Quality Assurance
Project Plans
Melinda Ronca-Battista, ITEP
1
What is a QAPP
Tool for project managers and planners to document
type and quality of data needed for environmental
decisions
Describes methods for collecting and assessing data
Integral part of fundamental principles and practices
that form foundation of EPA Quality System
Required by EPA
2
Why is a QAPP important?
EIs are the foundation of decisions
Sets goals and objectives
Road map of how to conduct EI
Provides long-term guidance
Makes writing the EI report easier
3
Formats of QAPP
TEISS Inventory Preparation Plan (IPP) Wizard
QAPP
Emission Inventory Improvement Plan (EIIP) Format
4
IPP Wizard
5
6
QAPP
Group A: Project Management
Group B: Data Generation and Acquisition
Group C: Assessment and Oversight
Group D: Data Validation and Usability
7
Inventory Planning
Determine the Audience
Determine the Uses
Chose a Category Level
8
Determine the Use
Air quality program planning
Assess contributions of future new sources
Assess need for tribal permitting program
Support development of TIP
Support participation in regional AQ
planning efforts
9
Levels of EI
Level 1
Requires highest degree of defensibility
Based on site-specific data
Results can be used directly in enforcement,
compliance or litigation support if sufficient scope
Level 2
Used to directly support decision-making or standard
setting
CAA-SIP inventory or other national inventory
developed to support numerous EPA regulatory
requirements
Site- or region-specific information generally required
10
Levels of EI (cont.)
Level 3
General assessment or research
Site-specific data may be gathered
Do not directly support rulemaking activities
Level 4
Usually compiled from previously-published
emissions data
Not intended to directly support rulemaking
or compliance activities
From US EPA’s Emission Inventory Improvement Program (EIIP)
Vol. 6, page 2.1-5
11
Levels of EI (cont.)
Level 4 EI – Gather Existing Data
Everyone should start by doing a Level 4 EI
Compile existing data from the National
Emission Inventory (NEI).
Shows air pollution emitting facilities in your
area. (Point sources)
Identifies non-point sources that create most
emissions in your area
If tribal lands already adequately covered by
NEI/state inventory, level 4 is all you need
to do!
12
Levels of EI (cont.)
After existing data is collected,
decide which of two paths to take
Path 1 – Write Level 4 EI Report
Path 2 – Write a QAPP for a Level 3
or 2 EI
How do you know which path to
take?
13
Levels of EI (cont.)
Do Level 4 report if land area is very small
AND you don’t have sources
Write report summarizing what you found
Which sources put out the most pollution?
Which are closest to you?
Which are upwind of you?
What pollutants concern you the most?
This data is NOT submitted to NEI by tribe—
unless you want to claim a portion of those
emissions to be assigned to reservation
14
Levels of EI (cont.)
Do QAPP for Level 2 or 3 EI if
Your tribe’s land area is larger AND/OR
you have sources on tribal land
List sources on tribal land for which you
will estimate emissions
Use TEISS calculators to determine data
you need to collect to estimate emissions
Summarize off-reservation data in
separate section of report
15
Scope of the Inventory
Define
Geographic area – include a map!
Pollutants: Criteria and/or HAPs
Source types – point, nonpoint, mobile
Time period
Annual – state which year
Seasonal (e.g., Ozone season)
16
Where to start?
Sources on reservation
Existing inventories: Tribal, NEI, RPO
TEISS Calculators
List sources on paper
Find using calculator
17
Exercise
1. Make a list of Point Sources on your
reservation
2. Draw out organization chart
3. Open up Calculator and look up
• Gas station with mini-mart
• Asphalt batch plant
• Plywood manufacture
18
Point Source List
Facility Name
Address
Type of Source
Colville Indian Precision
Pine
373 Omak RiversideEastside Road, Omak
Lumber Manufacturing, Title V
Permit, Point Source
Colville Indian Plywood
and Veneer
1100 Eighth Avenue East,
Omak
Manufacturing Veneer, Plywood and
Power, Title V Permit, Point Source
Atlas Pellets
325 Omak RiversideEastside Road, Omak
Manufacture Wood Pellets for Stoves
Granite Northwest Inc.
249-B Rodeo Trail Road,
Okanogan
Asphalt Production and Paving
Coulee Dam Concrete
26 Canyon Street, Elmer
City
Ready Mix Concrete, Sand and Gravel
19
Organization Chart
20
TEISS Calculator
Gas station with mini-mart
Asphalt Batch Plant
Plywood manufacturer
21
Planning Work
Establish staff and resource requirements,
schedule
Identify partners and develop communication
plan
 Industry
 Agencies
 Community groups
22
Quality Assurance Plan
QA Coordinator
Data Quality Objectives (DQOs)
Inventory implementation timeline
23
Data Management and
Reporting
Describe how data will be stored
In TEISS
Paper and electronic filing system
Data collection and calculations on paper
Calculations done in spreadsheets
Final Products of EI
Completed TEISS project – has ALL the details
Paper report – gives general details, summarizes
results
Presentation – summarizes results
24
Exercise
Look at Section 8.0 of the Example
Tribal EI QAPP handout
Use TEISS calculators to write out
estimation method you’ll use and data
you’ll need to collect for one of your
reservation’s nonpoint sources
25
Boring – Questionable
Useful – Positively
26