United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(3404)
December 1994/January 1995
EPA220-N-95-016
&EPA
The Catalyst
Information for Environmental Action
An Information Service for EPA HQ Staff from the Headquarters Library
Announcing
. A New Arrival.
Ecosystem Protection Index (EPI)
A new special collection in the Headquarters Library
The Ecosystem Protection Index (EPI) is a collection of general articles about
ecosystem protection and management It is an attempt to identify relevant information and
we encourage EPA staff to~ provide comments, which will be maintained with the collection.
We also invite suggestions for additional items which might be included.
The EPI Index, a list of articles by category, will be available on the EPA value added
backbone system (VABS) under the heading Place Based News. Copies of the articles are
available in the EPA Headquarters Library. EPI is designed for both scientific and
non-scientific personnel and includes nearly 40 articles about practical applications of
ecosystem management at the federal and local levels, specific ecosystem types, i.e.
wetlands, and coastal and technical issues in ecosystem management. A few books and
journals are also included. Comments and questions about EPI can be sent to Jacques
Kapuscinski or Maisha Reed/OARM/OIRM Program Systems Division or Barbara MacKinnon
(contractor) at the Headquarters Library (email Library-HQ). *
Library Tours
What can the EPA Headquarters Library do for you? Regular monthly
tours provide an overview of services and collections. To find out aboutthe
CD-ROMs that are accessible on the LAN, others'that can be searched In the
Library, interlibrary loan (what it: is and fiow it can ftelp you), research
services, and special collections, come to the Library the first Wednesday of
every month at 11:00 a.m. Tours can also be scheduled at other times for a
group-Call the library at 202-260-5921. *
EPA Headquarters Library (3404) WSM2904 202-260-5922
Printed on Recycled Paper
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Gopher Access to EPA Five-
Year Strategic Plan
EPA Publishes Agencywide Strategic Plan,
also available on Agency Internet Gopher
in July 1994, the Agency published its first-
ever Agencywide strategic plan, 'The New
Generation of Environmental Protection," in both
full-length text and a summary booklet. At the
request of Administrator Carol Browner last year,
the Strategic Planning Task Force was
established to oversee development of the plan,
which was co-chaired by David Gardiner,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Policy Planning
and Evaluation (OPPE), and Jon Cannon,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Administration
and Resources Management (OARM), and
included senior managers from all programs and
regions, and staff support. The full text edition
includes EPA's vision, mission, and goals, seven
guiding principles, links to initiatives, and program
and regional implementation of the seven
principles.
The plan has been delivered to senior EPA
managers, Public Information Centers, and to
most EPA staff. To meet demand, a second
printing of the plan has been ordered. In addition,
an unformatted (ASCII) version of the strategic
p!an is now available on the Agency's main
Internet Gopher. The strategic plan may be found
at the following Gopher path:
EPA Gopher
EPA Initiatives, Policy and Strategy Documents/
EPA's Rve-Year Strategic Plan/
1. EPA's Five-Year Strategic Plan — A Summary/
2. EPA's Rve-Year Strategic Plan — Full Document/
Any or all sections may be read or
retrieved by anyone with Gopher access. As the
Agency's internet capability improves, future
Internet publications of EPA planning and
management documents may contain graphical
information as well, such as maps, photos, and
charts. Questions regarding the plan may be
directed to the Strategic Planning and
Management Division of OPPE.
This article was submitted by Jeff Morin.
Library staff prepared the following
instructions for accessing the Gopher and
downloading the plan:
To access the EPA Gopher from the EPA
Headquarters data switch main menu, select
"Gopher" at the first prompt. Type "wicnet," and
select menu choice 1. The EPA Gopher main
menu will appear. Follow the above path to find
the EPA Five-Year Strategic Plan.
The user can either read the selected
information on the screen, download the
information to a computer disc or hard drive, or
mail it to an email box. To download information,
follow the menu bar at the bottom of the screen.
Select "D" to download. A menu of several
choices will appear:
Ymodem
Xmodem— 1K
Xmodem — CRC
Kermit
Text
By selecting "text" the user will be able to
download the document after turning on the
capture function (available with the Crosstalk
software). The next prompt will ask the user to
prepare to download — press the ESC key to
activate the menu bar and then type "capture "
a:\EPA5yr" (or another suitable file name). The
menu bar will change color to indicate that the
capture function is now on. By pressing the enter
key, the selected document will begin scrolling. At
the end of the document, turn the capture off by
again pressing the ESC key to activate the menu
bar and typing "capture off"; the document will be
saved to a:\EPA5yr.
To mail the document to an email address,
while in the document select "m" to mail. A box
will appear into which to type the destination email
address. Example: DOE.JOHN@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV.
When finished viewing the EPA Gopher,
type "q" to quit and continue to exit the
communication software.
If the document was downloaded, it can be
retrieved into WordPerfect and the margins
changed to "0" to make the document more
readable.
Shazam! Easy access to the EPA's Five-
Year Strategic Plan and a quick introduction to
one type of information available through the EPA
Gopher. *
THE CATALYST DECEMBER 1994/JANUARY 1995
PAGE 2
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The Hazardous Waste Superfund Collection Returns!!!
The former Hazardous Waste Superfund Collection has reopened for business and we
would like to invite you to visit us and take advantage of our services.
The department has a new name—Hazardous Waste Superfund Information Center
(HWSIC). The staff consists of a full time librarian, Fabienne McGovern (contractor); a part
time librarian, Jill Mottorn (contractor); and an abstractor/technician, Stephanie Doty
(contractor).
The Information Center maintains a collection of documents dealing with hazardous
waste issues and the Superfund program. Bibliographic records of these documents are
accessible through EPA's Online Library System (OLS) on the mainframe at 919-549-0720
(300-9600 baud, 1 stop bit, 7 data bits, even parity.)
The collection is made up of the following categories:
Commercial books
Toxicologica! profiles and health assessment documents relating to contaminants at Superfund sites
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) Directives
Records of Decision (RODs) for Superfund sites
Other EPA publications
In addition to helping people find books on hazardous waste or Superfund issues, we offer the
following services:
Provide videos and journals dealing with hazardous waste and/or Superfund issues;
Create subject oriented bibliographies using OLS, selected CD-ROM databases, including CHEM-BANK,
Environment Abstracts, or the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) Database;
Provide training in database searching;
Refer people to appropriate sources of EPA documents, including hotlines and clearinghouses, the
National Center for Environmental Publications and Information (NCEPI), and NTIS; and
Create current awareness services for EPA employees, featuring electronically disseminated tables of
contents for subject oriented journals, including titles not currently held in the EPA Headquarters
Library.
Please feel free to contact the HWSIC staff for your information needs! We are open to visitors
10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., Monday through Friday—but our phones are always open to you!
Fabienne McGovern, Librarian Jill Mottorn, Librarian Stephanie Doty, Library Technician
202-260-5934 202-260-3102 202-260-2977
mcgovern.fabienne@epamail.epa.gov mottorn.jill@epamail.epa.gov doty.stephanie@epamail.epa.gov *
THE CATALYST DECEMBER 1994/JANUARY 1995
PAGE 3
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Author, Author!
Agency employees
recently published books and articles. The
authors and titles of published works are
listed below:
Freeman, Harry, Chief of the Pollution
Prevention Research Branch, Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory, Cincinnati (513-569-
7529), Industrial Pollution Prevention
Handbook, McGraw Hill, New York. This
book, edited by Freeman, consists of 53
chapters that address pollution prevention
from many perspectives. It is available
through the EPA Library.
. Wolbarst, Anthony, Section Chief,
Radiation Studies Division, Office of Radiation
and Indoor Air, Office of Air and Radiation
(WSM3401), Physics of Radiology, Appleton
and Lange/Simon and Schuster.
If you have written or edited a journal
article or book, please let us know by sending
the information to The Catalyst, 3404 or email
Library-HQ. *
Selected Recent Additions to
the Headquarters Library
Collection:
Books:
Beyond the Numbers, a Reader on
Population, Consumption, and the
Environment, edited by Laurie Ann Mazur.
Island Press, 1994 HB871.B446 1994
Climate Action Report, Submission of the
United States of America Under the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change. U.S. Government Printing Office,
1994. QC981.8.C5C5351994
A "snapshot" of the current U.S.
program, identifying existing policies and
measures as a basis for considering future
actions.
Encyclopedia of Environmental Information
Sources, ed. by Sarojini Balachandran.
Gale Research Inc., 1993 REF Z5863.P7E54
"A subject guide to about 34,000 print
and other sources of information on all
aspects of the environment."
Risk Assessment of Essential Elements, ed.
by Walter Mertz, et al. International Life
Sciences Institute Press, 1994.
RM218.7.R57.1994
Includes discussions of public health
perspectives, the National Research Council
recommended dietary allowance and the
Environmental Protection Agency reference
dose and case studies on zinc, selenium,
chromium, manganese, and arsenic.
Saving Nature's Legacy, Protecting and
Restoring Biodiversity, by Reed F. Noss and
Allen Y. Cooperrider, Island Press, 1994
QH76.N67
In the first three chapters the authors
lay the groundwork for biodiversity
conservation. They then discuss methods for
inventorying biodiversity and selecting areas
for protection. Forests, rangelands, and
aquatic ecosystems are discussed, followed
by issues of monitoring and future priorities.
UNIX in a Nutshell, System V edition, a
Desktop Quick Reference, Revised and
Expanded for SVR4 and Solaris 2.0, by
Daniel Gilly and the staff of O'Reilly &
Associates, Inc. O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.,
1992. IRM QA76.76.O63U5453 1992
THE CATALYST DECEMBER 1994/JANUARY 1995
PAGE 4
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More Selected Additions to the
Headquarters Library collection:
EPA Publications:
Office of Administration and Resources
Management:
777e Cookbook, How to Get Contracts
Awarded in EPA. November 1993,
MGM EPA/202/B-93/002
Office of Enforcement:
Enforcement Accomplishments Report, FY
1993. April 1994,
EPAX9011-0005 FY 1993
Office of Research and Development:
Estimating Exposure to Dioxin-Like
Compounds, Volume I: Executive Summary.
External Review Draft, June 1994,
EPA/600/6-88/005Ca
Health Assessment Document for 2,3,7,8-
Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin (TCDD) and
Related Compounds, Volume III of III.
External Review Draft, August 1994,
EPA/600/BP-92/001C, v.3
Research, Development, and Technical
Services at EPA: A New Beginning, Report to
the Administrator. Agency-Wide Steering
Committee, July 1994, EPA/600/R-94/122
Strategy for Environmental Health Research
at EPA, by Ken Sexton and Lawrence W.
Reiter. December 1990. EPA/600/9-90/053
The intent of the authors is to "lay out a
strategic health research plan that is
responsive to EPA's regulatory needs, but.
also consistent with the underlying scientific
issues."
Technical Assistance Directory (Revised).
September 1993 EPA/600/K-93/006
Includes an organization chart for the
Office of Research and Development (ORD),
descriptions of the various programs and the
people who are responsible for them.
Office of Water:
Developing Successful Runoff Control
Programs for Urbanized Areas, August 1994.
EP A/841/K-94/003
Office of Wastewater Management:
A Plain English Guide to the EPA Part 503
Biosolids Rule, September 1994.
EPA/832/R-93/003
Other government publications:
The Information Infrastructure: Reaching
Society's Goals. Report of the Information
Infrastructure Task Force Committee on
Applications and Technology. U.S.
Department of Commerce, Technology
Administration, National Institute of Standards
and Technology. September 1994,
HE7781.154 1994
Other sources:
People of Color Environmental Groups,
1994-1995 Directory, by Robert D. Bullard,
Environmental Justice Resource Center,
1994. REFTD169.6B851994 *
ET
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D
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We've GotYou Covered.
THE CATALYST DECEMBER 1994/JANUARY 1995
PAGE 5
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Transfer by Federal Agencies of Information to the
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Background:" On May 11,1993, NTIS, part of the Department of Commerce, published a
proposed rule (58 FR 27681) to implement Section 108 of the American Technology
Preeminence Act (ATPA) of 1991 (Public Law 102-245). Section 108 of the ATPA requires all
federal agencies to submit to NTIS in a timely manner unclassified scientific, technical and
engineering information (STEI) resulting from federally funded research and development
activities."
On Monday, January 3,1994, the final rule was published in the Federal Register. This
regulation became effective on February 1,1994. "Its purpose is to facilitate public access to
the vast amount of scientific, technical and engineering information that is produced by and for
federal agencies."
"These regulations should significantly expand NTIS's collection of more than two
million printed reports and documents, videotapes, computer software and computerized data
files on tape, diskette, and CD-ROM. Such information can be purchased from NTIS by the
research and development community, business, and the general public. This expansion
should significantly improve public access to STEI and contribute to NTIS's ability to operate
on a self-sustaining basis without appropriations."
The preceding information was excerpted from the actual Federal Register. The exact
citation is 59FR 6, which translates to January 3,1994, pp. 6-12. The following information
was included in a letter from the National Technical Information Service.
When registering reports with NTIS, a registration charge of $20.00, payable to NTIS
should accompany each document. However, the registration charge is waived if eleven good
quality stock copies accompany each document to be registered. Sale of the stock allows
NTIS to recover a portion of the processing cost.
An alternative to individual payment is to open an NTIS deposit account. This account
may also be used to purchase documents from NTIS. There are certain forms which must be
used; they are described in the Handbook of NTIS Services for Federal Agencies which can be
obtained free from NTIS. Any further registration questions may be answered by Frances
Raskin at NTIS at 703-487-4690. According to Pamelia P. Hennessey, NTIS Information
Products Accessions Supervisor, EPA has several people that each program area can contact
about submitting items for NTIS distribution. •*•
THE CATALYST DECEMBER 1994/JANUARY 1995
PAGE 6
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HIV/AIDS Collection
On September 30,1993, President
Clinton issued an executive memorandum to
all Federal Agencies and Departments
mandating that Federal employees attend HIV/
AIDS education and prevention training. In
response to this mandate and the need to
address this public health crisis, EPA has
developed a trainingprogram that is being
delivered in all EPA locations. The training
provides basic information on HIV/AIDS,
modes of transmission, prevention and testing
as well as an overview of the rights of ail
disabled employees.
Recognizing that people learn in a
variety of ways, EPA has established a special
collection of materials on HIV/AIDS. These
materials include brochures from local and
national AIDS service organizations, reference
books, articles and videotapes for those who
wish additional information after attending
training. Please look for this special collection
near the Employee Assistance Collection, (first
aisle, 5th range on the right) in the
Headquarters Library. The videotapes will be
kept at the Circulation Desk. *•
11th Annual EPA Conference on
Statistics. February 27-March 2, 1995,
Williamsburg, VA. Snsoedpy the
Division and EPA's Statistical Policy Advisory
Committee. This is a low cost conference
which qualifies as a training session. Bus
service at no cost to EPA employees from
Washington, DC and Research Triangle
Park, NC. For more information contact: Pat
Wilkinson at 202-260-5477 or fax
202-260-4968.
Low-and No-VOC Coating Technologies
2nd Biennial International Conference.
March 13-15, 1995, Durham, NC. Sponsored
by U.S. EPA Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park, NC. For more information contact:
Michael Kosusko at 91 9-541 -2734 or fax
919-541-0359.
17th National Industrial Energy
Technology Conference and Energy
Manager's Workshop. April 5-7, 1995,
Houston, TX. U.S. EPA Climate Change
Division is one of the 9 sponsors. For more
information, contact: Susan Swanson,
Conference Coordinator, at 409-862-2291 or
fax 409-862-2457, or Bill Johnston, Executive
Director, 409-846-0440. *
Conferences,
Meetings,
Symposiums,
Workshops
This is a selected list of meetings and
conferences chosen for their potential interest
to EPA staff. If EPA staff wish to have an
EPA-sponsored event listed here, please
forward the information to The Catalyst, HQ
Library, 401 M St., SW—3404, Washington,
DC 20460 or email Library-HQ.
Reference Inquiries 202-260-5921
Circulation Inquiries 202-260-5922
InterlibraryLoan 202-260-5060
Hazardous Waste-Reference 202-260-59M
INFOTERRA-Reference 202-260-5917
Water-Reference 202-260-8670
Email Library-HQ
The Headquarters Library is
contractor operated and managed by the
Office of Information Resources
Management (OIRM) Information Access
Branch. ' ;
THE CATALYST DECEMBER 1994/JANUARY 1995
PAGE?
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CD-ROM Orientation
Environmental Factor
February 14,1995
9:00 a.m. in the EPA Headquarters Library (Room 2904)
Environmental Factor provides easy access to the National Priorities List (NPL),
Comprehensive Emergency Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System
(CERCLIS) site data, Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) information, and the Records of
Decision (RODs) and Civil Enforcement Docket databases. It is one of the CD-ROMs
available on the Library CD-ROM tower through the local area network (LAN).
Please contact the Headquarters Library Reference Desk at 202-260-5921 or through
All-in-One at Library-HQ to reserve a place. When using email, please include your telephone
number, mail code, office and program. »J»
s/s Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)!!
In November, the Headquarters Library received from
Cambridge Scientific Abstracts the Environmental Impact
Statements for 1991,1992 and 1993 with accompanying cumulative
issues of EIS: Digests of EIS (indexes) and the first two issues of the Digests for 1994. The
microfiche collection now comprises Environmental Impact statements from all federal
agencies, spanning 23 years (1970-1993) and will be updated quarterly. *•
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency (3404)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
THE CATALYST DECEMBER 1994/JANUARY 1995
PAGE 8
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