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General Questions
Q - When is the
effective date of the rule?
A - The
Effective date of the Quality Assurance Rule was June 8, 2004.
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Q - What
does the “Effective Date” mean?
A - This means
that the amended rule requirements are now “official”. This also means that you
must begin using the two amended Department Standard Operating Procedures
documents: Standard Operating Procedures for Field Activities and the Standard
Operating Procedures for Laboratory Activities (revision date February 1, 2004).
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Q - What
is different about the rule?
A – There are very few changes in the rule:
1. The references to the Field and Laboratory Standard Operating
Procedure documents were updated to the February 2004 revision;
2. The certification requirements were updated to be consistent with the
Fields of Testing as identified by the Department of Health’s Environmental
Laboratory Certification Program; and
3. The list of potentially requested information related to data that
are received by the Department was expanded
All entities conducting field activities must follow the Department of
Environmental Protection Standard Operating Procedures for Field Activities (DEP-SOP-001/01)
dated February 1, 2004.
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Q - Who
is affected by the rule?
A - All
organizations that produce data for submission to DEP, from field investigations
(including sample collection) or laboratory sample analyses.
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Q - Are
there exemptions to the new Rule requirements?
A - Yes – all
activities dealing with the DEP air programs are exempt from these rule
requirements. In addition, if you are operating under a Department permit,
consent order, direct contract or other written agreement with DEP (such as a
quality assurance project plan), you must follow the specifications and
requirements in those documents.
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Q - I
have a permit (consent order, direct contract, QAPP) that requires the use of a
CompQAP or refers to the 1992 Standard Operating Procedures, and I would like to
use the updated SOPs. What do I need to do?
A - You need to
obtain written permission from the appropriate DEP program (permit writer,
contract manager, etc.) to deviate from the specific Department Documents.
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Q
– What changes were made in the SOPs?
A – You can download a
summary of the revisions.
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