To be accepted as a compliance monitoring method for a contaminant, where must the analytical method be listed?

• A. In the lab's accreditation certificate
• B. In the facility's internal SOP
• C. In the EPA methods handbook, not required to be in CFR
• D. In the applicable section of 40 CFR

Answer: (D)

Regulatory acceptance hinges on being codified in the law. For environmental compliance monitoring, the analytical method used to measure a contaminant must be listed in the applicable section of 40 CFR. This is what makes a method officially enforceable for permit compliance and reporting. Lab accreditation certificates and internal SOPs demonstrate capability, but they don’t establish regulatory acceptance of a specific method. The EPA methods handbook is a useful reference, yet it isn’t enforceable on its own unless the method is incorporated into the CFR or into a permit. So, the method’s listing in the applicable section of 40 CFR is the official requirement for acceptance.