[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 22 (Thursday, February 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5647-5648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2068]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ORD-2004-0013; FRL-7868-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Application for Reference and 
Equivalent Method Determination (Renewal), 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 document announces that an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 28, 
2005. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or 
sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending 
at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and 
its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before March 7, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number ORD-2004-
0013, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail 
to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail 
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) 
OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On August 27, 2004 (69 FR 52663), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant

[[Page 5648]]

to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. 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 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 and OMB 
within 30 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, 
whether submitted electronically or in 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.
    Title: Application for Reference and Equivalent Method 
Determination (Renewal)
    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, 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 checklist information confirmed 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 for the EPA 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 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 in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on 
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 860 
hours per response full application and 30 hours per request for 
modification for a combined average of 524 hours per response. 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: 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.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 19.
    Frequency of Response: Once per application, plus requests for 
modifications as needed.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 4,718 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $426,966, including annualized 
capital/startup cost of $19,651, O&M cost of $81,408, and respondent 
labor costs of $325,907.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in hours in the total 
estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved 
ICR Burdens.

    Dated: January 25, 2005.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 05-2068 Filed 2-2-05; 8:45 am]
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