[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54681-54682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26462]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5319-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities
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 notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the
following renewal Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). 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 December 26, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Emissions
Monitoring, and Analysis Division (MD-14), Research Triangle Park, NC
27711.
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 # 940.13, expires 1/31/96.
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 USC 1857). Section 110 makes it clear that State generated air
quality data is 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, and 1993 for the enhanced monitoring for
ozone. 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
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.
[[Page 54682]]
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 1,260,887 hours, which would average out to be
approximately 9,270 hours per respondent. As a part of this ICR
renewal, an evaluation will be made of the labor burden associated with
this 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 are listed in 40 CFR part 9.
Send comments regarding these matters, or any other aspect of the
information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden,
to the address listed above.
Dated: October 16, 1995.
William F. Hunt, Jr.,
Director, Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 95-26462 Filed 10-24-95; 8:45 am]
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