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 Printed on Recycled Paper ------- 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 Printed on Recycled Paper ------- |