July Agency vvasniiiyiuii A Publication for EPA Employees wffA TIMES Congress Accepts Ruckeishaus Budget Increases for FY 1984 Joseph Padgett EPA Engineer in Line For Top Office in APCA Joseph Padgett, an EPA engineer, has been elected first vice president of the Air Pollution Control Association (APCA). He assumed office June 23 at an APCA board meeting held in con- junction with the group's 76th annual meeting in Atlanta. Padgett is director of EPA's Strat- egies and Air Standards Division at Research Triangle Park. His election to the first vice pre- sidency in worldwide balloting among APCA's nearly 8,000 members means he will automatically move up to president of the association next June. Founded in 1907 with headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., APCA is a technical and educational association devoted to furthering the art and science of air pollution control. Its members include individuals in some 40 countries who are professionally active in air pollu- tion control in industry, science, re- search or government and private agencies. Padgett has been active in APCA for more than 10 years. He was a member of the board of directors from 1978 to 1980 and a vice president in 1980 and 1981. Congress has approved a $3.95 billion budget for EPA in fiscal year 1984, accepting new Administrator William D. Ruckeishaus' request for $265.5 million in increases over the Adminis- tration's earlier budget proposal. The new budget figure includes sal- ary money for up to 300 additional workyears in the Superfund program and up to 800 additional workyears in other program areas. The total appropriation provides $1.1 billion for operations, $410 million for Superfund and $2.43 billion for construction grants. Ruckeishaus' request for a 21 per- cent increase in the Administration spending proposal for operations and Superfund in FY 1984 was outlined in a letter June 13 to David A. Stockman, director of the Office of Management and Budget. "Although these are substantial in- creases," said Ruckeishaus, "I believe they are necessary to fund an aggres- sive environmental cleanup effort. The Administrator said $100 mil- lion of the additional $265.5 would be directed toward "fundamentally changing the pace and nature of the operation of the Superfund program." "These resources will allow us to remove hazardous substances from substantially more sites in 1984, and to make rapid progress against our ul- timate goal of cleaning up the most hazardous sites," he explained. "The additional resources also reflect our policy of taking actions to initiate cleanup immediately and to de- termine who pays later." The other $165.5 million requested included $34.5 million earmarked for salaries and expenses to fund the additional 800 workyears in other EPA programs, $100 million for Abatement, Control and Compliance, and $31 million for Research and De- velopment. "I believe the proposals I have re- commended, coupled with flexibility, will provide me with adequate re- sources to do the job that the Presi- dent wants done," Ruckeishaus said. For the Agency as a whole, the re- vised budget provides personnel funds equivalent to 11,548 workyears in fiscal 1984, compared to 10,448 in the original Administration proposal and 11,025 this fiscal year. Artist at Las Vegas Lab Up for Handicapped Award Brian Spavin, a visual information specialist at the Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory in Las Vegas, is EPA's nominee for Out- standing Handicapped Federal Em- ployee of the Year. The purpose of the award is to rec- ognize the contributions and achieve- ments of physically and mentally dis- abled employees. Nominees must demonstrate job performance clearly exceeding requirements in spite of severely limiting physical or mental factors, along with exhibiting courage and initiative in overcoming such handicaps. In his job at the Las Vegas lab, Spa- vin is responsible for the design and production of illustrations and artwork for the facility's printed mate- rials, including posters, scientific re- ports and publications. He developed into a first-rate commercial artist after undergoing extensive surgery and physical therapy to overcome severe physical handicaps. Spavin also is active in community affairs. He lectures at several Nevada colleges, serves as president of the Nevada Federal Employees Associa- tion and is a past vice president of the Vegas Valley Junior Chamber of Com- merce. ------- Crispinn Perez Region 2's Perez Named Federal Secretary of Year Crispina Perez, executive secretary to the Deputy Regional Administrator of Region 2, has been named Secretary of the Year by the Federal Executive Board in New York City. Mrs. Perez was cited for individual accomplishments, including her role in the organization of EPA's National Secretarial Council, which she chairs; the creation of a regional EPA Secret- ary's Guide, now being used by other EPA regional offices as a model for the development of their own man- uals; and conceiving and planning a series of secretarial training work- shops. In addition, she was commended for sustaining the high standard of performance "which characterizes the service of secretaries of the federal service." EPA Regional Administrator Jac- queline Schafer said in nominating Mrs. Perez that "Chris is a wonderful example of how an excellent secretary can affect the productivity and job sat- isfaction of other secretaries through- out the organization." "She possesses a natural enthusiasm and dedication to her work, her Agen- cy and her co-workers," Miss Schafer added. "Her unusually long string of accomplishments —be it work on the Love Canal crisis or coordinating Secretary's Week—is worthy of recognition." Mrs. Perez is participating in a col- lege program leading toward an Asso- ciate in Arts degree. She has encour- aged other women in government service to take advantage of government-supported educational opportunities and has counseled them on financial aid and course options. The Federal Executive Board, in conjunction with its affiliate, the Federal Business Association, pre- sented the award June 17 at a lunch- eon at Governor's Island in New York City. It was the first time a Secretary of the Year was recognized as part of the Board's annual awards program. Other award categories were Executive Man- ager, Employee and Supervisor of the Year, and community service. i Patricia M. Neuschatz ORD's Patricia Neuschatz Receives Merit Certificate Patricia M. Neuschatz, program op- erations officer for the Office of En- vironmental Processes and Effects Re- search, has been issued a certificate oi merit by the William A. Jump Memo- rial Foundation in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments and special contributions to the efficiency and prestige of public service. Mrs. Neuschatz was EPA's nominee for the highly prestigious William A. Jump Memorial Award. She was cited for creative man- agement in developing a review sys- tem geared toward gaining maximum utilization of resources, and for her superior leadership qualities. Mrs. Neuschatz has worked in the Office of Research and Development for nearly 11 years. She directs the budgeting for major research programs and the program analyses activities three headquarters divisions and seven field laboratories. During her career, Mrs. Neuschatz has earned several performance awards, including a Bronze Medal for Meritorious Serv- ice in 1981. 12 Accepted for First SES Candidate Program Twelve employees have been chosen from six EPA components to partici- pate in the Agency's first one-year SES candidate development program. They are Timothy Fields and Wil- liam Franklin of the Office of Air, Noise and Radiation; Terrell Hunt, Larry Reid and Margaret Stasikowski of the Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances; Steven Lingle, of the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response; Carol Reeverts, of the Office of Water; Richard Cocozza, Carol Finch, William Hedling and Paul Mar- tin, of the Office of Administration, and Robert Knox, of the Office of the Administrator. The development program openec® with a three-day Orientation Institute where the speakers included Alvin Aim, Acting Deputy Administrator; Howard Messner, who is to be nomin- ated as Assistant Administrator for Administration; Col. Leslie Denend, Deputy Assistant Director for Eco- nomic Affairs at the White House, and Richard Cavanaugh, a contributor to the book Search for Excellence. Applicants for the SES development program were rated and ranked by an Executive Resources Board sub- committee comprised of Donald Clay, Acting Assistant Administrator for Pesticides and Toxic Substances; Ronald Brand, Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy and Resource Management; Richard Dewling, Re- gion 2 Deputy Administrator; John Floeter, Region 6 Assistant Adminis- trator for Management, and Gerald Yamada, Deputy General Counsel. The Agency is now in the process of identifying additional de- velopmental assignments and in- terviewing finalists for the program. For more information about the S. candidate program, call Ken Wright at 382-3356. ------- New Grievance System For Some EPA Employees A new grievance system covering non- ^)argailling unit employees is now in Pperation. The new system, es- tablished by EPA Order 3110.8, in- corporates recent changes in Office of Personnel Management regulations and is designed to improve the effi- ciency and effectiveness of grievance processing within the Agency. Under the system, the Administra- tor or Deputy Administrator, the Assistant, Associate and Regional Administrators, and the Inspector General serve as Deciding Officials and make the final Agency decisions on grievances within their areas of responsibility. Deciding Officials may appoint Fact Finders to look into cases were the circumstances are unclear or in dis- pute. The Fact Finders then report their findings to the Deciding Official. Bargaining unit employees who are not now included in a negotiated grievance system will continue to be covered under the administrative sys- tem established by EPA Order 3110.7 A. For additional information, get in touch with the personnel office at headquarters or in the regions. Region 6 Public Affairs Officer Eddie Lee 'left) receives plaque from William hlfeld, EPA Director of Public Affairs, in .ecognition of his service to the Agency. Lee retired July 8 after 16 years of gov- ernment service in Dallas and Ada, Ok la. Lee Thomas Confirmed; Messner, Schulhof Chosen for EPA Posts Lee M. Thomas Howard M. Messner SamueJ A. SchuJhof Lee M. Thomas has been confirmed by the Senate as EPA's Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response. He had filled that job on an acting basis since Feb- ruary 24 and was formally nominated to the position by President Reagan June 7. The President also announced the nomination of Howard M. Messner to be Assistant Administrator for Ad- ministration, an office where he served as deputy from 1971 to 1975. And, in another appointment, Samuel A. Schulhof, who had been Deputy Assistant Administrator for Administration, was named by Admi- nistrator William D. Ruckelshaus to the newly created post of Associate Administrator for Regional Op- erations. Thomas is the first new Assistant Administrator to be confirmed since Ruckelshaus returned as head of EPA. The 39-year-old government executive came to EPA from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where he was Associate Director in charge of state and local programs and support from 1981 to 1983. Thomas served in a number of posts in the South Carolina state government ear- lier. A native of Ridgeway, S.C., Thomas received a bachelor degree in psychol- ogy from the University of the South in 1967 and a master's degree in education from the University of South Carolina in 1970. Messner, the designee for Assistant Administrator for Administration, had been Controller of the Department of Energy since March. During his 23 years of federal service, Messner also has served as Assistant Director for Management Improvement and Evaluation at the Office of Man- agement and Budget (1977-83), and Assistant Director of Management Pro- grams at the Congressional Budget Office (1975-77). Messner, who is 45, earned a bache- lor's degree from Antioch College and a master of arts degree from the Graduate School of Government, Uni- versity of Massachusetts. He received the William A. Jump Memorial Award for distinguished service in public ad- ministration in 1971. In the new job of Associate Admi- nistrator for Regional Operations, Schulhof will serve as an 'honest broker" between the field and head- quarters in planning and operational matters. Before joining EPA in December 1981, Schulhof was assistant director of recruitment and communications at ACTION. Previously, Schulhof was president and chief operating officer of Wander Sales in West Elizabeth, Pa., from 1979 to 1981, and a princip- al member of the Hay group, a human resources consulting firm in Washing- ton, D.C., from 1975 to 1979. He was 6 staff assistant to the President and later a deputy special assistant in the White House from 1973 to 1975. Schulhof, 41, earned a bachelor of science degree in business administra- tion at C.W. Post College, Long Island University. ------- Ruckelshaus Picks Appointees To Fill Top lobs in 4 Regions Michael R. DeJand Thomas P. Eichler John G. Welles Ernesto B. Barnes Four new regional administrators have been appointed by EPA Administrator William D. Ruckelshaus. They are Michael R. Deland, Region 1 (Boston); Thomas P. Eichler, Region 3 (Philadelphia); John G. Welles, Re- gion 8 (Denver); and Ernesta Ballard Barnes, Region 10 (Seattle). Deland, a consultant for Environ- mental Research and Technology, Inc., Concord, Mass., previously served with EPA from 1971 to 1976. He started with the Agency as a staff attorney, headed the legal review sec- tion in 1972 and 1973, and was chief of EPA's enforcement branch from November 1973 to July 1976. In the latter post, he was in charge of pre- paring all enforcement actions brought by EPA in New England. Deland received a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard College in 1963 and a law degree from Boston College in 1969. Eichler, the new Region 3 adminis- trator, has been Director of the Divi- sion of Environmental Control in Delaware since 1979. He administered state programs dealing with air and water quality, solid and hazardous wastes, wetlands, coastal mangement and land use planning. Before taking the Delaware job, Eichler was with the New York State Department of Environmental Con- servation from 1973 to 1979. He holds master's degrees in public administra- tion and political science from the State University of New York and earned an undergraduate degree in Mrs. Barnes moved into the admi- nistrator's job in Region 10 after five years with the Seattle Trust and Sav- ings Bank, where she was branch administrator responsible for retail banking activities. She was director of public service for the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle from 1976 to 1978 and served as budget director at the University of Washington from 1974 to 1976. Mrs. Barnes received a bachelor of arts in religious thought from the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania in 1967 and later studied religious thought at Ox- ford University in England. She re- ceived a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Univer- sity in 1970. New Edition of Extramural Activity Report Published A new edition of the Extramural Activity Report is now available from the Office of Toxic Integration. The report, published twice a year, is intended to help coordinate toxics- related contracts, grants, interagency agreements and cooperative agree- ments. Activities are catalogued by function under such topic headings as health effects, environmental effects, exposure, risk, industrial and eco- nomic studies. Walter W. Kovalick Jr., acting di- rector of the Chemical Coordination Staff, which develops the 100-page compilation, said the Agency bad no mechanism prior to publication of this political science at Syracuse Univer- sity. Welles comes to the Region 8 post from the Colorado School of Mines, where he has been vice president in charge of planning and public affairs since 1974. He headed the Industrial Economics Division of the University of Denver Research Institute from 1956 to 1974 and was a consultant tjg the Secretariat of the United Nation^ Conference on the Human Environ- ment in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1971 and 1972. Welles received an engineering de- gree from Yale University in 1946 and a master's in business administration from Philadelphia's Wharton School of Finance and Commerce in 1949. report to tell program offices whether planned information gathering efforts on chemicals and industries over- lapped activities planned by other components. "The Extramural Activity Report provides information on projects in the early planning stages as well as those already under way," Kovalick said. The authors hope that substantial cost savings will accrue as more peo- ple throughout the Agency learn about the report and begin using it to elimi- nate duplication of effort. Those interested in obtaining a cor** should contact Peter Bahor (382- 3406), Joanne LaBaw (382-3395) or Arnie Edelman (382-2249) of the Che- mical Coordination Staff. ------- |