United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(3404)
November/December 1996
EPA220-N-96-018
&EPA The Catalyst
Information for Environmental Action
A Service for EPA HQ Staff from the Headquarters Information Resource Center
EPA Rolls Out a New Look!
: i On October;jt 5,1996Tithe Agency roiled out a new front page for the EPA's
home page on the World Wide Web. This new look included several categories "
developed by staff in the Information Resource Center to help the public identify
information; specifically geared to their needs. ,, ,* | :;
Now, with a click of one button, a citizen can find information about what they
can do to help the environment or how the EPA is working in their community. This
effort was |ust the first step in several projects currently on tap for the internet , ~
Librarians at the IRC. Internet Librarians continue to consult with Agency staff on
"their content on the Web; f rain and assist in development of new Web reslqurces;;;: :,
"and: identifying existing resources for inclusion on the Agency's Web structure.
, "I Shortly after the ;new look premiered, the Environmental News Network (ENN)
;:: chose the EPA home page as "Site of the Week" for November 11-17, The new home
page has received accolades from the public as well. •:* j ; ";: j "\ Z
IRC Services Expand
in New Ways
With the addition of Internet
Librarians, the Information Resource Center
has expanded our services to assist Agency
data owners when making their information
available on the World Wide Web. In
coordination with the Internet Services
Center (ISC) and the Public Access Via the
Internet (PAVI) group, Internet Librarians
are offering a suite of services to current
and future data owners on the Agency Web
server.
The Internet Librarians offer an
evaluation and consultation service that
assists data owners in organizing document
collections, available services, and
constituent information before the
information is made available. This process
can occur in concert with design
professionals in the Internet Services Center
so a consistent look and feel is created
between the information and presentation.
The Internet Librarians can evaluate the
flow of information and provide suggestions
to reduce the "clicks" involved in getting
content to the public. The format of
information and the methods of retrieval can
also be evaluated in order to optimize a site
and its value.
For more information, contact the
Headquarters Information Resource Center
at 202-260-5921. *
CD-ROM OWER
The CD-ROM tower has been
unavailable for several weeks due to
hardware problems. The Information ',-/-''•'
Resource Center computer support staff are
working to resolve the problem!? The CDs '
have been pulled from the tower and are
available for use rathe IRC. Don't forget, we
are now open from 8 am to 5pm, Monday
through Friday. We apologize for any '
inconvenience.
EPA Information Resource Center (3404) WSM2904 202-260-5922
-------
Navigating the 'Net! • V-_ ^\'''-..^i^^^Sl
The U.S. EPA Headquarters Information Resource Center announces "Navigating thes
'Net," a training session designed to help environmental professionals throughout the ;V
Agency become familiar with Internet terminology, searching techniques, and environmental
web sites. This class is specifically geared to understanding the EPA web site, and getting ''
familiar with regulatory and legislative sites. Classes are scheduled for January 21, I'
February and sometime in the spring. Call 202-260-6278 fbr more details]» I ,•,',
Book Bites
Cobum, Christopher, ed. Partnerships: A
Compendium of State and Federal Cooperative
Technology Programs. Columbus, OH, Batelle
Press, 1995. Partnerships describes the
numerous government sponsored programs that
work with other branches of government, and
private groups, to promote technological
development. The first section contains a state
by state listing and analysis of government
sponsored technology programs, how they are
funded, and how they interact with other
agencies. The second section looks at several
federal agencies that work with state and local
governments, and other federal agencies to
promote technological development.
John, DeWitt. Civic Environmentalism:
Alternatives to Regulation in States and
Communities. Washington, DC, Congressional
Quarterly Press, 1994. This book examines
some of the alternatives to environmental
legislation in the area of environmental reform.
Legislation can and has worked in dealing with
some problems, but, as explained in John's
book, it hasn't solved all of them. An overview
of what has and hasn't worked in environmental
legislation is given, along with three case
studies of civic actions that brought about
environmental reform. The specific examples
deal with the reduction of agricultural chemicals
in Iowa, the restoration of the Everglades, and
conserving electricity in Colorado.
Bigger Bites
Johnston, Barbara Rose, ed. Who Pays the
Price? The Sociocultural Context of
Environmental Crisis. Washington, DC, Island
Press, 1994. ISBN 1-55963-302-6
A compilation of papers by environmental and
human rights professionals, this book covers
various aspects of human rights denied in the
context of environmental issues. International
in coverage, it catalogs abuses of citizens by
their governments in the name of national
development and national security, as they
relate to environmental issues. Among those
who suffer most severely are the indigenous
populations of underdeveloped countries. The
U.S., however, is not spared scrutiny as the
reports on human guinea pig testing of atomic
weaponry and mining abuses on Native
American lands attest.
The editor begins with a comparison of
the normal early morning routine of her day and
shifts back and forth with the resulting price
paid in other areas for her ordinary
conveniences. Crops grown internationally that
contribute to her breakfast foods come from
areas that represent 20% of the world's
pesticide use but 90% of the reported pesticide-
induced deaths, due to lack of governmental
concern for its poorer workers. The editor
states, "My ability to survive and thrive depends
upon the restriction of other peoples' rights to a
healthy life. The book's purpose is to explore
this differential experience of paying the price."
(P-5)
Each chapter is an individual paper,
complete with postscripts, notes and
references. The contributors and their
affiliations are listed in the back of the book.
The alphabetical index allows for the use of the
book as a reference tool. Many of the reports
are compelling, particularly those describing the
terrible plights suffered by some populations in
South America and Africa. This book will
contribute greatly to one's knowledge of world
environmental issues and the dangers they
pose to human rights.
THE CATALYST NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1996
PAGE 2
-------
Szasz, Andrew. Ecopopulism: Toxic Waste and
the Movement for Environmental Justice.
University of Minnesota Press, 1994.
ISBN 0-8166-2177744-6
Volume 1 of a four volume series entitled
"Social Movement, Protest and Contention," this
book is authored by a professor of sociology
whose particular interest is environmental
sociology. He catalogs a list of the most
pressing environmental problems and suggests
that a new age of environmental politics will
provide the sorely needed answers.
An example of an environmental
success story illustrating the new environmental
politics is the toxic waste story. The remainder
of the book chronicles the evolution of a
movement involving the regulation of toxic
waste. Beginning with the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of
1976, he delineates the social and political
aspects of legislation and discusses why this
particular Act "exacerbated ail the negative
possibilities inherent in a flawed regulatory
design" (p.37). After Love Canal and the
explosion of media coverage, toxic waste
became the public buzz word and political
changes began.
The book is organized in three sections:
"Policy; Icon; Social Movement", "Reaction",
and "Results". In the course of these sections
the author discusses the toxic waste movement
from its origin through to present day, sums up
the impacts of fifteen years of legislation and
defines "environmental populism." AH chapters
have a "Notes" section in the back that names
the sources cited. The Reference section then
provides the full citation to the quoted author.
An alphabetical subject/name Index provides
easy access to pertinent areas. The book
provides an alternative view of regulatory issues
of interest to those who would like a glimpse of
the societal perspective.
These items are available through
the Information Resource Center by calling
202-260-5922 or sending an email message
to LJbrary-HQ. *
A to W of Web Sites
The staff of the Information Resource
Center often rely on the Internet when
answering reference questions from EPA
staff, contractors, and the general public.
The following are some World Wide Web
sites that we've found particularly helpful
recently.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry "ToxFAQs" http://
astdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov:8080/toxfaq.html
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ASTDR) has assembled chemical fact
sheets on 60 toxic substances which include
information on the substances' chemical properties,
means of exposure, and health effects. The site also
gives a phone number which can be called for more
information.
EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards, Technology Transfer Network
Proposed New Smog (Ozone) and
Particulate Matter Standards Page http://
ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov/naaqspro/ This site
contains helpful information about EPA's proposed,
new air standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter
including the November 27 press release, health and
environmental effects fact sheets, maps showing
areas likely to be affected, regulatory information,
and timelines for implementation.
Island Press http://www.islandpress.com/
Island Press, the leading publisher of environmental
books, provides a complete list of its publications
and activities on this site. Users can browse a
catalog of publications, find out how to order books,
get information on environmental conferences and
read Eco-Compass, the Island Press newsletter.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/
mmwr.html The site contains a searchable index
of the Center for Disease Control's Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from 1993 to the
present and the full text of the publication in PDF
format. The site also includes information on how to
subscribe to the MMWR electronic mailing list, which
enables users to receive the full text of the journal in
PDF or ASCI I format, or just the table of contents of
the journal.
THE CATALYST NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1996
PAGES
-------
A tO W Of Web Sites (continued)
Recycler's World
http://www.sentex.net/recycle
Recycier's World is an international trading site
which provides information on recycling industry
sectors, including automotive, computer, metals, tire
and rubber, and chemicals recycling, among others.
The site contains company listings, a publications
directory, news, and a discussion forum in which
users can post queries related to the recycling
industry.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered
Species Program http://www.fws.gov/
~r9endspp/endspp.htmI#SPECIES This
site contains information on the Fish and Wildlife's
Endangered Species Program, including lists and
profiles of endangered and threatened species, the
text of the Endangered Species Act, state and
foreign lists, and frequently asked questions. »J*
We've Got You Covered
^
InterlibraryLoan •*, 4
INFOTERRA-Reference
Emalif- " *' ^ *• ( ^
m The Headqiuarters IRC is contractor
^^ ^ v"^ •? V~ ^-^^^ ^^ **
• operated and managed by the Office of -•
Infbnnation Resources
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
(3404)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
THE CATALYST NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1996
PAGE 4
------- |