To All AQS Users,

This is a notice about recent and planned AQS changes and issues. AQS Patch:

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1. The Quick Look All Parameters report (AMP450NC) was crashing when it encountered data to be rounded to the 10s place.

2. The raw data workfile (AMP350) was excluding certain raw data that did show up in the report.

3. Previously when a monitor was closed (i.e. had a Close Date assigned), AQS would not allow any changes to either the monitor metadata or sample measurements, even if those changes were before the Close Date.

4. The Design Value Report (AMP480) for PM 10 was reporting the first (lowest numbered POC) at

PM 10 sites twice.

5. For PM 2.5, Creditable Days were skipped (and therefore not added to the count) if they occurred before the make-up sample for an earlier scheduled day.

Guidance Memos:

A new guidance memo was published by the EPA OAQPS Monitoring Group on Friday, June 21, 2013. A copy is attached to this email, and is in the process of being posted on the AMTIC website. The concise summary of this guidance is that data from multiple PM or speciation samplers should not be combined into a single AQS POC for submission; each sampler should be defined in AQS as a separate POC For PM

2.5 and Lead, AQS will presently combine data from multiple monitors (i.e. separate POCs) to obtain a single site-level data stream that is used for Design Value calculations. AQS will be enhanced by the end of 2013 to calculate similar site-method combinations for PM 10.

Planned Enhancements to AQS in the Remainder of 2013:

1. Monitoring QA/QC Redesign: We are in the midst of a project to re-design the handling of Monitoring QA/QC (i.e. Precision and Accuracy) data in AQS. This project is expected to be complete by the end of this Summer. The change to users is that new transaction types are being defined that are intended to exactly map into the 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A requirements and to define transactions the QA/QC assessments utilized by programs like NATTS that have not been previously supported. The proposed set of transactions(along with new site-monitor metadata transactions) is attached to this email. Users who presently submit Precision and Accuracy transactions are requested to review this document and respond with any comments or feedback. Note: These will also be implemented as XML and posted for review.

2. Presently 40 CFR Part 58 discusses and provides requirements for Federal Reference Method (FRM) and Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) monitors. However, historically, AQS has stored the method used for sample measurements (Raw Data) taken at a specific date and time, but has not stored the method that a monitor is utilizing for a period of time. Within the next few weeks, we will be implementing a new batch transaction, Monitor Method, to define this information in AQS. Initially, this will be metadata only, and not used for validation of Raw Data. We will work with you, the monitoring agencies, to define this metadata for all AQS criteria pollutant monitors in 2013, and begin validating this information for raw data submissions starting in 2014. (i.e. expect more correspondence about this).

3. Monitor Network Affiliation: In 2012, the EPA OAQPS Monitoring Group, developed a proposal that was circulated to Regional Offices and Monitoring Agency contacts and presented at the

2012 Monitoring Conference to define a new element of monitor metadata, Network Affiliation, that will document the monitoring networks, such as PAMS and NCORE, associated with a monitor, and concurrently define the Monitor Type to be exclusively the administrative classification of the monitor (e.g. SLAMS, Tribal, SPM, Industrial, and etc) that will be unique at any specific point in time. We expect to implement this proposal later this year.

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assigned to the monitors rather than screening group. For example, the PQAO and Reporting Organization assigned to a monitor will be allowed to submit the new QA transactions, independent of the Screening Group that owns the monitor. We are developing a proposal to generalize this for all data submissions, and will publish it for your comments in the near future.

Upcoming Webinars and Training:

1. We have tentatively scheduled the next AQS Webinars to be held Tuesday, July 23 and Wednesday, July 31. These webinars will primarily address the QA/QC redesign and the new Monitor metadata. We will send out a separate email with the specific details.

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this Federal fiscal year (i.e. until Sept. 30, 2013). If funding permits, we will schedule regional training again in FY 2014.

As you may be aware, Friday July 5, is a mandatory Federal furlough day; therefore, no Federal staff will be available. However, the EPA National Computer Center (operated by contractors) will still be fully operational, and AQS should be fully available.

Please respond to this email or contact me directly if you have any questions or comments. Thank You,

Robert Coats

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National Air Data Group OID/OAQPS/OAR/EPA

109 TW Alexander Dr. Mail Drop C339-04

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

Phone: (919) 541-5448 Fax: (919) 685-3684