"Tiie public wants clean air,
clean water, sensible use of
resources; no brown-outs and
no smog-outs, no products,
conveniences or services that
poison them slowly or quickly;
no beautiful high-sounding
claims by industry or Government
that are not backed by
solid performance' no short-term
gains and long-term
losses; no lame excuses;
NO NONSENSE:"
December, 1971
NONSENSE!
PUBLISHED FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGLNCY
The Winter solstice has always been a period of hope,
of renewal and of expectation for mankind. During these sacred holidays
we traditionally lay aside daily routines in order to examine the purpose
and direction of our lives, relating our own actions to the cosmic order
we see around us. I believe there are unmistakeable signs that this kind
of serious thinking is no longer just a seasonal activity.
In recent years the ancient spiritual thrust
symbolized by Christmas has taken the paradoxical form of a renewed
dedication to the world environment--a determination to take nothing
from the earth that we cannot give back, to safeguard every living thing,
to preserve the beauty and balance of nature, to purify the water and the
air, to recycle our wastes, to diminish the clamor of machines, to control
technology, and to limit population.
Every day more people turn from the vain striving and
false gods of the past and begin to act as responsible members of a
planetary household.
Indeed, what mankind is struggling for today,
despite superficial evidence to the contrary, is not material goods but the
reassurance of universal values and the primacy of common sense.
We in EPA can help provide that reassurance. We are engaged
in a noble work, an endeavor which must succeed if mankind is to survive.
The past year has brought us closer to the goal of a
clean and orderly society in which man can live at peace
with himself and in harmony with his natural surroundings. We still have
a long way to go but I am confident we shall attain our objective.
We must not relax our efforts.
In celebrating the accomplishments of the old
year, we anticipate and welcome the challenge of the new.
SEASONS GREETINGS
FROM THE
ADMINISTRATOR
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NEW RATES ON HEALTH INSURANCE
Premium rates for the high options of group health
insurance plans participating in the Federal Employees
Healt'i Benefits program were recently announced by the
Civil Service Commission The new rates will become
effective in January 1972.
The new premiums have been held to an absolute
minimum, the Commission said
While premiums generally will be higher m 1972, a few
plans, including the Government-wide Indemnity Benefit
Plan (Aetna), will be the same in 1972 as in 1971
As previously announced, benefits will not be changed in
1972 An open season will be held from November 15
through December 31, 1971, during which employees may
enroll m a plan or change plans and options and change from
self to family coverage, annuitants may change plans and
coverage but may not newly enroll in a plan
The standard Government contribution to health
insurance premiums is fixed by law at 40 percent of the
average high-option premium of the six largest plans Since
this average biweekly premium for self-only coverage will be
increased m January from $8.65 to $9.75, the Government's
standard contribution will be increased from $3 46 to $3.90
biweekly, and since the average premium for family coverage
will be increased from $21 60 to $24 46 biweekly, the
Government's standard contribution will be increased from
$8.64 to $9.78 for a family enrollment.
Thus for employees in some plans whose premiums are
not being raised, the higher Government contribution will
result in a slightly smaller pay deduction m 1972 than m
1971
A new plan in the 1972 program is the Compcare Plan It
is of the group-practice prepayment type, and will be
available only to EPA employees in the Milwaukee and
Marshfield, Wisconsin areas
A comparison of the 1971 and 1972 high-option biweekly
premiums of the major plans, whose average determines the
Government contribution, is attached.
Plan & High-Option
Enrollment
B lue Cross - Blue Shield • 1
Self Only
Family
Aetna- 317,900
Self Only
Family
Total Premium
1972
,449,200
$12 15
2965
979
2426
1971
$906
2211
979
2426
Increase
$309
754
000
0.00
Kaiser of Northern California - 44,800
Self Only
Family
858
2235
775
20 18
083
2 17
Kaiser of Southern California - 31,100
Self Only
Family
* As of June 30, 1971
984
2560
899
2343
085
2 17
Employee Deduction
1972
$825
1987
589
1448
468
1257
594
1582
1971
$560
1347
6.33
1562
429
11 54
5.53
14.79
Increase
or
Decrease
$265
640
-044
-1 14
039
1.03
041
1 03
Government
Contribution
1972 1971
$3 90 $3 46
9 78 8 64
3 90 3.46
9 78 8 64
3 90 3 46
9 78 8 64
3 90 3.46
9 78 8.64
Increase
$044
1 14
044
1 14
044
1 14
044
1 14
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7/?e Southeast Water Laboratory (SEWL) at Athens, Georgia is a major EPA facility for the conduct of water pollution
research. Here, over 100 employees are at work to help solve some of the urgent environmental problems found in the
southeastern region of the United States.
ATHENS LABORATORY: EPA AT WORK IN THE SOUTHEAST
On a typical day in the small town of Athens, Georgia,
scientists and researchers at EPA's Southeast Water
Laboratory (SEWL) might be involved in any one of a
number of exciting projects. They may be collecting water
samples from nearby inland waters, analyzing runoff from
agricultural lands, or perhaps studying the environmental
effects of the many textile, paper, or phosphate mining
industries indigenous to the Southeast. Whatever the activity
might be, it is indeed busy at the Laboratory, which houses
the Southeast Region's technical assistance, training and
manpower functions, as well as certain portions of EPA's
national research, development, and demonstration effort.
Located on a spacious 12-acre site donated to the U.S.
Government by the University of Georgia, the Laboratory
houses approximately 125 employees. Their professional
fields of specialty range from analytic chemistry,
environmental engineering, and aquatic biology to systems
analysis, computer programming, and management sciences.
In addition to the main Lab, SEWL facilities include an
annex built on 6.5 acres of land donated to the U.S.
Government by the City of Athens, and a Laboratory Barge
at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Major research programs at the Athens Laboratory
include industrial pollution control technology, for problems
caused by pesticides, fertilizers, and textile mill products;
agricultural pollution control technology, primarily problems
of agricultural run-off; and mining pollution control
technology, including problems associated with phosphate
mining. A large program on water quality control technology
is also underway at SEWL, in which pollutants are identified
and traced in fresh surface waters.
Scientists at the Laboratory's Barge at Ft, Lauderdale,
who are currently engaged in a study of Biscayne Bay, boast
a unique piece of equipment under construction: a 75
million dollar Aquatic Ecosystem Simulator (AEcoS). This
facility, when completed, will permit a complete study of
freshwater ecosystems by simulating and controlling the
physical forces of nature as accurately as existing technology
permits. Temperature, humidity and light will be varied
during experiments to imitate climatic conditions. At the
same time, the significant physical, biological, and chemical
processes in freshwater;, will be simulated in a 64 foot flume,
where water quality, flow and turbulence will be precisely
controlled to imitate a stream in the real world. Upon
completion this facility will be used to perform experiments,
now impossible to achieve in a real river, that will determine
the behavior and fate of pollutants which find their way to
freshwaters. Special computer facilities have been designed to
operate the AEcoS systems. They collect, store, and process
data generated within the systems from laboratory
instrumentation and field monitors.
SEWL has an impressive record of accomplishments over
the past years. They range from development of a
mathematical model to describe the rural run-off of
pesticides, to perfection of a fluorescent spectrometric
method for comparing samples from oil slicks that in turn,
allows the identification of the source of oil slicks.
Recently, a process for treating textile dye waste was
developed in conjunction with the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory. This process, which involves high air or oxygen
pressure in conjunction with gamma radiation, destroys up to
99 percent of the dieldrin in textile waste samples. This
radiolysis process, which also removes all color from dye
waste samples, has now been patented.
Because of the new and rapid growth of the catfish
processing industry, Athens Lab scientists are now studying
the wastewaters from that industry. The results of this study
are a first step in developing water pollution abatement
technology for this industry, and they will aid in waste
treatment system design for similar new processing plants.
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AIR POLLUTION EPISODES MONITORED
EPA has adopted four-state episode criteria to which air
quality and meteorological data are compared for the
purpose of determining the severity of an episode. The first
state. Forecast, is based on an indication that adverse
meteorological conditions conducive to the buildup of
pollutants will exist. The second stage. Alert, and the third
stage. Warning, are based on the actual measurement of
pollutant concentrations and the prediction that the
meteorological situation will be such that the continuation of
elevated pollutant concentrations can be expected. At these
levels, short-term health effects may be expected. At the
fourth stage. Emergency, air quality is continuing to degrade
to the point where a substantial danger to the health of the
population will exist. The most stringent avoidance actions
must then be taken.
The emphasis of the criteria is on avoiding an emergency
rather than reacting to an existing emergency situation. Each
step beyond the Forecast stage calls for initiation of control
actions designed to prevent the conditions described by
criteria for the succeeding stage. Control actions may include
such measures as elimination of open burning; requiring
manufacturing industries to curtail or defer production; or
cessation of municipal incineration.
During periods of temperature inversion, or other
meterological conditions which cause stagnation of the
atmosphere, particulate and gaseous air pollutants cannot be
readily dispersed. As their concentration increases an air
pollution incident, or "episode", ensues.
The Clean Air Act, as amended, sets forth the authority
of EPA to prevent and control such episodes. In the event
that State and local authorities do nortake steps necessary
for abatement during air pollution episodes, the EPA
Administrator may seek injunctive relief in the U.S. Courts.
Action may be taken against any source whose emissions are
presenting an imminent and substantial threat to public
health, including area-wide or point sources, large or small
polluters, and on an intra- or interstate basis.
However, air pollution episode-avoidance actions should
be taken at the lowest level that is legally, technically, and
politically competent to achieve results. Therefore, the
principal aim of EPA lies in advising and assisting State and
local agencies in developing and implementing their own
episode-avoidance plans. Such plans are required as part of
the Implementation Plan, prepared for each of the Air
Quality Control Regions.
An Emergency Operations Control Center (EOCC) has
been established under EPA's Office of Air Programs at
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The Center gathers
air quality data on a daily basis, by teletype and telephone,
from 90 monitoring sites in 60 cities throughout the Nation.
Seven of the monitoring stations in National air quality
network are operated by EPA, with the remaining 83 by
personnel from State and local air pollution agencies. When
needed, the EOCC can dispatch emergency sampling teams to
any area from which insufficient air quality and/or
meterological data are available.
Darryl Tyler, Director of the Emergency Operations Control
Center, examines facsimile and teletype printouts of weather
information received from the National Weather Service,
Assisting him is Carl Bramble, an employee of the Office of
A ir Programs.
Current meteorological and air quality data are shown on the
episode display map for various parts of the country. H^
the situation in Denver, Colorado is indicated by means'
color-coded ligh ts.
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MINORITY EMPLOYMENT RISES
Despite decreases in overall Federal civilian employment,
minority group Americans hold more Government jobs, and
a greater proportion of the better paying jobs, than ever
before, according to the U.S. Civil Service Commission. In
releasing results of a survey of minority group Federal
employment conducted last November 30, Commission
Chairman Robert E. Hampton expressed particular pleasure
at the new evidence of upward mobility for Negroes,
Spanish-surnamed Americans, American Indians, and
Oriental Americans. "These new statistics show that agency
actions are producing the kinds of results expected from the
new equal employment opportunity directions outlined
explicitly by the President in Executive Order 11478," said
Chairman Hampton. The order, issued August 8, 1969, called
on department and agency heads to carry out the equal
opportunity policy as an integral part of every aspect of
personnel policy and practice.
The Commission reported that minority employment in
Federal agencies increased by 4,527 jobs between November
1969 and November 1970, while total Federal employment
decreased by 30,107 jobs. Minorities held 505,035 fulltime
positions as of November 30, 1970. Of the 2,571,504
employees on Federal rolls last November, 19.6 percent were
Negroes, Spanish-surnamed Americans, American Indians, or
Orientals, up from 19.2 percent of total Federal employment
a year earlier.
More minority employees are moving into white-collar
jobs, the survey showed. Although there was an overall
decline in the total number of white-collar employees paid
under the General Schedule (GS) or similar pay plans during
the 12-month period, minority employment nevertheless
increased significantly under these pay plans. Total
employment in these white-collar occupations decreased by
5,115, while minority employment increased by 7,177.
Address all suggestions or contributions to:
Robert J. Griffin, Jr.
Editor, No Nonsense
Office of Public Affairs
Environmental Protection Agency
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, Maryland 20852
Tel. No. (30!) 443-3223
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EPA RADIO NEWS SERVICE
The Division of Communications, OPA, EPA, recently
inaugurated its Radio News Service. This is a facility,
whereby radio stations across the country may receive a
recorded statement from Administrator Ruckelshaus, other
EPA officials, or an EPA spokesman, relative to a current
environmental problem.
Radio stations are alerted as to the availability of the
recorded message through the press wire services of the
Associated Press and United Press International. Radio
stations receive this information from the news wires in their
news rooms and are invited to call the EPA Radio News
Service at a designated number.
The Radio Station News Director calls the EPA News
Service, tapes the complete recorded message from the
telephone line and incorporates it within the local station
news broadcast.
While only in operation for a short time, the Radio News
Service has been well received by the broadcast media. Over
50 calls per day are now being received and it is expected
that the number will increase as the awareness of this facility
becomes known to all the radio news directors across the
country.
Mr. Raymond E. Mulderick, Radio-TV Officer with the
Office of Public Affairs, examines newly acquired
Spotmaster machines. This enables radio broadcasters
throughout the country to make use of taped interviews with
key EPA officials.
EPA CHRISTMAS TREE
On December 22nd Administrator Ruckelshaus will light
EPA's first "living Christmas tree." The tree, which will be
placed in a planter in the vicinity of the headquarters
building at Waterside Mall, will serve as EPA's recognition of
the Holiday Season. The fact that it is a living tree holds
particular significance for employees, as we strive to promote
the natural aesthetic qualities of the environment.
When construction of the building is complete, the tree
will be permanently planted on the grounds of Water
Mall. ' •
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NOTE TO DRIVERS . . .
The U.S motor vehicle operator's identification card
(Standard Form 46) is not a valid driver's license to operate a
Government vehicle on a public highway, according to the
U S Civil Service Commission
Any operator of a Government vehicle must also have a
permit or license issued by the state or other licensing
jurisdiction where he or she resides or is principally
employed
Some employees reportedly have continued to use their
U S. motor vehicle operator's identification card after
suspension or even revocations of their driver's license by the
issuing jurisdiction.
In some instances, this illegal use has become known to
-me employing agency only after the employee has been
involved in an automobile accident
EPA is responsible for ensuring that anyone to whom a
motor vehicle identification card (SF 46) is issued has a valid
driver's license. All employees should be aware of their duty
to surrender the card immediately if their license is revoked,
and to offer to do so if it is suspended
Any questions regarding your government vehicle
identification card may be answered by your administrative
officer.
OFFICIAL EPA LOGO
Have you been wondering about that attractive little
flower you see around the agency on EPA publications,
posters, movies, or office doors7 It is the new and official
"EPA Logotype " Established by the President of the United
States by Executive Order 11628 on October 18, 1971, the
logo is of floral design, symbolic of all the elements of the
environment The bloom is a sphere, the component parts of
which represent the blue sky, green earth, and blue-green
water. A white circle within the sphere denotes either the sun
or the moon. All are symbolic of a clean environment and are
superimposed on a disc with a white background, circled by
the title "United States Environmental Protection Agency"
in blue letters
Selected from among many design suggestions, including
some from EPA employees, the new logo has received White
House approval through the Commission on Fine Arts.
The official EPA logo, the floral symbol with
"Environmental Protection Agency" surrounding it, may be
used for official purposes only A forthcoming directive on
its use will be issued shortly However, the floral symbol
alone without words, may be used by anyone for purposes of
identification with a clean environment
TEST DATES FOR SUMMER JOBS
The U S. Civil Service Commission has announced test
dates for 1972 summer jobs in Federal agencies, including
EPA.
Candidates whose applications are received by January 7
will be tested February 12 and those whose applications are
received by February 2 will be tested March 11 Applications
postmarked after February 2 will not be accepted
Complete instructions for filing, and information on
opportunities available, are contained in CSC Announcement
No 414, titled Summer Jobs in Federal agencies This may
be obtained from Personnel Management Division, EPA,
Washington, D.C 20460 Such information is also available
from the Civil Service Commission, many major post offices,
and most college placement offices
Applicants rated eligible m 1971 need not take the written
test again unless they wish to improve their scores. They will
be sent a special form by December 1 to update their
qualifications and indicate their availability for employment
in 1972.
-------
HI AND LOIS
VOU GUVS REALLV
HAVE IT ROU6H IM
WINTER
WE EVEN LIKE
IT BETTER THAN
SUMMER/
Reproduced by courtesy of King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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