[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9407-9408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4308]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050, FRL-9120-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Implementation of Ambient Air Protocol Gas 
Verification Participation Survey; EPA ICR No. 2375.01 OMB Control No. 
2060-New

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to 
submit a request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the ICR to the 
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 May 3, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2010-0050, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. Please include a total of two copies.
     Hand Delivery: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050, 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during 
the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should 
be made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2010-0050. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available on-line 
at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact Mr. 
Michael Papp, 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: 919-541-2408; 
fax: 919-541-1903; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050 which is available for on-line viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and 
Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 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 Air and 
Radiation Docket is 202-566-1742.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested In?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    (i) Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    (ii) Describe any assumptions that you used.
    (iii) Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you 
used that support your views.
    (iv) If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    (v) Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    (vi) Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    (vii) To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the 
docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the 
first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and 
Federal Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply To?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
state, local,

[[Page 9408]]

and tribal governments that are currently operating and maintaining 
established ambient air quality networks.
    Title: Implementation of Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification 
Participation Survey
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050, OMB Control No. 
2060-New.
    ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection 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 
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when 
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by 
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such 
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The 
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is 
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    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 any form of 
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, EPA will develop an Ambient Air 
Protocol Gas Verification Program (AA-PGVP) that will help to ensure 
that producers selling EPA Protocol Gases participate in the AA-PGVP 
and will provide 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. EPA Regions 2 and 7 have agreed to provide analytical 
services for verification of 40 cylinders/lab or 80 cylinders total/
year. Cylinders will be verified at a pre-determined time each quarter.
    In order to make the appropriate selection, EPA needs to know what 
specialty gas producers are being used by the monitoring organizations. 
Therefore, 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.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 
minutes 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 which have subsequently changed; 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 20 minutes per 
response with a cost of $21.71 per year. The total number of 
respondents is assumed to be 211.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 211.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 70.3.
    Estimated total annual costs: $4582.00.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

    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 pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: February 19, 2010.
Jennifer Noonan Edmonds,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2010-4308 Filed 3-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P