United States
                    Environmental Protection
                    Agency
       Information Resources
       Management
       (PM-Z11D)
         February 1992
&EPA        Public Information Center

	PIC FOCUS	
                     Public Access to Environmental Information
                   Through EPA's Public Information Center (PIC)

         NEW PIC  TO OPEN IN  APRIL!
    The new Public Information Center, which is now under construction in the
 former National Bank of Washington space, is planned  to open in April.  If
 everything goes according to schedule, the new PIC, which will be a primary
 visitors' center for EPA, will by open by Earth Day, April  22. The exhibits,
 displays, and videos explaining EPA's work to the public are now being prepared.
    If you have information you'd like to share with the public, including
 photographs, display panels, or other program materials, please contact
 Suzanne Annand, Information Access Branch, at FTS 260-8298, or at email box
 ANNAND.S. Thank you!
PUBLIC ACCESS  EXCHANGE
  FORUMS  COMING  TO EPA
         THIS  SPRING
   Several Public Access Exchange
Forums will be presented this Spring. The
purpose of these forums is to heighten
Agency awareness of the issues associated
with providing public access to EPA data and
information.
   Two forums are open to all EPA staff and
are aimed at helping employees deal with
specific aspects of public access:
   • "The Lifecycle of an EPA Publication"
    will include an outline of the'
    considerations and contacts in
    publications management, and will
    bring together key players in the
    process.     • ,
   • "When the Public Calls for Information"
    will include discussion of how front-line
         EPA staff can effectively respond to or
         refer the many telephone requests for
         information from the public.  Many useful
         Agency information tools will be
         presented, to be followed by a discussion
         about public access issues.
         The EPA Systems Managers group has
      also agreed to dedicate a meeting to another
      public information access topic, "Making Your
      Database Publicly Accessible."
         OIRM's Information Access Branch is
      arranging the Forums as part of the ongoing
      Public Access Program. The EPA Institute
      has agreed to host the forums and provide
      outreach publicity.
         We know you'll be interested in these
      exciting forums. The final dates for
      sessions will be listed in forthcoming issues
      of PIC FOCUS.  For more information,
     ' contact Ann Dugan or Kevin Rosseel
      (contractors) at the Public Information Center,
     . FTS 260-2080.
          INFORMATION
          ACCESS BRANCH
          FTS (202) 260-8710
Clearinghouses
Databases
Dockets
Libraries
Publications
Records
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EASY AS 1-2-3
EPA: COUNTING ON THE NEW
AGENCY NUMBERING SYSTEM
Effective January 2, 1992, EPA instituted a
new document numbering system to ensure
efficient tracking of EPA publications and
multi-media products. The numbering
system applies to all environmental
information produced in a variety of formats,
ranging from traditional paper reports to
exhibits, electronic formats (CD-ROM, floppy
disk, etc.), and multi-media products.
The numbering system consists of
numbers and letters that indicate the
organization that produced the item, the
office within the organization (optional), the
multi-media type, calendar year of
publication, a three digit sequential number,
and an optional letter indicating multiple
volumes. For example, 220-N-9 1-001
indicates an item produced by the Office of
Administration and Resources Management,
Office of Information Resources
Management; it is a periodical published in
1991; and it is the first periodical printed by
this office in 1991.
The EPA Publications and Information
Center (EPIC) in Cincinnati is working closely
with program offices to ensure that the
implementation of this numbering system is
as easy as possible. If you have questions
regarding the numbering system or if you
wish to obtain a publication number, contact
EPIC at FTS 684-7980.
PlC PROVIDES NEW SERVICE
TO THE PUBLIC
The Public Information Center (PlC) now
assists the public in the identification and
verification of EPA documents and other
products. With the introduction of new
information tools at PlC, staff can determine
how and where a publication is available. If
you know of special program publication
access points that PlC may not be aware of,
please contact Alison Cook (Contractor), PlC
Manager, at FTS 260-1753.
NEW ITEMS A T PlC
Below are just a few of the titles recently
added to PlC’s inventory of EPA documents.
For a copy, please call PlC at FTS 260-7751.
Endangered Species Program As It
Relates to Pesticide Regulatory Activities:
Report to Congress , May 1991, Office of
Pesticides and Toxic Substances, EPA
- 540-09-91-120 -- - -
Indoor Air Quality and Work Environment
Study: EPA Headquarters’ Building. Volume
JMarch 1991, Office of Adninistration and
Resources Management (OARM), 21 M-3002
Indoor Air Quality and Work Environment.
Volume Study. Volume 4 , June 1991, OARM,
21 M-3004
U.S. Environmental Policy and Economic
Growth: How Do We Fare? (Speech by
Deputy Administrator Habicht), September
12, 1991, Office of Communications and
Public Affairs, 1 75-K-92-003
EARTH “The people who work at the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency...are committed to ensuring that...peopte have the
information and incentives they need to make environmentally
responsible choices in their daily lives H
From EPA’s Preserving Our
Future Today , October 1991.
QUOTE (Page 1)
PlC FOCUS Page 2
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