A. The Department of Environmental Quality shall mutually recognize environmental laboratory accreditations issued by The NELAC Institute’s (TNI) primary National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) accreditation bodies without any duplicative actions to determine the laboratory’s conformity to TNI Standards. These actions include, but are not limited to, proficiency testing, quality assurance, and on-site assessment.

B. Mutual recognition does not mean automatic accreditation by the Department or exemption from complying with the Department’s administrative processes.

C. Mutual recognition does not prevent the Department from verifying the accreditation with the primary accreditation body or requiring a laboratory to adhere to applicable laws, rules and normal administrative processes, such as submitting applications and paying fees, so long as the Department does not impose additional requirements concerning proficiency testing, quality assurance, on-site assessment or other matters relating to conformance to TNI Standards.

D. Mutual recognition is limited to the fields of accreditation included in the primary accreditation consistent with the scope of the Department’s laboratory accreditation program. If a laboratory does not hold a primary accreditation in categories requested of the Department, the laboratory must apply for primary accreditation for those categories in Oklahoma.

E. The Department is not required to recognize a primary accreditation or grant secondary accreditation if a law, rule, administrative proceeding or court order precludes or has the effect of precluding the Department from granting accreditation in whole or in part to a laboratory.

F. The Environmental Quality Board is authorized to promulgate rules necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

Added by Laws 2010, c. 56, § 1, eff. July 1, 2010.