EPA OFFICE  OF AIR
  QUALITY PLANNING
  AND STANDARDS
 SPECIAL
 POINTS  OF
 INTEREST:

 •   EPA Revises
     Lead Standard
     Pb Quality Sys-
     tem requirements

     QA National
     Meeting May 12-
     13, San Antonio

     QA Handbook
     Vol II Finished

 INSIDE  THIS
 ISSUE:

Pb NAAQS          1

Pb DQO            1


Pb MQOs           3

Pb CFR QA         4
Requirement Summary

TEOM Flow Rate     5
Guidance

Testing the PEP for    6
Very Sharp Cut Cy-
clone

2005-2007 PM2.5 QA   6
Report Draft


Shippable Gas Dilution 7
Systems for QC Use

Redesign of AMP 255   8


NPAP Data Review    9
And Entry Procedure
                      The  QA  EYE
                                                           DECEMBER,  2008
                                EPA Revises Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards
 On October 15, 2008, EPA
substantially strengthened
the national ambient air
quality standards (NAAQS)
for lead. The revised stan-
dards are 10 times tighter
than the previous standards
and will improve health pro-
tection for at-risk groups,
especially children.

EPA has revised the level of
the primary (health-based)
standard from 1.5 micro-
grams per cubic meter (ug/
m3), to 0.15 ug/m3, meas-
ured as total suspended par-
ticles (TSP). EPA has re-
vised the secondary
(welfare-based) standard to
be identical in all respects to
the primary standard.
Scientific evidence about
lead and health has expanded
dramatically since EPA is-
sued the initial standard of
1.5 ug/m3 in 1978. More than
6,000 new studies on lead
health effects, environmental
effects and lead in the air
have been published since
1990. Evidence from health
studies shows that adverse
effects occur at much lower
levels of lead in blood than
previously thought.

Children are particularly vul-
nerable to the effects of lead.
Exposures to low levels of
lead early in life have been
linked to effects on IQ, learn-
ing, memory, and behavior.
  In conjunction with
  strengthening the lead
  NAAQS, EPA is improving
  the existing lead monitoring
  network by requiring moni-
  tors to be placed in areas
  with sources such as indus-
  trial facilities that emit one
  ton or more per year (tpy) of
  lead and in urban areas with
  more than 500,000 people.

  Also as part of this notice,
  EPA describes the approach
  for implementing the revised
  standards and provides an
  implementation timeline.

  To download a copy of the
  final rule, go to EPA's Web
  site at: http://epa.gov/air/
  lead/actions.html
   DQO Process Helps to Identify Acceptable Precision and Bias for Pb
Using the DQO Process,
EPA explored how changes
in design value averaging
times, sampling frequency,
data completeness, precision
and bias affect ones ability
to compare Pb estimates to a
NAAQS value. Research
Triangle Institute in coordi-
nation with Neptune and
Company worked with EPA
to create a Pb data set
which could then be mod-
eled to run various data
quality scenarios based on:

• two design value averag-
  ing times (monthly and
  quarterly).
• Two completeness scenar-
  ios (75% and 90%)
• Three sampling frequen-
  cies (every day, every
  three days, every six days)
• Three precision scenarios
  (10%, 20% and 30%), and
• Three bias  scenarios (+
  5%,+ 10%,+ 15%)

The data and sites used to
generate the model were
routine monitoring sites that
had more temporal variabil-
ity then the mean of the data
set population. This conser-
vative approach is consistent
with the approach used to
generate ozone and PM2.5
DQO's.
(continued on page 2)

-------
           PAGE  2
Pb Data Uncertainty Related
to the Following Scenarios
               Averaging
               Period
         Monthly     Quarterly
                Sampling
                Frequency
      Origin Si:.:  OneinThre*   Daily
        Completeness
                               Pb DQO- Continued from page 1
              Data uncertainty of Pb based on changes in averaging time, data
                      completeness, sampling frequency and bias
                         (mean for population = 0.122 ug/m3)
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   « E 0.35
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-------
ISSUE?                                                                                                        PAGE3



Pb  Measurement  Quality  Objectives


Data quality indicators are quantitative statistics and qualitative descriptors that are used to interpret the degree of acceptability or utility of
data to the user. The principle data quality indicators are precision, bias, completeness, comparability, representativeness and detectability.
A measurement quality objective is a goal set by EPA guidance that represents a reasonable expectation of what one should be able to
achieve for a specific data quality indicator in order to maintain acceptable levels of uncertainty.
As part of the DQO process described in the page 1 article, EPA reviewed precision data from various sources including routine Pb data
from the SLAMS, National Air Toxics Trends Sites and Chemical Speciation Network Sites; this Pb data was collected by various sampling
and analytical methods.  Table 1 below provides a comparison of this data. The data represent eight precision assessments separated based
on either a different sampling method or a different analysis method. As with our other particulate-based criteria pollutants, EPA identifies a
"cutoff concentration value and precision and bias estimates are made only data with values that are equal to or above this cutoff value.  At
low concentrations, agreement between measurements of collocated values, expressed as relative percent difference, is understandably poor
but at such low concentrations precision is not an important objective for air quality purposes. Prior to the new Pb NAAQS standard, the
collocated precision cutoff value was 0.15 ug/m3. With the lowering of the NAAQS, and improvements in sampling and analytical technolo-
gies, EPA feels this cutoff value can and should be lowered.  The data in Table  1 was reviewed at  a number of potential cutoff values; start-
ing at 0.002 ug/m3, which is the proposed method detection limit (MDL) for the XRF-based FRM for Pb-PM10, and up to 0.02 ug/m3.
Some scenarios in Table 1 do not show the 0.01 or 0.02 ug/m3 scenarios because there were not enough (or no) routine data concentrations
                 Table 1. Ph Collocated Precision 90% Coefficient of Variation Summary         in these ranges- Based on our evaluation,
Data Values          1        2        345678    we believe that 0.02 ug/m3 is an appropri-
Pb > 0.002 ug/m3      19.4      13.0       16.9     9.4     36.6      37.0     23.5      15.5   ate cutoff value for two reasons: 1) there
Pb > 0.006 ug/m3      20.7      11.8       16.8     8.8     29.1      36.1     14.9      15.4   ,   ,         , ...  ,  ,       ,  ,.
Pb>0.01ug/m3       11.2      11.7       16.5     8.1     24.1      18.3              15.4   has been an established concept of a
Pb>0.02ug/m3       12.0      6.7       15.0     9.0              14.0              16.4   "limit of quantitation" that is usually
                                                                                      estimated at ten times the MDL, and 2) it
1. PMIO NATTS PI. High-volume sampling (-113 LPM) Analysis ICP-MS                           ;  practically one order of magnitude
2. TSPPb High-volume sampling (-113  LPM) Analysis ICP-MS                                               MAAn«   A     'A
3. TSP Ph High-volume sampling (-113  LPM) Analysis Atomic Absorption                         away trom tne NAAQ» and provides an
4.TSP Pb High volume NY Data Analysis Graphite Furnace AA                                  adequate margin of safety for data re-
5. TSP Pb Low-volume sampling Analysis XRF                                               view. As an alternative, EPA could con-
6. PM2.5 CSN Very-low-voliime sampling (-6 S 7 LPM) Analysis XRF                               -j  n m   /  3       +  «-u +     A    +
, _.„ _ __.. _  *  ,      .         I-  ,,-->ir>ii>«   i   • i/nr                              sider 0.01 ug/m as a cutott but we do not
7. PM2.5 CSN Texas Low-volume sampling (%.7 LPM) Analysis XRF                                       ^5
8. TSP Pb High-volume sampling (-113  LPM) Analysis ICAP                                    recommend going below this concentra-
                                                                                      tion. Based on this cutoff value and re-
viewing the historical data in Table 1 at or above the 0.02 ug/m3 cutoff value, EPA proposes a precision measurement quality objective of
20% for a 90% confidence limit coefficient of variation, aggregated over a 3-year period at the primary quality assurance organization level.
This means that the large majority  of paired precision data should show a difference below 20%; monitoring organizations that do not
achieve this result would be advised of the problem and encouraged to investigate and resolve the  causes of the disagreements.


Bias Estimates
Estimates of Pb bias were evaluated by reviewing data collected through the PM2.5 Chemical Speciation Network (CSN) and the National
Air Toxics Trends Stations (NATTS) QA programs. The XRF bias estimates for the PM2.5 CSN were obtained from data provided by the
analysis of Performance Evaluation (PE) samples. CSN PE samples consist of "real-world" particle filters collected over multiple days to
ensure that an adequate amount of material is present for analysis. For XRF, 46.2-mm Teflon filters were collected and analyzed by an EPA
reference lab prior to distribution. The average concentration in ug/filter was 0.331 ug/filter and the equivalent concentration in mg/m3,
based on 24 m3 (16.7 Lpm sampling), was 0.0138 ug/m3. The overall absolute bias upper bound for the 95% percentile is 23.42%.


Bias estimates for the NATTS were obtained from data provided by the analysis of Performance Evaluation (PE) samples by ICP-MS. Sev-
eral laboratories provide ICP-MS analyses in support of the NATTS. NATTS PE samples consisted mostly of 46.2-mm quartz fiber filters
that are produced by the aerosolization and deposition of a Pb-salt solution onto each filter. The size distribution of the liquid aerosol was not
controlled or characterized. Initially Teflon filters were used and then switched  to quartz filters to  match the  filter material used by the
NATTS. The filters were prepared and analyzed by ICP-MS at a reference lab prior to distribution. The average concentration in ug/filter
was 2.965 ug/filter and the equivalent concentration in  ug/m3, based on 24 m3 (16.7 Lpm sampling) was 0.1236 ug/m3. The overall absolute
bias upper bound for the 95% percentile is 16.81%. (continued on page 4)

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 ISSUE  7
                                                                                                                PAGE  4
 Pb Measurement  Quality Objectives   (continued from page  3)
It is important to note the differences in
the PE samples generated for each pro-
gram as these differences have the poten-
tial to affect the bias estimates. The XRF
bias estimate is based on PM2.5 particles
collected in the field and include any
associated particle or sample "matrix"
effects. For NATTS, the ICP-MS PEs
samples are lab-generated liquid aerosols.
In addition, the XRF PE samples were at
a concentration level that is one order of
magnitude lower than the ICP-MS PE
samples (0.331 versus 2.965 ug/filter) and at
an equivalent concentration (0.0138 ug/m3).
It should be observed that this equivalent
concentration is below the proposed cut off
value. Therefore, one might expect for XRF
bias results to comparable to the NATTS bias
results if values above the proposed cutoff
are used.

Based on this cutoff value and reviewing the
CSN and NATTS data, EPA identified an
overall absolute bias upper bound goal of
15%. The XRF bias estimate of 23.4% is
expected to improve at concentrations 10
times higher than those evaluated. The
ICP-MS bias estimate of 16.81% is in line
with the proposed goal. This means that
the large majority of bias data should show
difference below 15%; monitoring organi-
zations that do not achieve this result would
be advised of the problem and encouraged
to investigate and resolve the causes of the
disagreements.
                             For Pb...  What's  in CFR Appendix  A?
Base on the DQO process and the data quality assessments EPA re-
viewed the QA requirements in 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A. The
following are the highlights of the changes that occurred in in Appen-
dix A:

DQO Goals

As mentioned in earlier articles in the Newsletter the measurement
quality objective for precision will be 20% for a 90% confidence limit
coefficient of variation and an overall absolute bias upper bound goal
of 15%.
                        Pb Strip Audits

                        The requirement for the analysis of 6 Pb audit strips per quarter
                        (3 strips at 2 concentration ranges ) has not changed. However,
                        the audit concentrations ranges have changed. The lower con-
                        centration range is 30-100% of the NAAQS and the higher con-
                        centration range is 200-300% of the NAAQS. EPA is contem-
                        plating the possibility of developing audit strips for monitoring
                        organization laboratories based on interest.

                         PEP-Like Audits
Flow Rates

No changes occurred to flow rate. Flow rate verification will be im-
plemented quarterly and flow rate performance evaluations will be
implemented every six months.
                        The implementation of a PEP-like audit is a new requirement
                        and it provides some assessment of overall bias but will be a mix
                        of one or two PEP like audits with additional collocated sam-
                        pling. The program will require the same number of audit sam-
                        ples as required for PM2.5 meaning:
Collocated Monitoring

No changes occurred to the collocation requirements. Collocation will
continue to be required at 15% of each method designation within a
primary quality assurance organization at a l-in-12 day sampling fre-
quency. EPA added language encouraging monitoring organizations to
site the first collocated sampler in each network at the highest concen-
tration site. This will allow the site to operate over the longest time
period and since it may be the site that affects the NAAQS and it is
allowable to substitute collocated data for missing data from the pri-
mary monitor, this siting would be advantageous for improving data
completeness at a very important site.
                        •  PQAOs with < 5 sites require 5 audits (1 PEP, 4 collocated)
                        •  PQAOs with > 5 sites require 8 audits (2 PEP, 6 collocated)

                        Similar to the PEP, monitoring organizations are responsible for
                        these audits but must meet adequacy and independence require-
                        ments. EPA is anticipating using the current PEP auditors to
                        provide federal implementation of the program if monitoring
                        organizations would like to have the program implemented
                        through that implementation mechanism.

                        Additional QA guidance detailing the QA requirements will be
                        developed in January, 2009.

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 ISSUE  7
                                                                                                                  PAGE  5
                                QA  Handbook Volume II  Complete
The QA Handbook Vol II was completed
in December, 2008 and is available on
AMTIC at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/
qabook.html . A few items in the new
version include:
•   Heavy use of web links and foot-
    notes in order to provide the reader
    sources with more detailed informa-
    tion.
•   Removed high volume PVC laminar
    inlets. We have made the Handbook
    consistent with CFR on the use of
    Teflon and borosilicate glass only for
    all inlets and the sampling train and
    are discouraging the use of high flow
    inlets which are difficult to audit.
•   Removed zero/span calibrations  1
    and 2 from section 12 and included
    the discussion of zero, span and pre-
    cision checks in the QC section.
   •   New Attachments

       —Monitoring Program Fact Sheets

       —QA Info attachment

       —Color validation templates
   Revisions to this document started in earnest
   in 2004 with Anna Kelley in the lead during
   her one-year IPA with EPA from the Hamil-
   ton County Department of Environmental
   Services. The QA Strategy Workgroup is also
   commended for their dedication to the en-
   deavor as they met with EPA every few
   months to review and revise each section. A
   separate Workgroup, led by Gordon Jones
   from Region 5, met to revise the technical
   systems audit (TSA) form which is now
   included as Appendix H.  EPA appreciates
   the assistance of all EPA Regions and moni-
   toring organizations who helped in the com-
   pletion of this document.  Since the revision
   of this document took longer than expected,
   EPA hopes that the new version of this docu-
Quality Assurance
Handbook for Air
Pollution Measurement
Systems
 ment be
 posted on
 AMTIC in
 such a manner
 that sections
 can be con-
 tinuously
 revised with-
 out having to
 revise the
 whole docu-
 ment.  There-
 fore, if a rule is changed that effects one or
 two sections of the Handbook, these sec-
 tions will be revised and a quality bulletin
 explaining the change, and what sections
 are effected by the change, can be posted on
 AMTIC. Monitoring organizations can
 ensure their Handbook is current by review-
 ing the quality bulletin postings and
 downloading the appropriate sections. For
 additional information on the Handbook,
 contact Mike Papp at:
 papp.michael@epa.gov
              Guidance for Entering TEOM  Flow Rate  Data into AQS
 Over the years, EPA has received nu-
 merous questions about the submission
 of monthly flow rate verification data
 and the semi-annual flow rate perform-
 ance evaluation data for TEOMs to
 AQS.  The questions include:

 •    what flow rate to report, main
      flow or total flow, and
 •    where to submit this data.

 What Flow Rate to Report

 There are two flow rates for the con-
 tinuous PM2.5 TEOM: the main flow
 rate which is typically set to 3 liters/
 minute and the total flow rate which
 set to 16.67 liters/minute. Both flow
 rates are important and both should be
checked during the verification and perform-
ance evaluations. Both flow rates can be re-
ported to AQS and this is encouraged, however,
the priority flow rate which must be reported to
AQS is the main flow rate as this flow rate di-
rectly factors into the calculation of the  reported
concentration.

Where to Report the Flow Rate Data

The monthly flow rate verifications are  reported
in the precision transaction area. In order to
report both the main flow rate and the total flow
rate two separate precision transactions must be
supplied. These precision audits will be differ-
entiated by the use of the "Precision
ID" (number between 1 and 99) field  on the RP
transaction. There is no  significance  as  to
which number is used for the total flow  versus
the main flow.  It will be responsibility  of the
data analyst to distinguish between audits
using total flow and main flow values.
The semi-annual flow rate performance
evaluations, are reported as an accuracy
transaction. EPA suggests reporting the
main flow rate data in the Level 1 accuracy
field and the total flow rate data  in the
Level-2 accuracy fields.  EPA is not sug-
gesting any resubmission of audit data if the
guidance above has not been followed, but
recommends this entry scheme in future
submittals

As a reminder when reporting the flow rate
values, the "Actual" field is for the results
of the auditing device's flow rate, the
"Indicated" field is for the result as reported
from the monitoring instrument being
tested.

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ISSUE  7
                                                                                                                 PAGE  6
  PEP Program Testing Audit Samplers for Very  Sharp Cut  Cyclone (VSCC) Transition
 Picture courtesy Greg Noah ( Region 4 EPA)
  The PM2.5 Performance Evaluation
  Program (PEP) will deploy very sharp
  cut cyclones (VSCCs) in the fleet of
  BGI PQ200A PEP Federal Reference
  Method audit samplers in 2009.  The
  Region 4 Athens Laboratory set up 20
  samplers (picture above) during the
  week of December 8 for what is called
  a "Parking Lot" collocation study con-
  figuration to compare the performance
  of the WINS and the VSCC separators.
  Samplers ran for three days with
WINS impactors in all samplers
to establish the precision of the
parking lot fleet and identify any
"rogues." Six to nine more sam-
pling days are planned in early
January to randomly rotate the
WINS and VSCCs among the
satisfactorily performing sam-
plers on the lot. We will have all
of the PEP field operators run 2
BGI PQ200A samplers, one with
a WINS and the other with a
VSCC, in their first four audit
events in 2009. We are taking
these extra steps to ensure no audit events are
lost due to unfamiliarity with operating with the
VSCCs and to ensure data comparability be-
tween the BGI PQ200As and the R & P 2025
sequential samplers in the national network
over the next year or two. In the 2005-2007
(see Figure 1 above) bias data, EPA noticed a
positive bias with the R & P 2025 that utilizes a
                                                                       Comparison of 95% Confidence Intervals for 1999 thru 2007
                                                                                     National Bias Estimates
o Average lor 1999-2004    FRM/FEM Sampler
» Average (or 2004-2007
AH Concentrations*3isglm1     	 TargetDOO± 10%
Figure 1
            VSCC.  The spread between biases for R &
            P 2025 with WINS and R & P 2025 with
            VSCCS was greater than the spread for
            other makes of samplers. EPA will be look-
            ing into this issue in 2009 and is testing the
            BGIs to ensure similar bias does not show
            up in the PEP data.
             2005-2007 Three  Year PM2.5 QA Report  Out for Review
 Every three years, OAQPS documents the quality assurance activi-
 ties that were undertaken for the SLAMS PM2.5 environmental
 data operations. The QA Report evaluates the adherence to the
 quality assurance requirements described in 40 CFR 58App. A and
 evaluates the data quality indicators of precision, accuracy, bias,
 and completeness. Tables 1, 2, and 3  provide some general infor-
 mation covered in the report. The report assesses the QA informa-
 tion mainly at the level of a primary quality assurance organization
 but also looks at method designations and at individual sites where
 appropriate.  In general, the majority of the data are meeting the
 data quality  objective goals but the data is showing an increased
 percentage of primary quality assurance organizations not meeting
 the precision and bias goals. The report is posted on AMTIC for
 review http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/anlqa.html.
 The report is available for review until January 30, 2009. Please
 send any comments or corrections you might have to Mike Papp
 at: papp.michael@epa.gov.
                        Table 1- Data Completeness- 9 Year Summary
Data Type
Routine Data
Average Capture Rate
Collocation Precision
Flow Rate Accuracy
Performance Evaluations
Completeness
3- Year Average
1999-2001
28%
Not
calculated
67%
76%
8596
2002-2004
64%
92%
90%
83%
83%
2005-2007
68%
92%
91%
S5%
81%
                        Table 2 Precision, Accuracy and Bias Estimates 9-year Summary
Data Type
Collocation Precision
Flow Rate Accuracy
Performance Evaluations
Acceptance
Criteria
10%
4%/5%
±10%
3-Year Estimates
1999-2001
72%
0.2%
-2.%
2002-2004
6.9%
0.15%
-2.1%
2005-2007
7.35%
0.007%
-2.97%
                                                              Table 3 Percentage of POAOs Meeting Acceptance Criteria- 9-Year Summary.
Data Type
Collocation Precision
Flow Rate Accuracy
Performance Evaluations
Acceptance
Criteria
10%
4%/5%
±10%
n of PQAO Meeting Criteria
1999-2001
8d%
99%
91%
2002-2004
89%
100%
84%
2005-2007
81%
100%
76%

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PAGE 7
                  Shippable Gas Dilution Systems Available for Back-of-the-Analyzer

                  or Single Line Auditing of Routine or Precursor Gas Sites

                 Prior to EPA performing the NPAP audits as through the probe (TIP), the
                 mailed NPAP program included small, shippable cases containing zero air and
                 gas dilution systems with small cylinders of blended CO, SO2 and NO that
                 were used to generate concentrations at the low, medium, and high on-scale
                 levels for 0-50 PPM CO analyzers and 0-0.50ppm SO2 and NO/NO2 analyzers.
                 Three toggle switches turned the flow path through them on or off, allowing the
                 gas from the blended gas cylinder to flow through one of 3  critical orifices that
                 reliably controlled the pollutant gas flow that was then mixed with the zero air
                 input into the gas dilution system.

                 These systems generate about 4-6 Lpm which is enough to audit an analyzer
                 that was on a single line sampling inlet or through the back of the analyzer
                 (BOA). It can not be used through a sampling manifold with a diameter larger
                 than 1/4" and especially not with a fan or pump causing a high sampling flow
                 rate.

                 Since EPA has converted the NPAP almost entirely to through-the-probe
                 (TTP), we have an inventory of gas dilution system (and other BOA NPAP au-
                 dit devices) available for use. Some of these systems have been placed in a
                 number of the Regions for storage and potentially to supplement TTP mobile
                 lab audits. The rest are in RTF are available to the Regions that may have a use
                 for these devices.

                 Precursor Gas (NCore) Testing with BOA System

                 Last year an OAQPS contractor assembled and tested an EPA trace level TTP
                 system for EPA and at the same time used the trace level blended gas cylinder
                 with the BOA gas dilution/zero air kit. The system generated high, medium
                 and low concentrations in the required audit level ranges for trace level
                 analyzers.

                 This means that the Regions could make the equipment available to monitoring
                 organizations  to perform QA or QC performance evaluations of CO, SO2, and
                 NO analyzers by a  BOA or single line sampling procedure. The only item
                 needed to complete the systems are the acquisition of small blended gas or sin-
                 gle gas cylinders (as needed) with concentrations of CO , SO2, and NO needed
                 to dilute down to the trace level medium and low full scale concentrations.  In-
                 cluding shipping, these might cost as little as $200-300 dollars each.  For more
                 information on this contact Mark Shanis at: shanis.mark@epa.gov.
   THE  QA EYE

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PAGE  8
                                  Re-design of the AMP255
                                 EPA looking  for  Reviewers
                                             Several enhancements are
                                             currently under develop-
                                             ment with the Precision and
                                             Bias Quality Indicators Re-
                                             port (AMP25 5) in AQS. In
                                             the past, several issues as to
                                             the report's ability to accu-
                                             rately display the informa-
                                             tion required by 40 CFR
                                             Part 58 Appendix A have
                                             been questioned.

                                             As a part of this effort, sev-
                                             eral changes to the layout of
                                             the report are currently be-
                          ing considered to make the
                          information more usable to
                          the end users. EPA plans on
                          having a new look to the
                          AMP 255 by the end of
                          January, 2009

                          If you would like to join a
                          workgroup who will con-
                          tribute ideas to the new
                          layout of the report, please
                          contact Jonathan Miller of
                          the National Air Data
                          Group at
                          miller.jonathan@epa.gov.
                   National Ambient Air (JA Meeting-May 12-13, San Antonio
                   For the last seven years the
                   OAQPS Ambient Air Moni-
                   toring Group has facilitated
                   sessions devoted to ambient
                   air monitoring QA at the
                   Quality Management Con-
                   ference sponsored by the
                   Quality Staff at the EPA
                   Office of Environmental
                   Information. This year is
no different. The meeting
will be held May 12-14,
2009 in San Antonio,
Texas. Two days of ambient
air sessions are planned for
May 12 and 13. Registra-
tion information can be
found at http://
www.epa.gov/
qualitv/2009.htm. An
agenda specifically for the
ambient air session will be
completed by mid-
February. For those inter-
ested in providing a presen-
tation, abstracts are due
January 30 to Mike Papp at:
papp.michael@epa.gov.
Hope to see you at the
meeting!
                    National Ambient Air Conference Being Planned for November, 2009
                   The November 2006 Na-
                   tional Air Monitoring Con-
                   ference (see QA EYE  issue
                   #5) held in Las Vegas was
                   considered a success and
                   was EPA's intention to try
                   and schedule a conference
                   of this magnitude every 3
                   years. Two years have
                   passed and EPA is starting
                   the planning for another
National Conference sched-
uled for the November,
2009 timeframe. Kevin
Cavender, OAQPS and
Anna Kelly, Hamilton
County Department of En-
vironmental Services have
been identified as co-leads
for planning.  EPA is look-
ing for volunteers to help as
session chairs and modera-
tors and to participate in
workgroups to develop
session goals and topics. If
you are interested in assist-
ing in any planning activi-
ties, contact Kevin Caven-
der at:
cavender.kevin@epa.gov.
    THE  QA  EYE

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  ISSUE  7
                                                                                                          PAGE  9
f'

  NPAP  Data Review  and Entry Becoming  More Efficient


  Currently, NPAP through the probe audit data is collected during the audit process, reviewed by the auditor and site operator,
  additionally reviewed by the EPA Regions and the monitoring organization, sent to EPA-OAQPS for collection and then fi-
  nally submitted in batches to AQS for upload. This process can take four to 6 months before audit reports get into AQS.
  Since it is very rare that data from audits change, and the information posted to AQS is virtually a subset of the data collected
  during the audit, it was felt that a system could be put in place that would make the final reporting to AQS much easier and
  with less chance of data loss or entry error.  The process described in the flow chart below has been discussed among the EPA
  Regions and some monitoring organizations and it appears to be worthy on implementation in 2009 for the federally imple-
  mented NPAP TTP program.

  The Process

  As illustrated in the flowchart below, the NPAP Auditor would conduct the audit.  As is currently implemented, the data is col-
  lected in the NPAP Database  Excel spreadsheet. Upon completion of the audit and preliminary acceptance by the monitoring
  organizations site operator, the auditor would upload the audit data within 2 days of the audit to AQSQA. AQSQA is a testing
  area in AQS that is a mirror image of AQS Production but is a holding area that is  not officially the AQS data base. Therefore,
  no entity could retrieve data from AQSQA. Entry into AQSQA allows the NPAP auditor the ability to check for entry errors or
  other types of errors that would hinder the submission of data to the AQS Production database. Upon successful entry to
  AQSQA, the NPAP auditor would email the NPAP Excel workbook with the audit results to the EPA Regions/Headquarters
  and the monitoring organization point of contact. These entities would have five working days to accept the results as reported
  or address any discrepancies.  In most cases EPA expects that results would be  accepted and the entities would reply to the
  email affirming their acceptance. In the rare cases of discrepancies, edits would be sent to the EPA Data Administrator who
  would make any changes required. After the five-day review period, data would be uploaded by the EPA Data Administrator.

  It is expected that EPA will test the implementation of this procedure in 2009 and are looking forward to feedback from the
  monitoring organizations. Details of the procedure will be forthcoming in the form of NPAP standard operating procedures.
               Entering NPAP Data into AQS
                                                    Notes and Definitions
                 In thjs «enono, the Auitor Is assunwd to be A «nlr«ttv ihe ability to enter data for any monitor In
                 the database without compromising fte sectary rules of the AQS production envwonmert.

                 flOSoa Database;
                     Tr«s database is used fur tesDng purposes when new software is introduced to ensure that nothing 'breaks' on implementation,
                          s Bie producbori "live' database for AQS. Entry of Information into DW datapate is reHmted to named uttn who are designated » the 'o

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EPA Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards

 EPA-OAQPS
 C304-02
 RTF, NC 27711

E-mail: papp.michael@epa.gov
              The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards is dedi-
              cated to developing a quality system to ensure that the Na-
              tion's ambient air data is of appropriate quality for in-
              formed decision making. We realize that it is only through
              the efforts of our EPA partners and the monitoring organiza-
              tions that this data quality goal will be met. This newsletter
              is intended to provide up-to -date communications on
              changes or improvements to our quality system. Please pass
              a copy of this along to your peers. And please e-mail us with
              any issues you'd like discussed.

              Mike Papp
   Important People and Websites
    Since 1998, the OAQPS QA Team
    is working with the Office of Ra-
    diation and Indoor Air in Mont-
    gomery and Las Vegas in order to
    accomplish it's QA mission. The
    following personnel are listed by
    the major programs they imple-
    ment. Since all are EPA employ-
    ees, their e-mail address is:  last
    name.first name@ epa.gov.

    The EPA Regions are the primary
    contacts for the monitoring organi-
    zations and should always be in-
    formed of QA issues.

    Websites
       Program                           Person             Affiliation
       STN/IMPROVE Lab Performance Evictions       Eric     Bozwell        ORIA- Montgomery
       Tribal Air Monitoring                     Emilio   Braganza      ORIA-LV
       Statistics, DQOs, DQA, precision and bias        Louise   Camalier       OAQPS
       Statistics, DQOs, DQA, precision and bias        Rhonda   Thompson      OAQPS
       Speciation Trends Network QA Lead           Dennis   Crumpler      OAQPS
       OAQPS QA Manager                      Joe     Elkins         OAQPS
       PAMS & NATTS Cylinder Recertifications         Rich     Flotard        ORIA LV
       Standard Reference Photometer Lead           Scott    Moore         ORD-NERL
       Speciation Trends Netwoik/IMPROVE Field Audits   Jeff     Lantz         ORIA -LV
       National Air Toxics Trend Sites QA Lead        Dennis   Mikel         OAQPS
       PAMS & NATTS Cylinder Recertifications         David    Musick        ORIA-LV
       Criteria Pollutant QA Lead                 Mike    Papp         OAQPS
       NPAP Lead                            Mark    Shanis         OAQPS
       STN/IMPROVE Lab PE/TSA/Special Studies        Jewell    Smiley         ORIA-Montgomery
       NATTS PT Studies and Technical Systems Audits    Candace  Sorrell         OAQPS
       STN/IMPROVE Lab PE/TSA/Special Studies        Steve    Taylor         ORIA-Montgomery
    The following websites will get you to the important QA Information.
    Website
    EPA Quality Staff
    AMTIC
    AMTIC QA Page
    Ambient Air QA Team
    Contacts
URL
http://www.epa.gov/quality I /
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/quality.html
http://www.epa.gov/airprogm/oar/oaqps/qa/
http://www.eDa.gov/ttn/amtic/contacts.html
Description
Overall EPA QA policy and guidance
Ambient air monitoring and QA
Direct access to QA programs
Information on Ambient Air QA Team
Headquarters and Regional contacts

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