Vol. 6, No. 1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency January 1977 Cancer - An Insidious Disease by: Dorothy H. Rose A small boy drops out of school at an early age; a middle-aged man quits work long before planned retire- ment; a young woman gives up a promising career. What do these people have in common? Unfortunately, a disease - cancer. Cancer is one of the most important, costly, and rapidly accelerating health problems in the U.S. today. In addition, occupational and environmental cancer con- cerns have become increasingly prominent, particularly in the last few years. The disease is not selective. It attacks all races and ages and all animal species. How many deaths can be directly attributed to environmental causes is not known, although it is certain that health hazards have been introduced by people into their environment for centuries. The aqueducts of Rome brought the people not only water but poisonous lead, which leached from the lead pipes into the drinking supply. Closer to the present, the "mad hatters" of the 19th century suffered from neurological disorders caused by inhalation of mercury used in treating felts and furs. Recent surveys in areas of high liver cancer in parts of Africa support earlier findings suggesting that a mold, which forms on peanuts and other crops under hot, humid storage conditions, may be a cancer causing agent. The majority of known environmental carcinogens are encountered at the work-place. In fact, the link between cancer and chemicals was first detected among workers; in 1775, soot was singled out as a causative agent in chimney sweeps" cancer. We are unable to identify with sufficient precision the causes of cancer in humans and it is unacceptable to wait for additional cases of human cancer to give us the scientific evidence we need. Therefore, inves- tigators are turning to laboratory tests on animals to (Continued on Pane 2) PHS Medal Awarded to Jack Farmer Jack Farmer Receiving awards is nothing new to Jack Farmer, yet each time he is honored it is an exciting experience. In 1971, Jack received the Silver Medal for Superior Service and in 1973 he received the Bronze Medal for Commendable Service. At the sixth Honor Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C., December 13, Jack was awarded the Public Health Service Meritorious Service Medal. The citation reads, "For sustained superior performance in producing high quality regulatory packages for national emission standards for hazardous pollutants and national per- formance standards for new sources." In nominating Jack for the medal, Eernie Steigerwald said, "Jack has continued to contribute significantly to this organization in producing high quality regu- latory packages for national emission standards for hazardous pollutants and national performance standards for new sources. His persistent efforts in dealing with review groups and his capability in providing clear and concise written and verbal justifications in support of desired actions qualify him for a Meritorious Service Medal." (Continued on naqe 7) 1 ------- CANCER... (Cont'd from page 1) study the carcinogenic potential of chemicals. Small rodents such as mice, hamsters, and rats are most often used for study because they are biologically closer to humans than other animals. Researchers at EPA are devising tests that can determine quickly whether air samples contain chemicals that could cause cancer or genetic changes in humans. Michael D. Waters, chief of the biochemistry branch, HERL/RTP, and Joellen Huisingh, a research chemist, are working to develop some quick and relatively inexpensive tests that can detect harmful environmental chemicals, particularly in the air. In testing chemicals that may be toxic or cancer causing, a battery of screening tests is favored. Research here at EPA is also aimed at increasing the sensitivity of existing screening tests and adapting them for use with potentially harmful environmental chemicals, including air samples and pesticides. If the tests prove to be valid models, they offer the hope of reducing the two to three-year testing time for carcinogenic!ty to as little as one week, of reducing the costs from many tens of thousands of dollars to perhaps less than $1,000 per compound, and thereby increasing the number of chemicals that may be screened before they are introduced into the environment. Screening methods currently under development, involving human or bacterial cells grown in laboratory test tubes or petri dishes offer the hope that rapid, inexpensive indicators of the cancer-causing potential of chemicals may soon be available. The extent to which rising incidence of cancer is attributable to man-made chemicals cannot be estimated with any precision. Some observed cancer undoubtedly arises from natural sources like radiation and asbestos, but much of the remaining is probably associated with carcinogenic agents produced by man. Occupational exposure to asbestos with increased lung cancer was first reported in the 1950's. Again, however, determination of the causative agent was complicated by other factors like cigarette smoking. Until recently, vinyl chloride, a gas used primarily in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride plastic, was also used as a propellant for aerosol sprays. In 1974, the discovery of four cases of angiosarcoma of the liver (an extremely rare cancer) among vinyl chloride workers in a plant in Louisville, Kentucky, suggested that vinyl chloride is a carcinogen. (Continued on Page 8) EPA'ers Share Their Christmas Christmas may be over but there is still a warm glow and this should be true especially for EPA'ers in the Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory, the Experimental Biology Division, and the Office of Administration. Each group, in their own way, made Christmas a little brighter for some needy family. The Experimental Biology Division sponsored a family of seven. This is the second year they have partici- pated in the program and it looks like an annual event. They made all the decorations for the Christmas tree as well as providing the tree. Colleen Nicholson, Merritt Long, and Shawnee Benance coordinated the Christmas collection which included ten boxes of clothing and toys, plus money which was used to purchase additional items along with all the fixings for a Christmas dinner. The OA employees decided to give money in place of Christmas cards this year. Spearheading the effort was Tena Pipkin and Opie Barnes. Approximately $140 was raised for an elderly Durham couple along with groceries and canned goods. Long time participants in Christmas giving are employees in IERL. For the fifth year in a row, they have collected boxes of clothing and toys for a needy family. Every employee also contributed one dollar to be used for new clothes, toys, and groceries. Patricia Sharpe and Jack Greene coordinated the effort along with the valuable help of all the laboratory secre- taries. As the Durham Sun so aptly put it, "The bags and boxes crowding EPA Offices at Christmas had little to do with pollution or air quality, but they did show a concern for quality of life for needy families in Durham." Mis-Located EPA-Owned Property It is the responsibility of all government employees to safeguard government owned property. Our custodial officers do an excellent job of keeping track of the items in their areas, but they cannot do it without your cooperation. We ask that you do your part in assisting the custodial officer in keeping up with EPA owned property. Should it be necessary to relocate any capitalized property, please coordinate such moves with the custodial officer. You don't need his blessing, just keep him aware of such relocations. (Continued on Page 8) ------- ESRL Holds Workshop at RTP The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environ- mental Sciences Research Laboratory in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, is conducting a review of its research program on halogenated air pollutants on February 8 and 9. Leading researchers from across the country will be involved, including the following who are noted for their contributions to the theory of ozone depletion by fluorocarbons- Dr. F. S. Rowland of the University of California at Irvine, Dr. Paul Crutzen of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and Dr. Ralph Cicerone of the University of Michigan. Also, in attendance will be noted photochemists Dr. Jack G. Calvert of the Ohio State University and Dr. James N. Pitts of the Univer- sity of California at Riverside. The workshop will cover the state of knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of halogenated air pollutants with particular attention to their inter- actions with stratospheric ozone. Progress reports to be presented will cover recent measurements of halo- genated pollutants in the upper and lower atmosphere, laboratory studies of processes that remove halogenated pollutants from the atmosphere, and mathematical descriptions (or models) of the properties of the pollutants in the atmosphere. The meetings will be held in the auditorium at the EPA Office of Administration Building (formerly Beaumt Building) in Research Triangle Park. Dr. Philip L. Hanst, Senior Research Scientist with EPA's Environ- mental Sciences Research Laboratory, is the session chairman. BUS SERVICE? Due to the prevailing energy situation, several employees have requested that bus service be made available from Raleigh and Cary to the Triangle. In 1973, bus service was instituted from Raleigh to Research Triangle Park, but did not prove to be worth- while to the bus company and, therefore, was stopped. Mr. Aaron Cruise of Trailway Bus Company indicated that he would be glad to start bus service again if enough employees are interested. The busses hold 46 people and would have to be practically full both ways. The cost for a round trip is $2.20. Commutation tickets would also be available for 10 one-way rides at $8.65. The busses would leave from the Raleigh bus station and travel through Cary into the Triangle, stopping at Eastgate Shopping Center, North Hills, and Crabtree Valley. All employees who are interested in bus service, please contact the Public Affairs Office, ext. 2951. EPA Retirees Dave Hicks, a training instructor with the Air Pollu- tion Training Institute, CPDD/OAQPS, retired from Federal service November 9, 1976. Prior to his retire- ment, he had been with the government 33 years, and specifically with EPA since its inception in 1970. Dave has returned to Dunedin, Florida, where he plans to fish, swim, be with his children, and generally do as little as possible. A. B. Arnold, an electronics technician, ESRL/RTP, retired September 27, 1976, at the age of 70. He had been with the government 19 years. Fred and Ruth Biddy retired from federal service last October, and they are off and running in their new "retirement" camper. First was a shakedown trip to Williamsburgh in late fall and then off to Florida for some of the colder winter months. Fred was with the Emission Measurement Branch at OAQPS while Ruth was a Personnel Management Specialist in OA. Both have been with EPA since its infant days. Before EPA, Fred served in the U.S. Army. Ruth has had several tours of duty overseas, first with the Foreign Service in London and later in France with the Department of the Army. And the travel bug is still strong. With their new camper, they expect to see a lot of the United States with frequent stops back in North Carolina to keep up with old friends. EPA Unit Develops Air Monitoring Strategy: Workshops Set for Four Cities This Month A proposed strategy to monitor the nation's air pollution has been developed by the Environmental Pro- tection Agency's advisory group, which will circulate copies of its draft "air monitoring strategy document" this month. EPA's Standing Air Monitoring Work Group, chaired by EPA Monitoring and Data Analysis Division Chief Robert Neligan, was set up in 1975 to conduct a comprehensive review of current monitoring techniques and to identify priorities for future activities. Final strategy document will "serve as the basis for monitoring programs to be implemented over the next five years to further objectives of State Implementation Plans," according to Deputy EPA Administrator John Quarles. To obtain suggestions from state and local officials, EPA has scheduled workshops on its proposed strategy on January 19, 21, 25, and 27 in Louisville, Ky., Dallas, Tex., Annapolis, Md., and San Francisco, Calif., respectively. Additional written comments should be sent to Robert Neligan, EPA Monitoring and Data Analysis Division, Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27711. ------- Conferences, Seminars,and Speaking Engagements The Air Pollution Control Association will hold a conference and exhibition in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 19-23, 1977. Contact: Daniel R. Stearn, APCA, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213. "Economic Growth with Environmental Quality" con- ference will be held in Washington, D.C., January 23-25, 1977. Contact: John Adams, Environmental Industry Council, 1825 K. Street, N.W., Suite 210, Washington, D.C. 20006. The 32nd Annual Purdue Industrial Waste Conference will be held May 10-12, 1977 in the Stewart Center, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana. Over 100 technical papers will be presented on various subjects relating to industrial waste treatment. Contact: Prof. A. J. Steffen, 310 Civil Engineering Building, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana 47907. January 31-February 2 are the dates and the Houston Oaks Hotel, Houston, Texas is the site for the Cooling Tower Institute's 1977 annual meeting. Events will include speeches on many cooling tower related subjects such as basic technology, status reports on trends or activities in the industry, and new technology or con- cepts. Contact: CTI News, Cooling Tower Institute, 9030 N. Freeway, #216, Houston, Texas 77037. The Institute on Noise Control announces the 13th and 14th presentation of training courses on noise con- trol administration, noise reduction, noise control for engine-powered equipment, and environmental noise impact analysis February 14-18 and March 13-17, 1977 at Orlando, Florida. Contact: Institute on Noise Control, 3456 Altonah Road, Bethleham, PA. 18017. The 30th Annual Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology will be held November 5-9, 1977 at the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif. Deadline for receipt of abstracts is April 15, 1977. Contact: Ms. Patricia I. Horner, Suite 404, 4405 East-West High- way, Washington, D.C. 20014. On January 19, 1977, Liz Martin, Public Affairs/OA, presented an overview of EPA in North Carolina to the Durham Friendly City Sertoma Club. Clemson University is sponsoring a midwinter con- ference on "Textile Wastewater Treatment and /*ir Pollu- tion Control" at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, January 19-21, 1977. Contact: Dr. Ralph D. Elliott, Director, Professional Development, 112 Sirrine Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631. The American Association for the Advancement of Science is holding its annual meeting, February 20-25, 1977 in Denver, Colorado. Among our EPA'ers partici- pating in the meeting are Dr. Dave Shearer, Dr. Jean French, and Dr. Jack Durham. Wade Ponder, Senior Chemical Engineer, IERL/RTP, will present "SO- Control Technologies—Commercial Availabilities and Economics" at a seminar on Status of Air Pollution Control Technologies in Clemson, S.C., March 14, 1977. On March 27, 1977, S. Lamer, Mechanical Engineer, IERL/RTP, will discuss the "Status of EPA Gas Turbine Research and Development for NO Control" at the ASME Gas Turbine Conference in Philadelphia, Pa. Robert Statnick, Research Chemist, IERL/RTP, will discuss "Source Sampling and Analysis" at the ASTM Conference in San Francisco, Ca., October 2, 1977. IERL/RTP and the Fugitive Emissions Committee of APCA will jointly sponsor the second "Symposium on Fugitive Emissions: Measurement and Control" on May 23-25, 1977 in Houston, Texas. The objectives of the meeting are to support IERL/RTP efforts to provide industry the means to determine the impact of fugitive emissions and to develop or evaluate control strategies, and to promote the exchange of information among industrial, research, and government organizations. May 16-20, 1977 - Fourth International Clean Air Congress, Tokyo, Japan. Contact: International Union of Air Pollution Prevention Association, P. 0. Box 5457, Tokyo International, Tokyo 100-31, Japan. Max Samfield, Chemical Engineer, IERL/RTP, will discuss the ATMI Batea project at a textile seminar in Hilton head, S.C., March 1, 1977. Dale Denny, Chief, Chemical Processes Branch, IERL/ RTP and Max Samfield will attend an AATCC conference in Atlanta, Ga., March 1, 1977. Dale will discuss "Estimating Future Air Pollution Requirements," and Max will discuss "Water Reuse in Textile Industry." The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare is sponsoring a course entitled "Legal Aspects of the Occupational Safety and Health 0ct of 1970." The course is designed to familiarize the occupational safety and health professional, technician, or manager with the fundamentals of the legal aspects of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The dates are April 18-22, 1977, in Cincinnati, Ohio. For further information, contact- Robert A. Taft Labor- atories, NIOSH, Div. of Training & Manpower Development, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226. The CLEANER TIMES is published monthly by Public Affairs. Office of Administration, U S Environmental Protection Agency. Research Triangle Park, N C 27711 Liz Martin Dorothy Rose Elaine Hyman Editor Assistant Editor Reporter Produced with the assistance of the Word Processing Center, Graphics, Composition, Printing Sections, and Forms and Publica- tions Center, GSD ------- A Microscopic View by: Elaine Hyman How do you study particles too small to be seen by the naked eye? A microscope. Good guess, but what about particles less than .0004 micron* to 1 micron in diameter, found in the air we breathe? A powerful microscope. Right again, and that is what John Miller, Electron Microscopist, ESRL, has in his Electron Optical Facility. " one powerful microscope:1' The recently installed Scanning Transmission Elec- tron Microscope (STEM) can magnify images up to one million times the actual size. The new STEM is used for morphological studies of stationary and mobile source particulate emissions. Added capability includes compound species identifi- cation by electron diffraction, a means of identifying the compound species of crystalline material or mixtures, and elemental identification by energy dispersive X-ray. STEM is currently the only instrument of its kind in use in the United States. *(A micron--.000039 inches) John Miller using STEM to study air particles. ... .Asbestos How about breathing this? Asbestos, a known carcinogen, magnified some 20,000 times for sample analysis. This asbestos sample was taken from the now demolished Durham Hotel. ... .and Fly Ash Or perhaps this? Fly ash from a coal fired power plant. The fly ash which contains sulfur, a suspected carcinogen, has been magnified some 500 times for sam- ple analysis. ------- Person-to-Person Ed Lillis, MDAD/OAQPS, has been appointed Chief of the Air Management Technology Branch. Ed has been with the Federal air program for almost ten years and brings with him a broad and varied background in air quality management techniques. His close association with the State Implementation Plan activities and his compre- hensive knowledge of the scientific and technical prob- lems in achievement of the air quality standards will provide the required experience and perception to carry out the mission of the branch. Congratulations, Ed! oeoeeeeeeeeeeo Sam Colon-Velez, a computer systems analyst, formerly with the National Center for Health Statistics, has been appointed Section Chief, Data Processing Section, National Air Data Branch, MDAD/OAQPS. Good luck, Sam! aaoaoooooooom The EPA-RTP Federal Women's Program (FWP) last year awarded Bonnie Kirtz a plaque for her winning FWP logo. Bonnie, a member of the Regional Services Staff, has been notified by the United States Civil Service Commission that her logo is being considered for adop- tion as the logo for the national FWP. Good luck, Bonnie! Whit Joyner, MDAD/OAQPS, our court jester, tells us he has been granted the diplomacy of Doctor of Meta- physics, following the completion of extensive course work in this field of philosophy. What next, Whit? Personnel Corner The following awards were approved during December 1976: QUALITY INCREASES: William W. Whelan - IERL CONTINUED SUPERIOR Douglas A. Whitehouse - HERL PERFORMANCE AWARD: Donna W. Wicker - HERL Martha A. Lawson - ESRL David G. Lachapelle - IERL Wa1ter R. Jones - OA/GSD Zada N. Nelson - OAQPS New Publication 1977 Gas Mileage Guide Dr. Levy Remains at UNC Another Year Dr. Burton Levy, EPA's first Director of Adminis- tration, has been at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, since January 1976, teaching and doing research in government administration and public sector labor relations. Dr. Levy will continue to teach and do government research at the political science depart- ment of UNC during 1977. He will then move to EPA's management staff in Washington, D.C. When Dr. Levy first came here in January 1972 as EPA's Director of Administration, he made a concerted effort to consolidate and improve all of the non- scientific work of the 1200 persons, $100 million dollar a year enterprise. In addition to the day-to-day administration of EPA locally, Dr. Levy directed several national projects and studies for EPA. Here at EPA, Dr. Levy began an internship program for students of administration from UNC and IICCU, a public school environmental education and careers pro- gram for students and teachers in the RTP area, and supported a library science internship program for graduate students at UNC. He worked very closely with the Equal Employment Opportunity Program and was instrumental in tripling the number of black employees in the Office of Administration. Commenting on his official departure from the post of Director of Administration, Dr. Levy said, "Working and living in the Triangle area for the past five years has been a highlight of my family's life. I am due to retire on Thanksgiving Day in 1999 and we intend to build a small house in Chapel Hill so that we can have it at the turn of the century." Policy of Neutrality Towards Union Membership Reiterated You are all probably aware that EPA-RTP employees have been represented by AFGE Local 3347 since that organization gained exclusive recognition status through secret ballot election in 1972. However, you may be unaware of the Federal Government's policy of neutrality with respect to membership in a labor organization. Simply stated, Federal Government (and EPA) policy is that union membership is the free choice of each employee; the encouragement or discouragement of union membership by an agency is strictly prohibited. E. 0. 11491, as amended, states: "Each employee of the executive branch of the Federal Government has the right, freely and without fear of penalty or reprisal, to form, join, and assist a labor organization or to refrain from any such activity, and each employee shall be protected in the exercise of this right." Thus, it is the policy of EPA and the entire Federal Government that you be free to make your own choice with respect to union membership. ------- Learning Opportunities Course- Content: Dates: Location: Cost: Registration: Procedures: Course: Content: Dates: Time: Cost: Credit: Location: Registration: Procedures: First Aid, Evacuation for Field Personnel Emphasis will be on self-help and small team reaction to emergencies occurring while employees are not adjacent to or within the reaction time of industrial or government emergency treatment centers. June 21-25, 1977 Classroom I, Environmental Research Center, Highway 54, Research Triangle Park, N.C. $25.00 January 3 - May 20, 1977 Through the Personnel Management Division, Administrative Building, Research Tri- angle Park, N.C., for Federal employees. Nonfederal employees are also eligible. a. Federally sponsored b. Self sponsored Agency sponsored - Submit OF 170 through appropriate management channels. Self sponsored - Submit OF 170 directly to Leona Colglazier, Registrar (MD-29), EPA, Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27711. Technical Writing The study will emphasize practical writing, short reports, memorandums, letters. Each session has been planned to present basic concepts with examples, discussions, exercises, and short writing projects, which will emphasize applica- tion of communication principles. March 10, 15, 17, 1977 8:30 - 4:30 $100.00 Continuing Education Units (CEU's) will be given for this course. Classroom No. I, ERC January 3 - January 31, 1977 Same as listed above. Just for the Asking - EPA Administrator Russell E. Train's recent speech "Energy, Equity, and Environment: Confronting the Global Concerns of the Rest of the Century," given at the Los Angeles World Affairs Forum, December 16, 1976, is available from the Public Affairs Office. North Carolina Energy Conservation Plan On December 22, 1975, the Energy Policy and Conser- vation Act was enacted by Congress. Part C of Title III of that Act provides for the establishment of a framework within «ihich the States and Federal Govern- ments may work in partnership to develop and implement comprehensive plans. For states that participate, conservation goals are to be established calling for a projected reduction in energy consumption for each state by 1980. Federal guidelines stipulate that the state plan must include the following items: 1. Mandatory lighting standards for nonfederal public buildings; 2. Programs to encourage car pooling and public transporation; 3. Energy standards and policies to govern state procurement; 4. Mandatory thermal-efficiency and insulation standards for new and renovated buildings; and 5. A traffic law permitting a right turn at red lights, after stopping, to the "maximum extent feasible." This is seen as saving fuel. The State of N.C.'s Energy Division has been inves- tigating additional energy conservation alternatives including those which apply to the five mandatory areas. The Plan must be completed by March 1, 1977, but first public input is necessary. The following public session will be held in order to inform citizens, local government officials, educators, industry, and business- men as to the federal requirements in developing the Plan and the work that is presently being done in the Energy Division. 10:00 a.m. January 25, 1977, at the Public Service Gas Company, 1720 Hillsborpugh Street, Raleigh. N.C. FARMER ... (Cont'd. from Page 1) As Chief, Standards Development Branch, Emission Standards and Engineering Division, OAQPS, Jack has been challenged with highly controversial and complex issues, the resolution of which has established precedence for future standards of performance and hazardous pollutant regulations. His performance continues to demonstrate his high degree of initiative and ability. He continues to demonstrate a willingness to accept greater respon- sibilities and a deep concern that the standards pro- mulgated by EPA are technically and economically justi- fied and thoroughly tested by an objective analysis. We would like to add our congratulations to Jack Farmer for a job "well done." ------- Credit Union Receives Award EPA Employee Receives Award The Federal Credit Union of Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, has earned a National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Thrift Honor Award for its suc- cess in stimulating savings among small savers, accord- ing to Bernard M. Ganzfried, Regional Director, NCUA Region III (Atlanta). The Credit Union attained a monthly growth rate of 2 percent in accounts under $20,000. According to Ganzfried, this rate of growth was well above the average for Federal Credit Unions of similar size. On October 31, 1976, the Credit Union had 1,914 members with total savings of $2,750,759. The Credit Union was chartered in 1968. John P. Creason, EPA, HERL, is President of the Credit Union and Velnia B. Gray, EPA, CMD, serves as its Treasurer. Mary W. Pollard is the Office Manager and other staff members are Feggy Clements, Gladys Adams, and Wanda Stone. The National Credit Union Administration charters, supervises, and insures over 12,800 Federal credit unions in the United States. It conducts the Thrift Honor Award program to provide an incentive for Federal credit union officials to encourage members with small accounts to include regular savings as part of their family financial management plan. CANCER... (Cont'd. from Page 2) Despite the huge amount of money which is poured into research each year, how and why cancers develop is still an enigma to many scientists and physicians. Hopefully within the next decade, or less, this puzzle wi11 be solved. (Portions of this article have been excerpted from CEQ's 6th annual report) f'lS-LOCATED... (Cont'd. from Page 2) In addition to safeguarding government property, personal property should also be protected. Purses, wallets, and other valuable personal property should be kept in a safe place. When it is necessary to leave the office, lab, warehouse, etc., make sure personal property is secure. Forewarned is forearmed. ' / I ; >. Dr. James R. Hammerle Dr. James R. Hammerle, Chief, National Air Data Branch, MDAD/OAQPS, recently received EPA's Bronze Medal for Commendable Service "in recognition for leadership, creativity, and technical contribution to international cooperation and the application of modern engineering and systems management to the solution of air pollution control problems." This award was presented as a result of Dr. Hanunerle's intensive efforts in organizing and initi- ating the multi-national NATO Committee on the Challenges of a Modern Society "Air Pollution Pilot Study." This necessitated negotiations with the Federal Republic of Germany and 15 other foreign countries and resulted in a two-year project which has assembled foreign experts from many countries for technical meetings both in Europe and the U.S. Hammerle presided at most of these meetings and hosted the September 1976 U.S. meeting. His responsibilities also included pre- sentation of regular reports to the NATO/CCMS Plenary at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Hammerle is also the recipient of the faculty-student "Good Apple" service award from East Gary Junior High School, and is rather well known as the director and founder of the popular 40-piece "Little German Band" and its 20 member German folk dance group. ------- |