United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(3404)
EPA 220-N-94-007
Issue Number 42
June 1994
3 EPA INFO ACCESS
Records Network
OIRM Sponsors Agency-Wide
Record Management Training
by Michael L. Miller, Agency Records Officer
Report on the Joint OIRM/OSWER
Records Management Working
Meeting, May 24-27,1994.
The Office of Information
Resources Management (OIRM), in
conjunction with the Office of Solid
Waste and Emergency Response
(OSWER) sponsored a series of joint
working meetings and training sessions
in Washington, D.C. during the week
of May 24, 1994. Over 160 persons
attended one or more of the days. All
Regions and Headquarters programs
were represented, as were several other
field facilities including the National
Enforcement Investigation Center,
several laboratories, and RTP.
On May 24, OIRM's National
Records Management Program
(NRMP) conducted an all day training
session that addressed three records
management issues that have
engendered the most interest among
Agency staff: the management of
electronic records, the new draft
Agency-wide file plan, and the
upcoming FY 1995 Agency-wide
records inventory. OSWER held its
records management conference on
May 25. May 26 and 27 were devoted
to work group meetings including
OSWER's Superfund Document
Management System Work Group, the
RCRA Work Group, and a joint
meeting of the Headquarters Records
Management Council and the Regional
Records Officers.
The May 24 Agency-wide training
day was open to all records managers
and liaisons. Each session was led by
Michael Miller, the NRMP Manager,
who gave an overview and talked
about the direction envisioned for the
Agency on each of the topics.
Presentations were also given by
records managers currently involved in
these activities who talked about how
they were successful in accomplishing
or implementing them.
The goal of the May 24 sessions
was to inform Agency records
managers, liaisons, staff, and other
interested parties of the direction the
Agency is taking in these three areas
and to give basic training in the
procedures OIRM is recommending for
managing Agency records in both hard
copy and electronic format.
OIRM also sponsored meetings on
the 26th for Regional Records Officers
and Headquarters Records
Management Council members. Topics
in these meetings included feedback
from the sessions held on the 24th, the
draft NARA regulations on electronic
mail, the action plans done as a result
of the NARA evaluation, and
numerous others.
OIRM continued on page 3
In This Issue . ..
Page 2-3
Records Working Meeting, Mav 26
Page 3
NRMP Update
Pa8< 4
Session 1:
The Management of Electronic Records
Page 4
Tip Of The Hat
Pace 6
Session 2:
FY 1995 Agency-Wide Records Inventory
Page 6
Session 3:
The New Draft Agency-Wide File Plan
Page 7
The OSWER Records Management
Conference And Work Groups
Page 8
New From NARA
Page 8-9
Around The Network
Page 10	V " ¦
May Meeting Evaiuation
Printed on Recycled Paper

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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
Records Working Meeting, May 26
Mike Miller, Manager, National
Records Management Program
(NRMP), led a working meeting of
Regional Records Officers and
Headquarters Records Management
Council members on Thursday, May
26. Topics discussed at the sessions
included feedback on Tuesday's
training, NARA's draft electronic mail
regulations, analysis and feedback on
the NARA action plans, NEIC
contractor closeout records, records
management software, records
management position descriptions, data
standards, and Regional and
Headquarters updates. A summary of
the major areas of discussion follows.
Feedback On Tuesday's Training
Participants offered many suggestions
for future records training. They
stressed the need to enlist the support
of upper management, including
commitment of resources, and the
availability of inexpensive training.
Records management issues of
importance to management would
include access and Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) requests. It is
important to tie records management to
Agency goals such as information
coordination and improvement in
enforcement activities.
The use of video recordings and
video conferencing were two types of
training techniques suggested.
Participants felt it is very important for
the NRMP to go out to the Regions and
Field Offices to do training, especially
on policy issues.
Comments on the Draft NARA
Regulations on Electronic Mail
Mike explained that the regulations
were drafted as a result of the
Armstrong v Executive Office of the
President electronic mail court order.
The draft was prepared as a joint
venture by the U.S. Department of
Justice, the National Archives
(NARA), the plaintiffs, and the
Executive Office. NARA anticipates a
lot of reaction to the draft because it
contains controversial proposals on the
management of electronic mail. For
example, agencies would be required to
maintain information about
transmission and receipt data (who
sent, to whom, and date sent), which
many electronic mail systems do not
currently retain. The proposed
standards also call for extensive
monitoring of staff E-mail messages to
ensure that messages qualifying as
records are not deleted.
Each agency will need to establish
a recordkeeping system for E-mail
records. The participants discussed
ways to accomplish this. Ideas included
INFO ACCESS
copying all electronic mail to a tape
with one disposition, setting up an
expert retrieval system to handle
messages automatically, or having
supervisors designate who's electronic
mail needs to be saved.
The Office of Information
Resources Management (OIRM) will
be preparing a response to the draft
regulations by June 11. A summary of
that response will be included in the
next records management issue of
INFO ACCESS.
Analysis And Feedback On
NARA Action Plans
Mike explained that the action plan
information submitted by
Headquarters, Regions, and Field
Offices will be summarized and
submitted to the National Archives.
Participants were asked to complete a
summary form indicating the stage of
completion for each of the
recommendations made in the NARA
evaluation. A number of the
recommendations, such as case file
procedures, were discussed.
INFO ACCESS, a forum to provide information and report on progress in
information management across the Agency, is produced by the Information
Access Branch (IAB) of the Information Management and Services
Division (IMSD), Washington, DC, under the direction of
Michael L. Miller, National Records Management Program Manager.
Please send comments and suggestions to: Manker R. Harris (contractor),
Network Coordinator, 3404, EPA National Records Management Program,
401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: 202-260-5272.
Electronic mail: Harris.Manker.
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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
Issues raised by the participants
included the need for policy on dealing
with mixed media or scries and the
need for guidance on vital records. It
was suggested that vital records could
be addressed as part of the FY 1995
baseline records assessment which will
be conducted Agency-wide.
NEIC Contractor Closeout
Records
Gerri Hilden of the National
Enforcement Investigations Center
(NEIC) told the participants about the
upcoming closeout of the Contract
Evidence Audit Team (CEAT)
contract. The contract will end in
September and is not being
recompeted.
Records generated by the contract
will be returned to the Regional
offices. Approximately 90 percent of
OIRM from page 1
Summaries for all of these sessions
can be found in this issue. Copies of
handouts and overheads can be obtained
by contacting Manker R. Harris
(contractor) at 202-260-5272 or on All-
in—1 at Harris.Manker. The NRMP will
be sending records officers copies of the
file plan package and the inventory
guidance documents presented on May
24, as soon as the final reviews are
complete.
The NRMP remains committed to
providing a wide range of records
management training opportunities both
at Headquarters and in the field. If you
are interested in training opportunities,
please contact Mike Miller on
202-260-5911 or on All-in-1 at
MILLER.MICHAEL-OIRM. ¦
the material is Supcrfund site specific.
Gerri provided a list for each site to
receive boxes and indicated that the
records would be packed in Federal
Records Center boxes with appropriate
listings. The contractor can provide a
copy of the closeout database in an
ASCII format if so desired. Gerri can
be reached at (303) 236-5111.
Records Management Software
Jim Whittington and Nancy Yarberry,
Regional Records Officers in Regions
4 and 6, respectively, talked about the
use of Versatile software in their
offices. Versatile is records
management software which can be
used to track active as well as inactive
records at the folder or box level.
Information can also be linked to the
disposition of the records.
Region 4 is experiencing some
support difficulties but feels, for the
NRMP Update
most part, it is good software and will
be very useful. It is important to be
sure the information is linked correctly
which can be time consuming, but
codes and data fields can be
customized to fit anyone's needs.
Records can be easily moved from
active to inactive status and the
software facilitates tracking of records
across program offices.
Region 6 feels the software has
good report capabilities and is a good
system for tracking and checking
records. You can also designate
different levels of access with 99 levels
of security. The software can also
provide a good statistical base.
The cost to install the software in a
Regional office is approximately
$10 000 plus implementation costs. It
is also important to plan for
Working Meeting continued on page 7
The National Recor23.ds Management Program (NRMP) has undertaken
the following initiatives recently:
¦	Developed a response to the draft National Archives Standards on
Electronic Mail. The general content of the response was that while EPA
would like to maintain its electronic mail messages in automated form, it
is not feasible at this point. The response discussed three major problems
with the proposed standards based on the comments received from many
programs, and provided over eight pages of specific suggestions. A copy
of the final response was sent to all records liaisons via E-mail.
¦	Sent draft revised disposition schedules to the Office of the
Administrator, the Office of Administration and Resources Management,
and the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, the Office of
Research and Development, the Office of the General Counsel, and the
Office of Air and Radiation;
¦	Received comments for the Office of Inspector General on the draft
Awareness Bulletin on records management and is finalizing the draft for
publication.
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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
Session 1: The Management Of Electronic Records
Excerpts from remarks by Mike Miller, National Program Manager for Records Management;
Jim Whittington, Regional Records Officer, Region 4; and Lynn Calvin, Regional Records Officer, Region 5
The session had three goals:
¦	To make participants aware of the
background, laws, regulations, and
policies governing electronic
records.
¦	To give the participants an idea of
what is involved in the management
of electronic records.
¦	To provide participants with hints
about managing electronic records.
Background
There are two basic factors affecting
the management of electronic records:
external and internal. External factors
are pressures from the outside such as
the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) evaluation
which contained seven
recommendations on electronic records
related to updating policy, inventorying
the records, and training. Other
external factors include Federal
regulations such as OMB Circular A-
130, courts cases (e.g., the Executive
Office v, Armstrong electronic mail
case), Freedom of Information Act
requests, and the needs of customers in
regulated communities and the public.
Existing laws and regulations
governing electronic records include:
¦	The Federal Records Act
Tip Of The Hat
Larry Farmer is the new records
liaison for the Air and Energy
Engineering Research Laboratory
(AEERL).
¦	36 CFR Chapter 12, part 1234—
Electronic Records Management
¦	OMB Circular A-130
The second factor is internal or
what the Agency wants and plans to do
with electronic records. Internal issues
mentioned by Mike include:
¦	Agency policy requirements
¦	Program requests for the latest
software and technology;
¦	The desire to get beyond printing
out electronic mail and to maintain
an electronic record;
¦	The Agency's paper-less campaign;
¦	The use of electronic systems for
recordkeeping and audit.
Internal policy covering electronic
records can be found in the IRM
Manual (2100), Chapter 10, Records
Management; and the Records
Management Manual (2160),
Chapter 8.
Electronic records can be managed
in the same "life cycle" terms as paper
records—creation, maintenance and
use, and disposition. Issues included
the roles and responsibilities of people
involved with electronic records, what
electronic records are, and the
importance of maintaining the media
properly, access, and legal
admissibility.
Judy L. Stagner has been assigned
Records Management responsibilities at
the Environmental Research Library/
ORD (ERL) in Duluth. MN.
The anticipated timeline for
implementation of electronic records
management in the Agency is:
¦	1993—Conducted studies to
identifying problems;
¦	Next step—Develop policy to
support electronic recordkeeping ;
¦	Within 3 to 5 years—Begin pilots
and explore ways to implement
electronic recordkeeping;
¦	5+ years—Begin overall
implementation.
Electronic Records Scheduling
In Region 4
Region 4 is currently in the process of
inventorying its electronic records and
Jim Whittington talked about problems
encountered and gave some hints on
how to accomplish the inventory. He
told the audience they will need to
work with their offices of information
management who generally have
physical control of the electronic
records and the program offices who
have intellectual control. In some
cases, there are also other entities
involved such as States.
Some of the questions that need to
be resolved in order to conduct a
successful inventory of electronic
information systems include:
¦	Is the system unique?
¦	Is the system managed nationally or
locally?
* If there is a records disposition
schedule, does it need to be
modified?
Session I continued on page 9

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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
Session 2: FY 1995 Agency-Wide Records Inventory
Excerpts from remarks by Mike Miller, Manager. National Records Management Program;
Jim Baca, Principal Records Contact, Office of Administration and Resources Management (OARM); and
Vicki Betton, contractor supporting OARM
An Agency-wide records baseline
study (or records inventory) is planned
for fiscal year 1995. The goals of the
study are to:
¦	Facilitate timely disposition of
EPA's records;
¦	Adequately document EPA's record
holdings; and
¦	Improve the overall operation of
EPA's records program.
The inventory is a long-term project
and it is anticipated that it will take
each office 6 to 18 months to complete.
It may include all levels of personnel to
some extent, especially the baseline
study lead personnel, office contacts,
and inventory staff.
The Office of Information
Resources Management (OIRM) has
sponsored preparation of a guidance
document giving instructions on how
to complete the study. The guide
includes a glossary and explains the
process step by step, identifying
milestones, goals, descriptions of the
processes, and tools such as worksheets
and inventory forms. It also includes
information on who should be involved
in the process and their responsibilities,
resources, time estimated to complete
each milestone, how to determine
budget and obtain approval, and
communication initiatives.
The major milestones of the study are:
1.	Planning the records assessment
process;
2.	Conducting the walk-through
inventory (a quick survey to
determine location, volume and
content of records);
3.	Conducting the series inventory—
(the detailed survey);
4.	Revising the records disposition
schedules.
The guidance document is in the
final review stages and will be
provided to appropriate staff when the
inventory begins.
The Records Inventory OARM
OARM is currently in the process of
conducting a baseline study, which
began in December 1993. The walk-
through phase identifying locations,
volumes, types of records, and problem
areas has been completed. The scope of
the project was found to be much
larger than originally anticipated with
almost 1,400 filing areas to be
included. The volume of documents
found was larger as well—over 48,000
linear feet of them! The detailed
inventory portion of the project is
underway.
Selection of official liaisons and
contacts is an extremely important part
of the planning for the study. It was
suggested that Headquarters liaisons be
grade 13 or higher in order to help with
scheduling of office staff time and
dealing with obstacles. It is also very
helpful if contacts have some records
management training.
Other planning issues to consider
are the selection of a project manager
who not only has knowledge of the
records, but also has sufficient time to
devote to the project. One
recommendation is to begin the project
at the beginning of the fiscal year and
to remember to allow enough time in
the schedule for staff availability
(vacations, compressed work
schedules, budgets, hearings, etc.).
Modifications of the plan and the
process have been made as new
information or obstacles have
appeared. Issues to be considered
include the gathering of statistical data
which takes time to do and requires
space for working and storage, and
network building which also takes time
and requires teamwork.
Some of the lessons learned in the
process thus far:
¦	It's important to get an accurate
count of offices, including file
stations, stay-in-schools, Senior
Environmental Employees, supply
and storage areas, and contractors.
¦	How contractor records are to be
handled needs to be decided.
¦	Management support and
involvement is needed to speed
progress and ensure the full
cooperation of the staff.
Note: A sample inventory form was
distributed. OARM has recently
revised the form. Copies are available
from Manker R. Harris (contractor) at
202-260-5272 or AU-in-1,
Harris.Manker. ¦
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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
Session 3:
The New Draft Agency-wide File Plan
Excerpts from remarks by Mike Miller, National Program Manager for Records
Management, and Lisa Jenkins, Records Liaison Officer, Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response (OSWER)
Mike presented an overview of the
draft Agency-wide file plan that was
first discussed in the February 1993
issue of INFO ACCESS. Mike stressed
that the file plan will not be mandatory
when it is issued. The new draft
Agency-wide file plan is a "high-level"
structure that can be tailored to fit the
specific needs of each EPA program or
office. It can be implemented
gradually, first by those offices that
don't have a file plan or those who
need to revise their existing one.
A file plan is an essential
component of a successful records
management program. It can make it
easier to find information and help
meet statutory and regulatory
requirements. A good file plan should
be simple yet provide structure,
flexibility, and uniformity.
Some of the advantages of the new file
plan are:
¦	Provides a basic filing structure;
¦	Relates to the revised disposition
schedules;
¦	Standardizes similar records across
programs;
¦	Improves exchange and tracking of
information;
¦	Facilitates records retention and
disposition.
The file codes used in the file plan
consist of two parts. The first part is
four alpha characters representing the
activity covered by the records series
(eg., CORR—Correspondence). The
second part is the three digit EPA series
number found on the revised schedules
(eg., 127—General Correspondence
Files).
A guide on how to set up the new
plan will be sent out to programs before
the end of the fiscal year. It will include
information on adoption of the file plan
as soon as possible, a guide on how to
do it, and general reminders on such
topics as records v. non records,
personal papers, etc.
Participants were asked to contact
the NRMP if they found records series
which were not represented in the new
file plan.
File Plan Implementation in
OSWER
New file plans have been implemented
in a number of offices within OSWER.
Having a champion who believes the
endeavor is worthwhile is very
important. The process is very time
consuming and OSWER has used
contractor support to help accomplish it.
OSWER has found that most people
are already filing by series and it's not
necessary to redefine most record types.
The process has helped them get ready
for the upcoming Agency-wide
inventory and move and has made it
easier to retrieve and disposition
records.
Adapting NRMP products to the
needs of your own program is a
really good way to maximize
your time, stay in step with the
rest of the Agency, and yet
provide the staff in your program
with records management
products tailored to their needs.
The NRMP strongly supports the
idea that programs take the
NRMP sponsored products and
use them as a starting point for
developing their own materials.
Some of the problems encountered
include interpreting the schedules and
choosing the right category. For
example, a unique study could be
included in special studies, regulatory
development, program management, or
systems documentation. Another
problem is "chron" files are often
mixed with program management
records. Handling of final contract
deliverables as well as duplication in
contract files are other issues to be
dealt with.
Another tip that may be useful is to
sell the concept since most people do
not want to convert from whatever
system they are using. In addition,
records need to be properly labeled
(think about functions), including
electronic files which need to be linked
to the paper files. One way to do this is
to label diskettes with file codes.
Some successful techniques used by
OSWER include:
¦	Training sessions before cleanup
days;
¦	Making the file plan mandatory;
Section 3 continued on pag* l
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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
The OSWER Records Management Conference and Work
Groups
The OSWER Records Management
Conference, held on Wednesday, May
25th, was well attended (70
participants).
Session 1: Electronic Access to
Information
The morning session, kicked off by
Jack Frost, focused on information
access—what information access
resources arc available to EPA to use
in disseminating information to the
public and within our Agency. Eliot
Christian, U.S. Geological Survey,
opened the session with a presentation
on the Government Information
Locator Service. Next, Judy Russell
presented GPO services and the
Federal Bulletin Board (available on:
202-512-1387 modem setting 8N1).
Working Meeting from page 3
information gathering and data entry
costs as well.
Sandy York (contractor) talked
briefly about Inmagic software and
how it compares to Versatile. Versatile
is specifically designed as software for
records management whereas Inmagic
is a multi-purpose data base where the
user designs the data base and reports.
It is particularly useful for document-
level indexing and has strong search
capabilities.
Records Management Position
Descriptions
Participants reviewed a list of
responsibilities for Records
Management Officers. A number of
The NTIS presentation, given by Karen
Cummins, focused on accessing and
using FedWorld (available on: 703-
321-8020, or Internet telnet at
fedworld.gov).
These presentations were followed
by a series of presentations on what
EPA is already doing to disseminate its
data. Envirotext was presented by Rhea
Cohen, OERR. EPA's Internet access
was presented by Mike Weaver and
John Shirey. Emma McNamara
presented information on accessing the
Library CD-ROM towers. Some brief
information was also provided on
CLU-In (the Hazardous Waste Bulletin
Board) and on using the VABS servers
to distribute information within EPA.
The EPA presentations were
followed by a discussion on what
activities were added to the list
including such things as managing the
liaison networks, recommending
requirements in systems design,
overseeing dockets and file rooms,
oversight and administration for
automated systems, etc. Also discussed
were the appropriate grade level,
organizational structure, and other
issues. Mike will be drafting a position
description which will serve as the
basis for discussions with OHRM. A
draft will be circulated for comment as
soon as it is completed.
Data Standards
Jim Whittington raised the issue of data
standards. It is important to begin to
information collections OSWER now
has (in paper, electronic or other form)
that would be good to share
electronically inside or outside EPA.
This information will be used to initiate
an effort to identify and prioritize what
information we want to provide and
through what electronic services/
systems.
Session 2: Headquarters
Activities
The second session on Wednesday was
devoted to presentations from various
HQ offices. Liza Hearns discussed the
OSW Information Access pilot, and
some of the issues they are facing in
trying to provide documents
electronically to the public. Don
OSWER Recordt continued on page 9
think about standardization as
automated recordkeeping is
implemented. EPA needs to consider
migration of information across the
Agency to ensure information is stored
in a format that is useful for everyone
else. Jack Frost from the Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response
(OSWER) suggested Jim review the
Superfund Document Management
System (SDMS) since data standards
was an important part of the system
design.
Regional and Headquarters
Updates
Updates can be found in the Around the
Network section of this newsletter. ¦
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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
New From NARA
Agency Evaluation Regulations
Go Final
The National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) has issued
final regulations on records
management evaluations. The new
regulations appear in the Federal
Register for June 3, 1994, on pages
28781 to 28785. Based on comments
received from a number of agencies
including EPA, NARA made
significant changes to the proposed
rule. As the rule now reads the
"Agency internal evaluations"
regulation is moved to 36 CFR XII
Subpart B—Agency Records
Management Programs. This is the part
that lays out agency responsibilities.
That should make it more useful. The
regulation was changed to include
"adequate and proper documentation"
as one of the objectives of the
evaluations, but the language
specifying the frequency of evaluations
was dropped.
Draft Regulations Concerning
Vital Records
The National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) has issued
proposed regulations on Vital Records:
Record Disaster Mitigation and
Recovery, that revise their previous
vital records regulations. The proposed
regulations appear in the Federal
Register for May 31, 1994, pp. 28003-
28036. The regulations propose three
major changes. First, the emphasis on
the vital records program has been
changed to provide for protection
against natural disasters as well as civil
Now From NARA continued on page 10
Around The Records Network
Here are some of the highlights of progress reported by records contacts and
liaisons at the working meeting held on Thursday, May 26. The National Records
Management Program (NRMP) wants to recognize the strong commitment a
number of the Headquarters programs have made to records management over the
past year. The work of several of those programs is evident in the following
descriptions. Two areas where significant progress has been made is in the
organization of the all-important records liaison networks and the adaptation of
NRMP products to meet the needs of individual programs. Good Work!
Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation
A mini-inventory of program management records; monthly meetings with
records liaisons; encouraging training and sharing information.
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)
Training, file plan development and the SDMS project continue; committees
on EDI and electronic signatures; policy development.
Hazardous Site Evaluation Division (HSED/OSWER)
One branch file plan completed and employees trained; two other branches
ready to begin file plans.
Office of Waste Programs Enforcement (OWPE/OSWER)
Preparations are underway for the reorganization of the Office of Enforcement.
Work includes identifying subject files and where they will go in the
reorganization, interviewing staff for an inventory, preparing an inventory matrix,
briefings and training sessions.
Office of General Counsel (OGC)
Working on its action plan in response to the NARA evaluation and beginning
to train support staff.
Air and Radiation (OAR)
A docket inventory is underway and a cost benefit study on hard copy record
conversion to another medium has been completed.
Office of Research and Development (ORD)
Scheduled specialized training for its records liaisons who were in town for the
records management training session.
Office of Pesticides Programs (OPP)
Liaison network is in place and there is now a monthly training programs;
meetings with document control officers; a division is setting one central file
room and new file structure; OPP as a whole is reviewing their revised records
disposition schedules.
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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
Around The Records Network
Region 3
Records management directive is undergoing review; training is being given
every 2 months; preliminary records inventory of management division is
underway ; and the Region is reviewing material currently in alternate storage.
Region 4
Currently two large projects underway in the Region—implementation of
Versatile software and planning for a move scheduled for 1996. Other projects
include identifying records series and preparing records manuals with special
emphasis on the Air and Water programs, and training for branch staff.
Region 5
Region 5 is in the process of moving the Office of Regional Counsel records
into two new files rooms.
Region 6
Conducted 100% file check of several file rooms; microfilming Superfund,
Water, DMRs, CFCs, and other small projects; imaging grants.
Region 9
Scheduling training sessions; giving briefings at the branch level; designating
file custodians; and planning to start an inventory next fiscal year.
National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC)
Completed Phase 1 of a baseline study including physical inventory of paper
records and has reviewed policies.
Session / from page 4
¦ Does the system need a new records
disposition schedule?
A couple of final hints—find out
what the electronic records contain,
how they are used, and obtain as much
documentation as you can. And
remember to focus on the information,
not the software or hardware.
WordPerfect Office In Region 5
Lynn Calvin is looking at the
feasibility of using WordPerfect Office
4.0 to help manage records in
electronic format. She is looking at the
capabilities on how to capture
information, set up "file rooms" and
how to handle decision making
automatically. Some of the capabilities
include the ability to set up special
requirements or rules such as sending,
forwarding and filing records
automatically, and "read only" mail
boxes.
Follow-Up
In conclusion, participants were asked
to talk to their lead people about how
management of electronic records in
the Agency should be implemented and
to share that information with the
National Records Management
Program. ¦
OSWER Records from page 7
Sadowsky reviewed EPA's legal stance
on using microfilm and optical disks
which hasn't really changed in the last
3 years. Bette Drury (contractor)
shared implementation information on
OSWER's file plan initiative. Darlene
Williams explained what she has done
to ensure a smooth transition of OWPE
records to the newly formed OECA.
Lisa Jenkins described the purpose and
activities of the OSWER Directives
QAT and the move toward providing
directives electronically within and
outside of EPA. Bill Wolchack
(contractor) described his findings on
the OSWER Controlled
Correspondence imaging feasibility
study. Mike Miller reviewed the issues
of consolidating and automating EPA's
dockets. He also provided information
resources for techniques for adequately
maintaining records in alternative
media.
Session 3: Regional Activities
The third session on Wednesday
provided each region with an
opportunity to share regional activities
and issues of interest. Ellen Culhane
and Margaret Meehan (Region 1)
updated the group on their efforts to
implement a new, consolidated RCRA
file structure and improved, automated
access to Superfund documents. Anna
Butch described Region 3's efforts to
retire thousands of feet of records and
to automate both access to the AR's
and tracking of Superfund documents.
Debbie Jourdan of Region 4 described
their off-site storage solution to the
space squeeze and Gussie Lofton
described the Regions herculean efforts
to put the RCRA files into a working
OSWER Records continued on pag* 11
9

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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
May Meeting Evaluation
Here's What You Thought About the
Training Sessions on May 24 . . .
Over 160 people attended the
training sessions offered by the Office
of Information Resources Management
(OIRM) on May 24. Evaluation forms
were submitted by a third of the
attendees. Based on the rating system
listed at the top of the form, you rated
the training as a whole as very good.
Most respondents also felt that the
sessions had increased their knowledge
and skill levels. On the specific
questions, you made the following
comments.
What Was Particularly Helpful
About The Presentations?
There was a broad range of opinions on
which session was the most helpful.
Many attendees commented on the
importance of knowing the Agency's
future plans for records management
and what to expect. Others found the
explanation of the steps to be taken in
the baseline assessment (inventory)
most helpful.
Section 3 from page 6
¦	"Cheat sheets" for people doing
cleanups;
¦	Labeling instructions;
¦	Start-up project folders;
¦	Computer-generated labels; and
¦	File guidance manuals.
OSWER has taken the Agency file
plan and records schedules and adapted
them to their own use. This is a really
What Were The Strengths Of The
Program?
Many attendees submitting the
evaluation characterized the presenters
as very knowledgeable, organized, and
focused. Use of special presenters who
described "true stories" giving practical
applications the audience could relate
to was particularly effective.
Does Any Part Of The Training
Need Improvement?
There were two major problems
reported: the need to provide better
ways to take notes such as supplying
note pads or copies of all viewgraphs
to take notes on, and problems related
to the facility. The room arrangement
made it difficult for people in the back
of the room to see the viewgraphs and
other conditions in the room made it
difficult to concentrate.
The NRMP is pleased with the
large number of attendees and would
like to thank all of those who were able
to attend and those who provided
suggestions. A list of the comments has
been compiled and they will be shared
with those planning future training. ¦
good way to maximize your time, stay
in step with the rest of the Agency, and
yet provide the staff in your program
with records management products
tailored to their needs. The NRMP
strongly supports the idea that
programs take the NRMP sponsored
products and use them as a starting
point for developing their own
materials. ¦
New prom NARA from page 8
defense emergencies. Second, agencies
will be required to duplicate vital
records to ensure that such records can
be given the special protection needed
to prevent unauthorized loss or
removal. Third, the directive is
broadened to require agencies to plan
for the protection and recovery of all
records affected by a disaster or
emergency. This proposed revision
represents a significant change in what
NARA expects from agencies in the
way of a vital records program and
specifies a number of new mandatory
program components including
training, a vital records plan, and
management control requirements.
Comments are due to NARA by
August 1, 1994. Comments should be
sent to Mike Miller, Agency Records
Officer, at Mail Code 3404,
or via All-in-1 to
MILLER.MICHAEL-OIRM.
NARA Issues Records
Management Automation in
Federal Agencies
The National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) has issued
Records Management Automation in
Federal Agencies, a new publication
based on a 1992 survey concerning
how agencies were using automation to
support records management. NARA's
avowed intent in publicizing the results
is to assist agencies in identifying
others who are working on, or who
have worked on, similar projects.
Copies can be obtained from MankerR.
Harris (contractor) at 202-260-5272, or
via All—in—1 at HARRIS.MANKER. ¦
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INFO ACCESS ¦ JUNE 1994
OSWER Records from page 9
file structure. Jan Pfundheller
enlightened us on the level of activity
resulting from the effort to move Region
5's ORC. Lorraine Kos described the
changes that have taken place in the
configuration of the Superfund Records
Center and the efforts to organize the
site assessment files in region 5. Sharon
Kiddon (also Region 5) described
efforts to implement the Region 10 file
structure for TSD files, and the
anticipated use of InMagic—all on a
shoestring budget. Nancy Yarberry
announced that both RCRA and
Superfund in Region 6 are imaging files
and upgrading to 486 PCs in preparation
for improving electronic access.
According to Barry Theirer, Region 7 is
suffering from lack of funds and is
unable to purchase the indexing system
they have selected. Region 8 is busy
closing out files and retiring them, and
utilizes several systems at their disposal
to facilitate records management,
according to Tina Artemis. In Region 9,
a Region-wide task force, coordinated
by Yvonne Pederson, meets monthly to
discuss records issues. Elaine Chan,
Region 9, reports that Superfund is
preparing for the implementation of
SDMS in June. Margaret Hughes
reports that Region 10 has developed
"File Quest" which assists in tracking
down checked out folders. Several
Regions reported that RCRIS is now on
their LAN.
Superfund Work Group
The Superfund Work Group convened
on Thursday, May 26. In the morning,
contract and contractor records were
discussed. Lisa Jenkins and Bette Drury
presented guidance (Records
Management Standards for Superfund
Contractors and Grantees, ARCS
Records Management Guidance, and
Chapter 11—Records Management in
the RACS Guidance Manual) that is
being developed to improve contractor
handling of records so they will be in
better shape at the time they are turned
over to EPA. Nancy Deck presented
lessons learned through closing out the
TES contract records. She said to be
sure to coordinate with all potential
users of records and to make records
handling decisions before contract
close-out before the contract becomes
inactive. Chad Littleton described his
efforts with DOJ to microfilm all the
old Superfund HQ contract records for
distribution to the Regions to facilitate
cost recovery package preparation.
Gerri Hilden spoke about the CEAT
Contract closeouts and the initiative to
move all the old CEAT records out to
the regions. Marlene Berg described
some of the efforts OERR is
undertaking to improve access to the
electronic versions of RODS. These
presentations were interspersed with a
discussion of what we as records
managers can do to expedite the cost
recovery process.
In the afternoon, the Superfund
Work Group turned its attention to the
Superfund Document Management
System (SDMS) and the
Administrative Record. Lisa Jenkins
described briefly what has been done
thus far on the SDMS project and what
regions will need to do to prepare for
SDMS. Margaret Morkowsky
presented the scope and status of the
Region 9 pilot. Their San Gabriel
megasite has 600,000 pages of
documents that are being imaged,
indexed and converted to full text and
a full text index—a massive
undertaking, but one which brought
forth difficult design issues which
should make future implementations
easier. Tina Artemis (Region 8) lead a
discussion of outstanding
Administrative Records. These issues
will be consolidated and disseminated
for discussion during the Superfund
Records Management teleconference in
June. Then the list will be sent to the
OECA division that handles sites
requesting resolution of these issues.
RCRA Work Group
The RCRA Work Group met the
morning of Thursday, May 26. It was
facilitated by Sharon Kiddon (Region 5)
and attended by representatives from
Regions 1, 4, and 10; Office of Waste
Programs Enforcement; and Office of
Solid Waste (OSW). The group
discussed Confidential Business
Information procedural and contractual
issues, whether HQ can retain the
RCRA TES records, whether ARs are
maintained separately or as part of the
site file, procedures for public review of
documents, what circulation software is
implemented in each Region, the
sharing of RCRA storage space with
other programs, what levels of indexing
are being used in each Region, space
problems and the retirement of records.
They also were provided with a
description of the OSW docket
operations by Barbara Roth, OSW.
Those who attended were glad to have
the opportunity to exchange ideas.
However, they felt it would have been
better if more of the Regions had been
represented—particularly if they had
been represented by EPA FIE involved
in RCRA records management who
could have made more firm
commitments about future activities.
The work group has decided to hold a
planning conference call if issues arise
that need discussion. ¦

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