR No. 0559.08; expiring 
February 28, 2005).
    Abstract: To determine compliance with the national ambient air 
quality standards (NAAQS), State air monitoring agencies are required 
to use, in their air quality monitoring networks,

[[Page 52664]]

air monitoring methods that have been formally designated by the EPA as 
either reference or equivalent methods under EPA regulations at 40 CFR 
Part 53. A manufacturer or seller of an air monitoring method (e.g., an 
air monitoring sampler or analyzer) that seeks to obtain such EPA 
designation of one of its products must carry out prescribed tests of 
the method. The test results and other information must then be 
submitted to the EPA in the form of an application for a reference or 
equivalent method determination in accordance with 40 CFR Part 53. The 
EPA uses this information, under the provisions of Part 53, to 
determine whether the particular method should be designated as either 
a reference or equivalent method. After a method is designated, the 
applicant must also maintain records of the names and mailing addresses 
of all ultimate purchasers of all analyzers or samplers sold as 
designated methods under the method designation. If the method 
designated is a method for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), 
the applicant must also submit a checklist signed by an ISO-certified 
auditor to indicate that the samplers or analyzers sold as part of the 
designated method are manufactured in an ISO 9001-registered facility. 
Also, an applicant must submit a minor application to seek approval for 
any proposed modifications to previously designated methods.
    A response to this collection of information is voluntary, but it 
is required to obtain the benefit of EPA designation under 40 CFR Part 
53. Submission of some information that is claimed by the applicant to 
be confidential business information may be necessary to make a 
reference or equivalent method determination. The confidentiality of 
any submitted information identified as confidential business 
information by the applicant will be protected in full accordance with 
40 CFR Part 53.15 and all applicable provisions of 40 CFR Part 2.
    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.
    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 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.
    Burden Statement: 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.
    The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average approximately 4,720 
hours, with a cost of approximately $93,000. These estimates are based 
on a projected receipt of 5 major applications per year with a weighted 
average burden of 860 hours per application, and an estimated 14 minor 
applications per year with a weighted average burden of 30 hours each. 
However, it should be noted that actual applications range widely in 
content and extent. Accordingly, the individual respondent burden for a 
particular application response may differ substantially from these 
weighted average burden estimates. The weighted average cost burden 
estimate includes start up costs, the total cost of capital equipment 
annualized over its expected useful life, operation and maintenance, 
and purchase of services.

    Dated: August 16, 2004.
Gary J. Foley,
Director, National Exposure Research Laboratory.
[FR Doc. 04-19613 Filed 8-26-04; 8:45 am]
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