6968 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 31 / Friday, February 14, 1997 / Notices

Dated: February 10, 1997.

Joseph Retzer,

Director, Regulatory Information Division.

[FR Doc. 97–3778 Filed 2–13–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

[FRL–5688–3]

Ambient Air Monitoring Reference and

Equivalent Methods; Equivalent

Method Designation

Notice is hereby given that the EPA,

in accordance with 40 CFR part 53, has

designated another equivalent method

for the measurement of ambient

concentrations of sulfur dioxide. The

new equivalent method is an automated

method (analyzer) that utilizes a

measurement principle based on pulsed

UV fluorescence. The new designated

method is identified as follows:

EQSA–0197–114, ‘‘Horiba

Instruments, Incorporated, Model

APSA–360 Ambient SO2 Monitor,’’

operated with a full scale range of 0–0.5

ppm, at any temperature in the range of

5 °C to 40 °C, with a Line Setting of

‘‘MEASURE’’, an Analog Output of

‘‘MOMENTARY VALUE’’, and with or

without either of the following options:

(1) Rack Mounting Plate and Side Rails,

(2) RS–232 Communications Port.

This method is available from Horiba

Instruments, Incorporated, 17671

Armstrong Avenue, Irvine, California

92714. The application for designation

of this sulfur dioxide method was

received on September 23, 1996.

A test analyzer representative of this

method has been tested by the

applicant, in accordance with the test

procedures specified in 40 CFR part 53.

After reviewing the results of these tests

and other information submitted by the

applicant, the EPA has determined, in

accordance with part 53, that this

method should be designated as an

equivalent method. The information

submitted by the applicant will be kept

on file at the EPA’s National Exposure

Research Laboratory, Research Triangle

Park, North Carolina 27711, and will be

available for inspection to the extent

consistent with 40 CFR part 2 (EPA’s

regulations implementing the Freedom

of Information Act).

As a designated equivalent method,

this method is acceptable for use by

States and other air monitoring agencies

under requirements of 40 CFR part 58,

Ambient Air Quality Surveillance. For

such purposes, the method must be

used in strict accordance with the

operation or instruction manual

associated with the method and subject

to any limitations (e.g., operating range)

specified in the applicable designation

(see description of the method above).

Vendor modifications of a designated

method used for purposes of part 58 are

permitted only with prior approval of

the EPA, as provided in part 53.

Provisions concerning modification of

such methods by users are specified

under section 2.8 of appendix C to 40

CFR part 58 (Modifications of Methods

by Users).

In general, this designation applies to

any analyzer which is identical to the

analyzer described in the designation. In

many cases, similar analyzers

manufactured prior to the designation

may be upgraded (e.g., by minor

modification or by substitution of a new

operation or instruction manual) so as to

be identical to the designated method

and thus achieve designation status at a

modest cost. The manufacturer should

be consulted to determine the feasibility

of such upgrading.

Part 53 requires that sellers of

designated methods comply with

certain conditions. These conditions are

given in 40 CFR 53.9 and are

summarized below:

(1) A copy of the approved operation

or instruction manual must accompany

the analyzer when it is delivered to the

ultimate purchaser.

(2) The analyzer must not generate

any unreasonable hazard to operators or

to the environment.

(3) The analyzer must function within

the limits of the performance

specifications given in table B–1 of part

53 for at least one year after delivery

when maintained and operated in

accordance with the operation manual.

(4) Any analyzer offered for sale as a

reference or equivalent method must

bear a label or sticker indicating that it

has been designated as a reference or

equivalent method in accordance with

part 53.

(5) If such an analyzer has two or

more selectable ranges, the label or

sticker must be placed in close

proximity to the range selector and

indicate which range or ranges have

been included in the reference or

equivalent method designation.

(6) An applicant who offers analyzers

for sale as reference or equivalent

methods is required to maintain a list of

ultimate purchases of such analyzers

and to notify them within 30 days if a

reference or equivalent method

designation applicable to the analyzers

has been canceled or if adjustment of

the analyzers is necessary under 40 CFR

53.11(b) to avoid a cancellation.

(7) An applicant who modifies an

analyzer previously designated as a

reference or equivalent method is not

permitted to sell the analyzer (as

modified) as a reference or equivalent

method (although he may choose to sell

it without such representation), nor to

attach a label or sticker to the analyzer

(as modified) under the provisions

described above, until he has received

notice under 40 CFR 53.14(c) that the

original designation or a new

designation applies to the method as

modified or until he has applied for and

received notice under 40 CFR 53.8(b) of

a new reference or equivalent method

determination for the analyzer as

modified.

Aside from occasional breakdowns or

malfunctions, consistent or repeated

noncompliance with any of these

conditions should be reported to:

Director, National Exposure Research

Laboratory, Department E (MD–77B),

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

27711.

Designation of this equivalent method

will provide assistance to the States in

establishing and operating their air

quality surveillance systems under part

58. Technical questions concerning the

method should be directed to the

manufacturer. Additional information

concerning this action may be obtained

from Frank F. McElroy, Air

Measurements Research Division (MD–

77B), National Exposure Research

Laboratory, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Research Triangle

Park, North Carolina 27711, (919) 541–

2622.

Dated: February 6, 1997.

Robert J. Huggett,

Assistant Administrator for Research and

Development.

[FR Doc. 97–3774 Filed 2–13–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–M

[ER-FRL–5477–5]

Environmental Impact Statements and

Regulations; Availability of EPA

Comments

Availability of EPA comments

prepared January 27, 1997 Through

January 31, 1997 pursuant to the

Environmental Review Process (ERP),

under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act

and Section 102(2)(c) of the National

Environmental Policy Act as amended.

Requests for copies of EPA comments

can be directed to the Office of Federal

Activities at (202) 564–7167. An

explanation of the ratings assigned to

draft environmental impact statements

(EISs) was published in FR dated April

5, 1996 (61 FR 15251).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D–DOE–E09802–SC Rating

EC2, Savannah River Site, Shutdown of