xvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(PM-211A)
September 1991
Public Information Center
PIC FOCUS
Public Access to Environmental Information
Through EPA's Public Information Center (PIC)
PIC's New Home
Will Be a Public
Window to EPA
During the first quarter of FY
1992, the Public Information
Center (PIC) will be relocating
to new quarters. PIC will move
from its current site in the
Waterside Mall basement to
space occupied by the former
National Bank of Washington
on the street level.
The new PIC will have sev-
eral features intended to en-
hance public access. A 35-
seat auditorium will be avail-
able for showing films and slide
presentations, as well as for
lectures and meetings. EPA
program offices will have the
opportunity to heighten their
public accessibility by exhibit-
ing publications, photographs,
andthree-dimensional materi-
als that can be used to convey
EPA activities. In addition,
workstations will be available
for the use and demonstration
of environmental databases.
Because PIC is the only
part of EPA seen by many
citizens, businesses, students,
and community groups, it
programs. PIC attempts to
help fulfill a key objective of
the Agency's Strategic Direc-
tion, by "Conveying clear, ac-
curate, and timely information
to the public, and incorporat-
ing information from the public
in EPA activities." In its new
offices, the Public Information
Center will be in a better posi-
tion to promote interaction with
the public. PIC will also con-
tinue its extensive telephone
and letter response and refer-
ral functions.
"A Window to EPA"
OIRM welcomes ideas and
materials for inclusion in PIC's
audiovisual displays. Please
contact Brigid Rapp, Chief of
OIRM's Information Access
Branch, at FTS 260-8710
strives to represent all Agency with suggestions.
What is PIC FOCUS?
This is the first issue of PIC
FOCUS, a monthly update dis-
tributed by the Public Informa-
tion Center (PIC).
This bulletin will be distrib-
uted to Headquarters staff,
libraries, Information Resource
Managers, and contacts in the
Office of Communications and
Public Affairs.
PIC FOCUS will highlight
some of the valuable services
that PIC offers to EPA staff,
including:
- Providing materials for
display and distribution at
conferences
- Assisting program offices
with assessment of public
demand for information on
key topics
- Coordinating distribution
and promotion for EPA
events, such as Earth Day
and National Drinking
Water Week.
The PIC FOCUS will also
alert EPA staff about upcom-
ing events and news about the
Public Information Center. To
make comments about PIC or
this bulletin, please call Kevin
Rosseel, LAI/PIC Director, at
FTS 260-1755.
INFORMATION
ACCESS BRANCH
FTS/CML 260-8710
Clearinghouses
Databases
Dockets
Libraries
Publications
Records
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©Y©L Y© PUBLICATIONS T©E Y
We’ve been doing a great job recycling all kinds of material: scrap paper, bottles,
cans, laser printer cartridges. Does your office also recycle EPA documents? If so,
please contact the Public Information Center at 260-7751. We may be able to ‘recycle’
your general-interest publications to others who need or want them. Thank you!
[ This column will be a regular feature,
providing details about OIRM’s National Public
Access Program].
ACCESS EPA is a series of directories
describing key environmental resources. The
titles include:
- Public Information Tools
- Major EPA Dockets
- Clearinghouses and Hotlines
- Major EPA Environmental Databases
- Library and Information Services
- State Environmental Libraries
- Records Management Programs.
A consolidated volume is also published.
directories are updated annually.
All
ACCESS EPA are available to the
public from both the National Technical
Information Service at (800) 553-NTIS (order
number PB91-151563) or the Government
Printing Office at (202) 783-3238 (order
number 055-000-00378-5).
P lC SUCCESS STORY:
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
Several months ago, OARM’s Office of the
Comptroller(OC)contactedthe Public Informa-
tion Center to discuss PlC services. OC had
published several documents outlining EPA’s
Public-Private Partnerships (P3) Initiative.
Since the initial contact between these of-
fices, PlC has assisted the P3 staff by distribut-
ing thousands of copies of such EPA best-
sellers as Paying for Progress, A Preliminary
Analysis of the Public Costs of Environmental
Protection , and Public-Private Partnerships for
Environmental Facilities .
In addition, PlC alerted OC staff to the
availability of document storage space at EPA’s
Publications Clearinghouse in Cincinnati. From
this Clearinghouse, PlC distributes bulk orders
for program offices. In several instances, PlC
has sent publications to OC staff attending P3
conferences, making travel easie rwhile spread-
ing the environmental message.
If you’d like to learn how PlC can help you
create your own success story, please call
Kevin Rosseel at 260-1755.
Information at
your fingertips...
p lc
PU LDC
ACCESS
UPDATE
If you would like PlC’s assistance in
distributing general-interest publications,
please call Alison Cook, LAI/PIC Manager,
at FTS 260-1752.
PlC FOCUS Page 2
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