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United StatesEnvironmental ProtectionAgencyAirOffice of Air QualityPlanning and StandardsResearch Triangle Park, NC 27711EPAMarch 2009Quality Assurance DocumentQuality Assurance Project Planfor the Federal PM2.5 PerformanceEvaluation Program

ForewordU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy per EPA Order 5360.1 A2 requires that allprojects involving the generation, acquisition, and use of environmental data be planned anddocumented and have an Agency-approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) before thestart of data collection. The primary purpose of the QAPP is to provide a project overview,describe the need for the measurements, plan, and define quality assurance/quality control(QA/QC) activities to be applied to the project, all within a single document.The following document represents the QAPP for the environmental data operations involved inEPA’s PM2.5 Monitoring Network Performance Evaluation Program. This QAPP was generatedby using the following EPA monitoring and QA regulations and guidance: 40 CFR Part 50, Appendix L40 CFR Part 58, Appendices A and CEPA QA/R-5, EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project PlansEPA QA/G-5, Guidance for Quality Assurance Project PlansEPA QA/G-9, QA00 update, Guidance for Data Quality Assessment: Practical Methodsfor Data Analysis.All pertinent elements of the QAPP regulations and guidance are addressed in this QAPP.This document and related PEP SOPs are accessible in PDF format on the Internet on theAmbient Monitoring Technology Information Center’s (AMTIC’s) Bulletin Board (available athttp://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/amticpm.html) under the QA area of the PM2.5 MonitoringInformation. The document can be read and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader software,which is freeware that is available on many Internet sites, including the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency’s (EPA) Web site. The Internet version is write-protected. Hardcopy versionsare available by writing or calling:Dennis CrumplerOffice of Air Quality Planning and StandardsMQAG (C304-06)Research Triangle Park, NC 27711Phone: (919)541-0871E-mail: crumpler.dennis@epa.govThis is a living document, which means it may be revised as program objectives andimplementation procedures evolve. Comments about technical content and the presentation ofthis document may be sent to Dennis Crumpler.The document mentions trade names or brand names. Any mentions of corporation names,trade names, or commercial products do not constitute endorsement or recommendationfor use.ii

AcknowledgmentsThis QAPP is the product of the combined efforts of EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning andStandards (OAQPS); the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) support laboratories in LasVegas, NV; EPA’s ORIA National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) in Montgomery, AL;EPA Regional offices; and State, local, and Tribal (SLT) organizations. Dennis Crumpler ofOAQPS led and directed the 2007/2008 update, RTI International conducted the work underEPA contracts 68-D-02-065 and EP-D-08-047, and the PM2.5 QA Workgroup reviewed thematerial in this document. The following individuals are acknowledged for their contributions.SLT OrganizationsGeorge Froehlich, New York Department of Environmental ConservationMark Potash, Connecticut Department of Environmental ProtectionEPA RegionsRegion:12345678910Mary Jane CuzzupeMark WinterAndrew Hass, Cathleen Kennedy, Colleen WallingGreg NoahBasim Dihu and Scott HamiltonJohn LayThien Bui and James RegehrMichael CopelandMathew PlateChristopher HallRTI International (RTI)Jennifer Lloyd, Ed Rickman, and Emaly SimoneOffice of Air Quality Planning and StandardsDennis Crumpler, Dennis Mikel, and Mark ShanisOffice of Radiation and Indoor AirJeff Lantziii

Acknowledgments for the February 1999 VersionThe following individuals are acknowledged for their contribution to the first edition of the PEPQAPP (February 1999 version), which served as the basis for this update.SLT OrganizationsGeorge Apgar, State of Vermont, Waterbury, VTRandy Dillard, Jefferson County Department of Health, Birmingham, ALGordon Pierce and Kevin Goohs, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment,Denver, CORussell Grace and Tom Pomales, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CAJeff Miller, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, PARichard Heffern, State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Juneau, AKDan Harman, North Dakota Department of Health, Bismarck, NDEPA RegionsRegion:12345678910Don Porteous, Norman Beloin, and Mary Jane CuzzupeClinton CusickVictor Guide and Theodore ErdmanJerry Burger and Herb BardenMary Ann Suero, Gordon Jones, Mike Rizzo, and Basim DihuMary Kemp, Mark Sather, Kuenja Chung, Timothy Dawson, and Ruth TatomLeland Grooms, Mike Davis, and Shane MunschRon Heavner, Gordon MacRae, and Joe DelwicheManny Aquitania and Bob PallarinoBarry Towns, Bill Puckett, and Karen Marasigan.National Exposure Research LaboratoryFrank McElroy and David GemmillRTIJim Flanagan, Cynthia Salmons, Cary Eaton, and Bob WrightOffice of Air Quality Planning and StandardsJoe Elkins, Shelly Eberly, Tim Hanley, David Musick, and Mark Shanisiv

Acronyms and tric Information Retrieval SystemAmerican National Standards InstituteAir Pollution Training InstituteAir Quality SystemAmerican Society for Testing and MaterialsAir and Waste Management Associationbarometric pressureClean Air ActCode of Federal RegulationsContracts Management Divisioncommunity monitoring zoneContracting Officerchain of custodyContracting Officer’s Representativedata acquisition systemDocument Control OfficerDelivery Order Project Officerdata quality assessmentdata quality objectivesenvironmental data operationEmissions, Monitoring, and Analysis DivisionEnvironmental Services Assistance TeamEnvironmental Protection AgencyFederal Acquisition RegulationsFederal equivalent methodFederal Information Processing Standardsflow rateFederal reference methodField Scientistgeographical information systemsgood laboratory practiceLaboratory Analystlocal area networkmonitoring planning areameasurement quality objectivesmetropolitan statistical areamanagement system reviewNational Ambient Air Quality Standardsnational air monitoring stationNational Air Toxics Trend Stationsv

PTaTOPOTSATSPVaVOCWAMNational Core multi-pollutant monitoring stationsNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyOffice of Air Quality Planning and StandardsOffice of Administration and Resources ManagementOffice of Research and DevelopmentOffice of Radiation and Indoor Airpersonal computerpollutant occurrence codepercent differenceperformance evaluationPerformance Evaluation Programparticulate matter less than 2.5 micronspolytetrafluoroethylenesampler flow rate at ambient (actual) conditions of temperature and pressure.quality assuranceQuality Assurance Annual ReportQuality Assurance Division DirectorQuality Assurance ManagerQuality Assurance OfficerQuality Assurance Project Planquality controlQuality Management Planrelative humidityRupprecht & PatashnickState Implementation PlansState and Local Ambient Monitoring Stationsstandard operating procedurestatement of workspecial purpose monitoring stationssystem operatortemperature, ambient or actualTask Order Project Officertechnical systems audittotal suspended particulateair volume, at ambient or actual conditionsvolatile organic compoundWork Assignment Managervi

Project: PEP QAPPElement No.: 1.0(QAPP Approval page) Revision No.: 2Date: 9/13/2009Page 1 of 11.0 QA Project Plan ApprovalTitle: PM2.5 Performance Evaluation Program Quality Assurance Project PlanThe attached Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the PM2.5 Performance EvaluationProgram (PEP) is hereby recommended for approval and commits the participants of theprogram to follow the elements described within.OAQPSSignature:Name:Dennis Crumpler, National PEP Lead, forDate: 3/31/2009Signature:Name:Date:Region 2Signature:Name:Date:Region 3Signature:Name:Date:Region 4Signature:Name:Date:Region 5Signature:Name:Date:Region 6Signature:Name:Date:Region 7Signature:Name:Date:Region 8Signature:Name:Date:Region 9Signature:Name:Date:Region 10Signature:Name:Date:For convenience signature lines have been copied and pasted into this composite page.PDF versions of all complete individual signature pages are on file with the OAQPS PEPProject Lead.

Project: PEP QAPPElement No.: 2.0Revision No.: 1Date: 3/6/2009Page 1 of 62.0 Table of ContentsElement No.-PageForeword. iiAcknowledgments. iiiAcronyms and Abbreviations .v1.0QA Project Plan Approval . 1-12.0Table of Contents. 2-13.0Distribution . 3-14.0Project/Task Organization . 4-14.1The PEP Workgroup (Previously the PM2.5 QA Workgroup) . 4-24.2EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards . 4-24.3ESAT Organization. 4-34.4EPA Regional Offices. 4-64.5ESAT Contractors. 4-74.6State, Local, and Tribal Agencies. 4-74.7Other Participating Entities. 4-105.0Problem Definition/Background. 5-15.1Problem Statement and Background. 5-16.0Project/Task Description. 6-16.1Description of Work to be Performed. 6-16.2Field Activities. 6-26.3Laboratory Activities . 6-66.4Schedule of Activities . 6-86.5Project Assessment Techniques. 6-146.6Project Records . 6-147.0Data Quality Objectives and Criteria for Measurement . 7-17.1Data Quality Objectives. 7-17.2Measurement Quality Objectives. 7-28.0Special Training Requirements/Certification . 8-18.1OAQPS Training Facilities . 8-18.2Training Program . 8-28.3Field Training . 8-28.4Laboratory Training . 8-3

Project: PEP QAPPElement No.: 2.0Revision No.: 1Date: 3/6/2009Page 2 of 6Element No.-Page8.58.68.7Certification . 8-4Additional PEP Field and Laboratory Training. 8-5Additional Ambient Air Monitoring Training . 8-59.0Documentation and Records . 9-19.1Information Included in the Reporting Package . 9-19.2Reports to Management . 9-69.3Data Reporting Package Archiving and Retrieval. 9-710.0Sampling Design. 10-110.1 Scheduled Project Activities, Including Measurement Activities . 10-110.2 Rationale for the Design . 10-110.3 Design Assumptions . 10-210.4 Procedure for Locating and Selecting Environmental Samples . 10-310.5 Classification of Measurements as Critical/Noncritical . 10-410.6 Validation of Any Non-Standard Measurements. 10-411.0Sampling Methods Requirements . 11-111.1 Sample Collection and Preparation. 11-111.2 Support Facilities for Sampling Methods . 11-311.3 Sampling/Measurement System Corrective Action Process . 11-311.4 Sampling Equipment, Preservation, and Holding Time Requirements . 11-912.0Sample Handling and Custody. 12-113.0Analytical Methods Requirements. 13-113.1 Preparation of Sample Filters . 13-113.2 Analysis Method . 13-113.3 Internal QC and Corrective Action for Measurement System. 13-413.4 Filter Sample Contamination Prevention, Preservation, and Holding TimeRequirements . 13-714.0Quality Control Requirements . 14-114.1 QC Procedures . 14-114.2 Sample Batching—QC Sample Distribution . 14-1614.3 Control Charts. 14-1815.0Instrument/Equipment Testing, Inspection, and Maintenance Requirements . 15-115.1 Testing . 15-115.2 Inspection. 15-115.3 Maintenance. 15-3