ok-2277: Department of Environmental Quality — Field Laboratory Accreditation

Summary

This Chapter contains rules about the accreditation of privately-owned and publicly-owned laboratories by the agency. The proposed rule changes intend to clarify program definitions, correct incorrect references, standardize language between OK DEQ Lab Accreditation Program (LAP) rules where feasible, simplify the renewal and application processes, fee calculations, and reset the yearly accreditation period to run from January through December. Additional proposed changes will serve to update incorporations by reference for EPA methodologies, and to make other amendments for conformity with past, present, and future method requirements under the national program for EPA Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants. One significant result of these proposed changes is that they will give additional flexibility to labs in the program to select from methods that are both historically and most recently approved for use in the programs mentioned above and allow LAP to offer accreditation for these methods. The Department is proposing to modify the title of Chapter 302 to be more descriptive of the accreditation program to improve clarity and understanding of differences among the three accreditation program chapters. Specifically, the Department is proposing to amend 252:302-1-5, "Fees," to simplify the calculation of accreditation application and renewal fees and eliminate a fee for late applications. This change will make it easier for the program labs to determine the fee for participation in the program. This change will also make the rule language more consistent with other LAP rules. There are no fee increases or new fees. Further, The Department is proposing to amend 252:302-3-6, "Renewals,” to establish a new September 15 deadline for submitting renewal documentation and proficiency test (PT) provider reports along with a December 15 deadline to pay renewal invoices to allow for continued participation in the program. The proposed changes include additional information intended to better define the renewal process and make it more consistent with other LAP rules.

The agency’s own summary, as published.