Restructuring of the Stationary Source Audit Program, 55636-55657 [2010-21820]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 176 / Monday, September 13, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
methods for which a commercially
available audit exists.
telephone number for the Public
Reading Room is (202) 566–1744.
40 CFR Parts 51, 60, 61 and 63
DATES:
This final rule is effective 30
days after September 13, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2008–0531; FRL–9195–7]
EPA has established a
docket for this action under Docket ID
No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2008–0531. All
documents in the docket are listed on
the https://www.regulations.gov Web
site. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available,
e.g., CBI or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
copyrighted material, is not placed on
the Internet and will be publicly
available only in hard copy form.
Publicly available docket materials are
available either electronically through
https://www.regulations.gov or in hard
copy at the Restructuring of the
Stationary Source Audit Program
Docket, Docket ID No. EPA–OAR–2008–
0531, EPA Docket Center, EPA/DC, EPA
West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. This
Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
excluding legal holidays. The docket
telephone number is (202) 566–1742.
The Public Reading Room is open from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
ADDRESSES:
RIN 2060–AP23
Restructuring of the Stationary Source
Audit Program
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
EPA is taking final action to
promulgate amendments to the General
Provisions to allow accredited providers
to supply stationary source audit
samples and to require sources to obtain
and use these samples from the
accredited providers instead of from
EPA, as is the current practice. All
requirements pertaining to the audit
samples have been moved to the
General Provisions and have been
removed from the test methods because
the current language in the test methods
regarding audit samples is inconsistent
from method to method. Therefore,
deleting all references to audit samples
in the test methods eliminates any
possible confusion and inconsistencies.
Under this final rule, the requirement to
use an audit sample during a
compliance test will apply to all test
SUMMARY:
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I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
This action would apply to you if you
operate a stationary source that is
subject to applicable requirements to
conduct compliance testing under 40
CFR parts 60, 61, and 63.
In addition, this action would apply
to you if Federal, State, or local agencies
take certain additional actions. For
example, this action would apply if
State or local agencies implement
regulations using any of the stationary
source compliance test methods in
Appendix M of Part 51 by adopting
these methods in rules or permits (either
by incorporation by reference or by
duplicating the method in its entirety).
The source categories and entities
potentially affected include, but are not
limited to, the following:
Examples of regulated entities
Surface Coating.
Industrial, Commercial, Institutional Steam Generating Units.
Electric Generating Units.
Stationary Gas Turbines.
Petroleum Refineries.
Municipal Waste Combustors.
Pulp and Paper Mills.
American Industry Classification System.
B. Where can I obtain a copy of this
action and other related information?
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Ms.
Candace Sorrell, U.S. EPA, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, Air
Quality Assessment Division,
Measurement Technology Group (E143–
02), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711;
telephone number: (919) 541–1064; fax
number: (919) 541–0516; e-mail address:
sorrell.candace@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
In addition to being available in the
docket, an electronic copy of the final
rule is also available on the Worldwide
Web (https://www.epa.gov/ttn) through
the Technology Transfer Network
(TTN). Following the Administrator’s
signature, a copy of the final rule will
be posted on the TTN’s policy and
guidance page for newly proposed or
promulgated rules at https://
www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg. The TTN
provides information and technology
exchange in various areas of air
pollution control.
C. How is this document organized?
The information in this preamble is
organized as follows:
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I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
B. Where can I obtain a copy of this
document and other related information?
C. How is this document organized?
II. Background
III. This Action
IV. Public Comments on the Proposed Rule
A. Accreditation Program vs. Audit
Program
B. Alternatives to Restructuring the Audit
Program
C. Test Method Bias With Respect to the
Audit Program
D. Terms Need Defining or Clarifying
E. Audit Sample Failure and NonCompliance
F. Reporting Period
G. Choosing Correct Concentration for an
Audit Sample
H. Cost Estimates
I. Requiring the Same Analyst and
Analytical System for Sample Analysis
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J. When are audit samples required?
K. Audit Sample Availability
L. Setting Acceptance Limits
M. Audit Samples Should Not Apply to
Instrumental Methods
N. Notice and Comment Procedure
O. Field Analysis of Audit Samples
P. Audit Sample Matrix
Q. Audit Results Reporting and
Availability
R. External QA Program
S. No Justification for the Program
T. Consistency
U. Ordering Audit Samples
V. EPA Maintained List of Audit Providers
W. 2003 Study on Quality Gas Cylinder
Samples
X. Proposal Is Premature
Y. Voluntary Consensus Standards Body
(VCSB) Standard Does Not Meet EPA’s
Needs
Z. Gas Audit Samples Entry Point
V. Judicial Review
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VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
and Safety Risks
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use
I. National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions
To Address Environmental Justice in
Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
K. Congressional Review Act
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II. Background
The Restructuring of the Stationary
Source Audit Program (SSAP) was
proposed in the Federal Register on
June 16, 2009, with a public comment
period that ended July 16, 2009 (74 FR
28451). A public commenter asked that
the comment period be extended. We
extended the public comment period
until August 5, 2009 (74 FR 31903). A
total of 21 comment letters were
received on the proposed rule. We have
compiled and responded to the public
comments and made appropriate
changes to the final rule based on the
comments.
III. This Action
This action finalizes revisions to the
General Provisions of Parts 51, 60, 61,
and 63 to allow accredited audit sample
providers to supply stationary source
audit samples and to require sources to
obtain and use these samples from the
accredited providers instead of from
EPA, as was the practice. It also revises
test methods 5I, 6, 6A–C, 7, 7A–D, 8,
15A, 16A, 18, 23, 25, 25C, 25D, 26, 26A,
104, 106, 108, 108A–C, 204A–F, 306,
306A, and 308 to delete any language
pertaining to audit samples. By adding
language to the General Provisions of
Parts 51, 60, 61 and 63, the requirement
to obtain and use audits for stationary
source compliance testing using EPA
stationary source test methods is
expanded and clarified. The previous
General Provisions and EPA test
methods were not consistent in their
language concerning the use or
availability of audit samples. This
action will potentially increase the
number of test methods required to use
audit samples and clarify how the
samples are to be obtained and used. By
clarifying the requirement for audit
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samples and expanding their
availability through multiple providers,
EPA believes audit samples will be used
during more compliance tests and,
therefore, the overall quality of the data
used for determining compliance will
improve.
This action finalizes the regulatory
criteria which list the minimum
requirements for the audit samples, the
accredited audit sample providers
(AASP), and the audit sample provider
acceditor (ASPA). The AASP is the
company that prepares and distributes
the audit samples and the ASPA is a
third-party organization that will
accredit and monitor the performance of
the AASPs. Both the AASP and the
ASPA must work with a Voluntary
Consensus Standard Body (VCSB) using
the consensus process to develop
criteria documents that describe how
they will function and meet EPA
regulatory criteria listed in this rule.
The Federal Office of Management and
Budget Circular A–119 defines a VCSB
as one having the following attributes:
(i) Openness; (ii) balance of interest;
(iii) due process; (iv) an appeals process;
and (v) consensus, which is general
agreement, but not necessarily
unanimity, and includes a process for
attempting to resolve objections by
interested parties. As long as all
comments have been fairly considered,
each objector is advised of the
disposition of his or her objection(s) and
the reason(s) why, and the consensus
body members are given an opportunity
to change their votes after reviewing the
comments.
AASPs must be accredited by an
ASPA according to a technical criteria
document developed by a VCSB. The
technical criteria document must meet
EPA regulations. There may be many
AASPs and more than one ASPA and
VCSB. We predict that initially there
will only be one VCSB.
This action finalizes language that
outlines the responsibilities of the
regulated source owner or operator to
acquire and use an audit sample for all
testing conducted to determine
compliance with an air emission limit.
The requirement applies only if there
are commercially available audit
samples for the test method used during
the compliance testing. The source
owner, operator or representative shall
report the results for the audit sample
along with a summary of the emission
test results for the audited pollutant to
the appropriate compliance authority.
In addition to allowing private AASPs
to provide audit samples for the
stationary source audit program, this
action shifts the burden of obtaining an
audit sample from the compliance
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authority to the source. In the past, the
EPA provided the samples to the
compliance authorities at no cost, but
this action requires the source to
purchase the samples from an
accredited provider. The samples will
vary in cost depending on the type of
audit sample required; however, the
cost will be a very small portion of the
cost of a compliance test (approximately
one percent). Based on historical data,
EPA estimates that the total cost to
industry to purchase audit samples will
be between $150,000 to $200,000 per
year at the current usage rate.
IV. Public Comments on the Proposed
Rule
A more detailed summary of the
public comments and our responses can
be found in the Summary of Public
Comments and Responses document,
which is available from several sources
(see ADDRESSES section). The major
public comments are summarized by
subject as follows:
A. Accreditation Program vs. Audit
Program
Comment: Several comments
suggested that the audit program was
not needed due to the existence of
accreditation programs for laboratories
or that EPA should conduct a
proficiency testing program as part of an
accreditation program.
Response: An accreditation program
or proficiency testing program serves a
different purpose than an audit
program. An accreditation program
looks to see if the laboratory has the
capabilities to conduct the analysis in
question. The audit program is an event
driven program that looks to see at a
particular time that the combination of
equipment and analyzer is able to
analyze the sample within an acceptable
range. Analyzing the audit samples at
the same time as the field samples using
the same equipment and analyst give
the compliance authorities and the
regulated community more confidence
in the test results.
B. Alternatives to Restructuring the
Audit Program
Comment: A number of commenters
suggested alternatives to our proposed
restructuring of the audit program to
allow for independent accredited audit
sample providers. These alternatives
included maintaining the audit program
as it currently stands in order to
maintain oversight/authority, charging
for audit samples, or conducting an EPA
accreditation program for audit sample
providers.
Response: We retain oversight
authority over all parties who develop
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information required by EPA to fully
assess the proper implementation of the
Clean Air Act (CAA). Section 114 of the
Act gives EPA the authority to require
the production of information, test
results and answers to questions EPA
may ask. We do not believe that it is
necessary for EPA to directly provide or
approve specific audit samples in order
to ensure integrity in this program.
We do not believe it is necessary to
develop a program to certify audit
providers when there are already
Voluntary Consensus Bodies in
existence that have the capabilities to
develop such a program with the input
from a wide variety of stakeholders.
Also, EPA is not legally allowed to
charge for the samples. It would be a
violation of the Miscellaneous Receipts
Statute, 331 U.S.C. Section 3302(b), in
addition to being an unlawful
augmentation of EPA’s Congressional
appropriation.
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C. Test Method Bias With Respect to the
Audit Program
Comment: One commenter noted that
by definition a performance audit is
intended to provide a measure of test
data bias. The commenter stated that
this program is presumably intended as
an audit of emissions sampling and
analysis that would include the
sampling technique, sample handling,
sample preparation, and sample
analysis accounting for the
measurement biases relative to all steps
of the process. However, this is not clear
in the proposed rule. Please clarify the
intent of the performance audit.
Response: Most of the current audit
samples only evaluate the analysis
portion of the method; we believe that
in the future restructured program more
audits will assess the effect of sampling
and handling because we defined blind
audit sample as follows: ‘‘A blind audit
sample is a sample whose value is
known only to the sample provider and
is not revealed to the tested facility until
after they report the measured value of
the audit sample. For pollutants that
exist in the gas phase at ambient
temperature, the audit sample shall
consist of an appropriate concentration
of the pollutant in air or nitrogen that
will be introduced into the sampling
system of the test method at or near the
same entry point as a sample from the
emission source.’’
D. Terms Need Defining or Clarifying
Comment: Several commenters
requested that the following terms be
defined in the final rule: Commercially
available and true value.
Response: We agree that
‘‘commercially available’’ and ‘‘true
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value’’ need to be defined. The final rule
has been revised to state that an audit
sample is ‘‘commercially available’’
when there are two or more sources for
obtaining the audit sample. ‘‘True value’’
is the spiked/expected value of the
audit.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the term ‘‘performance audit’’ be
revised to include the potential for field
collection of audit samples.
Response: Our intent was to include
field collection and analysis in the
definition of performance audit. We
revised the definition in the final rule to
state that if gaseous audits are available
then they must be collected by the field
sampling system during the compliance
test just as the compliance samples are
collected.
E. Audit Sample Failure and NonCompliance
Comment: Seven commenters oppose
the use of audit samples as evidence of
non-compliance and believe the audit
sample results should only be used as
a tool to assess the quality of the
compliance testing results but not as the
sole reason for finding a facility in noncompliance when the emission test may
demonstrate compliance.
Response: We believe the audit
sample results can and should be used
to assess the quality of test results for
compliance purposes, but those audit
sample results can and should, as
appropriate, also be used to assist in
establishing non-compliance. Sources
may present whatever credible evidence
they have to compliance officials
indicating whether or not the audit
sample results have a significant bearing
on the compliance test results.
Comment: Three commenters
recommended that the rule provide a
means to appeal or question a retest or
compliance action as the result of a
failed audit. They believe that EPA
should provide oversight authority to
referee such situations, while one
commenter suggested a procedure to
require the audit sample be reanalyzed
by the accredited audit sample provider.
Response: Audit samples are not the
only criterion used to evaluate the
quality of the test data; therefore, we do
not expect disputes to be common. We
believe that disputes involving failed
audits can be negotiated by the parties.
F. Reporting Period
Comment: Three commenters
requested that the final rule include
additional time to submit a final report
if audit results must be included in the
report or delete the requirement to
include the pass/fail results in the final
report.
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Response: Since the purpose of an
audit sample is to support the
credibility of a particular test result, it
is important that the pass/fail result of
the audit sample be included in the
final test report. By privatizing the audit
program, facilities will be able to get
audit results directly from the AASPs
which will be much quicker then
obtaining them from the compliance
authorities as in the past. Since the
procedure for obtaining audit results
will now be quicker, the final rule does
not include additional time to submit a
final report.
G. Choosing Correct Concentration for
an Audit Sample
Comment: One commenter expressed
concern that the proposed rule did not
provide for compliance authority input
into the supplied audit concentration
levels. This commenter pointed out that
while the proposal specifies that the
source provide an estimate of the
pollutant concentration(s), there is no
compliance authority confirmation, nor
the option for the compliance authority
to make specific requests based on the
needs for the given test program.
Response: We agree that the
compliance authority should have the
opportunity for input into the supplied
audit sample concentration level. The
final rule has been revised to require
that an acceptable criteria document
must provide the opportunity for the
compliance authority to comment with
the supplied audit sample concentration
levels.
Comment: One commenter stated that
Section 60.8(g)(1), ‘‘When ordering an
audit sample, the source operator, or
representative shall give the sample
provider an estimate for the
concentration of each pollutant that is
emitted by the source and the name,
address, and phone number of the
compliance authority’’ will cause
confusion because a source may or may
not know the concentration of the
pollutant of concern. Because EPA’s
interest is in ensuring that the emission
standards are being met, the commenter
suggested that the requirement should
be to provide information on the
standard the facility has to meet and the
concentration that would be expected if
the emissions equaled the permitted
level.
Response: We agree that the facility
could provide information based on the
facility standard or permit level instead
of exact emissions. The rule has been
revised to allow this option.
H. Cost Estimates
Comment: Four commenters stated
that the cost estimates for audit samples
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are low. The commenters also asserted
that the cost will be more than the
EPA’s estimate of approximately 1
percent of a source test. One commenter
cited an example where a NELAC
Performance Test (PT) sample initially
cost $150 and quickly increased to over
$900 for just a standard SO2 gas audit
sample.
Response: The commenter did not
present any evidence to support this
cost, and we were not able to
substantiate the claim. According to
discussions with the Executive Director
of The NELAC Institute, the current cost
range of SO2 PT samples is
approximately $95 to $108, and we
expect the cost for the SO2 audit
samples to be about the same because
they are made exactly the same and only
used for different purposes. The cost
estimates discussed in the proposed
rulemaking are based on the last ten
years that EPA has operated the
program.
Comment: Seven commenters stated
that EPA significantly underestimated
the cost of the audit program because
EPA did not include the analytical fees
associated with the audit.
Response: Analytical fees are not a
new cost. Facilities have always been
required to pay for the analysis of the
audit samples even under the current
program where we have provided the
audit samples free of charge. Therefore,
we do not believe it is appropriate to
add analytical fees to the estimated cost
for the program.
Comment: One commenter expressed
concern that the cost estimates and the
Information Collection Request (ICR) are
woefully incomplete. This commenter
stated that EPA’s estimate should
include the total costs and burdens
imposed on sources by the proposed
new SSAP such as the cost to sources
for purchasing audit samples, analyzing
(and in some cases reanalyzing) audit
samples, reporting audit sample results
and other information, developing and
implementing the other aspects of the
proposed ‘‘external QA program,’’ and
participating initially and every two
years thereafter in the proposed VCSB
‘‘public process’’ to ensure that criteria
developed by those organizations are
reasonable, and not just the cost
incurred by the AASP to report the true
value of the audit sample. This
commenter believes that the burden
estimate should also include the cost to
EPA of reviewing and approving
proposed ‘‘written technical criteria
documents’’ and otherwise participating
in the VCSB process. This commenter
believes that EPA could limit the ICR to
the cost incurred by the AASP to report
the true value of the audit sample only
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if the other burdens already were
covered under an approved ICR for the
period in question.
Response: The ICR estimate of burden
includes the estimated cost for the
AASP to report the results of the audit
to the compliance authority. In addition,
the ICR has been revised to include the
cost of the audit sample since in the
past the audit samples were free. The
cost of the requirement to analyze (and
in some cases reanalyze) audit samples
and reporting audit sample results has
already been taken into account in past
ICRs for each emission limit under the
New Source Performance Standards
which contained a burden estimate for
reporting emission testing results to
demonstrate compliance with emission
limits. We believe that not all
compliance tests that should be audited
are being audited under the current
program. We believe under the
restructured program the rate of
compliance with the audit requirement
will be higher; therefore, we have
revised the ICR to reflect the fact that
more audit samples will be purchased.
The final rule does not require anyone
to participate in the VCSB ‘‘public
process’’ and, therefore, the cost of
participating was not included in the
ICR.
I. Requiring the Same Analyst and
Analytical System for Sample Analysis
Comment: Two commenters are
concerned about the requirement that
the audit sample must be analyzed by
the same analyst using the same
analytical reagents and analytical
system as the compliance samples.
These commenters pointed out that
there may be several gas
chromatograph/mass spectrometers in a
particular lab, and all of these
instruments are calibrated and certified,
so that it does not matter which of these
instruments are used to analyze an
individual sample.
Response: While EPA agrees that
identical instruments calibrated by the
same reagents should give the same
answer within repeatability limits, EPA
also believes that it is important to limit
all sources of imprecision and,
therefore, the audits should be analyzed
using the same analyst and the same
analytical system as the compliance test
samples.
Comment: One commenter stated that
the requirement that the ‘‘audit sample
must be analyzed by the same analyst
using the same analytical reagents and
analytical system as the compliance
samples’’ should be expanded to specify
analyzing them in the same batch as the
compliance samples and, if they are
collected in the field, to collect them
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with the same person(s), using the same
reagents and collection system. This
commenter suggested that if field testers
use different sampling trains to collect
compliance samples during different
test runs, from then the tester should
collect audit samples with all the trains
and analyze the samples from the
different trains separately or as a
composite.
Response: We have revised the final
rule to clarify how field audits should
be collected when the audit sample is
designed to check the sampling system.
The final rule requires that field audits
must be collected using the same field
testing person who collected the field
samples using one of the field sampling
systems that was used to collect the
compliance samples. If multiple
sampling systems were used, the rule
will not require that each sampling train
used during the field test be used to
collect an audit sample. The revised
rule also requires that the audit samples
must be analyzed at the same time as
the test samples unless the compliance
authority waives this requirement.
J. When are audit samples required?
Comment: Two commenters believe it
makes more sense for the source and the
compliance authority to discuss the
need for an audit sample on a case-bycase basis instead of EPA making it
mandatory for each individual test.
Response: The requirement for an
audit sample is nothing new. Current
regulations require audit samples if they
are available and we do not see a need
to change the requirement. We believe
that the program should be
administered consistently across the
Nation and the only way to do that is
to require the tester to include an audit
sample with all compliance tests using
methods for which audits are available.
The compliance authority can always
waive the requirement to include an
audit sample for a specific compliance
test if they believe the audit sample is
not necessary.
Comment: Four commenters stated
that the proposed rule was unclear with
respect to how many audit samples may
be required during a given performance
test. They stated that if the same method
is used and the same pollutant is
sampled, then only one audit sample
should be necessary for the entire set of
samples collected during a test program.
Response: We agree that only one
audit sample per method used during a
performance test is needed so long as all
pollutants measured using that method
are covered by the audit sample. The
final rule has been revised to clarify
this.
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K. Audit Sample Availability
Comment: Two commenters are
concerned that the timing for checking
on availability of a specific pollutant
audit sample does not mesh with the
60-day requirement to submit a test
protocol for approval by the permitting
authority. The commenters suggested
that the cut-off date for sources to locate
and incorporate audit sample
requirements into a performance test
plan must be at least three months prior
to submitting the test protocol to their
permitting authority.
Response: There is no requirement
under the amended SSAP program to
submit a test protocol for approval by
the compliance authority. If a source
chooses to voluntarily prepare and
submit a test protocol, the protocol
could incorporate audit sample
requirements that would have to be met
only if an audit sample became
available 60 days prior to the scheduled
test date.
Comment: One commenter stated that
EPA presumes that there will be
Accredited Audit Sample Providers or
Accredited Proficiency Test Sample
Providers willing to get in the business
of supplying the necessary audits for all
applicable methods. The commenters
suggested that EPA should plan for a
transition period if there is a delay in
getting providers accredited.
Response: We anticipate that audit
samples will be available for most if not
all the methods for which EPA currently
provides audit samples. We know that
The NELAC Institute is currently
developing criteria documents and
accreditation standards to produce audit
standards (https://www.nelacinstitute.org/standards.php) so we know
there is interest in the private sector. We
believe there will be an accredited audit
program in the future. Therefore, we do
not believe that there is a need for a
transition period during which EPA
would continue to provide audit
samples until an accredited audit
sample provider is approved. Again, if
an audit sample is not available, there
is no requirement for use of an audit
sample.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that PT samples should not be used in
place of audit samples, unless PT
providers follow the provider
requirements and be accepted as an
audit sample provider by a provider
accreditor, as set forth in the Standards
defined by the VCSB they are using.
Response: We agree with this
comment. The rule has been revised to
remove the option of using PT samples
in place of audit samples if audit
samples are not available.
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Comment: One commenter believes
EPA should not allow sources to forgo
using an audit sample if the EPA fails
to identify a provider on its Web site 60
days before a scheduled test. This
commenter contends that EPA should
leave the job of identifying providers
and which samples are available to the
sources that are required to demonstrate
compliance.
Response: It takes time to plan and
prepare for a source test. We do not
want a source to be cited for a violation
because an audit sample becomes
available a short time before the
compliance test. We also do not want
sources and testing firms to spend time
every day looking for available audit
samples. Therefore, we believe the final
rule needs to provide a 60-day time
frame so that sources can properly plan
a compliance test. In addition, listing
the available audits on our Web site not
only benefits the sources but also the
compliance authorities. The list
provides one location for them to see
what is available; otherwise they too
would have to constantly contact
providers for information on available
audits.
L. Setting Acceptance Limits
Comment: Two commenters are
concerned about allowing the VCSBs to
determine the audit acceptance criteria.
The commenters contend that EPA
needs to define its minimum
requirements to define the acceptable
level of performance for compliance
purposes and not leave it up to
voluntary consensus organizations.
Response: We agree that EPA needs to
define minimum requirements for how
the acceptance criteria should be
determined in the final rule. The final
rule has been revised to specify that
acceptance criteria must be based on
results from the analysis of audit test
samples analyzed by qualified
laboratories using the method that is
being audited. The final rule requires
that acceptance limits must be set so
that 90 percent of qualified laboratories
would produce results within the
acceptance limits for 95 percent of all
future audits. This acceptance criterion
is consistent with the general goal that
EPA established for the program it
operated in the past.
M. Audit Samples Should Not Apply to
Instrumental Methods
Comment: Three commenters
expressed confusion and concern over
how audit samples would be applied to
instrumental methods and other test
methods involving human observers
(i.e., Method 9 and 22).
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Response: We agree that it is not
necessary to require audit samples for
those test methods that use instruments
to measure pollutants in stack gas
samples taken directly from an emission
source. These methods include Method
3C, 6C, 7E, 10, 20, 25A, 318, 320, and
321. These methods already have
sufficient calibration and quality
assurance requirements that would
make an additional audit sample
redundant. We believe that Method 18
also has sufficient quality assurance
measures that make an audit sample
unnecessary. This method requires that
the tester perform a recovery study
through the entire sampling system to
demonstrate that the combined
sampling and analytical system is
capable of measuring the target
pollutant within specified limits. The
measured results are then corrected to
account for the empirically determined
recovery. We believe that for this
method an audit sample would not add
significant additional information about
the quality of the measured results. We
have revised the final rule to
specifically exempt Methods 3C, 6C, 7E,
9, 10, 18, 20, 22, 25A, 303, 318, 320, and
321 from the requirement to have an
audit sample. We also agree that
Methods 9, 22, and 303 do not need
audit samples. These are all methods for
determining visible emissions by
observation and, therefore, there is no
practical way to audit them. The final
rule has been revised to exempt these
methods from the audit sample
requirement.
N. Notice and Comment Procedure
Comment: One commenter believes
this proposal turns the requirements of
the ‘‘National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA)’’
(Pub. L. 104–113) ‘‘on its head’’ because
the NTTAA requires EPA (and other
Federal agencies) to use standards
already adopted by VCSBs, where
appropriate, rather than developing
their own government-unique
standards. In addition NTTAA requires
EPA to participate in the development
of such standards to help ensure their
usefulness in government applications
but does not authorize EPA to adopt
VCSB standards that do not currently
exist, to adopt rules that condition
sources’ compliance with Federal
regulations on a VCSB’s adoption of
standards, or to require regulated
sources to participate in future VCSB
proceedings in order to protect their
interests.
The commenter also contends that
EPA’s own regulations do not allow
EPA to approve and incorporate by
reference future VCSB standards
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because it would be an unlawful
circumvention of notice and comment
procedures, and of limitations on
incorporation by reference.
Response: The NTTAA only requires
agencies to use VCS in regulatory
actions when VCSs are available. There
are no current standards adopted by
VCSBs for audit samples. We are
allowing VCSBs to develop standards
for audit samples and allowing these
standards to be used for government
applications. These audit samples are
not used to determine compliance. They
are quality assurance tools used during
compliance testing to assist in
determining the accuracy of the
compliance testing. The final rule does
not condition a sources’s compliance
with Federal regulations on a VCSBs
adoption of standards. If audit samples
do not exist for a particular compliance
test, an audit sample is not required.
Although some may choose to
participate, there is also no requirement
that sources participate in future VCSB
proceedings.
On the second point, we did not
circumvent notice and comment
procedures. The final rule establishes
minimum requirements for the audit
samples, the accredited audit sample
providers and the audit sample provider
accreditor. We have proposed these
criteria for notice and comment.
Although audit samples may be
produced in the future, the only audit
samples that we will accept are those
that meet the substantive requirements
of this rule. Accordingly, all
commenters have had a full opportunity
to discuss their concerns with the
requirements set for audit samples by
this rule.
O. Field Analysis of Audit Samples
Comment: Five commenters requested
that the final rule be revised to allow the
owner/operator to obtain a waiver from
the requirement to have the compliance
authority present at the testing site on
a case-by-case basis when the method
being audited is a method that allows
the samples to be analyzed in the field
and tester plans to analyze the samples
in the field because it may not be
practical for a representative from the
compliance authority to be on-site for
every one of these audit analyses.
Response: We agree that it may not be
practical in all cases for a representative
of the compliance authority to be
present when an audit sample is
analyzed in the field, so we revised the
final rule to allow the owner/operator to
obtain a waiver from the compliance
authority for the requirement to have
the compliance authority present at the
testing site.
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P. Audit Sample Matrix
Comment: Three commenters
discussed the issue of the audit sample
matrix. One commenter felt we needed
to be clear about what interferents can
and cannot be added to the samples to
ensure consistency among the audit
providers. Another commenter stated
that EPA must specifically require that
audit samples include realistic
interferents while the third commenter
found the use of interferents troubling
since the audit providers would not
necessarily know what to mimic.
Response: The term sample matrix
was not intended to imply that the audit
samples were to be prepared in a
manner that would duplicate an
emission gas stream. The term matrix is
only used in conjunction with those
samples that do not consist of the
pollutant in the gas phase in air or
nitrogen. The term matrix was used to
indicate that if a method collected the
pollutant in a similar aqueous solution,
then the audit sample should consist of
the pollutant in an aqueous solution.
The EPA believes that preparing audit
samples in a matrix that would include
interferents that might or might not be
present in the stack is too complex to be
workable. EPA is not requiring that
interferents be included in the audit
samples.
Q. Audit Results Reporting and
Availability
Comment: One commenter believes
the compliance authority should be
provided a copy of the audit results at
the time of shipment from the sample
provider because having the results
prior to sample analysis helps generate
more accurate data and minimizes
problems.
Response: We believe that this would
be beneficial but should not be
mandatory. Since we did not provide
the compliance authorities with the
actual concentrations under the current
audit program, it is hard to justify
making it mandatory.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that if the audit is conducted in the field
and the results of the audit are available
prior to conducting the emission tests,
the facility should be provided with
information on the pass/fail status of the
audit test results prior to carrying out
the source test. The commenter points
out that this would avoid unnecessary
testing and waste of resources when the
ability of the source tester is in question
because of failure to produce acceptable
results for the audit sample.
Response: We agree with the
commenter, and there is nothing in the
final rule to prevent this scenario.
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Comment: One commenter stated that
audit sample providers should report
only pass or fail for the audit sample
result and not the true value of the audit
sample because audit samples are to be
unknowns. This commenter was
concerned that if the audit samples are
supplied in a limited number of
concentrations, then over time this
might reveal the true values and would
compromise the unknown status of the
audit sample.
Response: We agree that the sample’s
true value needs to remain blind to the
sources and laboratories at least until
the values are reported. The final rule
has been revised to state that only pass
or fail results shall be reported unless
the accredited audit sample provider
ensures that no laboratory will receive
the same sample twice.
Comment: One commenter stated that
the audit sample provider would be
under no compliance (or contractual)
obligation to provide a quick
turnaround on the audit results, so
significant delay could occur during this
step, depending on the audit sample
provider’s availability. This commenter
asked EPA to add a regulatory provision
requiring the audit sample provider to
send out the results of the audit within
7 calendar days.
Response: We agree that it is
important that the AASPs provide a
quick turnaround of the audit results.
The final rule includes a requirement
that AASPs submit the results in a
timely manner. The AASPs and the
sources may decide a more specific time
frame.
R. External QA Program
Comment: One commenter expressed
confusion and concern about the
proposed rule’s use of the terminology
‘‘External QA program’’ and that an
additional requirement might be added
to the external QA program.
Response: The only mandatory
requirement under the restructured
audit program would be to include an
audit sample with each compliance test.
EPA has revised the final rule to make
this clear.
S. No Justification for the Program
Comment: Five commenters believe
that EPA did not provide a justification
for continuing the current program or
expanding the program. Three
commenters felt that the emergence of
private providers is an insufficient
rationale for the rulemaking.
Response: We disagree. The
emergence of private providers is one
reason for changing the audit program.
We discussed other reasons for
privatizing the audit program in the
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Notice of Proposed Rule Making. Also,
we believe allowing private companies
to provide audit samples will: (1)
Ensure a wider range of audit sample
concentrations that will better match the
working range of the methods, (2)
provide a more efficient and responsive
system for supplying the required
samples, (3) ensure greater transparency
in the operation of the audit program,
(4) produce higher quality audit
samples, and (5) ensure a more stable
supply of samples.
T. Consistency
Comment: One commenter noted that
there was an inconsistency in the
proposed rules between the language in
Part 51 and that in Part 60. According
to this commenter, the language in Part
51 could be interpreted to mean that the
results for an audit sample could be
reported to the AASP or Accredited PT
Sample Providers (APTSP) at some later
time after reporting to the compliance
authority, whereas the language in Part
60 could be interpreted to mean that the
audit sample results should be reported
to the compliance authority and to the
AASP or APTSP at the same time. The
commenter suggested that the statement
in Part 51 should be amended to
correspond with the statement in Part
60.
Response: We agree that the two
statements should be consistent. The
final rule has been revised so all parts
require that the audit sample results be
reported to the compliance authority
and the audit sample provider at the
same time.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that we revise the National Emission
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
(NESHAP) General Provisions for
consistency with the proposed audit
restructuring program. The commenter
pointed out that provisions in 63.7(4)(i)
state that ‘‘audit materials may be
obtained by contacting the appropriate
EPA Regional Office or responsible
enforcement authority,’’ and this
language conflicts with the proposed
rule.
Response: We agree and the final rule
has been revised to correct the
inconsistency.
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U. Ordering Audit Samples
Comment: Two commenters stated
that it is not clear who is responsible for
obtaining the audit samples because the
proposed rule allows the source or an
agent for the source to request the audit
sample for a source test. The
commenters requested that EPA clarify
the type of documentation that would
be needed by the agent to demonstrate
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to the AASP that it is indeed an agent
for the source.
Response: This provision was
intended to allow the source owner or
someone designated by the owner such
as a member of a source testing firm to
request the audit sample. The agent
would need to work with the AASP to
provide any documentation necessary to
satisfy the AASP that they were an agent
acting for the source.
Comment: One commenter believes
there should be a time-frame for the
source to order audit samples and the
compliance authority should be notified
when an audit sample was ordered.
Response: The final rule has been
revised to provide the compliance
authority input into the audit sample
concentration range which in itself
provides the compliance authority
notification of an audit sample order.
We believe the time frame for ordering
audit samples is an issue that should be
considered by the source owner,
compliance authority and the AASP. It
is not an issue that is covered by this
rule.
V. EPA Maintained List of Audit
Providers
Comment: One commenter is
concerned that if source owners seek the
lowest cost AASPs, then there could be
audit sample shortages, unforeseeable
variations in costs, audit quality issues,
and last minute failures in AASPs
supplying audit samples. The
commenter also asked that EPA flag or
remove any AASP that fails to deliver
audit material as offered or promised.
Response: We intend to monitor the
progress of this new system of
supplying audit samples to ensure that
it works as anticipated. We anticipate
that most AASPs will deliver on their
contracts, as most businesses want
repeat customers.
W. 2003 Study on Quality Gas Cylinder
Samples
Comment: One commenter believes
reliance on voluntary consensus
requirements for accreditation of audit
samples does little to improve the
reliability of compliance testing, and
may threaten the quality of the testing
itself without additional procedures for
qualifying and auditing private entities.
The commenter believes this makes the
EPA proposal arbitrary and
unreasonable. As proof of this
contention, the commenter points to a
2003 study where EPA performed an
audit of 42 source-level, tri-blend, EPA
Protocol calibration gas cylinders from a
total of 14 major gas vendors
nationwide. The commenter points out
that the overall failure rate from this
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study was 11 percent on a gas
component basis, and 57 percent on a
vendor basis, and that no additional
evidence of the availability or the
quality or calibration of private vendor
audit samples has been offered to refute
EPA’s own study.
Response: This study is not relevant
to the restructuring of the audit
program. The gas vendors surveyed in
this study were not accredited to
produce EPA Protocol calibration gases
because the protocol gas program does
not require accreditation and were not
subject to any third party verification.
The restructured audit program requires
that providers be accredited and provide
recurring third party verification of the
quality of the audit samples being
produced.
X. Proposal Is Premature
Comment: One commenter expressed
concern that there were no existing
third party accrediting bodies for audit
sample providers and, therefore, there
are no AASPs from which to obtain
audit samples under this proposed rule.
This commenter contends that it is not
sufficient for EPA to simply propose a
framework and then to develop the
details of the program after the
opportunity for notice and comment has
passed.
Response: As stated previously, an
audit sample is required with
compliance testing only when a sample
is available, except where exempted in
the regulations. EPA is permitted to
develop regulatory criteria for approval
of criteria documents from audit sample
providers and did this in the proposed
rule which provided an opportunity for
notice and comment. These are not
‘‘details of the program’’ to be
determined at a later date. If an audit
sample provider’s criteria document
meets the regulatory criteria, it will be
approved and the sample provider may
provide samples for sources conducting
compliance tests.
Y. Voluntary Consensus Standards Body
(VCSB) Standard Does Not Meet EPA’s
Needs
Comment: One commenter believes
the entire proposal is short on detail and
hopes this will be addressed through
EPA’s approval of accrediting bodies,
where EPA would specify additional
details. The commenter also expressed
concern the VCSB may be able to agree
to standards, but those standards might
not serve the needs of EPA or other
compliance authorities.
Response: We believe that any
program that meets the minimum
criteria specified in the final rule will
meet the needs of the EPA and other
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compliance agencies. The criteria in the
final rule ensure that any program that
is developed by the private sector and
approved by EPA will be equivalent to
EPA’s current audit program.
Z. Gas Audit Samples Entry Point
Comment: One commenter
recommended changing Section 60.8(g)
to read as follows: ‘‘For pollutants that
exist in the gas phase at ambient
temperature, the audit sample shall
consist of an appropriate concentration
of the pollutant in air or nitrogen that
can be introduced into the sampling
system of the test method at or near the
same entry point as a sample from the
emission source.’’ The commenter
points out that in source gas sampling,
calibration gases as well as audit gases
are introduced in the probe such that
they pass through most of the probe
tube and all filters and other
components of the sampling system, but
it is not always practical to introduce
the calibration gas at the same entry
point as the source gas.
Response: We agree that it may not
always be practical to introduce the
calibration gas at the same entry point
as the source gas. EPA has revised the
rule to allow introduction of the audit
sample ‘‘at or near’’ the entry point for
the sample from the emission source.
V. Judicial Review
Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA,
judicial review of this final rule is
available by filing a petition for review
in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit by
November 12, 2010. Under section
307(d)(7)(B) of the CAA, only an
objection to this final rule that was
raised with reasonable specificity
during the period for public comment
can be raised during judicial review.
Moreover, under section 307(b)(2) of the
CAA, the requirements established by
this action may not be challenged
separately in any civil or criminal
proceedings brought by EPA to enforce
these requirements.
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VI. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review
This action is not a ‘‘significant
regulatory action’’ under the terms of
Executive Order (E.O.) 12866 (58 FR
51735, October 4, 1993) and is,
therefore, not subject to review under
the E.O.
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
The information collection
requirements in this rule have been
submitted for approval to the Office of
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Management and Budget (OMB) under
the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq. The information collection
requirements are not enforceable until
OMB approves them.
A regulated emission source
conducting a compliance test would
purchase an audit sample from an
AASP. The AASP would report the true
value of the audit sample to the
compliance authority (State, local or
EPA Regional Office). This is a new
reporting requirement. The AASP
would in most cases make the report by
electronic mail. A report would be made
for each audit sample that the AASP
sold to a regulated emission source that
was conducting an emissions test to
determine compliance with an emission
limit.
Based on historic data, EPA estimates
that there will be about 1,000 audit
samples sold each year generating the
need for about 1,000 reports which
corresponds to 80 hours burden or 0.08
hour per response for reporting and
recordkeeping. The estimated cost
burden is $5.05 per response or an
annual burden of $5,050. 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.
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 in 40
CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9. When
this ICR is approved by OMB, the
Agency will publish a technical
amendment to 40 CFR part 9 in the
Federal Register to display the OMB
control number for the approved
information collection requirements
contained in this final rule.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
generally requires an agency to prepare
a regulatory flexibility analysis of any
rule subject to notice and comment
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55643
rulemaking requirements under the
Administrative Procedure Act or any
other statute unless the agency certifies
that the rule will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities. Small entities
include small businesses, small
organizations, and small governmental
jurisdictions.
For purposes of assessing the impacts
of this rule on small entities, small
entity is defined as: (1) A small business
as defined by the Small Business
Administration’s (SBA) regulations at 13
CFR 121.201; (2) a small governmental
jurisdiction that is a government of a
city, county, town, school district, or
special district with a population of less
than 50,000; and (3) a small
organization that is any not-for-profit
enterprise which is independently
owned and operated and is not
dominant in its field.
After considering the economic
impacts of today’s final rule on small
entities, I certify that this action will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
The small entities directly regulated by
this final rule are small businesses. We
have determined that annually as many
as 70 or 0.001 percent of small
businesses will experience an impact of
0.013 to 0.2 percent of revenues.
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
This rule does not contain a Federal
mandate that may result in expenditures
of $100 million or more for State, local,
and Tribal governments, in the
aggregate, or the private sector in any
one year. The incremental costs
associated with purchasing the audit
samples (expected to be less than $1,000
per test) do not impose a significant
burden on sources. Thus, this rule is not
subject to the requirements of sections
202 or 205 of UMRA.
This rule is also not subject to the
requirements of section 203 of UMRA
because it contains no regulatory
requirements that might significantly or
uniquely affect small governments. In
fact, this rule removes the responsibility
of acquiring the audit samples to the
regulated facility from the government
agency.
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
This action does not have federalism
implications. It will not have substantial
direct effects on the States, on the
relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government, as specified in
Executive Order 13132. This action adds
language to the general provisions to
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allow accredited providers to supply
stationary source audit samples and to
require sources to obtain and use these
samples from the accredited providers
instead of from EPA, as is the current
practice. Thus, Executive Order 13132
does not apply to this action.
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
This action does not have Tribal
implications, as specified in Executive
Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9,
2000). This action adds language to the
general provisions to allow accredited
providers to supply stationary source
audit samples and to require sources to
obtain and use these samples from the
accredited providers instead of from
EPA, as is the current practice. Thus,
Executive Order 13175 does not apply
to this action.
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks
EPA interprets EO 13045 (62 FR
19885, April 23, 1997) as applying only
to those regulatory actions that concern
health or safety risks, such that the
analysis required under section 5–501 of
the E.O. has the potential to influence
the regulation. This action is not subject
to E.O. 13045 because it does not
establish an environmental standard
intended to mitigate health or safety
risks.
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use
This action is not subject to Executive
Order 13211 (66 FR 28355 (May 22,
2001)), because it is not a significant
regulatory action under Executive Order
12866.
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I. National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act
Section 12(d) of the National
Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act of 1995 (‘‘NTTAA’’), Public Law
104–113 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) directs
EPA to use voluntary consensus
standards (VCS) in its regulatory
activities unless to do so would be
inconsistent with applicable law or
otherwise impractical. Voluntary
consensus standards are technical
standards (e.g., materials specifications,
test methods, sampling procedures, and
business practices) that are developed or
adopted by voluntary consensus
standards bodies. NTTAA directs EPA
to provide Congress, through OMB,
explanations when the Agency decides
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not to use available and applicable
voluntary consensus standards.
This rulemaking involves technical
standards. Therefore, the Agency
conducted a search to identify potential
applicable voluntary consensus
standards. However, we identified no
such standards, and none were brought
to our attention in comments. Therefore,
EPA has decided to establish minimum
requirements for the audit samples, the
accredited audit sample providers and
the audit sample provider accreditor.
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal
Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations
Executive Order (E.O.) 12898 (59 FR
7629, February 16, 1994) establishes
Federal executive policy on
environmental justice. Its main
provision directs Federal agencies, to
the greatest extent practicable and
permitted by law, to make
environmental justice part of their
mission by identifying and addressing,
as appropriate, disproportionately high
and adverse human health or
environmental effects of their programs,
policies, and activities on minority
populations and low-income
populations in the United States.
EPA has determined that this final
rule will not have disproportionately
high and adverse human health or
environmental effects on minority or
low-income populations because it does
not affect the level of protection
provided to human health or the
environment. The amendments would
add language to the general provisions
to allow accredited providers to supply
stationary source audit samples and to
require sources to obtain and use these
samples from the accredited providers
instead of from EPA, as is the current
practice.
K. Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act, 5
U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides
that before a rule may take effect, the
agency promulgating the rule must
submit a rule report, which includes a
copy of the rule, to each House of the
Congress and to the Comptroller General
of the United States. EPA will submit a
report containing this rule and other
required information to the U.S. Senate,
the U.S. House of Representatives, and
the Comptroller General of the United
States prior to publication of the rule in
the Federal Register. A Major rule
cannot take effect until 60 days after it
is published in the Federal Register.
This action is not a ‘‘major rule’’ as
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defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). This rule
will be effective October 13, 2010.
Restructuring of the Stationary Source
Audit Program
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 51
Administrative practice and
procedure, Air pollution control, Carbon
monoxide, Intergovernmental relations,
Lead, Nitrogen oxide, Ozone, Particulate
matter, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur compounds,
Volatile organic compounds.
40 CFR Part 60
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Continuous
emission monitors.
40 CFR Part 61
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control.
40 CFR Part 63
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and Procedure,
Air pollution control, Hazardous
substances, Intergovernmental relations,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: August 26, 2010.
Lisa P. Jackson,
Administrator.
For the reasons set out in the
preamble, title 40, chapter I of the Code
of Federal Regulations is amended as
follows:
■
PART 51—REQUIREMENTS FOR
PREPARATION, ADOPTION, AND
SUBMITTAL OF IMPLEMENTATION
PLANS
1. The authority citation for part 51
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 101; 42 U.S.C. 7401–
7671q.
2. Amend Appendix M to part 51 as
follows:
■ a. Designate the three introductory
paragraphs as Sections 1.0 through 3.0.
■ b. Add new Section 4.0.
■ c. In Method 204A by removing
Sections 7.2, 7.2.1, 7.2.2, and 7.2.3.
■ d. In Method 204B by removing
Sections 6.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, and 6.2.3.
■ e. In Method 204C by removing
Sections 6.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, and 6.2.3.
■ f. In Method 204D by removing
Sections 6.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, and 6.2.3.
■ g. In Method 204E by removing
Sections 6.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, and 6.2.3.
■ h. In Method 204F by removing
Sections 6.3, 6.3.1, 6.3.2, 6.3.3.
■
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Appendix M to Part 51—Recommended
Test Methods for State Implementation
Plans
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4.0 Quality Assurance Procedures. The
performance testing shall include a test
method performance audit (PA) during the
performance test. The PAs consist of blind
audit samples supplied by an accredited
audit sample provider and analyzed during
the performance test in order to provide a
measure of test data bias. Gaseous audit
samples are designed to audit the
performance of the sampling system as well
as the analytical system and must be
collected by the sampling system during the
compliance test just as the compliance
samples are collected. If a liquid or solid
audit sample is designed to audit the
sampling system, it must also be collected by
the sampling system during the compliance
test. If multiple sampling systems or
sampling trains are used during the
compliance test for any of the test methods,
the tester is only required to use one of the
sampling systems per method to collect the
audit sample. The audit sample must be
analyzed by the same analyst using the same
analytical reagents and analytical system and
at the same time as the compliance samples.
Retests are required when there is a failure
to produce acceptable results for an audit
sample. However, if the audit results do not
affect the compliance or noncompliance
status of the affected facility, the compliance
authority may waive the reanalysis
requirement, further audits, or retests and
accept the results of the compliance test.
Acceptance of the test results shall constitute
a waiver of the reanalysis requirement,
further audits, or retests. The compliance
authority may also use the audit sample
failure and the compliance test results as
evidence to determine the compliance or
noncompliance status of the affected facility.
A blind audit sample is a sample whose
value is known only to the sample provider
and is not revealed to the tested facility until
after it reports the measured value of the
audit sample. For pollutants that exist in the
gas phase at ambient temperature, the audit
sample shall consist of an appropriate
concentration of the pollutant in air or
nitrogen that will be introduced into the
sampling system of the test method at or near
the same entry point as a sample from the
emission source. If no gas phase audit
samples are available, an acceptable
alternative is a sample of the pollutant in the
same matrix that would be produced when
the sample is recovered from the sampling
system as required by the test method. For
samples that exist only in a liquid or solid
form at ambient temperature, the audit
sample shall consist of an appropriate
concentration of the pollutant in the same
matrix that would be produced when the
sample is recovered from the sampling
system as required by the test method. An
accredited audit sample provider (AASP) is
an organization that has been accredited to
prepare audit samples by an independent,
third party accrediting body.
a. The source owner, operator, or
representative of the tested facility shall
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obtain an audit sample, if commercially
available, from an AASP for each test method
used for regulatory compliance purposes. No
audit samples are required for the following
test methods: Methods 3C of Appendix A–3
of Part 60, Methods, 6C, 7E, 9, and 10 of
Appendix A–4 of Part 60, Method 18 of
Appendix A–6 of Part 60, Methods 20, 22,
and 25A of Appendix A–7 of Part 60, and
Methods 303, 318, 320, and 321 of Appendix
A of Part 63. If multiple sources at a single
facility are tested during a compliance test
event, only one audit sample is required for
each method used during a compliance test.
The compliance authority responsible for the
compliance test may waive the requirement
to include an audit sample if they believe
that an audit sample is not necessary.
‘‘Commercially available’’ means that two or
more independent AASPs have blind audit
samples available for purchase. If the source
owner, operator, or representative cannot
find an audit sample for a specific method,
the owner, operator, or representative shall
consult the EPA Web site at the following
URL, https://www.epa.gov/ttn/emc, to confirm
whether there is a source that can supply an
audit sample for that method. If the EPA Web
site does not list an available audit sample
at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the
compliance test, the source owner, operator,
or representative shall not be required to
include an audit sample as part of the quality
assurance program for the compliance test.
When ordering an audit sample, the source
owner, operator, or representative shall give
the sample provider an estimate for the
concentration of each pollutant that is
emitted by the source or the estimated
concentration of each pollutant based on the
permitted level and the name, address, and
phone number of the compliance authority.
The source owner, operator, or representative
shall report the results for the audit sample
along with a summary of the emission test
results for the audited pollutant to the
compliance authority and shall report the
results of the audit sample to the AASP. The
source owner, operator, or representative
shall make both reports at the same time and
in the same manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and report to the
AASP. If the method being audited is a
method that allows the samples to be
analyzed in the field and the tester plans to
analyze the samples in the field, the tester
may analyze the audit samples prior to
collecting the emission samples provided a
representative of the compliance authority is
present at the testing site. The tester may
request and the compliance authority may
grant a waiver to the requirement that a
representative of the compliance authority
must be present at the testing site during the
field analysis of an audit sample. The source
owner, operator, or representative may report
the results of the audit sample to the
compliance authority and then report the
results of the audit sample to the AASP prior
to collecting any emission samples. The test
protocol and final test report shall document
whether an audit sample was ordered and
utilized and the pass/fail results as
applicable.
b. An AASP shall have and shall prepare,
analyze, and report the true value of audit
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55645
samples in accordance with a written
technical criteria document that describes
how audit samples will be prepared and
distributed in a manner that will ensure the
integrity of the audit sample program. An
acceptable technical criteria document shall
contain standard operating procedures for all
of the following operations:
1. Preparing the sample;
2. Confirming the true concentration of the
sample;
3. Defining the acceptance limits for the
results from a well qualified tester. This
procedure must use well established
statistical methods to analyze historical
results from well qualified testers. The
acceptance limits shall be set so that there is
95 percent confidence that 90 percent of well
qualified labs will produce future results that
are within the acceptance limit range;
4. Providing the opportunity for the
compliance authority to comment on the
selected concentration level for an audit
sample;
5. Distributing the sample to the user in a
manner that guarantees that the true value of
the sample is unknown to the user;
6. Recording the measured concentration
reported by the user and determining if the
measured value is within acceptable limits;
7. Report the results from each audit
sample in a timely manner to the compliance
authority and to the source owner, operator,
or representative by the AASP. The AASP
shall make both reports at the same time and
in the same manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and then report to
the source owner, operator, or representative.
The results shall include the name of the
facility tested, the date on which the
compliance test was conducted, the name of
the company performing the sample
collection, the name of the company that
analyzed the compliance samples including
the audit sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit. The
AASP shall report the true value of the audit
sample to the compliance authority. The
AASP may report the true value to the source
owner, operator, or representative if the
AASP’s operating plan ensures that no
laboratory will receive the same audit sample
twice.
8. Evaluating the acceptance limits of
samples at least once every two years to
determine in consultation with the voluntary
consensus standard body if they should be
changed;
9. Maintaining a database, accessible to the
compliance authorities, of results from the
audit that shall include the name of the
facility tested, the date on which the
compliance test was conducted, the name of
the company performing the sample
collection, the name of the company that
analyzed the compliance samples including
the audit sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, the true value of the audit
sample, the acceptance range for the
measured value, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit.
c. The accrediting body shall have a
written technical criteria document that
describes how it will ensure that the AASP
is operating in accordance with the AASP
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technical criteria document that describes
how audit samples are to be prepared and
distributed. This document shall contain
standard operating procedures for all of the
following operations:
1. Checking audit samples to confirm their
true value as reported by the AASP;
2. Performing technical systems audits of
the AASP’s facilities and operating
procedures at least once every 2 years.
3. Providing standards for use by the
voluntary consensus standard body to
approve the accrediting body that will
accredit the audit sample providers.
d. The technical criteria documents for the
accredited sample providers and the
accrediting body shall be developed through
a public process guided by a voluntary
consensus standards body (VCSB). The VCSB
shall operate in accordance with the
procedures and requirements in the Office of
Management and Budget Circular A–119. A
copy of Circular A–119 is available upon
request by writing the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management
and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, by calling (202) 395–
6880 or by downloading online at https://
standards.gov/standards_gov/a119.cfm. The
VCSB shall approve all accrediting bodies.
The Administrator will review all technical
criteria documents. If the technical criteria
documents do not meet the minimum
technical requirements in this Appendix M,
paragraphs b. through d., the technical
criteria documents are not acceptable and the
proposed audit sample program is not
capable of producing audit samples of
sufficient quality to be used in a compliance
test. All acceptable technical criteria
documents shall be posted on the EPA Web
site at the following URL, https://
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 60—STANDARDS OF
PERFORMANCE FOR NEW
STATIONARY SOURCES
3. The authority citation for Part 60
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7410, 7414, 7421,
7470–7479, 7491, 7492, 7601 and 7602.
4. Section 60.8 is amended by adding
paragraph (g) to read as follows:
■
§ 60.8
Performance tests.
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(g) The performance testing shall
include a test method performance audit
(PA) during the performance test. The
PAs consist of blind audit samples
supplied by an accredited audit sample
provider and analyzed during the
performance test in order to provide a
measure of test data bias. Gaseous audit
samples are designed to audit the
performance of the sampling system as
well as the analytical system and must
be collected by the sampling system
during the compliance test just as the
compliance samples are collected. If a
liquid or solid audit sample is designed
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Jkt 220001
to audit the sampling system, it must
also be collected by the sampling system
during the compliance test. If multiple
sampling systems or sampling trains are
used during the compliance test for any
of the test methods, the tester is only
required to use one of the sampling
systems per method to collect the audit
sample. The audit sample must be
analyzed by the same analyst using the
same analytical reagents and analytical
system and at the same time as the
compliance samples. Retests are
required when there is a failure to
produce acceptable results for an audit
sample. However, if the audit results do
not affect the compliance or
noncompliance status of the affected
facility, the compliance authority may
waive the reanalysis requirement,
further audits, or retests and accept the
results of the compliance test.
Acceptance of the test results shall
constitute a waiver of the reanalysis
requirement, further audits, or retests.
The compliance authority may also use
the audit sample failure and the
compliance test results as evidence to
determine the compliance or
noncompliance status of the affected
facility. A blind audit sample is a
sample whose value is known only to
the sample provider and is not revealed
to the tested facility until after they
report the measured value of the audit
sample. For pollutants that exist in the
gas phase at ambient temperature, the
audit sample shall consist of an
appropriate concentration of the
pollutant in air or nitrogen that can be
introduced into the sampling system of
the test method at or near the same
entry point as a sample from the
emission source. If no gas phase audit
samples are available, an acceptable
alternative is a sample of the pollutant
in the same matrix that would be
produced when the sample is recovered
from the sampling system as required by
the test method. For samples that exist
only in a liquid or solid form at ambient
temperature, the audit sample shall
consist of an appropriate concentration
of the pollutant in the same matrix that
would be produced when the sample is
recovered from the sampling system as
required by the test method. An
accredited audit sample provider
(AASP) is an organization that has been
accredited to prepare audit samples by
an independent, third party accrediting
body.
(1) The source owner, operator, or
representative of the tested facility shall
obtain an audit sample, if commercially
available, from an AASP for each test
method used for regulatory compliance
purposes. No audit samples are required
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for the following test methods: Methods
3C of Appendix A–3 of Part 60, Methods
6C, 7E, 9, and 10 of Appendix A–4 of
Part 60, Method 18 of Appendix A–6 of
Part 60, Methods 20, 22, and 25A of
Appendix A–7 of Part 60, and Methods
303, 318, 320, and 321 of Appendix A
of Part 63. If multiple sources at a single
facility are tested during a compliance
test event, only one audit sample is
required for each method used during a
compliance test. The compliance
authority responsible for the compliance
test may waive the requirement to
include an audit sample if they believe
that an audit sample is not necessary.
‘‘Commercially available’’ means that
two or more independent AASPs have
blind audit samples available for
purchase. If the source owner, operator,
or representative cannot find an audit
sample for a specific method, the owner,
operator, or representative shall consult
the EPA Web site at the following URL,
https://www.epa.gov/ttn/emc, to confirm
whether there is a source that can
supply an audit sample for that method.
If the EPA Web site does not list an
available audit sample at least 60 days
prior to the beginning of the compliance
test, the source owner, operator, or
representative shall not be required to
include an audit sample as part of the
quality assurance program for the
compliance test. When ordering an
audit sample, the source, operator, or
representative shall give the sample
provider an estimate for the
concentration of each pollutant that is
emitted by the source or the estimated
concentration of each pollutant based
on the permitted level and the name,
address, and phone number of the
compliance authority. The source
owner, operator, or representative shall
report the results for the audit sample
along with a summary of the emission
test results for the audited pollutant to
the compliance authority and shall
report the results of the audit sample to
the AASP. The source owner, operator,
or representative shall make both
reports at the same time and in the same
manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and then
report to the AASP. If the method being
audited is a method that allows the
samples to be analyzed in the field and
the tester plans to analyze the samples
in the field, the tester may analyze the
audit samples prior to collecting the
emission samples provided a
representative of the compliance
authority is present at the testing site.
The tester may request and the
compliance authority may grant a
waiver to the requirement that a
representative of the compliance
E:\FR\FM\13SER2.SGM
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authority must be present at the testing
site during the field analysis of an audit
sample. The source owner, operator, or
representative may report the results of
the audit sample to the compliance
authority and report the results of the
audit sample to the AASP prior to
collecting any emission samples. The
test protocol and final test report shall
document whether an audit sample was
ordered and utilized and the pass/fail
results as applicable.
(2) An AASP shall have and shall
prepare, analyze, and report the true
value of audit samples in accordance
with a written technical criteria
document that describes how audit
samples will be prepared and
distributed in a manner that will ensure
the integrity of the audit sample
program. An acceptable technical
criteria document shall contain standard
operating procedures for all of the
following operations:
(i) Preparing the sample;
(ii) Confirming the true concentration
of the sample;
(iii) Defining the acceptance limits for
the results from a well qualified tester.
This procedure must use well
established statistical methods to
analyze historical results from well
qualified testers. The acceptance limits
shall be set so that there is 95 percent
confidence that 90 percent of well
qualified labs will produce future
results that are within the acceptance
limit range.
(iv) Providing the opportunity for the
compliance authority to comment on
the selected concentration level for an
audit sample;
(v) Distributing the sample to the user
in a manner that guarantees that the true
value of the sample is unknown to the
user;
(vi) Recording the measured
concentration reported by the user and
determining if the measured value is
within acceptable limits;
(vii) The AASP shall report the results
from each audit sample in a timely
manner to the compliance authority and
then to the source owner, operator, or
representative. The AASP shall make
both reports at the same time and in the
same manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and then
report to the source owner, operator, or
representative. The results shall include
the name of the facility tested, the date
on which the compliance test was
conducted, the name of the company
performing the sample collection, the
name of the company that analyzed the
compliance samples including the audit
sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit. The
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AASP shall report the true value of the
audit sample to the compliance
authority. The AASP may report the
true value to the source owner, operator,
or representative if the AASP’s
operating plan ensures that no
laboratory will receive the same audit
sample twice.
(viii) Evaluating the acceptance limits
of samples at least once every two years
to determine in cooperation with the
voluntary consensus standard body if
they should be changed;
(ix) Maintaining a database, accessible
to the compliance authorities, of results
from the audit that shall include the
name of the facility tested, the date on
which the compliance test was
conducted, the name of the company
performing the sample collection, the
name of the company that analyzed the
compliance samples including the audit
sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, the true value of the audit
sample, the acceptance range for the
measured value, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit.
(3) The accrediting body shall have a
written technical criteria document that
describes how it will ensure that the
AASP is operating in accordance with
the AASP technical criteria document
that describes how audit samples are to
be prepared and distributed. This
document shall contain standard
operating procedures for all of the
following operations:
(i) Checking audit samples to confirm
their true value as reported by the
AASP;
(ii) Performing technical systems
audits of the AASP’s facilities and
operating procedures at least once every
two years;
(iii) Providing standards for use by the
voluntary consensus standard body to
approve the accrediting body that will
accredit the audit sample providers.
(4) The technical criteria documents
for the accredited sample providers and
the accrediting body shall be developed
through a public process guided by a
voluntary consensus standards body
(VCSB). The VCSB shall operate in
accordance with the procedures and
requirements in the Office of
Management and Budget Circular
A–119. A copy of Circular A–119 is
available upon request by writing the
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, by calling (202)
395–6880 or downloading online at
https://standards.gov/standards_gov/
a119.cfm. The VCSB shall approve all
accrediting bodies. The Administrator
will review all technical criteria
documents. If the technical criteria
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documents do not meet the minimum
technical requirements in paragraphs
(g)(2) through (4)of this section, the
technical criteria documents are not
acceptable and the proposed audit
sample program is not capable of
producing audit samples of sufficient
quality to be used in a compliance test.
All acceptable technical criteria
documents shall be posted on the EPA
Web site at the following URL, https://
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc.
■ 5. In Appendix A–3 to part 60 amend
Method 5I by revising Section 7.2 to
read as follows:
Appendix A–3 to Part 60—Test
Methods 4 through 5I
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Method 5I—Determination of Low Level
Particulate Matter Emissions From
Stationary Sources
*
*
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*
*
7.2 Standards. There are no applicable
standards commercially available for Method
5I analyses.
*
*
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6. Amend Appendix A–4 to part 60 as
follows:
■ a. In Method 6 as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 7.3.6., including
the note that follows.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iii. Remove Sections 11.3, 11.3.1
through 11.3.3, 11.4, 11.4.1 through
11.4.4, and 12.4.
■ iv. Revise Section 12.1.
■ b. In Method 6A as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 11.2.
■ ii. Revise Section 16.5.
■ c. In Method 6B by removing Section
11.2.
■ d. In Method 6C by revising Section
16.1.
■ e. In Method 7 as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 7.3.10., including
the note that follows.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.
■ iii. Remove Sections 11.4, 11.4.1
through 11.4.3, 11.5, 11.5.1 through
11.5.4, and 12.6.
■ iv. Revise Section 12.1.
■ f. In Method 7A as follows:
■ i. Revise Section 6.3.
■ ii. Remove Section 7.3.5.
■ iii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iv. Remove Section 11.3.
■ g. In Method 7B as follows:
■ i. Revise Section 9.0.
■ ii. Remove Section 11.4.
■ h. In Method 7C as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 7.2.15.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iii. Remove Section 11.6.
■ i. In Method 7D as follows:
■ i. Remove Sections 7.2.6 and 11.3.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ j. In Method 8 as follows:
■
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i. Remove Section 7.3.1., including
the note that follows.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.1.
■ iii. Remove Sections 11.3, 11.3.1,
11.3.2, 11.3.3, 11.4, 11.4.1, 11.4.2,
11.4.3, 11.4.4, and 12.9.
■
■
Method 6—Determination of Sulfur Dioxide
Emissions From Stationary Sources
iiv. Revise Section 12.1.
Appendix A–4 to Part 60—Test
Methods 6 Through 10B
*
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9.0
*
*
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*
*
Quality Control
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
7.1.2 .....................................
Isopropanol check ...........................................................
8.2, 10.1–10.4 ......................
Sampling equipment leak-check and calibration ............
10.5 ......................................
11.2.3 ...................................
Barium standard solution standardization .......................
Replicate titrations ...........................................................
Ensure acceptable level of peroxide impurities in
isopropanol.
Ensure accurate measurement of stack gas flow rate,
sample volume.
Ensure precision of normality determination
Ensure precision of titration determinations.
*
*
*
*
12.1
*
Nomenclature
CSO2 = Concentration of SO2, dry basis,
corrected to standard conditions, mg/
dscm (lb/dscf).
N = Normality of barium standard titrant,
meq/ml.
Pbar = Barometric pressure, mm Hg (in. Hg).
Pstd = Standard absolute pressure, 760 mm Hg
(29.92 in. Hg).
Tm = Average DGM absolute temperature, °K
(°R).
Tstd = Standard absolute temperature, 293 °K
(528 °R).
Va = Volume of sample aliquot titrated, ml.
Vm = Dry gas volume as measured by the
DGM, dcm (dcf).
Vm(std) = Dry gas volume measured by the
DGM, corrected to standard conditions,
dscm (dscf).
Vsoln = Total volume of solution in which the
SO2 sample is contained, 100 ml.
Vt = Volume of barium standard titrant used
for the sample (average of replicate
titration), ml.
Vtb = Volume of barium standard titrant used
for the blank, ml.
Y = DGM calibration factor.
*
*
*
*
*
Method 6A—Determination of Sulfur
Dioxide, Moisture and Carbon Dioxide
Emissions From Fossil Fuel Combustion
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
16.5 Sample Analysis. Analysis of the
peroxide solution is the same as that
described in Section 11.1.
*
*
*
*
*
Method 6C—Determination of Sulfur
Dioxide Emissions From Stationary Sources
(Instrumental Analyzer Procedure)
*
*
*
*
*
16.1 Alternative Interference Check. You
may perform an alternative interference
check consisting of at least three comparison
runs between Method 6C and Method 6. This
check validates the Method 6C results at each
particular source category (type of facility)
where the check is performed. When testing
under conditions of low concentrations (<15
ppm), this alternative interference check is
not allowed.
Note: The procedure described below
applies to non-dilution sampling systems
only. If this alternative interference check is
used for a dilution sampling system, use a
standard Method 6 sampling train and extract
the sample directly from the exhaust stream
at points collocated with the Method 6C
sample probe.
a. Build the modified Method 6 sampling
train (flow control valve, two midget
impingers containing 3 percent hydrogen
peroxide, and dry gas meter) shown in Figure
6C–1. Connect the sampling train to the
sample bypass discharge vent. Record the dry
gas meter reading before you begin sampling.
Simultaneously collect modified Method 6
and Method 6C samples. Open the flow
control valve in the modified Method 6 train
as you begin to sample with Method 6C.
Adjust the Method 6 sampling rate to 1 liter
per minute (.10 percent). The sampling time
per run must be the same as for Method 6
plus twice the average measurement system
response time. If your modified Method 6
train does not include a pump, you risk
biasing the results high if you over-pressurize
the midget impingers and cause a leak. You
can reduce this risk by cautiously increasing
the flow rate as sampling begins.
b. After completing a run, record the final
dry gas meter reading, meter temperature,
and barometric pressure. Recover and
analyze the contents of the midget impingers
using the procedures in Method 6. Determine
the average gas concentration reported by
Method 6C for the run.
*
*
*
*
*
Method 7—Determination of Nitrogen Oxide
Emissions From Stationary Sources
*
9.0
*
*
*
*
Quality Control
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
10.1 ......................................
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
Ensure linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards.
*
12.1
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*
*
*
*
Nomenclature
A = Absorbance of sample.
A1 = Absorbance of the 100-μg NO2 standard.
A2 = Absorbance of the 200-μg NO2 standard.
A3 = Absorbance of the 300-μg NO2 standard.
A4 = Absorbance of the 400-μg NO2 standard.
C = Concentration of NOX as NO2, dry basis,
corrected to standard conditions, mg/
dsm3 (lb/dscf).
F = Dilution factor (i.e., 25/5, 25/10, etc.,
required only if sample dilution was
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needed to reduce the absorbance into the
range of the calibration).
Kc = Spectrophotometer calibration factor.
M = Mass of NOX as NO2 in gas sample, μg.
Pf = Final absolute pressure of flask, mm Hg
(in. Hg).
Pi = Initial absolute pressure of flask, mm Hg
(in. Hg).
Pstd = Standard absolute pressure, 760 mm Hg
(29.92 in. Hg).
Tf = Final absolute temperature of flask, °K
(°R).
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Ti = Initial absolute temperature of flask, °K
(°R).
Tstd = Standard absolute temperature, 293 °K
(528°R).
Vsc = Sample volume at standard conditions
(dry basis), ml.
Vf = Volume of flask and valve, ml.
Va = Volume of absorbing solution, 25 ml.
*
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13SER2
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 176 / Monday, September 13, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
Method 7A—Determination of Nitrogen
Oxide Emissions From Stationary Sources
(Ion Chromatographic Method)
*
*
*
*
6.3 Analysis. For the analysis, the
following equipment and supplies are
required. Alternative instrumentation and
procedures will be allowed provided the
*
55649
calibration precision requirement in Section
10.1.2 can be met.
*
9.0
*
*
*
*
Quality Control
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
10.1 ......................................
Ion chromatographn calibration ......................................
Ensure linearity of ion chromatograph response to
standards.
*
*
*
*
Method 7B—Determination of Nitrogen
Oxide Emissions From Stationary Sources
(Ultraviolet Spectrophotometric Method)
*
*
*
*
*
9.0
Quality Control
*
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
10.1 ......................................
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
Ensures linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards.
*
*
*
*
Method 7C—Determination of Nitrogen
Oxide Emissions From Stationary Sources
(Alkaline Permanganate/Colorimetric
Method)
*
*
*
*
*
9.0
Quality Control
*
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.2, 10.1–10.3 ......................
10.4 ......................................
Sampling equipment leak-check and calibration ............
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
11.3 ......................................
Spiked sample analysis. .................................................
Ensure accurate measurement of sample volume.
Ensure linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards
Ensure reduction efficiency of column.
*
*
*
*
Method 7D—Determination of Nitrogen
Oxide Emissions From Stationary Sources—
Alkaline-Permanganate/Ion
Chromatographic Method
*
*
*
*
*
9.0
Quality Control
*
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.2, 10.1–10.3 ......................
10.4 ......................................
Sampling equipment leak-check and calibration ............
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
11.3 ......................................
Spiked sample analysis ..................................................
Ensure accurate measurement of sample volume.
Ensure linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards.
Ensure reduction efficiency of column.
*
*
*
*
Method 8—Determination of Sulfuric Acid
and Sulfur Dioxide Emissions From
Stationary Sources
*
*
*
*
*
9.1 Miscellaneous Quality Control
Measures
*
Quality control measure
Effect
7.1.3 .....................................
Isopropanol check ...........................................................
8.4, 8.5, 10.1 ........................
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Section
Sampling equipment leak-check and calibration ............
10.2 ......................................
11.2 ......................................
Barium standard solution standardization .......................
Replicate titrations ...........................................................
Ensure acceptable level of peroxide impurities in
isopropanol.
Ensure accurate measurement of stack gas flow rate,
sample volume.
Ensure normality determination.
Ensure precision of titration determinations.
*
*
*
*
*
12.1 Nomenclature. Same as Method 5,
Section 12.1, with the following additions
and exceptions:
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CH2SO4 = Sulfuric acid (including SO3)
concentration, g/dscm (lb/dscf).
CSO2 = Sulfur dioxide concentration, g/dscm
(lb/dscf).
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N = Normality of barium perchlorate titrant,
meq/ml.
Va = Volume of sample aliquot titrated, 100
ml for H2SO4 and 10 ml for SO2.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 176 / Monday, September 13, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
Vsoln = Total volume of solution in which the
sample is contained, 250 ml for the SO2
sample and 1000 ml for the H2SO4
sample.
Vt = Volume of barium standard solution
titrant used for the sample, ml.
Vtb = Volume of barium standard solution
titrant used for the blank, ml.
■
*
*
*
*
*
*
7. In Appendix A–5 to part 60 amend
Method 15A as follows:
■ a. Revise Section 9.0.
■ b. Remove Section 11.2.
Method 15A—Determination of Total
Reduced Sulfur Emissions From Sulfur
Recovery Plants in Petroleum Refineries
Appendix A–5 to Part 60—Test
Methods 11 Through 15A
9.0
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Quality Control
*
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.5 ........................................
System performance check ............................................
8.2, 10.0 ...............................
Sampling equipment leak-check and calibration ............
10.0 ......................................
11.1 ......................................
Barium standard solution standardization .......................
Replicate titrations ...........................................................
Ensures validity of sampling train components and analytical procedure.
Ensures accurate measurement of stack gas flow rate,
sample volume.
Ensures precision of normality determination.
Ensures precision of titration determinations.
*
*
*
*
*
ii. Revise Section 8.2.2.2.
iii. Remove Sections 8.2.2.4, and
8.2.3.2.3.
■ iv. Revise Section 8.2.4.2.2.
■ v. Remove Sections 9.2 and 13.1(b).
■ vi. Revise ‘‘Gaseous Organic Sampling
and Analysis Checklist’’ at the end of the
appendix.
■
8. Amend Appendix A–6 to part 60 as
follows:
■ a. Revise Method 16A as follows:
■ i. Revise Section 9.0.
■ ii. Remove Section 11.2.
■ b. Revise Method 18 as follows:
■ i. Remove Sections 7.2, including the
note that follows, 8.2.1.5.2.2, and
8.2.1.7.
■
■
Appendix A–6 to Part 60—Test
Methods 16 Through 18
*
*
*
*
*
Method 16A—Determination of Total
Reduced Sulfur Emissions From Stationary
Sources (Impinger Technique)
*
9.0
*
*
*
*
Quality Control
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.5 ........................................
System performance check ............................................
8.2, 10.0 ...............................
Sampling equipment leak-check and calibration ............
10.0 ......................................
11.1 ......................................
Barium standard solution standardization .......................
Replicate titrations ...........................................................
Ensure validity of sampling train components and analytical procedure.
Ensure accurate measurement of stack gas flow rate,
sample volume.
Ensure precision of normality determination.
Ensure precision of titration determinations.
*
*
*
*
*
Method 18—Measurement of Gaseous
Organic Compound Emissions by Gas
Chromatography
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*
*
*
*
*
8.2.2.2 Procedure. Calibrate the GC using
the procedures in Section 8.2.1.5.2.1. To
obtain a stack gas sample, assemble the
sampling system as shown in Figure 18–12.
Make sure all connections are tight. Turn on
the probe and sample line heaters. As the
temperature of the probe and heated line
approaches the target temperature as
indicated on the thermocouple readout
device, control the heating to maintain a
temperature greater than 110 °C. Conduct a
3-point calibration of the GC by analyzing
each gas mixture in triplicate. Generate a
calibration curve. Place the inlet of the probe
at the centroid of the duct, or at a point no
closer to the walls than 1 m, and draw source
gas into the probe, heated line, and sample
loop. After thorough flushing, analyze the
stack gas sample using the same conditions
as for the calibration gas mixture. For each
run, sample, analyze, and record five
consecutive samples. A test consists of three
runs (five samples per run times three runs,
for a total of fifteen samples). After all
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samples have been analyzed, repeat the
analysis of the mid-level calibration gas for
each compound. For each calibration
standard, compare the pre- and post-test
average response factors (RF) for each
compound. If the two calibration RF values
(pre- and post-analysis) differ by more than
5 percent from their mean value, then
analyze the other calibration gas levels for
that compound and determine the stack gas
sample concentrations by comparison to both
calibration curves (this is done by preparing
a calibration curve using all the pre- and
post-test calibration gas mixture values.) If
the two calibration RF values differ by less
than 5 percent from their mean value, the
tester has the option of using only the pretest calibration curve to generate the
concentration values. Record this calibration
data and the other required data on the data
sheet shown in Figure 18–11, deleting the
dilution gas information.
Note: Take care to draw all samples and
calibration mixtures through the sample loop
at the same pressure.
*
*
*
*
*
8.2.4.2.2 Use a sample probe, if required,
to obtain the sample at the centroid of the
duct or at a point no closer to the walls than
1 m. Minimize the length of flexible tubing
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Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
between the probe and adsorption tubes.
Several adsorption tubes can be connected in
series, if the extra adsorptive capacity is
needed. Adsorption tubes should be
maintained vertically during the test in order
to prevent channeling. Provide the gas
sample to the sample system at a pressure
sufficient for the limiting orifice to function
as a sonic orifice. Record the total time and
sample flow rate (or the number of pump
strokes), the barometric pressure, and
ambient temperature. Obtain a total sample
volume commensurate with the expected
concentration(s) of the volatile organic(s)
present and recommended sample loading
factors (weight sample per weight adsorption
media). Laboratory tests prior to actual
sampling may be necessary to predetermine
this volume. If water vapor is present in the
sample at concentrations above 2 to 3
percent, the adsorptive capacity may be
severely reduced. Operate the gas
chromatograph according to the
manufacturer’s instructions. After
establishing optimum conditions, verify and
document these conditions during all
operations. Calibrate the instrument and then
analyze the emission samples.
*
E:\FR\FM\13SER2.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 176 / Monday, September 13, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
55651
GASEOUS ORGANIC SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS CHECK LIST (RESPOND WITH INITIALS OR NUMBER AS APPROPRIATE)
1. Pre-survey data ............................................................................................................................................................................
A. Grab sample collected ..........................................................................................................................................................
B. Grab sample analyzed for composition ................................................................................................................................
Method GC .........................................................................................................................................................................
GC/MS ................................................................................................................................................................................
Otherllllllllllll .......................................................................................................................................
C. GC–FID analysis performed .................................................................................................................................................
2. Laboratory calibration curves prepared ........................................................................................................................................
A. Number of components ........................................................................................................................................................
B. Number of concentrations per component (3 required) .......................................................................................................
C. OK obtained for field work ....................................................................................................................................................
3. Sampling procedures.
A. Method.
Bag sample ........................................................................................................................................................................
Direct interface ...................................................................................................................................................................
Dilution interface .................................................................................................................................................................
B. Number of samples collected ...............................................................................................................................................
4. Field Analysis.
A. Total hydrocarbon analysis performed .................................................................................................................................
B. Calibration curve prepared ...................................................................................................................................................
Number of components ......................................................................................................................................................
Number of concentrations per component (3 required) .....................................................................................................
*
*
*
*
*
iii. Remove Sections 11.3, 11.3.1,
11.3.2, 11.3.3, 11.4, 11.4.1, 11.4.2,
11.4.3, and 11.4.4.
■ c. Revise Method 25C as follows:
■ i. Remove Sections 7.3, 7.3.1, and
7.3.2.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.1.
■ iii. Remove Sections 11.2, 11.2.1,
11.2.2, 11.3, 11.3.1, 11.3.2, 11.3.3, and
11.3.4.
■ d. Revise Method 25D by removing
Sections 7.3, 7.3.1, 7.3.2, including the
■
9. Amend Appendix A–7 to part 60 as
follows:
■ a. Revise Method 23 by removing
Sections 8., 8.1., 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4.
■ b. Revise Method 25 as follows:
■ i. Remove Sections 7.5, 7.5.1, and
7.5.2., including the note that follows.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■
Section
Initial performance check of condensate recovery apparatus.
NMO analyzer initial and daily performance checks ......
10.1.2, 10.2 ..........................
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
Appendix A–7 to Part 60—Test
Methods 19 Through 25E
*
*
*
*
*
Method 25—Determination of Total Gaseous
Nonmethane Organic Emissions as Carbon
*
9.0
*
*
*
*
Quality Control
Effect
Ensure acceptable condensate recovery efficiency.
Ensure precision of analytical results.
Method 25C—Determination of Nonmethane
Organic Compounds (NMOC) in Landfill
Gases
*
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
note that follows, 11.3, 11.3.1, 11.3.2,
11.3.3, 11.4, 11.4.1, 11.4.2.
Quality control measure
10.1.1 ...................................
Date
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
b llll
9.1 Miscellaneous Quality Control
Measures
*
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.4.1 .....................................
Verify that landfill gas sample contains less than 20
percent N2 or 5 percent O2.
NMOC analyzer initial and daily performance checks ....
Ensures that ambient air was not drawn into the landfill
gas sample.
Ensures precision of analytical results.
10.1, 10.2 .............................
*
*
*
*
*
10. Amend Appendix A–8 to part 60
as follows:
■ a. Revise Method 26 as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 7.3., including the
note that follows.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iii. Remove Sections 11.2, 11.2.1,
11.2.2, 11.2.3, 11.3, 11.3.1, 11.3.2,
11.3.3, and 11.3.4.
■ b. Revise Method 26A as follows:
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■
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i. Remove Section 7.3., including the
note that follows.
■ ii. Revise the first Section 9.1.
■ iii. Redesignate the second Section 9.1
as 9.2.
■ iv. Remove Sections 11.4, 11.4.1,
11.4.2, 11.4.3, 11.5, 11.5.1, 11.5.2,
11.5.3, and 11.5.4.
■
PO 00000
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Methods 26 through 29
*
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*
9.0
*
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*
*
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Quality Control [Reserved]
*
Frm 00017
*
Method 26—Determination of Hydrogen
Halide and Halogen Emissions From
Stationary Sources Non-Isokinetic Method
E:\FR\FM\13SER2.SGM
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55652
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 176 / Monday, September 13, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
Method 26A—Determination of Hydrogen
Halide and Halogen Emissions From
Stationary Sources Isokinetic Method
*
*
*
*
9.1 Miscellaneous Quality Control
Measures
*
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.1.4, 10.1 ............................
Sampling equipment leak-check and calibration ............
Ensure accurate measurement of stack gas flow rate,
sample volume.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 61—NATIONAL EMISSION
STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR
POLLUTANTS
11. The authority citation for Part 61
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401, 7412, 7413,
7414, 7416, 7601, and 7602.
12. Section 61.13 is amended by
adding paragraph (e)(1) and adding and
reserving paragraph (e)(2) to read as
follows:
■
§ 61.13 Emission tests and waiver of
emission tests.
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*
*
*
*
*
(e) * * *
(1) The performance testing shall
include a test method performance audit
(PA) during the performance test. The
PAs consist of blind audit samples
supplied by an accredited audit sample
provider and analyzed during the
performance test in order to provide a
measure of test data bias. Gaseous audit
samples are designed to audit the
performance of the sampling system as
well as the analytical system and must
be collected by the sampling system
during the compliance test just as the
compliance samples are collected. If a
liquid or solid audit sample is designed
to audit the sampling system, it must
also be collected by the sampling system
during the compliance test. If multiple
sampling systems or sampling trains are
used during the compliance test for any
of the test methods, the tester is only
required to use one of the sampling
systems per method to collect the audit
sample. The audit sample must be
analyzed by the same analyst using the
same analytical reagents and analytical
system and at the same time as the
compliance samples. Retests are
required when there is a failure to
produce acceptable results for an audit
sample. However, if the audit results do
not affect the compliance or
noncompliance status of the affected
facility, the compliance authority may
waive the reanalysis requirement,
further audits, or retests and accept the
results of the compliance test.
Acceptance of the test results shall
constitute a waiver of the reanalysis
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requirement, further audits, or retests.
The compliance authority may also use
the audit sample failure and the
compliance test results as evidence to
determine the compliance or
noncompliance status of the affected
facility. A blind audit sample is a
sample whose value is known only to
the sample provider and is not revealed
to the tested facility until after they
report the measured value of the audit
sample. For pollutants that exist in the
gas phase at ambient temperature, the
audit sample shall consist of an
appropriate concentration of the
pollutant in air or nitrogen that can be
introduced into the sampling system of
the test method at or near the same
entry point as a sample from the
emission source. If no gas phase audit
samples are available, an acceptable
alternative is a sample of the pollutant
in the same matrix that would be
produced when the sample is recovered
from the sampling system as required by
the test method. For samples that exist
only in a liquid or solid form at ambient
temperature, the audit sample shall
consist of an appropriate concentration
of the pollutant in the same matrix that
would be produced when the sample is
recovered from the sampling system as
required by the test method. An
accredited audit sample provider
(AASP) is an organization that has been
accredited to prepare audit samples by
an independent, third party accrediting
body.
(i) The source owner, operator, or
representative of the tested facility shall
obtain an audit sample, if commercially
available, from an AASP for each test
method used for regulatory compliance
purposes. No audit samples are required
for the following test methods: Methods
3C of Appendix A–3 of Part 60, Methods
6C, 7E, 9, and 10 of Appendix A–4 of
Part 60, Method 18 of Appendix A–6 of
Part 60, Methods 20, 22, and 25A of
Appendix A–7 of Part 60, and Methods
303, 318, 320, and 321 of Appendix A
of Part 63. If multiple sources at a single
facility are tested during a compliance
test event, only one audit sample is
required for each method used during a
compliance test. The compliance
authority responsible for the compliance
test may waive the requirement to
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4700
include an audit sample if they believe
that an audit sample is not necessary.
‘‘Commercially available’’ means that
two or more independent AASPs have
blind audit samples available for
purchase. If the source owner, operator,
or representative cannot find an audit
sample for a specific method, the owner,
operator, or representative shall consult
the EPA Web site at the following URL,
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc, to confirm
whether there is a source that can
supply an audit sample for that method.
If the EPA Web site does not list an
available audit sample at least 60 days
prior to the beginning of the compliance
test, the source owner, operator, or
representative shall not be required to
include an audit sample as part of the
quality assurance program for the
compliance test. When ordering an
audit sample, the source owner,
operator, or representative shall give the
sample provider an estimate for the
concentration of each pollutant that is
emitted by the source or the estimated
concentration of each pollutant based
on the permitted level and the name,
address, and phone number of the
compliance authority. The source
owner, operator, or representative shall
report the results for the audit sample
along with a summary of the emission
test results for the audited pollutant to
the compliance authority and shall
report the results of the audit sample to
the AASP. The source owner, operator,
or representative shall make both
reports at the same time and in the same
manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and report to
the AASP. If the method being audited
is a method that allows the samples to
be analyzed in the field and the tester
plans to analyze the samples in the
field, the tester may analyze the audit
samples prior to collecting the emission
samples provided a representative of the
compliance authority is present at the
testing site. The tester may request and
the compliance authority may grant a
waiver to the requirement that a
representative of the compliance
authority must be present at the testing
site during the field analysis of an audit
sample. The source owner, operator, or
representative may report the results of
the audit sample to the compliance
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authority and then report the results of
the audit sample to the AASP prior to
collecting any emission samples. The
test protocol and final test report shall
document whether an audit sample was
ordered and utilized and the pass/fail
results as applicable.
(ii) An AASP shall have and shall
prepare, analyze, and report the true
value of audit samples in accordance
with a written technical criteria
document that describes how audit
samples will be prepared and
distributed in a manner that will ensure
the integrity of the audit sample
program. An acceptable technical
criteria document shall contain standard
operating procedures for all of the
following operations:
(A) Preparing the sample;
(B) Confirming the true concentration
of the sample;
(C) Defining the acceptance limits for
the results from a well qualified tester.
This procedure must use well
established statistical methods to
analyze historical results from well
qualified testers. The acceptance limits
shall be set so that there is 95 percent
confidence that 90 percent of well
qualified labs will produce future
results that are within the acceptance
limit range;
(D) Providing the opportunity for the
compliance authority to comment on
the selected concentration level for an
audit sample;
(E) Distributing the sample to the user
in a manner that guarantees that the true
value of the sample is unknown to the
user;
(F) Recording the measured
concentration reported by the user and
determining if the measured value is
within acceptable limits;
(G) Reporting the results from each
audit sample in a timely manner to the
compliance authority and to the source
owner, operator, or representative by the
AASP. The AASP shall make both
reports at the same time and in the same
manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and then
report to the source owner, operator, or
representative. The results shall include
the name of the facility tested, the date
on which the compliance test was
conducted, the name of the company
performing the sample collection, the
name of the company that analyzed the
compliance samples including the audit
sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit. The
AASP shall report the true value of the
audit sample to the compliance
authority. The AASP may report the
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true value to the source owner, operator,
or representative if the AASP’s
operating plan ensures that no
laboratory will receive the same audit
sample twice.
(H) Evaluating the acceptance limits
of samples at least once every two years
to determine in consultation with the
voluntary consensus standard body if
they should be changed;
(I) Maintaining a database, accessible
to the compliance authorities, of results
from the audit that shall include the
name of the facility tested, the date on
which the compliance test was
conducted, the name of the company
performing the sample collection, the
name of the company that analyzed the
compliance samples including the audit
sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, the true value of the audit
sample, the acceptance range for the
measured value, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit.
(iii) The accrediting body shall have
a written technical criteria document
that describes how it will ensure that
the AASP is operating in accordance
with the AASP technical criteria
document that describes how audit or
samples are to be prepared and
distributed. This document shall
contain standard operating procedures
for all of the following operations:
(A) Checking audit samples to
confirm their true value as reported by
the AASP.
(B) Performing technical systems
audits of the AASP’s facilities and
operating procedures at least once every
two years.
(C) Providing standards for use by the
voluntary consensus standard body to
approve the accrediting body that will
accredit the audit sample providers.
(iv) The technical criteria documents
for the accredited sample providers and
the accrediting body shall be developed
through a public process guided by a
voluntary consensus standards body
(VCSB). The VCSB shall operate in
accordance with the procedures and
requirements in the Office of
Management and Budget Circular A–
119. A copy of Circular A–119 is
available upon request by writing the
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, by calling (202)
395–6880 or downloading online at
https://standards.gov/standards_gov/
a119.cfm. The VCSB shall approve all
accrediting bodies. The Administrator
will review all technical criteria
documents. If the technical criteria
documents do not meet the minimum
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technical requirements in paragraphs
(e)(1)(ii) through (iv) of this section, the
technical criteria documents are not
acceptable and the proposed audit
sample program is not capable of
producing audit samples of sufficient
quality to be used in a compliance test.
All acceptable technical criteria
documents shall be posted on the EPA
Web site at the following URL, https://
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc.
(2) [Reserved]
*
*
*
*
*
Appendix B—[Amended]
13. Amend Appendix B to part 61 as
follows:
■ a. In Method 104 revise Section 9.
■ b. In Method 106 as follows:
■ i. Remove Sections 7.2.4, 7.2.4.1,
including the note that follows, and
7.2.4.2.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iii. Remove Sections 9.1, 9.2, and
11.1.
■ c. In Method 108 as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 7.3.16., including
the note that follows.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.1.
■ iii. Remove Sections 11.6, 11.6.1,
11.6.2, including the note that follows,
11.6.3, 11.7, 11.7.1, 11.7.2, 11.7.3, and
11.7.4.
■ iv. Revise Section 12.1.
d. In Method 108A as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 7.2.1.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iii. Remove Sections 11.6, 11.6.1,
11.6.2, including the note that follows,
11.6.3, 11.7, 11.7.1, 11.7.2, 11.7.3, and
11.7.4.
e. In Method 108B as follows:
■ i. Remove Section 7.2.5.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iii. Remove Section 11.5.
f. In Method 108C as follows:
■ i. Remove Sections 7.2.10.
■ ii. Revise Section 9.0.
■ iii. Remove Section 11.3.
g. In Method 111 as follows:
■ i. Revise Section 9.2.
■ ii. Revise Section 11.0.
■ iii. Remove Section 11.3.
■
Appendix B to Part 61—Test Methods
*
*
*
*
*
Method 104—Determination of Beryllium
Emissions From Stationary Sources
*
9.0
*
*
*
Quality Control
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*
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Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.4, 10.1 ...............................
Sampling equipment leak checks and calibration ..........
10.2 ......................................
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
11.5 ......................................
Check for matrix effects ..................................................
Ensure accuracy and precision of sampling measurements.
Ensure linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards.
Eliminate matrix effects.
*
*
*
*
Method 106—Determination of Vinyl
Chloride Emissions From Stationary Sources
*
*
*
*
*
9.0
Quality Control
*
Section
Quality control measure
10.3 ......................................
Chromatograph calibration ..............................................
*
*
*
*
Effect
Ensure precision and accuracy of chromatograph.
Method 108—Determination of Particulate
and Gaseous Arsenic Emissions
*
*
*
*
*
*
9.0
Quality Control
9.1 Miscellaneous Quality Control
Measures.
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
8.4, 10.1 ...............................
Sampling equipment leak-checks and calibration ..........
10.4 ......................................
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
11.5 ......................................
Check for matrix effects ..................................................
Ensures accuracy and precision of sampling measurements.
Ensures linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards.
Eliminates matrix effects.
*
*
*
*
12.1
*
Nomenclature
Bws = Water in the gas stream, proportion by
volume.
Ca = Concentration of arsenic as read from
the standard curve, μg/ml.
Cs = Arsenic concentration in stack gas, dry
basis, converted to standard conditions,
g/dsm3 (gr/dscf).
Ea = Arsenic mass emission rate, g/hr (lb/hr).
Fd = Dilution factor (equals 1 if the sample
has not been diluted).
I = Percent of isokinetic sampling.
mbi = Total mass of all four impingers and
contents before sampling, g.
mfi = Total mass of all four impingers and
contents after sampling, g.
mn = Total mass of arsenic collected in a
specific part of the sampling train, μg.
mt = Total mass of arsenic collected in the
sampling train, μg.
Tm = Absolute average dry gas meter
temperature (see Figure 108–2), °K (°R).
Vm = Volume of gas sample as measured by
the dry gas meter, dry basis, m3 (ft3).
Vm(std) = Volume of gas sample as measured
by the dry gas meter, corrected to
standard conditions, m3 (ft3).
Vn = Volume of solution in which the arsenic
is contained, ml.
Vw(std) = Volume of water vapor collected in
the sampling train, corrected to standard
conditions, m3 (ft3).
DH = Average pressure differential across the
orifice meter (see Figure 108–2), mm
H2O (in. H2O).
*
*
*
*
*
Method 108A—Determination of Arsenic
Content in Ore Samples From Nonferrous
Smelters
*
9.0
*
*
*
*
Quality Control
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
10.2 ......................................
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
11.5 ......................................
Check for matrix effects ..................................................
Ensure linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards.
Eliminate matrix effects.
*
*
*
*
Method 108B—Determination of Arsenic
Content in Ore Samples From Nonferrous
Smelters
*
*
*
*
*
9.0
Quality Control
*
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Section
Quality control measure
Effect
10.2 ......................................
Spectrophotometer calibration ........................................
11.4 ......................................
Check for matrix effects ..................................................
Ensure linearity of spectrophotometer response to
standards.
Eliminate matrix effects.
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*
*
*
*
Method 108C—Determination of Arsenic
Content in Ore Samples From Nonferrous
Smelters (Molybdenum Blue Photometric
Procedure)
*
*
*
*
*
9.0
55655
Quality Control
*
Section
Quality control measure
Effect
10.2 ......................................
Calibration curve preparation ..........................................
Ensure linearity of spectrophotometric response to
standards.
*
*
*
*
Method 111—Determination of Polonium—
210 Emissions From Stationary Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
Section
Quality control measure
10.1 ......................................
10.3 ......................................
11.1, 11.2 .............................
Standardization of alpha spectrometry system ...............
Standardization of internal proportional counter .............
Determination of procedure background and instrument
background.
*
*
11.0
*
*
*
Analytical Procedure
Note: Perform duplicate analyses of all
samples, including background counts and
Method 5 samples. Duplicate measurements
are considered acceptable when the
difference between them is less than two
standard deviations as described in EPA 600/
4–77–001 or subsequent revisions.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 63—NATIONAL EMISSIONS
STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR
POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE
CATEGORIES
14. The authority citation for part 63
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
15. Section 63.7 is amended by
revising (c)(2)(iii) and removing
paragraph (c)(4).
The revision reads as follows:
■
§ 63.7
Performance testing requirements.
*
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9.2 Miscellaneous Quality Control
Measures
*
*
*
*
(c) * * *
(2) * * *
(iii) The performance testing shall
include a test method performance audit
(PA) during the performance test. The
PAs consist of blind audit samples
supplied by an accredited audit sample
provider and analyzed during the
performance test in order to provide a
measure of test data bias. Gaseous audit
samples are designed to audit the
performance of the sampling system as
well as the analytical system and must
be collected by the sampling system
during the compliance test just as the
compliance samples are collected. If a
liquid or solid audit sample is designed
to audit the sampling system, it must
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Effect
Ensure precision of sample analyses.
Ensure precise sizing of sample aliquot.
Minimize background effects.
also be collected by the sampling system
during the compliance test. If multiple
sampling systems or sampling trains are
used during the compliance test for any
of the test methods, the tester is only
required to use one of the sampling
systems per method to collect the audit
sample. The audit sample must be
analyzed by the same analyst using the
same analytical reagents and analytical
system and at the same time as the
compliance samples. Retests are
required when there is a failure to
produce acceptable results for an audit
sample. However, if the audit results do
not affect the compliance or
noncompliance status of the affected
facility, the compliance authority may
waive the reanalysis requirement,
further audits, or retests and accept the
results of the compliance test.
Acceptance of the test results shall
constitute a waiver of the reanalysis
requirement, further audits, or retests.
The compliance authority may also use
the audit sample failure and the
compliance test results as evidence to
determine the compliance or
noncompliance status of the affected
facility. A blind audit sample is a
sample whose value is known only to
the sample provider and is not revealed
to the tested facility until after they
report the measured value of the audit
sample. For pollutants that exist in the
gas phase at ambient temperature, the
audit sample shall consist of an
appropriate concentration of the
pollutant in air or nitrogen that can be
introduced into the sampling system of
the test method at or near the same
entry point as a sample from the
emission source. If no gas phase audit
samples are available, an acceptable
alternative is a sample of the pollutant
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in the same matrix that would be
produced when the sample is recovered
from the sampling system as required by
the test method. For samples that exist
only in a liquid or solid form at ambient
temperature, the audit sample shall
consist of an appropriate concentration
of the pollutant in the same matrix that
would be produced when the sample is
recovered from the sampling system as
required by the test method. An
accredited audit sample provider
(AASP) is an organization that has been
accredited to prepare audit samples by
an independent, third party accrediting
body.
(A) The source owner, operator, or
representative of the tested facility shall
obtain an audit sample, if commercially
available, from an AASP for each test
method used for regulatory compliance
purposes. No audit samples are required
for the following test methods: Methods
3C of Appendix A–3 of Part 60, Methods
6C, 7E, 9, and 10 of Appendix A–4 of
Part 60, Method 18 of Appendix A–6 of
Part 60, Methods 20, 22, and 25A of
Appendix A–7 of Part 60, and Methods
303, 318, 320, and 321 of Appendix A
of Part 63. If multiple sources at a single
facility are tested during a compliance
test event, only one audit sample is
required for each method used during a
compliance test. The compliance
authority responsible for the compliance
test may waive the requirement to
include an audit sample if they believe
that an audit sample is not necessary.
‘‘Commercially available’’ means that
two or more independent AASPs have
blind audit samples available for
purchase. If the source owner, operator,
or representative cannot find an audit
sample for a specific method, the owner,
operator, or representative shall consult
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the EPA Web site at the following URL,
https://www.epa.gov/ttn/emc, to confirm
whether there is a source that can
supply an audit sample for that method.
If the EPA Web site does not list an
available audit sample at least 60 days
prior to the beginning of the compliance
test, the source owner, operator, or
representative shall not be required to
include an audit sample as part of the
quality assurance program for the
compliance test. When ordering an
audit sample, the source owner,
operator, or representative shall give the
sample provider an estimate for the
concentration of each pollutant that is
emitted by the source or the estimated
concentration of each pollutant based
on the permitted level and the name,
address, and phone number of the
compliance authority. The source
owner, operator, or representative shall
report the results for the audit sample
along with a summary of the emission
test results for the audited pollutant to
the compliance authority and shall
report the results of the audit sample to
the AASP. The source owner, operator,
or representative shall make both
reports at the same time and in the same
manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and report to
the AASP. If the method being audited
is a method that allows the samples to
be analyzed in the field and the tester
plans to analyze the samples in the
field, the tester may analyze the audit
samples prior to collecting the emission
samples provided a representative of the
compliance authority is present at the
testing site. The tester may request and
the compliance authority may grant a
waiver to the requirement that a
representative of the compliance
authority must be present at the testing
site during the field analysis of an audit
sample. The source owner, operator, or
representative may report the results of
the audit sample to the compliance
authority and then report the results of
the audit sample to the AASP prior to
collecting any emission samples. The
test protocol and final test report shall
document whether an audit sample was
ordered and utilized and the pass/fail
results as applicable.
(B) An AASP shall have and shall
prepare, analyze, and report the true
value of audit samples in accordance
with a written technical criteria
document that describes how audit
samples will be prepared and
distributed in a manner that will ensure
the integrity of the audit sample
program. An acceptable technical
criteria document shall contain standard
operating procedures for all of the
following operations:
(1) Preparing the sample;
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(2) Confirming the true concentration
of the sample;
(3) Defining the acceptance limits for
the results from a well qualified tester.
This procedure must use well
established statistical methods to
analyze historical results from well
qualified testers. The acceptance limits
shall be set so that there is 95 percent
confidence that 90 percent of well
qualified labs will produce future
results that are within the acceptance
limit range;
(4) Providing the opportunity for the
compliance authority to comment on
the selected concentration level for an
audit sample;
(5) Distributing the sample to the user
in a manner that guarantees that the true
value of the sample is unknown to the
user;
(6) Recording the measured
concentration reported by the user and
determining if the measured value is
within acceptable limits;
(7) Reporting the results from each
audit sample in a timely manner to the
compliance authority and to the source
owner, operator, or representative by the
AASP. The AASP shall make both
reports at the same time and in the same
manner or shall report to the
compliance authority first and then
report to the source owner, operator, or
representative. The results shall include
the name of the facility tested, the date
on which the compliance test was
conducted, the name of the company
performing the sample collection, the
name of the company that analyzed the
compliance samples including the audit
sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit. The
AASP shall report the true value of the
audit sample to the compliance
authority. The AASP may report the
true value to the source owner, operator,
or representative if the AASP’s
operating plan ensures that no
laboratory will receive the same audit
sample twice.
(8) Evaluating the acceptance limits of
samples at least once every two years to
determine in consultation with the
voluntary consensus standard body if
they should be changed.
(9) Maintaining a database, accessible
to the compliance authorities, of results
from the audit that shall include the
name of the facility tested, the date on
which the compliance test was
conducted, the name of the company
performing the sample collection, the
name of the company that analyzed the
compliance samples including the audit
sample, the measured result for the
audit sample, the true value of the audit
sample, the acceptance range for the
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measured value, and whether the testing
company passed or failed the audit.
(C) The accrediting body shall have a
written technical criteria document that
describes how it will ensure that the
AASP is operating in accordance with
the AASP technical criteria document
that describes how audit samples are to
be prepared and distributed. This
document shall contain standard
operating procedures for all of the
following operations:
(1) Checking audit samples to confirm
their true value as reported by the
AASP.
(2) Performing technical systems
audits of the AASP’s facilities and
operating procedures at least once every
two years.
(3) Providing standards for use by the
voluntary consensus standard body to
approve the accrediting body that will
accredit the audit sample providers.
(D) The technical criteria documents
for the accredited sample providers and
the accrediting body shall be developed
through a public process guided by a
voluntary consensus standards body
(VCSB). The VCSB shall operate in
accordance with the procedures and
requirements in the Office of
Management and Budget Circular
A–119. A copy of Circular A–119 is
available upon request by writing the
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, by calling (202)
395–6880 or downloading online at
https://standards.gov/standards_gov/
a119.cfm. The VCSB shall approve all
accrediting bodies. The Administrator
will review all technical criteria
documents. If the technical criteria
documents do not meet the minimum
technical requirements in paragraphs
(c)(2)(iii)(B) through (C) of this section,
the technical criteria documents are not
acceptable and the proposed audit
sample program is not capable of
producing audit samples of sufficient
quality to be used in a compliance test.
All acceptable technical criteria
documents shall be posted on the EPA
Web site at the following URL, https://
www.epa.gov/ttn/emc.
*
*
*
*
*
Appendix A to Part 63—[Amended]
15. Amend Appendix A to Part 63 as
follows:
■ a. In Method 306 by removing
Sections 7.5, 7.5.1, 7.5.2, 9.1.8, 9.1.8.1,
9.1.8.2, 9.1.8.3, 9.1.9, 9.1.9.1, 9.1.9.2,
9.1.9.3, 9.1.9.4, 9.2.8, 9.2.8.1, 9.2.8.2,
9.2.8.3, 9.2.9, 9.2.9.1, 9.2.9.2, 9.2.9.3,
9.2.9.4, 9.3.6, 9.3.6.1, 9.3.6.2, 9.3.6.3,
9.3.7, 9.3.7.1, 9.3.7.2, 9.3.7.3, and
9.3.7.4.
■
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b. In Method 306A by removing
Sections 7.5, 7.5.1, and 7.5.2.
■
c. In Method 308 by removing
Sections 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, and 9.5.
*
*
*
*
*
■
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 176 (Monday, September 13, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55636-55657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21820]
[[Page 55635]]
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Part II
Environmental Protection Agency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
40 CFR Parts 51, 60, 61, et al.
Restructuring of the Stationary Source Audit Program; Final Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 75 , No. 176 / Monday, September 13, 2010 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 55636]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 51, 60, 61 and 63
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0531; FRL-9195-7]
RIN 2060-AP23
Restructuring of the Stationary Source Audit Program
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: EPA is taking final action to promulgate amendments to the
General Provisions to allow accredited providers to supply stationary
source audit samples and to require sources to obtain and use these
samples from the accredited providers instead of from EPA, as is the
current practice. All requirements pertaining to the audit samples have
been moved to the General Provisions and have been removed from the
test methods because the current language in the test methods regarding
audit samples is inconsistent from method to method. Therefore,
deleting all references to audit samples in the test methods eliminates
any possible confusion and inconsistencies. Under this final rule, the
requirement to use an audit sample during a compliance test will apply
to all test methods for which a commercially available audit exists.
DATES: This final rule is effective 30 days after September 13, 2010.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0531. All documents in the docket are listed on the
https://www.regulations.gov Web site. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such
as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be
publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket
materials are available either electronically through https://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Restructuring of the
Stationary Source Audit Program Docket, Docket ID No. EPA-OAR-2008-
0531, EPA Docket Center, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. This Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding legal holidays. The docket
telephone number is (202) 566-1742. The Public Reading Room is open
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202)
566-1744.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Candace Sorrell, U.S. EPA, Office
of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Air Quality Assessment Division,
Measurement Technology Group (E143-02), Research Triangle Park, NC
27711; telephone number: (919) 541-1064; fax number: (919) 541-0516; e-
mail address: sorrell.candace@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
This action would apply to you if you operate a stationary source
that is subject to applicable requirements to conduct compliance
testing under 40 CFR parts 60, 61, and 63.
In addition, this action would apply to you if Federal, State, or
local agencies take certain additional actions. For example, this
action would apply if State or local agencies implement regulations
using any of the stationary source compliance test methods in Appendix
M of Part 51 by adopting these methods in rules or permits (either by
incorporation by reference or by duplicating the method in its
entirety).
The source categories and entities potentially affected include,
but are not limited to, the following:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Examples of regulated
Category NAICS \a\ entities
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry...................... 336111 336112 Surface Coating.
Industry...................... 332410 Industrial,
Commercial,
Institutional Steam
Generating Units.
Industry...................... 332410 Electric Generating
Units.
Industry...................... 333611 Stationary Gas
Turbines.
Industry...................... 324110 Petroleum Refineries.
Industry...................... 562213 Municipal Waste
Combustors.
Industry...................... 322110 Pulp and Paper Mills.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a\ North American Industry Classification System.
B. Where can I obtain a copy of this action and other related
information?
In addition to being available in the docket, an electronic copy of
the final rule is also available on the Worldwide Web (https://www.epa.gov/ttn) through the Technology Transfer Network (TTN).
Following the Administrator's signature, a copy of the final rule will
be posted on the TTN's policy and guidance page for newly proposed or
promulgated rules at https://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg. The TTN provides
information and technology exchange in various areas of air pollution
control.
C. How is this document organized?
The information in this preamble is organized as follows:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
B. Where can I obtain a copy of this document and other related
information?
C. How is this document organized?
II. Background
III. This Action
IV. Public Comments on the Proposed Rule
A. Accreditation Program vs. Audit Program
B. Alternatives to Restructuring the Audit Program
C. Test Method Bias With Respect to the Audit Program
D. Terms Need Defining or Clarifying
E. Audit Sample Failure and Non-Compliance
F. Reporting Period
G. Choosing Correct Concentration for an Audit Sample
H. Cost Estimates
I. Requiring the Same Analyst and Analytical System for Sample
Analysis
J. When are audit samples required?
K. Audit Sample Availability
L. Setting Acceptance Limits
M. Audit Samples Should Not Apply to Instrumental Methods
N. Notice and Comment Procedure
O. Field Analysis of Audit Samples
P. Audit Sample Matrix
Q. Audit Results Reporting and Availability
R. External QA Program
S. No Justification for the Program
T. Consistency
U. Ordering Audit Samples
V. EPA Maintained List of Audit Providers
W. 2003 Study on Quality Gas Cylinder Samples
X. Proposal Is Premature
Y. Voluntary Consensus Standards Body (VCSB) Standard Does Not
Meet EPA's Needs
Z. Gas Audit Samples Entry Point
V. Judicial Review
[[Page 55637]]
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With
Indian Tribal Governments
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From
Environmental Health and Safety Risks
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use
I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
K. Congressional Review Act
II. Background
The Restructuring of the Stationary Source Audit Program (SSAP) was
proposed in the Federal Register on June 16, 2009, with a public
comment period that ended July 16, 2009 (74 FR 28451). A public
commenter asked that the comment period be extended. We extended the
public comment period until August 5, 2009 (74 FR 31903). A total of 21
comment letters were received on the proposed rule. We have compiled
and responded to the public comments and made appropriate changes to
the final rule based on the comments.
III. This Action
This action finalizes revisions to the General Provisions of Parts
51, 60, 61, and 63 to allow accredited audit sample providers to supply
stationary source audit samples and to require sources to obtain and
use these samples from the accredited providers instead of from EPA, as
was the practice. It also revises test methods 5I, 6, 6A-C, 7, 7A-D, 8,
15A, 16A, 18, 23, 25, 25C, 25D, 26, 26A, 104, 106, 108, 108A-C, 204A-F,
306, 306A, and 308 to delete any language pertaining to audit samples.
By adding language to the General Provisions of Parts 51, 60, 61 and
63, the requirement to obtain and use audits for stationary source
compliance testing using EPA stationary source test methods is expanded
and clarified. The previous General Provisions and EPA test methods
were not consistent in their language concerning the use or
availability of audit samples. This action will potentially increase
the number of test methods required to use audit samples and clarify
how the samples are to be obtained and used. By clarifying the
requirement for audit samples and expanding their availability through
multiple providers, EPA believes audit samples will be used during more
compliance tests and, therefore, the overall quality of the data used
for determining compliance will improve.
This action finalizes the regulatory criteria which list the
minimum requirements for the audit samples, the accredited audit sample
providers (AASP), and the audit sample provider acceditor (ASPA). The
AASP is the company that prepares and distributes the audit samples and
the ASPA is a third-party organization that will accredit and monitor
the performance of the AASPs. Both the AASP and the ASPA must work with
a Voluntary Consensus Standard Body (VCSB) using the consensus process
to develop criteria documents that describe how they will function and
meet EPA regulatory criteria listed in this rule. The Federal Office of
Management and Budget Circular A-119 defines a VCSB as one having the
following attributes: (i) Openness; (ii) balance of interest; (iii) due
process; (iv) an appeals process; and (v) consensus, which is general
agreement, but not necessarily unanimity, and includes a process for
attempting to resolve objections by interested parties. As long as all
comments have been fairly considered, each objector is advised of the
disposition of his or her objection(s) and the reason(s) why, and the
consensus body members are given an opportunity to change their votes
after reviewing the comments.
AASPs must be accredited by an ASPA according to a technical
criteria document developed by a VCSB. The technical criteria document
must meet EPA regulations. There may be many AASPs and more than one
ASPA and VCSB. We predict that initially there will only be one VCSB.
This action finalizes language that outlines the responsibilities
of the regulated source owner or operator to acquire and use an audit
sample for all testing conducted to determine compliance with an air
emission limit. The requirement applies only if there are commercially
available audit samples for the test method used during the compliance
testing. The source owner, operator or representative shall report the
results for the audit sample along with a summary of the emission test
results for the audited pollutant to the appropriate compliance
authority.
In addition to allowing private AASPs to provide audit samples for
the stationary source audit program, this action shifts the burden of
obtaining an audit sample from the compliance authority to the source.
In the past, the EPA provided the samples to the compliance authorities
at no cost, but this action requires the source to purchase the samples
from an accredited provider. The samples will vary in cost depending on
the type of audit sample required; however, the cost will be a very
small portion of the cost of a compliance test (approximately one
percent). Based on historical data, EPA estimates that the total cost
to industry to purchase audit samples will be between $150,000 to
$200,000 per year at the current usage rate.
IV. Public Comments on the Proposed Rule
A more detailed summary of the public comments and our responses
can be found in the Summary of Public Comments and Responses document,
which is available from several sources (see ADDRESSES section). The
major public comments are summarized by subject as follows:
A. Accreditation Program vs. Audit Program
Comment: Several comments suggested that the audit program was not
needed due to the existence of accreditation programs for laboratories
or that EPA should conduct a proficiency testing program as part of an
accreditation program.
Response: An accreditation program or proficiency testing program
serves a different purpose than an audit program. An accreditation
program looks to see if the laboratory has the capabilities to conduct
the analysis in question. The audit program is an event driven program
that looks to see at a particular time that the combination of
equipment and analyzer is able to analyze the sample within an
acceptable range. Analyzing the audit samples at the same time as the
field samples using the same equipment and analyst give the compliance
authorities and the regulated community more confidence in the test
results.
B. Alternatives to Restructuring the Audit Program
Comment: A number of commenters suggested alternatives to our
proposed restructuring of the audit program to allow for independent
accredited audit sample providers. These alternatives included
maintaining the audit program as it currently stands in order to
maintain oversight/authority, charging for audit samples, or conducting
an EPA accreditation program for audit sample providers.
Response: We retain oversight authority over all parties who
develop
[[Page 55638]]
information required by EPA to fully assess the proper implementation
of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Section 114 of the Act gives EPA the
authority to require the production of information, test results and
answers to questions EPA may ask. We do not believe that it is
necessary for EPA to directly provide or approve specific audit samples
in order to ensure integrity in this program.
We do not believe it is necessary to develop a program to certify
audit providers when there are already Voluntary Consensus Bodies in
existence that have the capabilities to develop such a program with the
input from a wide variety of stakeholders. Also, EPA is not legally
allowed to charge for the samples. It would be a violation of the
Miscellaneous Receipts Statute, 331 U.S.C. Section 3302(b), in addition
to being an unlawful augmentation of EPA's Congressional appropriation.
C. Test Method Bias With Respect to the Audit Program
Comment: One commenter noted that by definition a performance audit
is intended to provide a measure of test data bias. The commenter
stated that this program is presumably intended as an audit of
emissions sampling and analysis that would include the sampling
technique, sample handling, sample preparation, and sample analysis
accounting for the measurement biases relative to all steps of the
process. However, this is not clear in the proposed rule. Please
clarify the intent of the performance audit.
Response: Most of the current audit samples only evaluate the
analysis portion of the method; we believe that in the future
restructured program more audits will assess the effect of sampling and
handling because we defined blind audit sample as follows: ``A blind
audit sample is a sample whose value is known only to the sample
provider and is not revealed to the tested facility until after they
report the measured value of the audit sample. For pollutants that
exist in the gas phase at ambient temperature, the audit sample shall
consist of an appropriate concentration of the pollutant in air or
nitrogen that will be introduced into the sampling system of the test
method at or near the same entry point as a sample from the emission
source.''
D. Terms Need Defining or Clarifying
Comment: Several commenters requested that the following terms be
defined in the final rule: Commercially available and true value.
Response: We agree that ``commercially available'' and ``true
value'' need to be defined. The final rule has been revised to state
that an audit sample is ``commercially available'' when there are two
or more sources for obtaining the audit sample. ``True value'' is the
spiked/expected value of the audit.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the term ``performance
audit'' be revised to include the potential for field collection of
audit samples.
Response: Our intent was to include field collection and analysis
in the definition of performance audit. We revised the definition in
the final rule to state that if gaseous audits are available then they
must be collected by the field sampling system during the compliance
test just as the compliance samples are collected.
E. Audit Sample Failure and Non-Compliance
Comment: Seven commenters oppose the use of audit samples as
evidence of non-compliance and believe the audit sample results should
only be used as a tool to assess the quality of the compliance testing
results but not as the sole reason for finding a facility in non-
compliance when the emission test may demonstrate compliance.
Response: We believe the audit sample results can and should be
used to assess the quality of test results for compliance purposes, but
those audit sample results can and should, as appropriate, also be used
to assist in establishing non-compliance. Sources may present whatever
credible evidence they have to compliance officials indicating whether
or not the audit sample results have a significant bearing on the
compliance test results.
Comment: Three commenters recommended that the rule provide a means
to appeal or question a retest or compliance action as the result of a
failed audit. They believe that EPA should provide oversight authority
to referee such situations, while one commenter suggested a procedure
to require the audit sample be reanalyzed by the accredited audit
sample provider.
Response: Audit samples are not the only criterion used to evaluate
the quality of the test data; therefore, we do not expect disputes to
be common. We believe that disputes involving failed audits can be
negotiated by the parties.
F. Reporting Period
Comment: Three commenters requested that the final rule include
additional time to submit a final report if audit results must be
included in the report or delete the requirement to include the pass/
fail results in the final report.
Response: Since the purpose of an audit sample is to support the
credibility of a particular test result, it is important that the pass/
fail result of the audit sample be included in the final test report.
By privatizing the audit program, facilities will be able to get audit
results directly from the AASPs which will be much quicker then
obtaining them from the compliance authorities as in the past. Since
the procedure for obtaining audit results will now be quicker, the
final rule does not include additional time to submit a final report.
G. Choosing Correct Concentration for an Audit Sample
Comment: One commenter expressed concern that the proposed rule did
not provide for compliance authority input into the supplied audit
concentration levels. This commenter pointed out that while the
proposal specifies that the source provide an estimate of the pollutant
concentration(s), there is no compliance authority confirmation, nor
the option for the compliance authority to make specific requests based
on the needs for the given test program.
Response: We agree that the compliance authority should have the
opportunity for input into the supplied audit sample concentration
level. The final rule has been revised to require that an acceptable
criteria document must provide the opportunity for the compliance
authority to comment with the supplied audit sample concentration
levels.
Comment: One commenter stated that Section 60.8(g)(1), ``When
ordering an audit sample, the source operator, or representative shall
give the sample provider an estimate for the concentration of each
pollutant that is emitted by the source and the name, address, and
phone number of the compliance authority'' will cause confusion because
a source may or may not know the concentration of the pollutant of
concern. Because EPA's interest is in ensuring that the emission
standards are being met, the commenter suggested that the requirement
should be to provide information on the standard the facility has to
meet and the concentration that would be expected if the emissions
equaled the permitted level.
Response: We agree that the facility could provide information
based on the facility standard or permit level instead of exact
emissions. The rule has been revised to allow this option.
H. Cost Estimates
Comment: Four commenters stated that the cost estimates for audit
samples
[[Page 55639]]
are low. The commenters also asserted that the cost will be more than
the EPA's estimate of approximately 1 percent of a source test. One
commenter cited an example where a NELAC Performance Test (PT) sample
initially cost $150 and quickly increased to over $900 for just a
standard SO2 gas audit sample.
Response: The commenter did not present any evidence to support
this cost, and we were not able to substantiate the claim. According to
discussions with the Executive Director of The NELAC Institute, the
current cost range of SO2 PT samples is approximately $95 to
$108, and we expect the cost for the SO2 audit samples to be
about the same because they are made exactly the same and only used for
different purposes. The cost estimates discussed in the proposed
rulemaking are based on the last ten years that EPA has operated the
program.
Comment: Seven commenters stated that EPA significantly
underestimated the cost of the audit program because EPA did not
include the analytical fees associated with the audit.
Response: Analytical fees are not a new cost. Facilities have
always been required to pay for the analysis of the audit samples even
under the current program where we have provided the audit samples free
of charge. Therefore, we do not believe it is appropriate to add
analytical fees to the estimated cost for the program.
Comment: One commenter expressed concern that the cost estimates
and the Information Collection Request (ICR) are woefully incomplete.
This commenter stated that EPA's estimate should include the total
costs and burdens imposed on sources by the proposed new SSAP such as
the cost to sources for purchasing audit samples, analyzing (and in
some cases reanalyzing) audit samples, reporting audit sample results
and other information, developing and implementing the other aspects of
the proposed ``external QA program,'' and participating initially and
every two years thereafter in the proposed VCSB ``public process'' to
ensure that criteria developed by those organizations are reasonable,
and not just the cost incurred by the AASP to report the true value of
the audit sample. This commenter believes that the burden estimate
should also include the cost to EPA of reviewing and approving proposed
``written technical criteria documents'' and otherwise participating in
the VCSB process. This commenter believes that EPA could limit the ICR
to the cost incurred by the AASP to report the true value of the audit
sample only if the other burdens already were covered under an approved
ICR for the period in question.
Response: The ICR estimate of burden includes the estimated cost
for the AASP to report the results of the audit to the compliance
authority. In addition, the ICR has been revised to include the cost of
the audit sample since in the past the audit samples were free. The
cost of the requirement to analyze (and in some cases reanalyze) audit
samples and reporting audit sample results has already been taken into
account in past ICRs for each emission limit under the New Source
Performance Standards which contained a burden estimate for reporting
emission testing results to demonstrate compliance with emission
limits. We believe that not all compliance tests that should be audited
are being audited under the current program. We believe under the
restructured program the rate of compliance with the audit requirement
will be higher; therefore, we have revised the ICR to reflect the fact
that more audit samples will be purchased. The final rule does not
require anyone to participate in the VCSB ``public process'' and,
therefore, the cost of participating was not included in the ICR.
I. Requiring the Same Analyst and Analytical System for Sample Analysis
Comment: Two commenters are concerned about the requirement that
the audit sample must be analyzed by the same analyst using the same
analytical reagents and analytical system as the compliance samples.
These commenters pointed out that there may be several gas
chromatograph/mass spectrometers in a particular lab, and all of these
instruments are calibrated and certified, so that it does not matter
which of these instruments are used to analyze an individual sample.
Response: While EPA agrees that identical instruments calibrated by
the same reagents should give the same answer within repeatability
limits, EPA also believes that it is important to limit all sources of
imprecision and, therefore, the audits should be analyzed using the
same analyst and the same analytical system as the compliance test
samples.
Comment: One commenter stated that the requirement that the ``audit
sample must be analyzed by the same analyst using the same analytical
reagents and analytical system as the compliance samples'' should be
expanded to specify analyzing them in the same batch as the compliance
samples and, if they are collected in the field, to collect them with
the same person(s), using the same reagents and collection system. This
commenter suggested that if field testers use different sampling trains
to collect compliance samples during different test runs, from then the
tester should collect audit samples with all the trains and analyze the
samples from the different trains separately or as a composite.
Response: We have revised the final rule to clarify how field
audits should be collected when the audit sample is designed to check
the sampling system. The final rule requires that field audits must be
collected using the same field testing person who collected the field
samples using one of the field sampling systems that was used to
collect the compliance samples. If multiple sampling systems were used,
the rule will not require that each sampling train used during the
field test be used to collect an audit sample. The revised rule also
requires that the audit samples must be analyzed at the same time as
the test samples unless the compliance authority waives this
requirement.
J. When are audit samples required?
Comment: Two commenters believe it makes more sense for the source
and the compliance authority to discuss the need for an audit sample on
a case-by-case basis instead of EPA making it mandatory for each
individual test.
Response: The requirement for an audit sample is nothing new.
Current regulations require audit samples if they are available and we
do not see a need to change the requirement. We believe that the
program should be administered consistently across the Nation and the
only way to do that is to require the tester to include an audit sample
with all compliance tests using methods for which audits are available.
The compliance authority can always waive the requirement to include an
audit sample for a specific compliance test if they believe the audit
sample is not necessary.
Comment: Four commenters stated that the proposed rule was unclear
with respect to how many audit samples may be required during a given
performance test. They stated that if the same method is used and the
same pollutant is sampled, then only one audit sample should be
necessary for the entire set of samples collected during a test
program.
Response: We agree that only one audit sample per method used
during a performance test is needed so long as all pollutants measured
using that method are covered by the audit sample. The final rule has
been revised to clarify this.
[[Page 55640]]
K. Audit Sample Availability
Comment: Two commenters are concerned that the timing for checking
on availability of a specific pollutant audit sample does not mesh with
the 60-day requirement to submit a test protocol for approval by the
permitting authority. The commenters suggested that the cut-off date
for sources to locate and incorporate audit sample requirements into a
performance test plan must be at least three months prior to submitting
the test protocol to their permitting authority.
Response: There is no requirement under the amended SSAP program to
submit a test protocol for approval by the compliance authority. If a
source chooses to voluntarily prepare and submit a test protocol, the
protocol could incorporate audit sample requirements that would have to
be met only if an audit sample became available 60 days prior to the
scheduled test date.
Comment: One commenter stated that EPA presumes that there will be
Accredited Audit Sample Providers or Accredited Proficiency Test Sample
Providers willing to get in the business of supplying the necessary
audits for all applicable methods. The commenters suggested that EPA
should plan for a transition period if there is a delay in getting
providers accredited.
Response: We anticipate that audit samples will be available for
most if not all the methods for which EPA currently provides audit
samples. We know that The NELAC Institute is currently developing
criteria documents and accreditation standards to produce audit
standards (https://www.nelac-institute.org/standards.php) so we know
there is interest in the private sector. We believe there will be an
accredited audit program in the future. Therefore, we do not believe
that there is a need for a transition period during which EPA would
continue to provide audit samples until an accredited audit sample
provider is approved. Again, if an audit sample is not available, there
is no requirement for use of an audit sample.
Comment: One commenter suggested that PT samples should not be used
in place of audit samples, unless PT providers follow the provider
requirements and be accepted as an audit sample provider by a provider
accreditor, as set forth in the Standards defined by the VCSB they are
using.
Response: We agree with this comment. The rule has been revised to
remove the option of using PT samples in place of audit samples if
audit samples are not available.
Comment: One commenter believes EPA should not allow sources to
forgo using an audit sample if the EPA fails to identify a provider on
its Web site 60 days before a scheduled test. This commenter contends
that EPA should leave the job of identifying providers and which
samples are available to the sources that are required to demonstrate
compliance.
Response: It takes time to plan and prepare for a source test. We
do not want a source to be cited for a violation because an audit
sample becomes available a short time before the compliance test. We
also do not want sources and testing firms to spend time every day
looking for available audit samples. Therefore, we believe the final
rule needs to provide a 60-day time frame so that sources can properly
plan a compliance test. In addition, listing the available audits on
our Web site not only benefits the sources but also the compliance
authorities. The list provides one location for them to see what is
available; otherwise they too would have to constantly contact
providers for information on available audits.
L. Setting Acceptance Limits
Comment: Two commenters are concerned about allowing the VCSBs to
determine the audit acceptance criteria. The commenters contend that
EPA needs to define its minimum requirements to define the acceptable
level of performance for compliance purposes and not leave it up to
voluntary consensus organizations.
Response: We agree that EPA needs to define minimum requirements
for how the acceptance criteria should be determined in the final rule.
The final rule has been revised to specify that acceptance criteria
must be based on results from the analysis of audit test samples
analyzed by qualified laboratories using the method that is being
audited. The final rule requires that acceptance limits must be set so
that 90 percent of qualified laboratories would produce results within
the acceptance limits for 95 percent of all future audits. This
acceptance criterion is consistent with the general goal that EPA
established for the program it operated in the past.
M. Audit Samples Should Not Apply to Instrumental Methods
Comment: Three commenters expressed confusion and concern over how
audit samples would be applied to instrumental methods and other test
methods involving human observers (i.e., Method 9 and 22).
Response: We agree that it is not necessary to require audit
samples for those test methods that use instruments to measure
pollutants in stack gas samples taken directly from an emission source.
These methods include Method 3C, 6C, 7E, 10, 20, 25A, 318, 320, and
321. These methods already have sufficient calibration and quality
assurance requirements that would make an additional audit sample
redundant. We believe that Method 18 also has sufficient quality
assurance measures that make an audit sample unnecessary. This method
requires that the tester perform a recovery study through the entire
sampling system to demonstrate that the combined sampling and
analytical system is capable of measuring the target pollutant within
specified limits. The measured results are then corrected to account
for the empirically determined recovery. We believe that for this
method an audit sample would not add significant additional information
about the quality of the measured results. We have revised the final
rule to specifically exempt Methods 3C, 6C, 7E, 9, 10, 18, 20, 22, 25A,
303, 318, 320, and 321 from the requirement to have an audit sample. We
also agree that Methods 9, 22, and 303 do not need audit samples. These
are all methods for determining visible emissions by observation and,
therefore, there is no practical way to audit them. The final rule has
been revised to exempt these methods from the audit sample requirement.
N. Notice and Comment Procedure
Comment: One commenter believes this proposal turns the
requirements of the ``National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
of 1995 (NTTAA)'' (Pub. L. 104-113) ``on its head'' because the NTTAA
requires EPA (and other Federal agencies) to use standards already
adopted by VCSBs, where appropriate, rather than developing their own
government-unique standards. In addition NTTAA requires EPA to
participate in the development of such standards to help ensure their
usefulness in government applications but does not authorize EPA to
adopt VCSB standards that do not currently exist, to adopt rules that
condition sources' compliance with Federal regulations on a VCSB's
adoption of standards, or to require regulated sources to participate
in future VCSB proceedings in order to protect their interests.
The commenter also contends that EPA's own regulations do not allow
EPA to approve and incorporate by reference future VCSB standards
[[Page 55641]]
because it would be an unlawful circumvention of notice and comment
procedures, and of limitations on incorporation by reference.
Response: The NTTAA only requires agencies to use VCS in regulatory
actions when VCSs are available. There are no current standards adopted
by VCSBs for audit samples. We are allowing VCSBs to develop standards
for audit samples and allowing these standards to be used for
government applications. These audit samples are not used to determine
compliance. They are quality assurance tools used during compliance
testing to assist in determining the accuracy of the compliance
testing. The final rule does not condition a sources's compliance with
Federal regulations on a VCSBs adoption of standards. If audit samples
do not exist for a particular compliance test, an audit sample is not
required. Although some may choose to participate, there is also no
requirement that sources participate in future VCSB proceedings.
On the second point, we did not circumvent notice and comment
procedures. The final rule establishes minimum requirements for the
audit samples, the accredited audit sample providers and the audit
sample provider accreditor. We have proposed these criteria for notice
and comment. Although audit samples may be produced in the future, the
only audit samples that we will accept are those that meet the
substantive requirements of this rule. Accordingly, all commenters have
had a full opportunity to discuss their concerns with the requirements
set for audit samples by this rule.
O. Field Analysis of Audit Samples
Comment: Five commenters requested that the final rule be revised
to allow the owner/operator to obtain a waiver from the requirement to
have the compliance authority present at the testing site on a case-by-
case basis when the method being audited is a method that allows the
samples to be analyzed in the field and tester plans to analyze the
samples in the field because it may not be practical for a
representative from the compliance authority to be on-site for every
one of these audit analyses.
Response: We agree that it may not be practical in all cases for a
representative of the compliance authority to be present when an audit
sample is analyzed in the field, so we revised the final rule to allow
the owner/operator to obtain a waiver from the compliance authority for
the requirement to have the compliance authority present at the testing
site.
P. Audit Sample Matrix
Comment: Three commenters discussed the issue of the audit sample
matrix. One commenter felt we needed to be clear about what
interferents can and cannot be added to the samples to ensure
consistency among the audit providers. Another commenter stated that
EPA must specifically require that audit samples include realistic
interferents while the third commenter found the use of interferents
troubling since the audit providers would not necessarily know what to
mimic.
Response: The term sample matrix was not intended to imply that the
audit samples were to be prepared in a manner that would duplicate an
emission gas stream. The term matrix is only used in conjunction with
those samples that do not consist of the pollutant in the gas phase in
air or nitrogen. The term matrix was used to indicate that if a method
collected the pollutant in a similar aqueous solution, then the audit
sample should consist of the pollutant in an aqueous solution. The EPA
believes that preparing audit samples in a matrix that would include
interferents that might or might not be present in the stack is too
complex to be workable. EPA is not requiring that interferents be
included in the audit samples.
Q. Audit Results Reporting and Availability
Comment: One commenter believes the compliance authority should be
provided a copy of the audit results at the time of shipment from the
sample provider because having the results prior to sample analysis
helps generate more accurate data and minimizes problems.
Response: We believe that this would be beneficial but should not
be mandatory. Since we did not provide the compliance authorities with
the actual concentrations under the current audit program, it is hard
to justify making it mandatory.
Comment: One commenter suggested that if the audit is conducted in
the field and the results of the audit are available prior to
conducting the emission tests, the facility should be provided with
information on the pass/fail status of the audit test results prior to
carrying out the source test. The commenter points out that this would
avoid unnecessary testing and waste of resources when the ability of
the source tester is in question because of failure to produce
acceptable results for the audit sample.
Response: We agree with the commenter, and there is nothing in the
final rule to prevent this scenario.
Comment: One commenter stated that audit sample providers should
report only pass or fail for the audit sample result and not the true
value of the audit sample because audit samples are to be unknowns.
This commenter was concerned that if the audit samples are supplied in
a limited number of concentrations, then over time this might reveal
the true values and would compromise the unknown status of the audit
sample.
Response: We agree that the sample's true value needs to remain
blind to the sources and laboratories at least until the values are
reported. The final rule has been revised to state that only pass or
fail results shall be reported unless the accredited audit sample
provider ensures that no laboratory will receive the same sample twice.
Comment: One commenter stated that the audit sample provider would
be under no compliance (or contractual) obligation to provide a quick
turnaround on the audit results, so significant delay could occur
during this step, depending on the audit sample provider's
availability. This commenter asked EPA to add a regulatory provision
requiring the audit sample provider to send out the results of the
audit within 7 calendar days.
Response: We agree that it is important that the AASPs provide a
quick turnaround of the audit results. The final rule includes a
requirement that AASPs submit the results in a timely manner. The AASPs
and the sources may decide a more specific time frame.
R. External QA Program
Comment: One commenter expressed confusion and concern about the
proposed rule's use of the terminology ``External QA program'' and that
an additional requirement might be added to the external QA program.
Response: The only mandatory requirement under the restructured
audit program would be to include an audit sample with each compliance
test. EPA has revised the final rule to make this clear.
S. No Justification for the Program
Comment: Five commenters believe that EPA did not provide a
justification for continuing the current program or expanding the
program. Three commenters felt that the emergence of private providers
is an insufficient rationale for the rulemaking.
Response: We disagree. The emergence of private providers is one
reason for changing the audit program. We discussed other reasons for
privatizing the audit program in the
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Notice of Proposed Rule Making. Also, we believe allowing private
companies to provide audit samples will: (1) Ensure a wider range of
audit sample concentrations that will better match the working range of
the methods, (2) provide a more efficient and responsive system for
supplying the required samples, (3) ensure greater transparency in the
operation of the audit program, (4) produce higher quality audit
samples, and (5) ensure a more stable supply of samples.
T. Consistency
Comment: One commenter noted that there was an inconsistency in the
proposed rules between the language in Part 51 and that in Part 60.
According to this commenter, the language in Part 51 could be
interpreted to mean that the results for an audit sample could be
reported to the AASP or Accredited PT Sample Providers (APTSP) at some
later time after reporting to the compliance authority, whereas the
language in Part 60 could be interpreted to mean that the audit sample
results should be reported to the compliance authority and to the AASP
or APTSP at the same time. The commenter suggested that the statement
in Part 51 should be amended to correspond with the statement in Part
60.
Response: We agree that the two statements should be consistent.
The final rule has been revised so all parts require that the audit
sample results be reported to the compliance authority and the audit
sample provider at the same time.
Comment: One commenter suggested that we revise the National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) General
Provisions for consistency with the proposed audit restructuring
program. The commenter pointed out that provisions in 63.7(4)(i) state
that ``audit materials may be obtained by contacting the appropriate
EPA Regional Office or responsible enforcement authority,'' and this
language conflicts with the proposed rule.
Response: We agree and the final rule has been revised to correct
the inconsistency.
U. Ordering Audit Samples
Comment: Two commenters stated that it is not clear who is
responsible for obtaining the audit samples because the proposed rule
allows the source or an agent for the source to request the audit
sample for a source test. The commenters requested that EPA clarify the
type of documentation that would be needed by the agent to demonstrate
to the AASP that it is indeed an agent for the source.
Response: This provision was intended to allow the source owner or
someone designated by the owner such as a member of a source testing
firm to request the audit sample. The agent would need to work with the
AASP to provide any documentation necessary to satisfy the AASP that
they were an agent acting for the source.
Comment: One commenter believes there should be a time-frame for
the source to order audit samples and the compliance authority should
be notified when an audit sample was ordered.
Response: The final rule has been revised to provide the compliance
authority input into the audit sample concentration range which in
itself provides the compliance authority notification of an audit
sample order. We believe the time frame for ordering audit samples is
an issue that should be considered by the source owner, compliance
authority and the AASP. It is not an issue that is covered by this
rule.
V. EPA Maintained List of Audit Providers
Comment: One commenter is concerned that if source owners seek the
lowest cost AASPs, then there could be audit sample shortages,
unforeseeable variations in costs, audit quality issues, and last
minute failures in AASPs supplying audit samples. The commenter also
asked that EPA flag or remove any AASP that fails to deliver audit
material as offered or promised.
Response: We intend to monitor the progress of this new system of
supplying audit samples to ensure that it works as anticipated. We
anticipate that most AASPs will deliver on their contracts, as most
businesses want repeat customers.
W. 2003 Study on Quality Gas Cylinder Samples
Comment: One commenter believes reliance on voluntary consensus
requirements for accreditation of audit samples does little to improve
the reliability of compliance testing, and may threaten the quality of
the testing itself without additional procedures for qualifying and
auditing private entities. The commenter believes this makes the EPA
proposal arbitrary and unreasonable. As proof of this contention, the
commenter points to a 2003 study where EPA performed an audit of 42
source-level, tri-blend, EPA Protocol calibration gas cylinders from a
total of 14 major gas vendors nationwide. The commenter points out that
the overall failure rate from this study was 11 percent on a gas
component basis, and 57 percent on a vendor basis, and that no
additional evidence of the availability or the quality or calibration
of private vendor audit samples has been offered to refute EPA's own
study.
Response: This study is not relevant to the restructuring of the
audit program. The gas vendors surveyed in this study were not
accredited to produce EPA Protocol calibration gases because the
protocol gas program does not require accreditation and were not
subject to any third party verification. The restructured audit program
requires that providers be accredited and provide recurring third party
verification of the quality of the audit samples being produced.
X. Proposal Is Premature
Comment: One commenter expressed concern that there were no
existing third party accrediting bodies for audit sample providers and,
therefore, there are no AASPs from which to obtain audit samples under
this proposed rule. This commenter contends that it is not sufficient
for EPA to simply propose a framework and then to develop the details
of the program after the opportunity for notice and comment has passed.
Response: As stated previously, an audit sample is required with
compliance testing only when a sample is available, except where
exempted in the regulations. EPA is permitted to develop regulatory
criteria for approval of criteria documents from audit sample providers
and did this in the proposed rule which provided an opportunity for
notice and comment. These are not ``details of the program'' to be
determined at a later date. If an audit sample provider's criteria
document meets the regulatory criteria, it will be approved and the
sample provider may provide samples for sources conducting compliance
tests.
Y. Voluntary Consensus Standards Body (VCSB) Standard Does Not Meet
EPA's Needs
Comment: One commenter believes the entire proposal is short on
detail and hopes this will be addressed through EPA's approval of
accrediting bodies, where EPA would specify additional details. The
commenter also expressed concern the VCSB may be able to agree to
standards, but those standards might not serve the needs of EPA or
other compliance authorities.
Response: We believe that any program that meets the minimum
criteria specified in the final rule will meet the needs of the EPA and
other
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compliance agencies. The criteria in the final rule ensure that any
program that is developed by the private sector and approved by EPA
will be equivalent to EPA's current audit program.
Z. Gas Audit Samples Entry Point
Comment: One commenter recommended changing Section 60.8(g) to read
as follows: ``For pollutants that exist in the gas phase at ambient
temperature, the audit sample shall consist of an appropriate
concentration of the pollutant in air or nitrogen that can be
introduced into the sampling system of the test method at or near the
same entry point as a sample from the emission source.'' The commenter
points out that in source gas sampling, calibration gases as well as
audit gases are introduced in the probe such that they pass through
most of the probe tube and all filters and other components of the
sampling system, but it is not always practical to introduce the
calibration gas at the same entry point as the source gas.
Response: We agree that it may not always be practical to introduce
the calibration gas at the same entry point as the source gas. EPA has
revised the rule to allow introduction of the audit sample ``at or
near'' the entry point for the sample from the emission source.
V. Judicial Review
Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, judicial review of this final
rule is available by filing a petition for review in the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by November 12, 2010.
Under section 307(d)(7)(B) of the CAA, only an objection to this final
rule that was raised with reasonable specificity during the period for
public comment can be raised during judicial review. Moreover, under
section 307(b)(2) of the CAA, the requirements established by this
action may not be challenged separately in any civil or criminal
proceedings brought by EPA to enforce these requirements.
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review
This action is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under the
terms of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993)
and is, therefore, not subject to review under the E.O.
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
The information collection requirements in this rule have been
submitted for approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. The
information collection requirements are not enforceable until OMB
approves them.
A regulated emission source conducting a compliance test would
purchase an audit sample from an AASP. The AASP would report the true
value of the audit sample to the compliance authority (State, local or
EPA Regional Office). This is a new reporting requirement. The AASP
would in most cases make the report by electronic mail. A report would
be made for each audit sample that the AASP sold to a regulated
emission source that was conducting an emissions test to determine
compliance with an emission limit.
Based on historic data, EPA estimates that there will be about
1,000 audit samples sold each year generating the need for about 1,000
reports which corresponds to 80 hours burden or 0.08 hour per response
for reporting and recordkeeping. The estimated cost burden is $5.05 per
response or an annual burden of $5,050. 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.
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 in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9. When this ICR is
approved by OMB, the Agency will publish a technical amendment to 40
CFR part 9 in the Federal Register to display the OMB control number
for the approved information collection requirements contained in this
final rule.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) generally requires an agency
to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis of any rule subject to
notice and comment rulemaking requirements under the Administrative
Procedure Act or any other statute unless the agency certifies that the
rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities. Small entities include small businesses,
small organizations, and small governmental jurisdictions.
For purposes of assessing the impacts of this rule on small
entities, small entity is defined as: (1) A small business as defined
by the Small Business Administration's (SBA) regulations at 13 CFR
121.201; (2) a small governmental jurisdiction that is a government of
a city, county, town, school district, or special district with a
population of less than 50,000; and (3) a small organization that is
any not-for-profit enterprise which is independently owned and operated
and is not dominant in its field.
After considering the economic impacts of today's final rule on
small entities, I certify that this action will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The small
entities directly regulated by this final rule are small businesses. We
have determined that annually as many as 70 or 0.001 percent of small
businesses will experience an impact of 0.013 to 0.2 percent of
revenues.
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
This rule does not contain a Federal mandate that may result in
expenditures of $100 million or more for State, local, and Tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or the private sector in any one year.
The incremental costs associated with purchasing the audit samples
(expected to be less than $1,000 per test) do not impose a significant
burden on sources. Thus, this rule is not subject to the requirements
of sections 202 or 205 of UMRA.
This rule is also not subject to the requirements of section 203 of
UMRA because it contains no regulatory requirements that might
significantly or uniquely affect small governments. In fact, this rule
removes the responsibility of acquiring the audit samples to the
regulated facility from the government agency.
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
This action does not have federalism implications. It will not have
substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between
the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various levels of government, as
specified in Executive Order 13132. This action adds language to the
general provisions to
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allow accredited providers to supply stationary source audit samples
and to require sources to obtain and use these samples from the
accredited providers instead of from EPA, as is the current practice.
Thus, Executive Order 13132 does not apply to this action.
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian
Tribal Governments
This action does not have Tribal implications, as specified in
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000). This action adds
language to the general provisions to allow accredited providers to
supply stationary source audit samples and to require sources to obtain
and use these samples from the accredited providers instead of from
EPA, as is the current practice. Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not
apply to this action.
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental
Health Risks and Safety Risks
EPA interprets EO 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997) as applying
only to those regulatory actions that concern health or safety risks,
such that the analysis required under section 5-501 of the E.O. has the
potential to influence the regulation. This action is not subject to
E.O. 13045 because it does not establish an environmental standard
intended to mitigate health or safety risks.
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use
This action is not subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355
(May 22, 2001)), because it is not a significant regulatory action
under Executive Order 12866.
I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act of 1995 (``NTTAA''), Public Law 104-113 (15 U.S.C. 272 note)
directs EPA to use voluntary consensus standards (VCS) in its
regulatory activities unless to do so would be inconsistent with
applicable law or otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus standards
are technical standards (e.g., materials specifications, test methods,
sampling procedures, and business practices) that are developed or
adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies. NTTAA directs EPA to
provide Congress, through OMB, explanations when the Agency decides not
to use available and applicable voluntary consensus standards.
This rulemaking involves technical standards. Therefore, the Agency
conducted a search to identify potential applicable voluntary consensus
standards. However, we identified no such standards, and none were
brought to our attention in comments. Therefore, EPA has decided to
establish minimum requirements for the audit samples, the accredited
audit sample providers and the audit sample provider accreditor.
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations
Executive Order (E.O.) 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994)
establishes Federal executive policy on environmental justice. Its main
provision directs Federal agencies, to the greatest extent practicable
and permitted by law, to make environmental justice part of their
mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate,
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental
effects of their programs, policies, and activities on minority
populations and low-income populations in the United States.
EPA has determined that this final rule will not have
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental
effects on minority or low-income populations because it does not
affect the level of protection provided to human health or the
environment. The amendments would add language to the general
provisions to allow accredited providers to supply stationary source
audit samples and to require sources to obtain and use these samples
from the accredited providers instead of from EPA, as is the current
practice.
K. Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule,
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the
United States. EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other
required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior
to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. A Major rule cannot
take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal
Register. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C.
804(2). This rule will be effective October 13, 2010.
Restructuring of the Stationary Source Audit Program
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 51
Administrative practice and procedure, Air pollution control,
Carbon monoxide, Intergovernmental relations, Lead, Nitrogen oxide,
Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements,
Sulfur compounds, Volatile organic compounds.
40 CFR Part 60
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Continuous emission monitors.
40 CFR Part 61
Environmental protection, Air pollution control.
40 CFR Part 63
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and Procedure,
Air pollution control, Hazardous substances, Intergovernmental
relations, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: August 26, 2010.
Lisa P. Jackson,
Administrator.
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For the reasons set out in the preamble, title 40, chapter I of the
Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:
PART 51--REQUIREMENTS FOR PREPARATION, ADOPTION, AND SUBMITTAL OF
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
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1. The authority citation for part 51 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 101; 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.
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2. Amend Appendix M to part 51 as follows:
0
a. Designate the three introductory paragraphs as Sections 1.0 through
3.0.
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b. Add new Section 4.0.
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c. In Method 204A by removing Sections 7.2, 7.2.1, 7.2.2, and 7.2.3.
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d. In Method 204B by removing Sections 6.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, and 6.2.3.
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e. In Method 204C by removing Sections 6.2, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, and 6.2.3.
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f. In Method 204D b