Tribal Environmental Management

Writing Quality Assurance Project Plans

Course overview

To enroll in this course and access course content, click the blue "Enroll me" button to the right and log into your account. After logging in, click "Enroll me" again on the following pages to complete the enrollment process.

An EPA-approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) is required to implement EPA-funded work that involves acquisition of environmental data from direct measurement activities, collected from other sources, or compiled from computerized databases and information systems. Data gathering projects, including those that are self-funded, require a QAPP to ensure the project is designed and documented to provide legally-defensible data. 

This course is for tribal professionals who are either writing a new QAPP or updating an existing QAPP.  An outline of a QAPP is provided with all 24 elements, page headers, and a table of contents. The course provides example documents and resources for the following pollutants:

  • Ozone with a Continuous Method
  • PM2.5 with a Continuous Method
  • PM2.5 with a Filter Method
  • PM10 with a Continuous Method
  • Meteorological Monitoring
  • Radon

If you are writing a QAPP for a pollutant not listed, the available information may still be helpful. Contact the instructors with questions.

NOTE: If your project is US EPA-funded, your regional office may have specific guidance. This course is for everyone and strictly adheres to US EPA and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidance, but does not take into account specific requirements from different EPA regions. Each EPA region has a QA resources page and it is important you consult that page and your regional contacts.

Instructors:

Josie Kamkoff, Josephine.Kamkoff@nau.edu, 928-419-1009; Chris Lee, Christopher.Lee@nau.edu, 702-784-8264; Melinda Ronca-Battista, Melinda.Ronca-Battista@nau.edu, 602-616-2218.

Below is a preview of the course content. Enroll to access the materials (see steps above).

Course Content

  • FileCourse Navigation Instructions
  • PageMeet your Instructor!
  • FolderBackground Info: Graded Approach to QAPPs
  • ForumAnnouncements
  • ForumIntroduce Yourself Here
  • QuestionnaireIdentify Your QAPP Needs
  • PageGuest Speaker - Pamela Atcitty (Morongo Band of Mission Indians)
  • FolderFiles that may be useful as you write your QAPP
  • URLLink to the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR)
  • URLLink to TAMS Online Library
  • FileQAPP Shell
  • Interactive ContentWatch these before you get started.
  • FileQAPP Quick Start Guide for video explanations below.
  • Interactive ContentVideo explanations for QAPP Elements
  • Interactive ContentQAPP Checklist
  • FolderOzone QAPP Sample
  • FolderResources for QAPP: Ozone
  • Interactive ContentVideo explanations for QAPP Elements
  • AssignmentSubmit your QAPP (portions or completed version) for review
  • Interactive ContentQAPP Checklist
  • LabelAfter you submit your QAPP, complete the Reflectiv...
  • FolderPM2.5 QAPP Sample
  • FolderResources for QAPP: Particulate Matter 2.5
  • Interactive ContentVideo explanations for QAPP Elements
  • AssignmentSubmit your QAPP (portions or completed version) for review
  • Interactive ContentQAPP Checklist
  • LabelAfter you submit your QAPP, complete the Reflectiv...
  • FolderPM2.5 Filter QAPP Sample
  • FolderResources for PM2.5 Filter QAPP
  • Interactive ContentVideo explanations for QAPP Elements
  • AssignmentSubmit your QAPP (portions or completed version) for review
  • Interactive ContentQAPP Checklist
  • LabelAfter you submit your QAPP, complete the Reflectiv...
  • FolderPM10 QAPP Sample
  • FolderResources for PM10 QAPP
  • Interactive ContentVideo explanations for QAPP Elements
  • AssignmentSubmit your QAPP (portions or completed version) for review
  • Interactive ContentQAPP Checklist
  • LabelAfter you submit your QAPP, complete the Reflectiv...
  • FolderMeteorological QAPP Sample
  • FolderResources for QAPP: Meteorological
  • Interactive ContentVideo explanations for QAPP Elements
  • AssignmentSubmit your QAPP (portions or completed version) for review
  • Interactive ContentQAPP Checklist
  • LabelAfter you submit your QAPP, complete the Reflectiv...
  • FolderRadon QAPP Sample
  • FolderResources for QAPP: Radon
  • Interactive ContentVideo explanations for QAPP Elements
  • AssignmentSubmit your QAPP (portions or completed version) for review
  • Interactive ContentQAPP Checklist
  • LabelAfter you submit your QAPP, complete the Reflectiv...
  • AssignmentReflective Writing
  • QuestionnaireCourse Evaluation
  • Custom certificateCertificate of Completion - Writing a Quality Assurance Project Plan