&ERA Publication Management
Volume 1
Standards And Requirements
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Publication Management
Volume 1
Standards And Requirements
Questions or comments concerning the production of non-technical EPA publications
should be directed to: the Deputy Director of the Publications Division, Office Of
Communications And Public Affairs (A-107). Specifics on publishing technical
documents can be obtained from the Centerfor Environmental Research Information.
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Introduction
This booklet describes the regulations
and standards governing the manage-
ment and production of publications
produced for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. It also contains
guidelines and general information to
assist in the efficient creation of top-
quality publications.
Indudfd Publications
Unless otherwise indicated herein, these
regulations and standards apply to all
Agency publications including but not
limited to:
* Technical documents
* Pamphlets and booklets
* Fact sheets
* Reports to Congress
* Instructional manuals
* Posters
* Bumper stickers
* Pins and buttons
* Catalogs
* Periodicals
* Announcements
These regulations and standards
need not be applied to such administra-
tive documents as internal directives,
RFPs, and correspondence. (See EPA
Order 2200.4A for complete list of
exemptions from EPA's Publication
Review Procedure.)
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Contents
Introduction
Included Publications 1
OCPA & You
Services . 2
Responsibilities 2
Steps To Top-Quality Publications 3
Authorities 3
Terminology 4
Agency Standards
The Graphic Standards System
Program Identifiers
Typography And Layout
Format Chart
Layout Grids And Cover Elements
Writing Style
EPA Requirements
Disclaimers 22
Mailing Labels 23
Funding 23
Printing Regulations
Printing Defined 25
Who May Print 25
Use Of Contractors And Grantees 25
Penalties For Violations 25
Maillng-Ust Validation 25
Bylines 26
Contractor/Grantee Names 26
Recycled Printing Paper 26
Use of Color 27
Illustrations, Etc. 27
Printing Request Form 28
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OCPA & You
Services
The Publications Division within the
Office of the Associate Administrator
for Communications and Public Affairs
(OCPA), is staffed with specialists who
have the expertise and equipment to
turn your text into professional-caliber
publications for optimal communication
of your message.
Our editors can work with you to
achieve just the right tone and level of
writing while maintaining proper gram-
mar and conforming to Agency style.
Our design and production team can
provide the correct look and feel to
maximize your message's impact while
maintaining EPA's corporate image
When contract work is called for, we
can arrange it or help you evaluate
outside proposals. In consultation with
other OCPA communications experts,
we can assist in the planning, the
processing, the marketing; and the
evaluation of your publication.
In other words, the Publications
Division is a full-service operation.
capable and eager to atatatte cUeot>
along virtually every stay tf At way
towards creating effecitvavteary, and
top-quality publication**
Our clients generally discover that
OCPA's services in planning, editing,
design, illustration, layout, typesetting,
and marketing are an inexpensive (if
not free) and superior alternative to
having the work done by private con-
tractors. Another plus is the guarantee
that the results will comply with all
regulations and standards; thus helping
to avoid last-minute delays in printing.
If you have a message to commu-
nicate, give OCPA a call. If a publi-
cation seems the best vehicle for the
message, the Publications Division is
ready and willing to provide profes-
sional assistance.
Responsibilities
OCPA is charged with ensuring that
die Agency's communication efforts are
coordinated, comprehensive, and
credible. The Publications Division has
been given the task of seeing mat the
needs of the public for printed infor-
mation are met while ensuring consis-
tency and preventing duplication. The
Division also carries out OCPA's task of
implementing and managing the
Graphics Standards System.
Your attention to the Agency's
needs and your cooperation with
OCPA's tasks are critically needed and
greatly appreciated.
For each and every non-technical
publication produced throughout the
Agency, the Publications Division
carries out OCPA's responsibility for:
• Ensuring that the tone and level of
writing is suitable for the intended
audience
• Ensuring that the writing is in
accordance with Agency style and
accepted rules of grammar and
usage.
• Determining if the whole package
adds up to effective communication.
• Confirming that sufficient reviews
have taken place to support confi-
dence in the publication's accuracy.
• Ensuring that the production process
is cost effective and that any use of
contractors is warranted.
Since resources are always limited,
the level of scrutiny applied to various
publications will vary. Generally, the
wider the distribution and the more
critical the issues covered, the more
complete will be OCPA's editorial
participation.
The time to accomplish this
work—one to two weeks, depending oh
size and complexity—must be
considered when the publication is first
planned. While the Publications
Division will make every effort to meet
unexpected deadlines, a document will
not be granted exemption from review
simply because "there isn't time."
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Steps To Top-Quality Publications
1. Decide on form, message, audience, and desired impact.
2. Consult with your AA's/RA's Publication Review Officer and other
communications staff. Once concept is agreed upon, discuss with
OCPA Communication Strategists and with the communication
specialists in other EPA programs. (Weekly meetings provide one
forum for such information exchanges.)
3. Research to obtain all necessary data and policy.
4. Write the first draft In some cases, the Publications Division staff
can assist in the writing.
5. Edit and rewrite to achieve an accurate and professional text From
this point on, dose coordination with the Publications Division is
essential.
6. Design a format that makes sense for the message, the audience,
the distribution method, and your budget
7. Illustrate with photographs and artwork that communicate clearly and
please the eye.
8. Typeset for economy, and readability.
9. Paste up the layout to aesthetically fill the pages.
10. Proof the assembled mechanicals.
11. Circulate for review by all concerned parties.
12. Compile lists for dtaMbutfon.
13. Document that ilJMMfn and approvals have been completed.
14. Complete forms n|pNd for printing.
15. Deliver the camera copy to EPA Printing Management
16. Announce the publication's availability and market as appropriate.
17. Monitor response and distribution to evaluate usefulness and predict
need for reprints.
Authorities
EPA Order 1110.23B, January 24,1974
(OCPA organization and functions)
EPA Order 1015.2A, December 27, 1973
(Graphic Standards System)
EPA Communications Manual, August 3,
1979
EPA Order 2200.4A and Memo, August
7, 1984 (Publication Review Procedure)
EPA Order 1510.1 and Memo, June 24,
1987 (Communication Strategy
Document)
Administrator's Memorandum,
February 27,1989 (Role of OCPA)
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Terminology
Banner
The name and logo of a periodical
which appears boldly across the top of
the first page or cover. (This term is
often con/used with "masthead.")
Bleed
To trim the margins of a printed page
so as to cut into the printed area.
Call-Out
A short quote from the text, printed in
larger type and placed within or
around the actual text Used to
intrigue the reader or to make a page
full of type look less forbidding.
Camera-copy
The mechanicals and accompanying art
and photographs which are ready to
send to the printer.
Caption
A word or brief phrase, usually in bold
or headline type, placed above a
photograph or other illustration a> a
label (Compare to Cutttafc)
Colophon
An inscription giving Cacto about the
physical production of a publication:
typefaces, presses, paper, etc. (The term
can also mean a printer's or publisher's
identification mark.)
Outline
A descriptive phrase or sentenced),
usually in small or italic type, placed
under or beside a photograph or other
illustration.
Display Type
Heads, subheads, captions, cudines,
call-outs, illustration labels, and any
other type that is not part of the main
body of text Rules of punctuation and
grammar are often different for display
type.
Drop Cap
An enlarged letter at the beginning of a
block of text It is set into the copy and
aligned with the top of the text
Dummies
Preliminary drawings or layouts
showing the position of illustration*
and text as they an to appear in the
final publication.
Foreword (Nmr 'Forward')
(Sat Preface.)
Galleys
The continuous sheet of text returned
from the typesetter, which is cut into
columns and used to create mechanic-
als.
Gutter
The area where two pages of a
publication join at the binding edge.
Halftones
Reproductions of photographs or
drawings through use of a screen pat-
tern to show shading (as opposed to
"line art").
Head-to-head
The text on the front and back of a
sheet is aligned in the same direction.
Impression
The result of one complete motion/
cyde of a printing press. Depending
on the size of the press and the
dimensions of the page, one impression
can be from one to four or more pages.
Introduction
That part of the front text mat gives the
background, importance, and/or
overview of the subject of the publica-
tion. (Compare to Preface.)
Ligature
Two or three typeset characters linked
to create a single letterform.
Example—fll
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Masthead
A box giving advertising and sub-
scription rates and listing the names
and titles of those involved in the
publication of a periodical. Some use
this term as a synonym for "banner."
(In early newspapers it was placed at
the top of the first page)
Mechanicals
Exact renderings of the formal layout of
the publication pages, using corrected
galleys of type to fill all copy blocks.
They are the text portion of the camera-
copy.
Mock-up
A stage between dummies and camera-
copy that often uses photocopies of
galleys and rough sketches of artwork.
Orphan
A paragraph's first line isolated at the
bottom of a page of type (See Widow.)
Photostats or Stats
Photographic reprodudkafif mechan-
icals. To achieve the matmrj clarity
and sharpness over the auto plate, a
special camera is required.
Preface
That part of the front text (usually the
first) that gives the why and how of the
publication itself. This term is preferred
to the equivalent "foreword."
Ring Folios
Encircled numbers written in non-
reproducible blue that identify the
actual rage count in a document Often
ring folios will not correspond to the
printed page numbers (folios), as'these
begin after the front matter and/or
vary by chapter.
Runaround
Type set to fit the contour of an
illustration or typographic element
Saddle Stitch
Binding the pages of a publication by
use of staples in the fold of the leaves.
Signatures
Groups of printed sheets, containing
the images of from 4 to 64 pages, which
are folded as one unit to form a section
of a book or pamphlet
Table Of Contents
A list of the main headings and the
page* on which they appear. Should
be labeled simply "Contents." Should
not include front matter items.
Type...
A typeface is determined by its interior
proportions, relative line widths, and
overall design. Typefaces are referred to
by "brand" names such as Palatine and
Helvetica. Type fonn refers to distor-
tions of a typeface—such as Extra
Condensed or Extended, and angle—
Roman or Italic (The latter character-
istic is also known as type "posture.")
Type weight means the general thick-
ness of the letters' structural lines, such
as light, medium, and demibold. Type!
families are rather arbitrary categories
of similar typefaces (and all of their
different forms and weights) such as
Modern, Script, Text, and Special.
Typesetting
The process of placing proportionally
spaced type on a page using high-
quality photo-composition equipment
The result usually saves space while it
improves readability. Recently, the
term has come to be applied to propor-
tional laser printing.
Widow
A paragraph's last line isolated at the
top of a page of type. (See Orphan.)
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Agency Standards
Tht Graphic Standards Systtm
In the mid-1970s, EPA worked with the
public relations firm of Chennayeff it
Geismar Associates to design a high-
quality, unified, contemporary look for
the Agency. The resulting Graphic
Standards System was issued in 1977.
The system was created for three
main reasons:
• Agency management saw a need for
a single graphics approach to EPA
publications to help eliminate the
"patchwork" image resulting from
the Agency's formation from many
separate federal offices.
• Documents were often published
with design and typography not up
to current professional standards,
reflecting poorly upon the Agency.
• The Government Printing Office was
encouraging all federal departments
to standardize the size and format
of their publications.
EPA's design package ha* long been
displayed by GPO as an ideal system.
The thoughtfulness whkfc wvjaft into its
development is evident BMto A» re-
markably little revision nejafesd since
1977. The lasting value ajj •» design
was proven in 1988, when the system
won top honors in the Presidential De-
sign Awards sponsored by the National
Endowment for the Arts.
The value of the Graphic Standards
System lies in its assurance of a high
quality and uniform appearance for all
EPA publications. It is not intended to
inhibit creativity or stand in the way of
meeting special needs or applications.
Should your requirements necessitate a
departure from the standards, the
Publications Division will work with
you to create acceptable alternatives.
Official Statui
Of Tha Graphic Standard*
EPA Order No. 1015.2A states, in part
34. Tht Agency will utt the Agen-
cy Identifier [logo] an att brochures
and other printed matter.
(Note: This system i* equally
applicable to all Agency publications,
including sdendflc/technical doeu-
«y»n«« ff^A publications for f"**»"«i
3*. That Agency wuJ not utt my
visual identification form other
thai those authorized in this Order,
SJL. Organixttums responsible for
the organiutwn, preparation,
presentation, or appearance of
printed communications or graphic
materialt must comply with preci-
sion* of this Order and appropriate
requirements in the EPA Graphic
Standards System Handbook.
(The term "appropriate" is used to
indicate the exclusion of the
handbook's requirements conceiting
stationery.)
5J>. (1) The Director, Office of
Public Awareness, is responsible for:
The implementation and continuous
management of the EPA Graphic
Standards System, including
supplements and revisions to the
standards Handbook as required;
and (2) The granting or denying of
requests for exceptions to the policy
promulgated in this Order.
Currant Ytrston
The original Graphic Standards System
was presented in approximately 100
pages of directives, suggestions,
examples, and reproducible artwork in
a two-inch, three-ring binder. In this
time of fiscal constraints, the cost of
reproducing and distributing additional
copies of mis colorful publication is
prohibitive The actual text of the
Standards—without the redundancies
and the artwork—is brief enough to fit
in the following few pages. •
Direct quotes from the original text
are reproduced here in italic type form
so that the updates, printed in rotnan
type, can be noted easily.
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Introduction
The graphic identity system for the United
States Environmental Protection Agency
reflects the Agency's intention to communi-
cate a strong, authoritative, and consistent
image.
This manual establishes and delineates
the graphic standards which EPA will
adhere to in all of its visual communica-
tions.
The graphic standards put great
emphasis on the continuity and consistency
of all visual components to help makt EPA
recognizable as a single federal agency.
As this manual coven only the major
needs of the Agency's communications
tasks, it is intended that supplements be
issued periodically to all holders of the EPA
Graphic Standards.
Tht EPA Logo
The central element of the graphic commu-
nications standards is the Agency logo, a
combination of custom-designed letters and
symbol which has been created as a single
unifying element for the Agency's multi-
tude of communications, and is designed to
convey a simple and contemporary image of
the United States Environmental Protection
Agency. The commonly used abbreviation
EPA has been adopted and replaces the
lengthy legal name in areas of primary
visibility.
The accompanying symbol is an integral
element of the primary identification.
Aside from the importance of creating a
memorable image for the EPA itself, the
logo serves to clearly distinguish publica-
tions distributed by the federal agency from
att other environmental agencies on state
and local levels.
The Agency logo, even though it is
composed of two elements, is one unit of
identification. The relationship between the
two elements has been carefutty established.
• The space between them cannot be
altered.
• No alteration in the proportion, sots, or
construction of either element is permis-
swk.
• The logo must always be reproduced in a
single color, never in two or more
colors at once.
• The two elements should appear together
at all times.
• The individual elements should never
appear by themselves.
The integrated form is the only autho-
rised visual identifier of the Agency (with
the exception of the EPA Seal in certain
situations not applicable to publica-
tions). All other symbols and logotypes
that have been developed by the various
regions, programs, or special offices are to
be discontinued.
The height of the letters EPA must be
equal to the cap height of the type being
used.
The letters EPA in the Agency logo
were derived from the typeface Univers
with some modifications in the design of
the individual letters required because of
their fixed relationship. When printing
the Agency logo, utt repros only. [Note:
Copies of the logo suitable for
reproduction (repros) are available from
OCPA.) The initials should not be reset in
normal Univers when they are part of the
Agency logo. The height of the capital
letters corresponds, however, with the
Univers alphabet and allows the logo and
the normal Univers setting to match in
height.
EPAiog, EPAlert, or any other special
designations derived from the EPA initials
an never to be used as they change and .
distort the Agency's correct name both
visually and audibly, and compete with the
Agency logo. All other special names are
to be discontinued.
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Agency Standards
EPA Signature
The EPA signature is the combination of
the logo and its full legal name. lit
application is mainly in print advertising,
television, films, etc. and for all com-
munication components where the standard
grids do not apply.
When using advertising signatures, it is
important that they be placed in a promi-
nent position within the advertisement
format. The signature should align with
columns of text or other graphic and illus-
trative elements whenever possMe, aligning
the £ of the initials and allowing the
Agency symbol to hang out to the left.
Thetogo:
EPA
Covtf Duign
A major design consideration has been the
standardisation of the arrangement of cover
information.
layout standards have been established
to maintain consistency among EPA
publications. The standard layout either
groups together or separates different levels
of information and organizes material both
vertically and horizontally. (See pp. 16,
17, and 20.) All coven and publications
pages have been divided into either one,
two, three, or four vertical columns.
Recurring identification elements (the
full legal name of the Agency, the orig-
inating office [AA or staff] or region, the
producing unlf s mail code, the date of
issue, and the publication number) are
grouped across the top of the publication.
The signature:
Format For
Identification Elements
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
20M-2017.2
June 1988
Region 3
(3PAOO)
Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory
(OHO)
Air And RedMton (ANR-464~
The legal name must always be set in,
three lines as shown, with "United States"
unabbreviated.
The number of the region should be set
in Arabic numerals.
Since space is extremely limited in
some formats, the words "Office Of
should be omitted unless doing so
would imply an individual, i.e. "Office
Of General Counsel"
vvEPA
United States Washington DC 20460
Environmental Protection
Agency
(ExwxJ ruto to btaed)
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The configuration of the words and lines of
titles is a dominant design dement on a
cover. Due to the variation in copy, only
general rules can be specified for their
graphic treatment.
The mandatory specification is that the
title is to be set flush left and ragged right
(unjustified). Attention should be given to
the length of the lines. The breakup of the
words should consider both their meaning
and the resultant shape, avoiding hyphen'
ation whenever possible.
Program Identification
To visually differentiate the various
program areas and major activities of
the Agency, the Graphic Standards
System established a separate
identification system that would not
compete with the Agency's logo. This
system consists of a specific color for
each program's use and a band of ban
and lines—oiled the Identifier'—across
the publication's cover at or near the
bottom. Use of the system is optional,
but no other identification symbols
were/are allowed.
The option of using specific
"program" colors never found favor
within the Agency. (Today, colon are
chosen according to their appropriate-
ness to the subject matter and the
accompanying artwork.) Changes in
the Agency's organization sometimes
require adjustments in the identification
system. As any new Identifier is a
change to the Graphic Standards
System, offices desiring new or updated
Identifiers should contact the Publica-
tions Division, OCPA, for assistance
and approval.
Subordinate offices within programs
that have established Identifiers cannot
have Identifiers of their own. A consis-
tent image for such offices, or for
activities within such offices, can be
achieved by using common illustrations
on publication covers. These illustra-
tions must not have the appearance of a
logo or symbol, and must be large
enough not to compete with the
Agency's identification system. Offices
art asked to consult with GCPA before
initiating the design of any such
illustration.
Pagt Format
A number of specific sizes have been
adapted for all pamphlets, leaflets, and
booklets to accommodate standard
paper sizes. For each of the standard
publication formats, a grid system has
been established for both covers and
inside layouts. The interrelationship
between logo, typography, and other
design elements is of utmost
importance in maintaining a visual
balance and continuity throughout all
of EPA's publications.
The grid systems are designed to
accommodate all standard layout
requirements established for EPA and
allow for design flexibility of other
design elements. The grid systems
should be used at all times as layout
guides for preparing artwork. They are
not intended to restrict design
creativity, but to facilitate and assist the
complex task of the designer and to
improve production efficiency.
Four formats were established by
the original Graphic Standards System.
On* of these, the 8V4* x 8Vf -Special
format,* is no longer used by EPA due
to its excessive use of paper. The
remaining three formats—8V4" x 11",
SH' x W, and 4" x 9"—represent the
most efficient use of printing-press
paper and should not be deviated from.
Documents intended for photo-
copying by recipients for further
distribution should be designed on the
8W x 11" grid. .
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Program Identifiers:
Idantifom in thia column ara aligned two inchM above the bottom Identifier* in thia column are aligned to bleed across th« bonom
of tha paQ«. of th« page.
'/A
Tone SuHuncn
Sup«i4wd
RUk CongnunKinoa
art 50^>«rc*nt rtductiona. In actual UM, all id«nttfi«r» must b« two inchM in haight)
'5
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Agency Standards
Typography And Layout
The following specifications are
designed to achieve maximum read-
ability, as well as consistency with
other EPA publications.
Justification
Any column of type may be set
ragged-right To avoid excessive
word-spacing, right-justification
should be used only if the columns
are wider than 14.0 picas.
Hyphenation
For unjustif ed type, avoid end-of-line
hyphens except when necessary to
prevent long words from causing
extremely short lines. In any case,
minimize hyphenation to the extent
feasible and never allow more than
two successive lines to end with
hyphens.
Vartical MM (Ones)
In the 1800s, newspapers were forced
to use vertical rules to lock their type
into the cylinder of the priHtag
press. Nowadays, wtaem to proper
guide is followed, the oee of vertical
rules to divide column* of type is
unnecessary and is best avoided.
White Space
Liberal use of white space or "air"
(blank areas on the page) is encour-
aged whenever aesthetics, budget,
and printing constraints allow.
Typeface, Cover
The standard typeface for tide and
heads is Unroers. This typeface
establishes t contemporary appearance
and meets the specific requirements of
simplicity and versatility. Among the
outstanding virtues of Unwers is its
clarity in small size, its even
appearance, and its well-designed
individual characters.
Main titles or titles of series are
always set in Unwers Bold, with the
Agency logo and titles matching cap
height. Subtitles are set in Univers
Medium, in the same size as main tides.
The identification elements at the top are
set in Unwers Light. If Unwers 0 un-
available, similar weights of Helvetica
may be substituted.
Typeface, Text
Studies show mat about two-thirds of
all readers prefer serif typefaces over
sans-serif designs. Since serif faces
atop have a somewhat greater
legibility, they should be used for the
main body of text EPA publications
are generally typeset in the Palatino
typeface. Computer /laser-printed
materials will probably be most
legible if produced using Charter,
Ludda, or Stow—typefaces designed
specifically to maximize legibility at
the 300-dot-per-inch resolution of the
common laser printer. This manual
is set in Palatino (printed on a 1000-
dpi laser printer).
Typeface, Display
Heads, subheads, captions, and
cutiines may simply be set in varying
sizes and weights of the body type,
or a sans-serif type (preferably
Univers, but Helvetica is acceptable)
may be used. Univers is also
recommended for labeling charts,
graphs, and similar illustrations.
Type Case, Form, And Weight
The text should be set in caps and
lower case. Tides, sub-tides, and
heads should have the initial letter 4
each word capitalized—including "a,
"of," "the," etc This eliminates
uncertainty and die need to reset
when line lengths are changed.
Use all caps only for unusual and
extreme emphasis or to denote an
acronym.
Most text should be set in a
medium weight while words or
phrases to be emphasized due to
dietr importance to die content
should be in boldface. Italics may be
used to signify quotes, cite tides, or
to put die correct emphasis on a
word for clarity of meaning.
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Agency Standards
Covtr Type St»
For 4" x 9" and 5-H" x W4" coven the
tides should be set in 24 point and the
identification elements in 8 point For
8-Vi" x 11" covers the titles should be 30
point and the identification elements in
9 point For periodicals, up to 4&-point
type may be used. Tide typesizes may
be increased somewhat to keep
extremely short tides from "getting lost"
on die page. Subtitles, especially
lengthy ones, may be set in a smaller
size than the tides.
Body Typa Stoa And Column WMtti
Reference materials, which are meant to
be consulted radier than read at length,
may be set as small as 8-point Type
sizes for heads, cudines, and figures
may vary as proportion and aesthetics
dictate (the most common error is
making display type too large). Other-
wise, me table below shows die proper
type sizes and distance between lines
(leading) for each of die column widths
allowed by die Graphic Standards
System.
Landscape Formats
Avoid using landscape formats
whenever possible. If numerous tables
or columnar materials demand a
landscape orientation, die margins and
columns will be dictated by the form of
die data. Covers for landscape booklets
follow the same pattern as 8H" x IT
portrait booklets, widi die tide
beginning three inches from me left
edge of the paper.
Standard Formats With Recommended Type Sizes
All dirranaion* are in indie* except for those marked a* points.
Page Dimension
Number of Columns
Column Width
Left Margin
Right Margin
Type Size (points)
Leading (points)
Or-WPAd): Primary
WPAdj: Secondary
4x9
1
3.15
OJ
Wr-
it
0.014
0.056
U1
2.25
1.0
025
2
1.55
0.35
035
05
10.5
0.014
0.056
9.5
10
0.007
0.049
5.62x8.75
1
4.22
1.0
U1
3.32
1.5
0.25
2
£31
0.4
0.4
10.5
12
0.021
0.063
10
11.5
0.021
0.063
9.5
10.5
0.014
0.056
3
1.5
0.36
0.36
9.5
10
0.007
0.049
8.5x11
1+1
5.75
1.85
0.35
2
3.7
0.5
2+1
2.83
1.74
0.35
3
2.4
4
1.75
0.5
0.4
11
13
0.028
0.070
10
11.5
0:021
0.063
10
11
0.014
0.056
9.5
10.5
0.014
0.056
9.5
10
0.007
0.049
Gutters between text columns are O.r, between subhead columns and text are 0.15*.
-------
8W'x 11" — Placement Of Cover Elements
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office or Region
(Mail Code)
Main Title
Subtitle
Publication Number
Date
Draft
?/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office or Region
(Mail Code)
Category or
Series Title
Title
Publication Number
Date
-------
8Wx 11" — Layout Grids
I
1 * 1 Column)
3
* *
i
2
T2V, 11 ,1 , * V 35
(2 Columns)
'^
1
3
i
•72* 23 ' , i , *
(2 * 1 ostunwi)
1
23
A, ;
3
»
A, :
17
17
-------
(SCOllMMM)
Top of page.
15
15
JJ_L
15
(4 colwnn*)
•- 2V, 11
11
11
11
Al eolwniM «nd 3 pica* from bottom at peg*
-------
5tt"x 8*" — Ptactment Of Cov* Elements
United States Number
Environmental Protection Date
Agency
Office or Region (Mail Code)
vvEPA
Title
Sub-title
-------
8V — Layout Grids
-9Vi.
.20
3 Column G"fl
2 Column Gnd
1 Column Gnd
witn Title Co.i-nn
-------
4"x 9" — Placement Of Cover Elements
United States Number
Environmental Protection Qate
Agency
. 0"'C° or Seg:cn (Mail Codei
&EPA Title
Sub-title
-------
4" x 9" — Layout Grids
3Vt
All diagrams are drawn to
scale using pica measurements
V/K
2 Column Grid
1 Column Gnd with Tit'e Column
1 Column Grid
-------
20
Writing Style
The rules given here are based on the
GPO and/or Associated Press style
books, with some modifications
stemming from either common sense or
personal eccentricities (depending upon
your level of agreement). They should
be applied consistently in writing and
editing all non-technical publications.
Punctuation
Always use a comma after the second
to last entry in a series.
Dashes should be used sparingly.
They are best employed to set off an
"aside" within a sentence, and should
not b« used to set off a final phrase
unless that phrase is an appetitive or
summary.
When a dash is used—for whatever
purpose—there should be no blank
space before or after it
Do not use a hyphen after an
adverb ending in *1y."
As a general rule (although general
rules are dangerous here) compound
modifiers should be tijjJMMHil a*
required to avoid aaMpJftyl Sample:
"a waste reduction peMUaT to both a
waste program and •jpBttfaB
program, so a hyphe* ft not necessary
to prevent confusion. But "•
hazardous waste program" could be
interpreted as referring to a wast*
program that is dangerous, so a hyphen
is preferred. It is acceptable, however,
to consider the overall context when
judging a term's potential for
ambiguity.
The text following a bullet, or other
graphic device used to set off the
elements of a list, should always begin
with a capital letter and end with a (
period. Do not use semicolons and do -
not put an "or" before the last item. The
only exception is when no bulleted item
is longer than the length of the line, in
which case the periods may be omitted.
The terms "federal," "itate,* "local" and
"tribal" are not capitalized unless they
begin a sentence or are part of an
official tide.
"Agency" is capitalized when it
refers to EPA,
The terms "section* and "article," as
in article 3, section 14, are not capital*
ized.
Unless otherwise specified here,
refer to the GPO StyltManiul for
guidance on capitalization. In partic-
ular, see sections 15 (Chesapeake Bay,
the bay), 3.19,335, and 3.44.
^Abbreviations
As a noun, always spell out "United
States." As a modifier, "U.S." is
acceptable (but not in the Agency's
ne on covers and title pages).
.Always use the two-letter poital
code abbreviations when abbreviating
state names. No periods: "NY" not
"N.Y." Note, however, that abbrevia-
tion is only appropriate in long lists
and addresses.
"Southwest" is one word; it is
abbreviated "SW." with only one
period. Ditto for all compasi points.
Do not use "St" unless you are
referring to a saint
Numerals
Single digit numbers (lower than 10)
are spelled out unless they are used
with measurement symbols or abbrevi-
ations: 5*, 6 mph, etc Double digit
numbers (greater than nine) are
expressed in digits unless they begin a
sentence; but such sentence structures
should be avoided whenever feasible.
The numbers of EPA regions are
expressed in Arabic numerals, not
Roman.
Do not number items in a list unles
the number signifies an absolute value
or meaningful sequence, or unless you
frequently will need to refer back to
specific items; otherwise, use bullets or
other graphic devices.
-------
TltiM
For darity, consistency, and in view of
the needs of bibliographic databases,
titles should be restricted to two levels:
one main title followed, if required, by
one sub-titla In references, the division
between main and sub-title is signified
by a colon; on covers it is indicated by
spacing down one line and shifting to a
lighter weight (and sometimes a
smaller size) of the same typeface.
Also for purposes of darity and
easy reference, one of the key words in
the title should be at the beginning or
as near as feasible. Therefore, such
phrases M "Report To Congress" and
"Guide To Federal Activities" should be
placed as sub-tides rather than used to
begin the main title.
Msctilanaous Styto
Labels for illustrations, tables, and Us*
do not require the obvious descriptions
("photograph,- "table," "list," et^
Especially, do not write Table of
' Contents."
Use the artide V i
pronounced "h," For i
history of an heir.
The first use of a f
measurement should be written "XX
degrees Fahrenheit" (or Celsius, not
centigrade). Further references to the
same scale are written "XX "F" or
"XX •C". Note the thin space (about
0.02") between the digit and the degree
symbol.
Spell out "percent" (one word). Be
sure to hyphenate When using as a
modifier "five percent of the populace"
but "a 40-percent reduction."
The pronouns "we," "us," and "our"
should only be used to designate the
Agency or a part thereof. Do not use
them to mean a combination of the
reader and author, as in "Let us examine
the facts'
Avoid long sedes of modifiers
(more than two) by re-writing.
Example 'Leaking underground storage
tank regulation implementation plan *
would be considerably easier to grasp if
written "A plan to implement regulations
covering underground storage tanks that
leak.'
Sptdfic Torms
EPA, not the EPA. Also, do not spell
out "Environmental Protection Agency"
in articles for the EPA. Journal
Our environment consists of what
surrounds us: air, water, trees, etc The
"earth's environment" likewise consists
of what surrounds the earth: planets,
stars, cosmic dust, and the like.
The term "waste" is essentially
plural Do not add an "s" unless you
are writing of different types. For
instance: "hospital waste ii composed of
various dangerous items," but, "solid and
liquid wastes differ in important respects. *
The noun is "cleanup," the verb
form is "clean up," and the adjective is
"clean-up."
To "dispose" means to arrange,
incline, or set in readiness, as in "The
on-xme-coordinator will dispose the clean
up crew on the site." If you want to get
rid of something, you must "dispose
of it—even if you must thereby end a
sentence with a preposition.
Commonly Misused Words
Despite the leniency of some
dictionaries, clarity and consistency
demand that "may" be used only to
signify permission, not as a
for "can" or "might"
Be careful of using "which" in place
of "that" "Which" is a parenthetical
modifier telling something about the
subject that is not absolutely necessary
to the communication: "The project,
which is six weeks overdue, is still with
the contractor. * "Thar* provides a
necessary definition or restriction: "Let'-
review the project that is six weeks over-
due.'
Do not begin a sentence with
"However" unless you mean it in the
sense of: "However we do it, they won't
like it* Using the term in the midst of
a sentence, however, is permissible.
-------
EPA Requirements
Disclaimers
As a general rule, disclaimers are not
required for publications in which EPA
is informing the public or indicating
environmentally preferable procedures.
Both OCPA and the Office of General
Counsel strongly discourage statements
that attempt to absolve EPA of any
responsibility for the "usefulness" of a
publication.
In documents, such as conference
proceedings, that include articles by
non-EPA individuals expressing their
own opinions, a disclaimer such as the
following should appear.
The material in Mi document hat
been subject to Agency technical
and policy review and approved for
publication as an EPA. report. The
mem expressed by individual
authors, however, art their own and
do not necessarily reflect than of
the US. Environmental Protection
Agency.
All draft documents require a dis-
claimer. That disclaimer should state
that the document is 10 etafc «bould
not be quoted or dta^[(Bp DM not
been subject to recj^M^lRfc policy
and/or technical revlftK h addition,
the disclaimer should radiate whan me
report is scheduled to be released in
final, official form.
For technical and scientific articles
which are based on EPA-supported
work and published in professionally
peer-reviewed (refereed) journals, a
statement should be prominently
displayed that the work on which the
article is based was "supported in
whole, or in part, by the V.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
under contract/grant/cooperative
agreement/inter-agency agreement
number ."
In those rare instances where a
document cannot be brought up to
Agency standards and yet is in final
form/ an explanatory disclaimer is
called for. It should state that the
document had been subject to Agency
technical and policy review but failed
to meet Agency standards for
publication as an EPA document In
addition, some explanation for the
shortcomings must be included. The
explanation should discuss the technical
shortcomings (e.g., the monitoring
equipment was improperly calibrated)
rather than procedural issues (e.g., the
grant, or grantee, expired.)
For material produced for
independent publication by an
employee on his or her own time and
using no EPA resources, no disclaimer
is necessary unless that employee's
relationship to EPA is mentioned. In
the latter case, a disclaimer should stac
that the views expressed are those of
the authors) and do not necessarily
reflect those of EPA.
In all cases where particular cotnpa
nies, trade or service names, product
names, or other commercial references
are dted, a disclaimer such as the
following is essential
Mention of trade names, products,
or services does not convey, and
should not be interpreted as convey-
ing, official EPA approval, endorse-
ment, or recommendation.
-------
Mailing-Labels
When space and format allow, OCPA's
layout artists can set up a publication
so that it can be mailed without being
placed in an envelope.
To eliminate the need for the Post
Office to cancel and postmark mail, and
to achieve other efficiencies, EPA now
uses the postage-meter system. With
only one exception, all mail leaving the
Agency will be stamped via a postage
meter in the EPA mail room.
The exception is the mailing permit
imprint1- Occasionally, programs ask
for the inclusion of a self-mailer with
EPA's mailing permit number already
imprinted so that the publications do
not need to be individually stamped.
Sclf-mailen can only be used for bulk
mailings of 200 or more copit* or
weighing more than 50 pound* that
are sent from the headquarter* mail
room. If fewer copies of publications
with self-mailers art sent to the mail
room, the mail handlers wffl have to
overlay the imprints wis^ I
stamps. If a contradnt4tl
puts such publicaticmflftaemaiL the
postal service will not ettver them.
All metered-mafl pieces must have a
complete return address in the upper
left corner along with the words
"Official Business, Penalty for Private
Use $300."
Funding
When planning the funding of publica-
tions or audiovisual products, it is often
important to know the appropriation
category of the funds that are to be
used.
Jhe production of publications, TV
public service announcements, photo-
graphs, etc, are deemed management
and administration support items and
are recorded in EPA's finance system as
Salaries and Expenses appropriation
expenditures. Therefore, whenever
funds are transferred to OCPA to cover
such costs, ^V^r^** and Expenses
accounting data most be used
Any questions concerning resource
usage or reimbursement should be
directed to The Director, Office of
Executive Support, Office of the
Administrator.
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24
OMB Controls
On May 11,1922, the precursor to the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) issued a circular numbered A-3
designed to "more effectively manage
the Government's periodicals." In 1981,
OMB Bulletin No. 81-16 and
Supplement No. 1 initiated a control
plan for both periodicals and non-
recurring publications (leaflets,
pamphlets, booklets, etc). Under this
plan, a moratorium on all publishing
could only be lifted if an agency
demonstrated that a satisfactory system
to control publications had been
installed and implemented. The control
system must "be used to monitor and
review periodicals and non-recurring
publications to assure that they are •
necessary in the transaction of the
public business required by law."
Under the latest version of Circular A-3
(May 1985), agendas must continue to
implement the OMB-approved control
system and must submit an annual
report to OMB listing virtually aO
publications, both ptrlftdkalt and non-
periodicals, issued m th> preceding
year. .ev •
-
Should OMB determine that EPA's
control system is not being effectively
implemented, or that periodicals are
being published without prior OMB
approval, or that all publications are
not necessary, it is possible that a new
moratorium could be imposed. Since
such an action by OMB would severely
hamper all EPA units, each office must
be sure that their actions meet both the
letter and the intent of the law. The
simplest way to avoid jeopardizing
everyone's publications program is to
follow the guidelines in this document
and to work doseiy with OCPA from
the inception of each publication.
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25
Printing Regulations
Unless otherwise indicated, all citations
in this section are from Government
Printing and Binding Regulations, pub-
lished by the Joint Committee on
Printing of the United States Congress.
Printing Defined
The term 'printing'... shall be
construed to include and apply to the
processes of .composition [which
includes "electronic character generating
devices"] platemaking, presswork,
binding, and microform." Printing does
not include "duplicating/ copying,"
which is defined as using a duplicating
machine to produce less than "5000
production units of any one page" and
less man "25,000 production units in me
aggregate of multiple pages."
Desk-top publishing (DTP) systems
(and even word-processors) an in-
cluded under the term "composition.''
GPO is currently developing new reg-
ulations to cover such systems. In the
meantime, control of DTP systems has
been left in the hands of each agency's
print shop. At the movplBPA
Printing Management lij»l Involved in
controlling the UM of QflPtyttBts
unless they lead to vfaMm of other
printing regulations. For aedrtance in
using DTP systems to product
program-specific publications
(newsletters, leaflets, etc), consult your
Publications Review Officer of the
Publications Division of OCPA.
Who May Print
"All printing, binding, and blank-book
work [tablets and such] for -. every
executive department [EPA] shall be
done at the Government Printing
Office, except... with the approval of
the Joint Committee on Printing." This
means mat, unless there is prior,
specific approval from Congress, the
publication must be printed through
GPO. EPA's Printing Management
office is considered an extension of
GPO.
Use Of Contractors And Grantees
[35-1] "The inclusion of printing within
contracts ... is prohibited unless
authorized by the Joint Committee on
Printing."
[36-1] The inclusion of printing
within grants is prohibited unless
authorized by the JCP."
[From Public Law 101-163, section
308] No funds "may be obligated or
expended by any entity of the executive
branch for die procurement from
commercial sources of any printing."
[From a letter dated January 25,
1990, from Senator Wendell H. Ford,
Chairman of the Joint Committee on
Printing] These provisions [in Public
Law 101-163] also apply to any
typesetting or other printing services
(including desk-top publishing services)
that may be offered by graphic-design
contractors or any other
service/ support contractors."
Penalties For Violations
Any federal employee who circumvents
these regulations by having a
commercial shop print a document,
either directly or through a contractor
or grantee, or who approves of such an
action, will have committed an illegal
act and can be subject, to civil and
criminal statutes under Tides 18 and 31
of the U.S. Code pertaining to money
and finance laws. In addition, such
violations risk bringing sanctions onto
the Agency that would severely ham£
the publishing process for everyond
MiiimoH-lst Validation
"All departments shall make necessary
revisions to their mailing lists at least
once each year in order to eliminate
waste in government funds caused by
publications being improperly ad"
dressed or mailed to persons no longer
desiring them. This method of revisioi
shall require that persons receiving
publications indicate mat they wish to
continue receiving the publication.
Failure to reply to a mailing-list
revision request shall require the
elimination of the addressee from the
mailing list unless it is necessary in the
conduct of official business to continue
mailing publications to the addressee."
[Section 31]
-------
2«
Printing Reguiations
Byiints
Section 16-1 of the Printing And Binding
Regulations states:
Tht printing of Government
employee' bylina in Government
publications shall be confined to the
authon of tht articles appearing
therm, and to At photographers
who have originated tht pictures
contmud thereat.
The tenn "byline" refers to any
name listed for credit as opposed to
employee names that might be integral
to the text itself. The term "author" can
be legitimately applied only to an
individual who has conceived of, who
created, and who can be held
responsible for a text or section of text
The term "author" cannot be stretched
to cover supervisors, managers,
advisors, and other such "contributors."
Contractor/Gnntt* Nairn*
If a report is generated by a contractor
or grantee and published as such
without Agency endorsement, then the
contractor/grantee's authorship should
be recognized and a proper disclaimer
included on the title page. Otherwise,
all public-oriented materials should be
issued in the name of the Agency and
the authorship should not be confused
by listing contractor/grantee names.
This approach is also consistent with
provision 13 of the Printing and Binding
Regulation, which disallows the
printing of "material which implies in
any manner mat the government
endorses or favors any specific com-
mercial product, commodity, or
service." If it seems appropriate, the
contract or grant number may be
unobtrusively died.
The work of grantees may be ac-
knowledged if their association with a
publication is important to its accept-
ability, image, or distribution.
Rtcydtd Printing Paptr
Under the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act, section 6002, Part 250
(Guideline for Federal Procurement of
Paper and Paper Products Containing
Recovered Materials) federal agencies are
required to use paper containing at
least 50-percent recycled wastepaper for
printing publications of aQ lands.
Exceptions can be made by GPO if such
paper is not readily available at a
reasonable price.
Such paper is increasingly available
and is routinely used by EPA Printing
Management and specified for
publications printed through GPO.
Users should be aware, however, that a
specific request for recycled paper
might result in delay due to a lack of
availability. If mere is an urgent, short-
time delivery date involved, the
program office requesting a publication
should note that fact in a memo
attached to the Publications Review and
Printing Request and state that imme-
diate unavailability of recycled paper
should not delay the publication
beyond the requested delivery date.
Whenever feasible, all EPA publica-
tions should not only be printed on
recycled paper, but should display the
phrase "Printed on Recycled Paper" on
me lower right-hand corner of the front
cover.
-------
list Of Color
Section 1S-2 of the Printing and Binding
Regulations cites the following
categories of multicolor printing as
having "demonstrable value" to the
government
• Maps and technical diagrams where
additional color is necessary for
clarity.
• Object identification (medical speci-
mens, diseases, plants, flags, uni-
forms, etc)
• Safety programs, fire prevention, sav-
ings bonds programs, and com-
petitive areas of personnel re-
cruiting.
• Areas wherein dearly identifiable
savings in costs can be soundly
predicated on multicolor use.
• Printing for programs required by
law, whose relative success or
failure is in direct ratio to the
degree of public response, and
where that response cm be logically
attributable to the ambtt of colon
planned and the •*£•! fe whkh
they are proposed twHMMd.
As examples that dfeaot qualify for
the use of government printing funds,
the Joint Committee on Printing dt*s
printed items:
• Wherein additional color is used
primarily for decorative effect
• Where additional color is used in lieu
of effective layout and design.
• Where additional color is used exces-
sively. (Three when two will suffice,
etc.)
• Where the inclusion of multicolor
does not reflect careful, competent
advance planning that recognizes
the contribution the use of color is
expected to make to the ultimate
end-purpose.
In line with these federal regula-
tions, the use of color in EPA publica-
tions shall be carefully limited. As a
rule of thumb, if a publication's
audience is seeking the information
contained within, and needs no former
motivation to obtain the publication,
then only one color is called for (unless
additional color is needed for darity,
identification, or efficiency). If a
publication's audience is likely to be
receptive to the information but
unlikely to seek it out, then two colon
are generally appropriate. Use of more
than two colon must be justified on the
basis of a need to compete for the
audience's attention in the marketplace.
Good looks and effectiveness need
not be sacrificed on the basis of these
rules. There is much that can be done
by competent designers to create
impressive publications using one or
two colon.
IDuttnUons, Etc.
Photographs, line drawings, and other
graphic illustrations are limited by the
Joint Committee on Printing to those
that are related to the subject matter of
the publication, in the public interest,
and "restricted to the minimum size
necessary to accomplish their purpose"
Employ* Photos
Illustrations depicting federal
employees must show them "actually
engaged in an act or service related to
their official duties." Furthermore, no
illustration shall "serve to aggrandize
any individual." Therefore, unless a
publication is specifically designed to
highlight employees (such as an award
ceremony program),, "mug shots" of
AAs, Division Directors, Branch Chiefs.
and other employees shall not be
included in publications.
GuMflints
Despite the restrictions cited above, the
"use of illustrations to enhance the
communication of information in
publications is encouraged. The
following guidance should prove
beneficial
• When employing one or two colors,
photographs— especially photo-
graphs of people—look best if
printed in black.
• When using four colon, special colon
(such as for rules or display type)
must be specified as proportions of
process inks; specifying with a
system number will force a fifth
press run.
• Keep illustrations as simple and
uncluttered as possible, and use
double care in proofing them.
-------
The Printing Request Form
A completed EPA Form 2340-1 (Publi-
cation Review Record and Printing
Request) must accompany all requests
for printing. These forms are available
from Printing Management (Room
G100D) and from the Supply Store.
A bit of guidance follows, in item-
number sequence,
1 • & (self explanatory)
4. Overtime can as much as triple the
printing cost.
7. Due to the auction/contract process
at GPO, printing times are impossible
to predict accurately. It is wise to
allow six weeks for printing, however,
jobs are sometimes completed in one
week or less. Faster service can often
be obtained at additional cost
8 - 13. In almost all cases, these items
are left blank, as composition is
completed prior to submitting the job
to GPO.
14. (a) •Camera Copy" refers to the
quantity of physically separate boards
or pages of mechanicals.
(b) -Negative*' areMfr Involved,
witn
(c) 'Overlays' do
covering the oMclsjC OBTJT
sheets of plastic wHk parts of
illustrations.
(d) Count only illustrations that art
not part of the mechanicals. Normal
photographs are "halftones."
15. An 11* i ir sheet folded once to
make four standard letter-sized pages
would be described as 8-V4" x 11".
16. Almost always 'Head to Head/
17. If if s not a form, leave this un-
marked
IS, 19, 4 22. Paper "Grade" is an indica-
tion of a paper's strength and finish.
"Weight" is a measure of paper's thick-
ness or density expressed as the weight
of 500 sheets. [Note Since cover stock
is manufactured in smaller sheets than
text stock, 50-Ib cover paper is thicker
than 50-lb text paper.] The typical
leaflet is printed on 40-Ib, offset If
using in-house printing, simply specify
"bond." The typical booklet cover is
50-lb vellum.
Available Paper "Colon" are limited
by GPO specifications and contracts
and exact matches are often impossible.
Therefore, if an exact color, such as
PMS-228, is desired as a backdrop to a
tide, it must be ordered as an ink color
painted over white paper. Otherwise,
keep the orders simple, such as "light
blue." [Note for the curious: PMS-228
in the Pantone Matching System
number for a dark plum-red.)
2A Normally left blank
XL A "Self cover is made of the same
paper as me rest of die publication.
29 4 24 (Self explanatory, but rarely
used)
25. If me printer is being requested to
send various quantities to different ad-
dresses, attach a dear and accurate list
24. Most pamphlets and booklets are
"saddle-stitched"; thicker publications
arc often "perfect bound.
2S, 29, 31, * 32. Unneeded if die job
wul be printed in-house, but necessary
for GPO printing.
30. Usually the program office or the
Publication Review Officer for the pro-
gram.
33. Usually none.
34. If there are only a few destinations,
list mem here
35. According to die program's pro-
cedures.
34. Each program and region has one
official Publication Review Officer
aumorized to sign in f lace of the
AA/RA.
37. All publications that are
disseminated without restriction—no
matter for what audience they were
originally written—are items "required
to be reported to OMB." Therefore, the
second box must be checked for all
EPA publications other than those sent
only to specifically identified
individuals or those excepted by EPA
Order 22Q0.4A.
3*. If a box is checked in item 37, this
line should be signed by OCPA's Publi-
cations Review Coordinator. Other
acceptable signatories are the Director
and Deputy Director of the Publications
Division.
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