NJ DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Environmental Regulation
Division of Environmental Safety, Health, and Analytical Programs

Notice of Rule Proposal
Regulations Governing the Certification of Laboratories and
Environmental Measurements
Incorporation of Requirements for Air Testing
Proposed Amendments N.J.A.C. 7:18-1,2,5 and 9

Public Notice
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
is proposing amendments to incorporate new requirements for the
certification of labs conducting air testing. These amendments
will affect laboratories that conduct testing on air samples
collected from stationary emissions sources as well as laboratories
that analyze indoor air samples. As proposed, these amendments
will require certified laboratories to be subject to on-site
audits of sample handling, preparation, analysis, data manipulation,
and data reporting for air. Other facets of the laboratories
will be subject to in-house audits. These include, but are not
limited to, the quality systems plan, standard operating procedures,
credentials of supervisors and analysts, demonstrations of capability,
method detection limit studies, and performance testing results.
The overall process of auditing will be based upon existing procedures
in N.J.A.C. 7:18 for the auditing of laboratories that analyze
for environmental pollutants in water and soil matrices.

The amendments set forth revisions to N.J.A.C. 7:18 to specify
the Clean Air Program as a regulatory program for laboratory
certification, incorporate by reference the analytical methods
used for air testing, and specify the requirements for obtaining
and maintaining laboratory accreditation for air testing.

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey
Register on January 21, 2003. A copy of the proposal is available
by contacting the Office of Quality Assurance at (609) 292-3950
and is available on the Department’s website at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/aqm/curformp.htm.
Be advised that there may be a fee for obtaining a copy of the
proposal from some sources.

There are no public hearings scheduled concerning the proposal.

Note: The comment period for this proposal has been
extended 6 days from the original comment period closing date
until February 26, 2003.

Written comments may be submitted by February
26, 2003 to:

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Karen Hershey, Esq.
ATTN: DEP Docket No. 39-02-12/329
Office of Legal Affairs
P.O. Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0402