Issue No. 30 October 1983 United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Public Affairs (A-107) Washington DC 20460 Publication — &EPA TIMES Carlucci Heads Survey of Budget, Personnel Systems EPA Administrator William D. Ruckelshaus (leftJ chats with Frank C. Carlucci (center) and John W. Gardner, members of a National Academy of Public Administration panel conducting a study of EPA management systems. Carlucci, president of Sears World Trade, Inc., and a former Deputy Secretary of the Defense Department, is chairman of the panel. Gardner is the founder of Common Cause and a former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. The National Academy of Public Administration's study of EPA man- agement systems needed in the years ahead got rolling in September as study teams began interviews with EPA managers. Later, a larger sampling of Agency workers will be involved as NAPA asks a cross section of employees to complete a question- naire now being developed. Frank C. Carlucci, president of Sears World Trade, Inc., and a former Deputy Secretary of DOD, heads the prestigious 10-member panel con- ducting the study (see page 2 for the complete panel lineup). The study will concentrate initially on budget and personnel, two of the Agency's critical systems, as a key to EPA's overall management systems needs. In the personnel area, the NAPA team will cover such issues as com- munications between headquarters and the field, staffing, merit pay, per- formance appraisals, incentive awards, salaries, employee rights, affirmative action, executive utiliza- tion, career development, and labor relations. On the budget side, the study will probe EPA's mandatory and discre- tionary spending policies and the rela- tionship of the budget to management of the Agency. In announcing the study in August, Deputy Administrator Alvin L. Aim said the intent is to "find ways to bet- ter utilize the extremely talented and professional people in EPA so we can do a more effective job of protecting public health and the environment. "We need to look ahead, to seek im- provement, so that we can say after we have left EPA that we planned for the future management of the Agency—that this was our legacy," they added. Howard Messner, Assistant Ad- ministrator for Administration, said EPA has a unique opportunity now to identify and build the management systems the Agency will need for years to come. "EPA employees have shown that they want to participate in the strengthening of the Agency," Messner said. "The White House, Congress and the public all want a more effective EPA. All of these elements are coming together at the same time." Anyone who wants to offer ideas or comments on the study may call David Alexander, OA, project manager of the study, at (202) 382-4427. Carlucci and other members of the NAPA panel will participate per- sonally in the study, visiting a num- ber of EPA facilities and working actively with a staff of nine full-time people. In addition, Carlucci has as his special assistant for the study Alan L. Dean, who was the first Assis- tant Secretary for Administration at the Department of Transportation and held other high level posts at OMB, FAA and HHS before his retirement from the federal service. Eldon Taylor, EPA's first Deputy Assistant Administrator for Resources Management and later Inspector General at NASA, heads the staff studying EPA budget systems. The personnel study is being directed by Betty Bolden, Deputy Assistant Secre- tary for Administration at Labor. NAPA is a private, non-profit organ- ization founded 16 years ago. The fin- al report on the EPA study is due in February 1984. EPA Times is published monthly to provide current information for and about EPA employees. Comments or suggestions are welcome. Please direct them to: Office of Public Affairs, A-107. Telephone 382-4367. ------- NAPA Panel Members for EPA Study • Frank C. Carlucci. Chairman. President, Sears World Trade, Inc.; U.S. Ambassador to Portugal, 1976-78; Deputy Director, CIA, 1978-81; Dep- uty Secretary of Defense, 1981-82. • John W. Gardner, founder of Common Cause and former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. • Robert W. Fri, President, Energy Transition Corp. and, in the early ly'/Os, Deputy Administrator and later Acting Administrator of EPA. • Ersa H. Poston. former Vice Chairman, Merit Systems Protection Board, U.S. Delegate to the UN General Assembly in 1970; president nf International Personnel Association, 1975. • Robert E. Merriain, Partner, Alexander Proudioot Co.; Depuly Assis- tant to the President, 1958-61. ^ • Vicluria Tscliinkel, Secieldiy, Flurida Depditmeiil of Enviioiuiieii lal Regulation; member of EPA's Toxic Substances Advisory Committee and the Energy Department's Energy Research Advisory Board. • Gerald McManis. President. McManis Associates: former senior asso- ciate, Cresap, McCormick & Paget; former director of systems analysis and management techniques. Navy Department. • Simon Lazarus, Partner, Powell, Goldstein, Fram &. Murphy; Associ- ate Director of WhiLe House Domestic Policy Slaff, 1977-81. • William Walker, Partner. Mudge, Rose & Guthrie; Director. Presiden- tial Personnel Office, 1974-75. • Dale McOmber, Assistant Director for Budget Review, OMB, 1973- 1980. EPA Scientist Joe Elder Elected to Six-Year Term With Radiation Council Dr. Joe Allen Elder, an EPA scientist, was elected recently to a six-year term on the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Elder, who joined EPA as a research scientist in 1974, is now acting direc- tor of the Experimental Biology Divi- sion at the Agency's Health Effects Re- search Laboratory in Research Triang- le Park, N.C. As a member of the National Coun- cil, Elder will be one of about 100 ex- perts from industry, academia, public and private health research organiza- tions, and government agencies who serve voluntarily to aid in collecting, analyzing, and disseminating scientif- ic information and recommendations about radiation protection and radia- tion measurements. The Council was chartered by Con- gress in 1964. OPM Decides to Move On Merit Pay Program Despite Delay on Raise The amount of the general pay in- crease for federal employees and the effective date of the increase have not yet been resolved by Congress and the President. The President was expected to delay the federal pay raise beyond October, which also affects the merit pay program since part of merit pay funding is derived from the annual comparability increase. The Office of Personnel Man- agement, however, has decided to go ahead with merit pay implementation during the normal October/November time frame, with funding limited to amounts derived from within-grade and quality step factors. When the general pay raise becomes effective for General Schedule (GS] employees, Merit Pay employees will receive the full amount of the comparability in- crease. If you have questions, contact your servicing personnel officer. Drafted Into Federal Service, Bellack's Still At It 40 Years Later Some people get a watch atter the^ have been with an employer for 40 years. Dr. Ervin (Erv) Bellack got a giant toothbrush. Bellack, a chemist in the Office of Drinking Water, was honored by past and present colleagues from EPA and other agencies at a luncheon com- memorating bis long onrt vnrinH career. Erv has worked all his life but he nftvftr had to apply fat- a job. His gov- ernment service began when he was drafted into the Army in 1942. The Fish and Wildlife Service offorod Bel lack a post after World War II, the U.S. Public Health Service recruited him into what is now the Department of Health and Human Services, and President Nixon reorganized him into EPA. In his only brook in fedoiYil sru- vice, Bellack spent a year in post- graduate study following World War II (he earned his doctorate in chemical engineering). During his tenure with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Bellack was the to synthesize and test Compound 1080, a potent pesticide that is still source of controversy. While with the Public Health Ser- vice, Bellack earned an international reputation for his expertise in fluoridation and defluoridation tech- nology, leading training courses and conducting technical evaluations in many parts of the world. It was his achievements in that field that prompted the gift of the super-size toothbrush from PHS. At EPA, Bellack has worked with notable success in the development of drinking water regulations. Along with the toothbrush, Bellack also received a key from his EPA col- leagues at the testimonial affair. It wasn't a key to the city, but to the water treatment plant in Bartlett, Texas. That's where defluoridation got its start under Bellack's careful eye because natural levels of fluoride in Bartlett's water were excessive, dis- coloring the teeth of community resi- dents. Bellack has no plans for retiremejj at the present time. Unless his carcT pattern changes after all these year^l he'll probably just stay at EPA until he gets a better offer. r and § il^F 'I irsl ------- Senior Executive Group Opens Membership Drive Leaders of Senior Executives Association pause for the photog- rapher during a get-acquainted meeting with Administrator Wii- Jiam D. Ruckeishaus. From left: Ed /ohnson, OPTS; Jim Elder, OW; Mary Louise Uhlig, OPTS; Ruckeishaus; David Burckman, Association president; and Marian Mlay, OW, EPA membership chairman for the group. Hfers of the Senior Executive Association (SEA) had a get- acquainted meeting with top officials of EPA as the group kicked off a mem- bership drive in the Agency last month. Top officers of SEA and EPA leaders met with Administrator William D. Ruckeishaus, Deputy Administrator Alvin L. Aim, and Howard Messner, Assistant Adminis- trator for Administration. SEA Chairman Dick Strombotni de- scribed SEA as a professional associa- tion, with a full-time staff, whose four major goals are to: • Improve the efficiency, effective- ness and productivity of the federal government. • Advance the professionalism of career federal executives. ® Advocate the interest of career federal executives, especially mem- bers of the SEA. • Enhance public recognition of the contributions of federal career ex- Itoves. Me two-year-old association rked actively in support of legisla- tion lifting the salary cap for gov- ernment employees in 1981 and 1982 and making federal employees eligible for IRAs. SEA is working now to raise reimbursement for relocation costs. The organization regularly sponsors luncheons, seminars and courses to keep government executives informed of matters that affect their careers and to further the development of man- agement expertise. SEA representatives taking part in Performance Appraisals For Fiscal Year 1983 Should Be Under Way EPA employees and managers should have completed performance agree- ments for FY 1984 and performance appraisals for FY 1983 should now be under way. Performance agreements for the new fiscal year were to be completed and signed by October 1. Agreements should spell out the specific accom- plishments and level of achievement expected during the course of the year. Agreements covering supervisors and managers must include elements and standards that deal with man- agement effectiveness. The form to use for the performance agreement is the meeting along with Strombotni in- cluded David Burckman, SEA pre- sident; jack Niles, SEA membership chairperson; Mary Louise Uhlig, of OPTS, EPA representative on SEA's Board of Directors; Marian Mlay, OW, membership chairperson for EPA, and Ed Johnson, OPTS, and Jim Elder, OW, who serve on the EPA mem- bership committee. EPA 3115-24 (revised 8/83), available through the supply system. Please contact your personnel office if you want more detailed information on preparing performance agreements. Performance appraisals for SES, Merit Pay, and GS employees covered by the Performance Management Sys- tem are to be completed during Octo- ber. Employees begin the process by completing assessments of their own performance on their FY 1983 per- formance standards. This is also an opportunity to provide information documenting performance highlights. The next step is the appraisal inter- view, when the employee and super- visor meet to discuss the level of achievement on each performance standard and the strengths and weak- nesses of the individual employee. ------- Reagan Announces Nominees for Four Top Posts at EPA President Reagan's nominees to fill four more top level positions at EPA have been announced by the White House. The designated appointees are: • Jack E. Ravan, a former EPA Re- gional Administrator, to be Assistant Administrator for Water. • A. James Barnes to be Assistant Ad- ministrator (General Counsel). Barnes is the first general counsel at EPA to hold Assistant Administrator rank. Cooper • Josephine S. Cooper to be Assistant Administrator for External Affairs, a new position created under legislation enacted in August. • John C. Martin to be Inspector General. Ms. Cooper and Barnes were con- firmed by the Senate October 7. Ac- tion on the other two nominations was expected shortly. Ravan headed EPA's Region 4, covering the southeastern states, from 1971 to 1977. He was director of busi- ness development for Jordan, Jones & Goulding in Atlanta from 1977 to 1980, director of the Alabama De- partment of Energy from 1980 to 1982 and, since 1982, has been director of Project Development, for the Clean Water Group, Wheelabrator-Frye, in Atlanta. Ravan, 46, is a native of Easley, S.C. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1959. Barnes was General Counsel at the Department of Agriculture until coming to EPA as acting General Counsel following the confirmation of William D. Ruckelshaus as EPA Ad- ministrator. He was an assistant to Ruckelshaus during the Administra- tor's first tour as head of EPA from 1970 to 1973 and later served at the Department of Justice. From 1973 to 1981, Barnes was a partner in the Washington law firm of Beveridge, Fairbanks & Diamond. Barnes, 41, graduated from Michi- gan State University (B.A., 1964) and Harvard Law School (J.D., 1967). As Assistant Administrator for Ex- ternal Affairs, Ms. Cooper will be di- recting four staff offices: Federal Ac- tivities, International Activities, Legislation, and Public Affairs. She has been on the staff of Senate Major- ity Leader Howard Baker and the Sen- ate Environmental and Public Works Committee since 1981. Ms. Cooper, 38, started her career with EPA's Office of Research and De- velopment at Research Triangle Park, N. C., in 1971. She was an American Political Science Association Con- gressional Fellow in 1979-80, and a special assistant to EPA's Assistant Administrator for Research and De- velopment in 1980-81. Ms. Cooper received a B.A. degree from Meredith College in 1967 and a Master of Science degree from Duke University in 1977. Martin, designee for Inspector General at EPA, has been Assistant spector General at the Department™ Housing and Urban Development since 1981. He was with the FBI from 1971 to 1981 after working earlier in municipal administration in Rock- ville, Md., and Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Martin, 38, graduated from King's College in Wilkes-Barre (B.A.. 1967) and the University of Maryland (M.A., 1970). Hirsch, Steelman, Ward Appointed to Key Posts In New External Affairs Unit Three key appointments in the newly created Office of External Affairs have been announced by EPA Administra- tor William D. Ruckelshaus. The new appointees are: • Allan Hirsch, deputy director of the International Institute for Applied Systems in Vienna, Austria, for the past year, who is the new director of Federal Activities. • Deborah L. Steelman, who was leg- islative director for Sen. John Hei«| (R-PA), director of Intergovernmei® Liaison. • Gregg Ward, for the past six years director of governmental affairs for the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association, di- rector of Congressional Liaison. Lee M. Thomas (right), Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Re- sponse, receives super-size replica of $5,000 check from Administrator William D. Ruckelshaus during ceremony honoring Thomas and four acting Assistant Administ^ tors for what Ruckelshaus described as their "extraordinary contribution...symbolic® the efforts of so many at EPA" in recent months. Also receiving $5,000 checks, alorflM with plaques, were Acting AA's Rebecca Hanmer, Office of Water (who was in Europ? at the time of the ceremony); Don R. Clay, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances; Charles L. Elkins, Office of Air, Noise and Radiation; and Courtney Riordan, Office of Research and Development. Barnes Martin ------- |