Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050-0005
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Implementation of Ambient Air Protocol Gas Verification Program (Renewal)
Posted Date: 2013-11-18T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 222 (Monday, November 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69084-69085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27435]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0050; FRL 9902-89-OEI]

Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Implementation of Ambient Air Protocol Gas 
Verification Program (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), Implementation of Ambient Air 
Protocol Gas Verification Program (Renewal) to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which 
is currently approved through December 31, 2013. Public comments were 
previously requested via the Federal Register (78 FR 30300) on May 22, 
2013 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an 
additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR 
is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 
An Agency may not conduct or sponsor

[[Page 69085]]

and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 18, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2010-0050, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by email to a-and-r-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Laurie Trinca, 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: 919-541-0520; fax: 919-541-1903; email: 
trinca.laurie@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents, which explain in 
detail the information that EPA will be collecting, are available in 
the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For further information 
about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    ICR Information: EPA ICR Number 2375.02; OMB Control Number 2060-
0648.
    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 developed an Ambient Air 
Protocol Gas Verification Program that provides 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. 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 information from each primary 
quality assurance organization every year on specialty gas producers 
being used and whether the monitoring organization would like to 
participate in the verification for the upcoming calendar year.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: State, local, and Tribal air quality 
management agencies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory under 40 CFR part 58.
    Estimated number of respondents: 211 (total).
    Frequency of response: Yearly.
    Total estimated burden: 70 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 
CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $4,674 (per year). There are no annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the total estimated 
respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB.

John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-27435 Filed 11-15-13; 8:45 am]
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