[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41251-41252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20610]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6133-6]


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 document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Ambient Air Quality Surveillance, OMB 
Number (2060-0084), EPA ICR # 940.16 expires March 29, 1999. Before 
submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting 
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collections as 
described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 2, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Emissions, 
Monitoring, and Analysis Division (MD-14), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Interested parties 
may obtain a copy of the ICR without change from David Lutz, EPA, 
Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis Division, MD-14, Research Triangle 
Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 541-5476.


[[Page 41252]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Lutz, Emissions, Monitoring, and 
Analysis Division (MD-14), 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 # 940.16) expires March 29, 1999.
    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). 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 PM-10, 1993 for enhanced monitoring for ozone, and 
1997 for PM<INF>2.5</INF>. 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.
    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 (2,253,359) hours, which would average out to be 
approximately (16,569) 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: July 22, 1998
William F. Hunt, Jr.,
Director, Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 98-20610 Filed 7-31-98; 8:45 am]
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