[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 PM2.5. 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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