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EPA Records Schedule 741
Status: Final, 08/31/2009
Title: Laboratory Approval and Analytical Method Development Supporting Direct Implementation of Drinking Water Regulations
Program: Water
Applicability: Headquarters
Function: 108-025-03-02 - Management of Public Water Systems
NARA Disposal Authority:
This schedule authorizes the disposition of the record copy in any media (media neutral), excluding any records already in electronic form. Records designated for permanent retention must be transferred to the National Archives in accordance with NARA standards at the time of transfer.
- N1-412-08-5
Description:
Includes records associated with any EPA coordinated laboratory approval program, and the associated analytical method development, supporting the analytical requirements mandated by federal direct implementation rules (e.g., Long Term 2 (LT2) Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule and the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR)).
Includes records related to the formulation of the lab approval program and the method development, and project workpapers and administrative correspondence.
Disposition Instructions:
Item a(1): Lab approval program and method development - Nonelectronic
Includes laboratory applications, proficiency testing study coordination and laboratory performance results, final listing of EPA-approved laboratories, and laboratory audit reports. Method development documentation includes research summaries, published manuscripts, peer review documentation, and copy of final EPA Method.
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Permanent
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Close inactive records upon completion of regulatory implementation.
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Transfer to the National Archives 20 years after file closure.
Item a(2): Lab approval program and method development - Electronic
Includes laboratory applications, proficiency testing study coordination and laboratory performance results, final listing of EPA-approved laboratories, and laboratory audit reports. Method development documentation includes research summaries, published manuscripts, peer review documentation, and copy of final EPA Method.
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Permanent
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Close inactive records upon completion of regulatory implementation.
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Transfer to the National Archives 5 years after file closure, with any related documentation and external finding aids, as specified in 36 CFR 1228.270 or standards applicable at the time.
Item a(3): Lab approval program and method development - Electronic copy of records transferred to the National Archives
Includes laboratory applications, proficiency testing study coordination and laboratory performance results, final listing of EPA-approved laboratories, and laboratory audit reports. Method development documentation includes research summaries, published manuscripts, peer review documentation, and copy of final EPA Method.
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Disposable
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Close file upon transfer to the National Archives.
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Delete after electronic record copy is successfully transferred to the National Archives.
Item b: Project workpapers and administrative correspondence
Includes progress reports, analysis reports generated on individual samples assayed during method development, laboratory bench sheets, and e-mail or hard copy correspondence with other researchers conducting similar method development efforts.
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Disposable
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Close inactive records upon completion of project.
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Destroy 6 years after file closure.
Guidance:
EPA develops various drinking water methods to support sampling efforts evaluating contaminants of concern. Often, these methods are mandated for monitoring under a federal direct implementation regulation (e.g., UCMR 2, LT2). If the mandated methods are not currently used for compliance monitoring, EPA typically coordinates a concurrent laboratory approval program, as a critical part of the federal direct implementation. The LT2 and UCMR serve as two examples.
The National Contaminant Occurrence Database (NCOD), which holds all the resultant occurrence data, is scheduled as EPA 436. The Safe Drinking Water Accession and Review System (SDWARS) is scheduled as EPA 253.
Reasons for Disposition:
The Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, requires the collection of data under federal implementation rules. Records associated with laboratory approval and analytical methods development form the foundation of the direct federal implementation of drinking water programs (i.e., LT2, UCMR). These direct implementation efforts result in comprehensive sets of occurrence data that are used, in part, as a basis for future regulatory decisions by the Administrator. The proposed retention will allow future retrieval if subsequent data collection (e.g., health effects) elevate regulatory priorities.
The following changes were made in the 01/31/2008 version:
- Divided item a into three subitems, a(1)-(3).
- Revised the titles of disposition items a(1)-(3).
- Revised the disposition instruction for item a(3).
Custodians:
Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
- Contact: Daniel P. Hautman
- Telephone: 513-569-7274
Related Schedules:
EPA 253, EPA 436
Previous NARA Disposal Authority:
Entry: 11/02/2006
EPA Approval: 11/19/2007
NARA Approval: 08/10/2009