SuppStatementPartA20080722b

In response to recommendations from the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, EPA is initiating a systematic data collection to estimate the fraction of light-duty vehicles with high levels of evaporative emissions. Data to be collected include vehicle type, recent repair history and “in-use” or “real-world” evaporative emission rates.

The collection is a test program, to be conducted by the Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) in the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR). This study will combine novel, newly developed test procedures with statistical survey design to estimate the number of vehicles with high evaporative emissions. The new procedures will be developed in a pilot study that will precede the actual test program. Development of new test procedures employing new technology and test methods promises to substantially reduce the cost of evaporative emissions measurement as well as improve the accuracy of these estimates.

The test program itself will be conducted in Region 6, and participation in the program shall be voluntary. The pilot program shall be conducted in EPA Region 8, and participation in it shall also be voluntary. Evaporative emissions will be measured using a variety of methods that will include Remote Sensing, an infra-red camera specifically designed to detect fugitive hydrocarbon emissions and a hydrocarbon sniffer designed for automotive applications. Remote sensing data will be collected prior a standard I/M test as the vehicle approaches the facility. Those owners solicited that agree to participate in the program shall be provided with a rental car and their vehicle immediately subjected to the test protocol outlined below as resources permit. Following quality-assurance and analysis, the data will be stored in OTAQ’s Mobile Source Observation Database.

The information collection will involve 1,000 respondents, requiring 3,500 hours to complete at a total cost to those respondents of $91,500. For the agency, the collection will require 7,000 hours at a total cost to the agency of approximately $1,300,000.

2.0 NEED FOR AND USE OF THE COLLECTION

2(a) Need/Authority for the Collection

The term “light-duty high evaporative emission vehicles” refers to passenger cars and trucks less than 8500 lbs. GVWR with high evaporative emissions. Light-duty evaporative emissions contribute substantially to mobile source hydrocarbon emissions. Although it is believed light-duty evaporative emissions may contribute as much as one-third of the mobile source HC inventory, this figure has not been quantified empirically due to the difficulty in accurately and inexpensively measuring these emissions. Light-duty fuel consumption in the United States was 74,085 million gallons in 2005, and any HC emissions either from exhaust or evaporation will not only impact the environment, but will also incur a loss in fuel economy.

An emissions inventory is an estimate of the quantity of a pollutant emitted to the atmosphere in a given geographic area during a given time period. For example, an inventory can represent the quantity of carbon monoxide emitted by various sources in Washtenaw County, Michigan during the spring of 2004. Within an inventory, emissions are typically allocated by source category, with sources classified as “stationary,” “area”, or “mobile.” Stationary sources include large facilities with identifiable emissions outlets, such as coal-fired power plants or industrial boilers. Area sources include activities for which emissions are diffuse. Examples include feedlot operations, dry cleaners or wildfires. As the name implies, mobile sources move from place to place. They include light-duty vehicles (cars and trucks), as well as other categories such as heavy-duty (greater than 8500 lbs. GVWR) and nonroad equipment.

2(a)(1) Need for Emissions Inventories for Light-Duty Vehicles

2(a)(1)(1) Inventory Models Supported by EPA

The USEPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) has developed and supports the MOBILE model to estimate emissions from motor vehicles, and work is currently underway on a new modeling tool known as MOVES that will replace MOBILE in the near future. Both models estimate fleet emissions for motor vehicles expressed in g/mile and derived as complex weighted averages of emission rates for various vehicle types; however MOBILE does this using fleet emission factors and user input activity data, while MOVES will use fleet inventory data with default activity rates available to the user. To develop an inventory (tons/yr), model users combine emission factors with estimates of usage, expressed as miles traveled by different types of vehicles, such as cars, light trucks, buses, and heavy trucks. A typical source of usage data is “vehicle miles traveled”(VMT) as estimated by the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS).

2(a)(1)(2) Uses of Emissions Inventories

The MOBILE model is used by various agencies for several differing but related purposes. The Environmental Protection Agency is a primary user. The Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) relies on MOBILE to estimate emissions reductions due to proposed emissions standards for light-duty vehicles. Additionally, the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) uses MOBILE as one tool in development of the National Emission Inventory (NEI). The NEI is a comprehensive database of emissions inventories, updated and published by EPA every three years, (1996, 1999, 2002, etc.). The NEI includes emissions estimates from stationary, point, area and mobile sources for each county in the nation.

MOBILE is also extensively used by state and county agencies principally to assess or plan for compliance with the Clear Air Act (CAA). Two important programs under the CAA are the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the Regional Haze Rule (RHR). In implementation of these programs, technical support from EPA is important, particularly with respect to estimation of emissions from passenger vehicles, because local agencies typically lack the technical and financial resources to develop independent inventories.

2(a)(1)(3) National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

The NAAQS are standards that regulate concentrations of several air pollutants including sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and fine particles that can be detrimental to human health or damage vegetation or property. The standards specify maximum concentrations, with corresponding time periods over which average concentrations are calculated (averaging periods). For example, the terms “1-hour” and “8-hour” ozone represent average ozone concentrations calculated over periods of one hour and eight hours, respectively, for which different standards are in effect. If local monitoring consistently shows no violations of the standards for a given pollutant in a given geographic area, EPA can designate that area as “in attainment” for that pollutant. However, if monitoring shows violations for one or more standards, EPA can designate it as “in non-attainment” for one or more pollutants. For nonattainment areas, state and local agencies prepare “State Implementation Plans” (SIPs) to demonstrate how compliance will be reached or maintained over specific timetables.

Light-duty gasoline vehicles are estimated to contribute roughly 54% of the overall VOC mobile-source inventory of 8.3 million short tons in 2002. If one accepts that evaporative emissions account for 30% of these VOC emissions, the mass of evaporative VOC losses is roughly 1.4 million tons per year.

2(a)(2) The National Academy Report on Emissions Inventory Modeling

At the request of Congress, the National Academy of Sciences published a report on EPA’s Inspection and Maintenance program (NRC 2001). A committee of technical experts was given the primary charge of reviewing I/M programs across the nation as well as the role of the MOBILE model in these programs. The committee concluded that there is currently no accurate inexpensive way to identify vehicles with high evaporative emissions. The recommendations in this NRC report along with those in an earlier NRC study (2000) have influenced the concept and design of EPA’s new inventory model for highway vehicles, the Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES). Similarly, this study is intended as the first step in an effort to respond to the need to develop test procedures to identify vehicles with high evaporative emissions and quantify the level of these emissions.

2(a)(3) Legislative Basis

The legislative basis for this data collection is Section 103(a)(1)(2)(3) of the Clean Air Act, which requires the Administrator to: “conduct ... research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, and control of air pollution, ...” and “cooperate with ... pollution control agencies and other appropriate public or private agencies, institutions, and organizations, and individuals in the conduct of such activities, ...” and “conduct investigations and research and make surveys concerning any specific problem of air pollution in cooperation with any air pollution control agency ...”

In addition, Section 103(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act authorizes the Administrator to: “collect and make available, through publications and other appropriate means, the results of and other information, including appropriate recommendations by him in connection therewith, pertaining to such research and other activities.” The full text of the relevant sections is provided in Appendix A.1.

2(b) Practical Utility/Users of the Data

The principal users of the data will be EPA technical staff, for purposes of estimating the evaporative emissions from the national fleet. This data will be used to characterize the fleet evaporative emissions as the Agency develops the MOVES model. Little data on the fraction of high evaporative emissions vehicles exist and this study would be a landmark study that would define the fraction of high evaporative emissions vehicles in the fleet.

Finally, analysis and evaluation of the initial collection will enable evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the design as proposed. In addition, the initial results will guide and inform sample size analyses. Data collected will provide highly valuable estimates of variability in key variables, as well as scenarios and expected differences needed for more refined power analyses. Specific analyses to be performed are described in Part B of this Supporting Statement, in sections 2(b)(ii), “Sample Sizes,” and in Section 5(b), “Data Analysis.”

3.0 NONDUPLICATION, CONSULTATIONS, AND OTHER COLLECTION CRITERIA

3(a) Nonduplication

In development of this collection, EPA has attempted to locate sources of data that would partially or wholly duplicate the information to be collected. No such duplication was found. EPA searched published literature for terms related to light-duty evaporative emissions measurement. No duplication of the data collection effort was found. To our knowledge, no other agency has a proven method to identify and measure emissions from high evaporative vehicles in the field.

3(b) Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB

The initial announcement of the public comment period for the proposed ICR amendment was placed in the Federal Register on February 14, 2008. However, a “second” Federal Register Notice will be published concurrent with submission of this collection to OMB.

3(c) Consultations

Technical Consultations. In the development of this collection, we consulted with professionals with expertise in survey methodology and statistics, RSD and on-road HC measurement both in academia and the private sector. Specific parties and contact information is listed below. Additionally, this supporting statement was drafted by Eastern Research Group.

Hugh Williamson, Ph.D.

Engineering Scientist

CACI Technologies, Inc.

11211 Taylor Draper Lane, Suite 115

Austin, Texas 78759

(512)406-3618

Dennis McClement

Sierra Research

1801 J Street

Sacrament, CA 95811

916-444-6666

Don Stedman, Ph.D.

Gary Bishop

University of Denver

Chemistry Department

Denver, CO 80208

303-871-2580

Jim Sidebottom

Colorado Department of Health

4300 Cherry Creek Dr.

Denver, CO 80246

303-692-3149

This supporting statement was prepared by:

Eastern Research Group

5608 Parkcrest Drive

Austin, TX 78731-4947

512-407-1830

3(d) Effects of Less Frequent Collection

For each respondent, participation in the study is a one-time event. Thus, periodic reporting is not requested or required.

3(e) General Guidelines

Participation in the program by each owner is on a voluntary basis. Further, this information collection complies with the guidelines in the Paperwork Reduction Act (5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)). Specifically, the collection does not require the respondents to:

Report information to EPA more often than quarterly;
Prepare a written response to a collection in fewer than 30 days after receipt;
Submit more than one original document;
Retain any records for more than three years;
Participate in a statistical survey that is not designed to produce data that can be generalized to the universe of study;
Use a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;
Submit any information that they may consider to be confidential, without EPA demonstrating that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

3(f) Confidentiality

Data will be collected under a pledge of confidentiality for exclusively statistical purposes, as defined in the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). Thus, in accordance with CIPSEA, EPA will not use or disclose survey results in identifiable form for any non-statistical purpose.

To protect the confidentiality of respondents, the following items allowing direct identification of individuals will not be disclosed or directly linked to survey results under any circumstances.

Participant name(s)
Participant address(es)
Participant phone number(s)
Participant contact name(s)
Vehicle Identification number (VIN)

The following additional items will be protected from disclosure as necessary to protect individual respondents from identification through indirect means. The methods considered for prevention indirect disclosures are briefly described for each item, drawing on approaches recommended for the protection of public-use microdata by the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM 2004).

3(g) Sensitive Questions

The questionnaires do not ask any sensitive questions pertaining to sexual attitudes/behavior or religious beliefs.

4.0 THE RESPONDENTS AND THE INFORMATION REQUESTED

4(a) Respondents/NAICS Codes

As defined in Part B, section 2(a) “Target Population and Coverage,” respondents to the survey will be owners of light-duty cars and trucks. This sector is fairly well-defined and we anticipate our sampling of this population will provide a representative sample based on the statistical methods outlined in Part B of this ICR.

We define the target population in more detail in Part B, section 2(a).

4(b) Information Requested

4(b)(i) Data Items, Including Recordkeeping Requirements

Reporting Items. All items that respondents will be requested to report are listed and described in Part B, Section 3, “Questionnaire Development.” The survey will employ one written document, the “Vehicle Ownership Questionnaire”.

Recordkeeping Items. This collection will not request or require respondents to compile or maintain any records.

4(b)(ii) Respondent Activities-

Respondent activities for this data collection include:

Respond to initial screening for under hood inspection solicitation
Respond to Main emissions bin solicitation
Complete solicitation process – transfer vehicle to contractor
Participate in on-site emissions testing
Complete vehicle exit paperwork
Participate in off-site lab testing

5.0 THE INFORMATION COLLECTED – AGENCY ACTIVITIES, COLLECTION METHODOLOGY, AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

The following sections describe Agency activities related to survey design, oversight, and analysis, maintenance and distribution of the information collected. The primary activities associated with the actual collection of information will be performed by EPA personnel or contractors hired by the Agency.

5(a) Agency Activities

In conduction of the survey, the agency will perform the following activities:

Develop research questions
Develop a plan for conducting a study to answer the questions
Develop data forms and test procedures
Conduct Pilot testing
Analyze Pilot Study data
Refine testing methodology
Modify Data forms and test procedures
Conduct Main Study
Collect and quality-assure data
Perform data analysis
Publish report and findings of the study

5(b) Collection Methodology and Management

The questionnaire to be used for the owner survey will be given to each owner agreeing to participate in the study. Due to the brevity and simplicity of the questionnaire, we do not anticipate any hardship to the vehicle owner in completing it quickly during the interview process with the technician.

To ensure data quality for interview information, each interview response will be reviewed for completeness and internal consistency. Emissions and activity data collected via instrumentation will be quality-assured through use of computer algorithms. Time series for key variables will also be plotted and visually checked on a case-by-case basis. Quality-assurance steps for data collected are discussed in Part B, Section 5(a), “Data Preparation.” Following quality-assurance, electronic data will be directly transferred into database software. Computer files containing interview responses will be stored or managed in spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel®, or database software such as Microsoft Access® or Microsoft FoxPro®. Analyses will be performed using SAS, version 8.2®, or SPSS, version 9®. Data will be stored in the “Mobile Source Observation Database,” (MSOD), an Oracle® database residing on an Agency server. This database is available to the public on request on CDROM, and can also be accessed from the server via a viewer based on Microsoft Access®. Thus, users need not be equipped with Oracle software or expertise to access the database.

5(c) Small Entity Flexibility

As described above, collection methods for the survey have been designed to keep the burden of participation to a bare minimum. Additionally, participation in the program is voluntary, giving owners the option of not participating if they so choose.

5(d) Collection Schedule

The tentative schedule below assumes OMB clearance for this collection will be obtained by July, 2008. For each task, we show the date targeted for its completion.

Design questionnaire and sampling plan July, 2008
Collect RSD Samples, August, 2008
Field Validation & Questionnaire, August, 2008
Submit Draft Report September, 2008
Submit Final Report November, 2008

6.0 ESTIMATING THE BURDEN AND COST OF THE COLLECTION

6(a) Estimating Respondent Burden

Tables A.1A and A.1B presents initial estimates of burden and cost for respondents participating in the collection. The initial RSD screening will be done non-intrusively and will therefore not impact the owner in any way. Performing the modified CA leak procedure will take approximately 0.1 hours, as will the initial solicitation of the owner. Estimated time for the owner to complete the survey is 15 minutes, and for those that choose to participate in the study the additional time will be on the order of 3 hours. This additional time is primarily due to the process of receiving a rental car and then the time taken to by the owner to return the rental and retrieve their vehicle. A subset of 30 vehicles will be taken to a Denver laboratory for a one hour laboratory evaporative emission test resulting in a five hour additional burden. The rational is stated in the Part B of the Supporting Statement Section 3(b)(ii) Pilot Test Design, page 16.

6(b) Respondent Costs

Tables A.1A and A.1B presents estimated burden and cost to respondents for the pilot and main test program, respectively.

6(b)(i) Labor Costs

For respondents, participation in this collection will not require any labor. Thus, there is no labor cost represented in Tables A.1A and A.1B.

6(b)(ii) Capital and Operations Costs

For respondents, participation in this collection will not require any capital or startup costs, nor will it require operating or maintenance costs. Thus, no costs in either of these two categories are represented in Tables A.1A and A.1B. On average this 1.9 hours. Table A.1A contains the annual respondent and burden cost for the pilot test program. Table A.1B contains the annual respondent and burden cost for the main test program.

Table A.1A - Annual Respondent & Burden Cost for Pilot Test Program

Information Activity		Respondent Time	Labor cost^*	No. Respondents	Total Time	Total Cost
Information Activity		hrs	($/hr)	No. Respondents	hrs	($)
Respond to initial screening based on under hood inspection solicitation		0.1	$25.93	182	18	$467
Respond to Main emissions bin solicitation		0.1	$25.93	100	10	$259
Complete solicitation process - transfer vehicle to contractor		0.1	$25.93	100	10	$259
Participate in on-site emissions testing		2	$25.93	100	200	$519
Complete vehicle exit paperwork		1	$25.93	100	100	$259
Participate in off-site lab testing		5	$25.93	30	150	$3890
				Total	588	$5,653
* Source:	EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION— JUNE 2007,Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dept of Labor

Table A.1B- Annual Respondent & Burden Cost for Main Test Program

Information Activity		Respondent Time	Labor cost^*	No. Respondents	Total Time	Total Cost
Information Activity		hrs	($/hr)	No. Respondents	Hrs	($)
Respond to initial screening based on under hood inspection solicitation		0.1	$25.93	800	80	$2,074
Respond to Main emissions bin solicitation		0.1	$25.93	2000	200	$5,186
Complete solicitation process - transfer vehicle to contractor		0.1	$25.93	1000	100	$2,593
Participate in on-site emissions testing		2	$25.93	1000	2000	$51,860
Complete vehicle exit paperwork		1	$25.93	1000	1000	$25,930
Participate in off-site lab testing		5	$25.93	30	150	$3,890
				Total	3530	$91,533
* Source:	EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION— JUNE 2007,Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dept of Labor

6(c) Agency Burden and Cost

Table A.2 presents Agency burden and cost for the program. In all cases, separate estimates are presented for Contractor personnel and Agency staff.

6(c)(i) Agency Burden

6(c)(i)(1) Collection of Evaporative Emissions Data

Table A.2 presents estimated agency labor hours for each activity listed above. We have separated labor hours into two components, those hours to be worked by Agency staff and those to be worked by contractor personnel. In general, the contractor will perform the emissions measurements, solicit the vehicle owner, handle the necessary paperwork and perform initial quality assurance, following which the contractor will transfer the data to EPA. Agency personnel will then load the results into an EPA database and perform quality-assurance and substantive analyses.

For contractor personnel, most of the time represents preparation for the field work, arranging the field logistics, vehicle solicitation, data collection, emissions measurement, equipment QA/QC and data entry. These activities are assumed to take 1.9 man hours per vehicle on average, respectively.

For agency staff, we assume that agency personnel will be involved in the weekly management of the project, provide oversight and arrange emissions equipment, as necessary. Agency staff will also be involved in reviewing the data collected on a regular basis and for will provide technical input throughout the program. For analysis, we assume that agency staff will spend about 10% of the hours spent by contractor personnel.

6(c)(ii) Agency Costs

6(c)(ii)(1) Labor Costs

Contract Labor Costs. The average contract labor cost for this effort is $100 per hour as listed in Table A2.

Agency Labor Costs. Labor Costs for EPA staff were taken from the 2008 Locality Schedule for Civilian Federal Employees in the Detroit area. Based on the Schedule, we have assumed average hourly labor costs of $56.00 for managerial personnel, $52.09 for technical personnel and $21.65 for clerical personnel. These assignments correspond to levels of GS-15-1, GS-13/14-7 and GS-7-5, respectively. We have multiplied the hourly labor rates by a “benefits multiplier” of 1.6, to represent the total cost of employment for Federal staff (OEI, 1999).

6(c)(ii)(2) Capital and Operations Costs Establishment Sample.

Capital costs represent the cost of obtaining the necessary equipment to perform the evaporative testing described in the work plan. Operating and Maintenance costs represent the cost to perform the pilot study as well as the costs associated with performing evaporative emissions test on the large 1,000 vehicle sample.

6(g)(i) Burden Statement for the Equipment Ownership Questionnaire

Form Approved

OMB Control No. 2060-NEW

Approval expires dd/mm/yyyy

EPA is conducting a statistical survey to characterize the fraction of high emitting evaporative emissions in the national gasoline light duty fleet. The initial RSD screening will be done non-intrusively and will therefore not impact the owner in any way. Performing the any screening procedure will take approximately 0.1 hours, as will the initial solicitation of the owner. Estimated time for the owner to complete the survey is 15 minutes, and for those that choose to participate in the study the additional time will be on the order of 3 hours. Vehicles would be recruited on a voluntary basis. The public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.9 hours per response. 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.

To comment on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including the use of automated collection techniques, EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. OAR-2008-0118, which is available for public viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC.

The EPA Docket Center 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 Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Air and Radiation Docket is (202) 566- 1742.

An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Also, you can send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Office for EPA. Please include the EPA Docket ID No. (OAR-2008-0118) and OMB control number (2060-NEW) in any correspondence.

REFERENCES.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2003. Employer Costs for Employee Compensation-June 2003. USDL: 03-446. U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.

Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology. 2004. Report of Statistical Disclosure Limitation Methodology. Subcommittee on Disclosure Limitation Methodology. Statistical Policy Office, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Statistical Policy Working Paper 22. http://www.fcsm.gov/working-papers/spwp22.html. May, 2004.

National Research Council. 2000. Modeling Mobile-Source Emissions. Committee to Review EPA’s Mobile-Source Emissions Factor (MOBILE) Model. National Academy Press, Washington D.C.

National Research Council. 2001. Evaluating Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs. National Academy Press, Washington D.C.

Office of Environmental Information. 1999. ICR Handbook: EPA’s Guide to Writing Information Collection Requests Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Collection Strategies Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Washington, D.C.

APPENDIX A-1

Relevant Sections of Statutes

The Statutes relevant to this collection are '103(a) and '103(b) of the Clean Air Act, listed below:

Sec. 103. (a) The Administrator shall establish a national research and development program for the prevention and control of air pollution and as part of such program shall ‑

(1) conduct, and promote the coordination and acceleration of, research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, and control of air pollution;

(2) encourage, cooperate with, and render technical services and provide financial assistance to air pollution control agencies and other appropriate public or private agencies, institutions, and organizations, and individuals in the conduct of such activities;

(3) conduct investigations and research and make surveys concerning any specific problem of air pollution in cooperation with any air pollution control agency with a view to recommending a solution of such problem, if he is requested to do so by such agency or if, in his judgment, such problem may affect any community or communities in a State other than that in which the source of the matter causing or contributing to the pollution is located;

(4) establish technical advisory committees composed of recognized experts in various aspects of air pollution to assist in the examination and evaluation of research progress and proposals and to avoid duplication of research; and

(5) conduct and promote coordination and acceleration of training for individuals relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, and control of air pollution.

(b) In carrying out the provisions of the preceding subsection the Administrator is authorized to ‑

(1) collect and make available, through publications and other appropriate means, the results of and other information, including appropriate recommendations by him in connection therewith, pertaining to such research and other activities;

(2) cooperate with other Federal departments and agencies, with air pollution control agencies, with other public and private agencies, institutions, and organizations, and with any industries involved, in the preparation and conduct of such research and other activities;

(3) make grants to air pollution control agencies, to other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations, and to individuals, for purposes stated in subsection (a)(1) of this section;

(4) contract with public or private agencies, institutions, and organizations, and with individuals, without regard to sections 3648 and 3709 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 529; 41 U.S.C. 5);

(5) establish and maintain research fellowships, in the Environmental Protection Agency and at public or nonprofit private educational institutions or research organizations;

(6) collect and disseminate, in cooperation with other Federal departments and agencies, and with other public or private agencies, institutions, and organizations having related responsibilities, basic data on chemical, physical, and biological effects of varying air quality and other information pertaining to air pollution and the prevention and control thereof;

(7) develop effective and practical processes, methods, and prototype devices for the prevention or control of air pollution; and

(8) construct facilities, provide equipment, and employ staff as necessary to carry out this Act.

In carrying out the provisions of subsection (a), the Administrator shall provide training for, and make training grants to, personnel of air pollution control agencies and other persons with suitable qualifications and make grants to such agencies, to other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations for the purposes stated in subsection (a)(5). Reasonable fees may be charged for such training provided to persons other than personnel of air pollution control agencies but such training shall be provided to such personnel of air pollution control agencies without charge.

File Type	application/msword
File Title	Note: Add an Executive Summary that states the goals, and results from those goals as it relates to Qa/QC issues
Author	A. White
Last Modified By	David Rostker
File Modified	2008-07-23
File Created	2008-07-23