Times
NEWS FOR AND ABOUT EPA EMPLOYEES
INSIDE:
~	Bad Ventilating System
~	Training Institute Operational
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 7 APRIL 1986
The Federal Women's Program at EPA
For most people, National
Women's History Week in
March probably ranks right
down there with a lot of
other commemorative occa-
sions: a little higher than
National Pickle Week, say,
but nowhere near as high as
Groundhog Day. It's popular-
ity doubtless can be gauged
by the fact that Hallmark
hasn't developed a line of
greeting cards for it yet.
Women's History Week
may not sell cards and
chocolates, but it does raise
people's consciousness. And
raising the Agency's official
consciousness is the job of
the Federal Women's Pro-
gram (FWP) at EPA.
In 1967 President Johnson
established the Federal
Women's Program for all
federal agencies to ensure
that women would receive
equal opportunities for em-
ployment, training, and pro-
motion within and through-
out the federal government.
But, in the course of almost
20 years, implementing this
ideal has been easier to dis-
cuss than to do. At EPA, as
in other federal agencies,
women are heavily con-
centrated in clerical jobs and
in the lower grades. Women
are 45 percent of the Agen-
cy's total permanent work-
force, but over 85 percent of
employees in grades 1
through 8. At the other end
of the scale, there are exactly
23 women—less than 10
percent—at grade 16 and
above. The average grade for
women at EPA is almost four
grades lower than that of
men. Women in management
positions are almost in-
visible; there is only one
woman Division Director
among all the regional offices
and only a handful at head-
quarters.
Because lack of opportu-
nity and upward mobility is
a problem, one of the major
tasks of the FWP is to pro-
vide resources for career de-
Renee Poussaint,
WJLA-TV-7 anchorwoman,
was the featured speaker
at the Federal Women's
Program March 5.
She spoke of her start
in broadcasting, and of
the role women play in
today's society.
velopment. Several of the re-
gional offices, for example,
have sponsored workshops in
writing resumes and han-
dling interviews. In Region 1,
the FWP is working with
support from the Agency to
carry out a region-wide
"Needs Assessment" survey.
The survey will include all
employees, and will cover
such issues as career de-
velopment, organizational
structure, training, pro-
cedures for promotion,
awards, equal employment
opportunities, and affirmative
action. The information from
the survey will help manage-
ment to provide the in-
centives and structure that
can encourage optimal per-
formance from all EPA em-
ployees.
"One of the exciting things
about this survey", says Con-
nie Griffen, FWP manager for
Region 1, "is that it won't
just result in a report. It has a
built-in follow-up in the form
of seminars, workshops, and
forums all developed around
the issues that the survey
brings up. This way we can
find out what it is that peo-
ple really need."
The problems and frustra-
tions of secretarial and cleri-
cal employees are also being
addressed by the FWP. Re-
gion l's Secretarial Advisory
Council developed a proposal
for a training program that
will help open up pro-
fessional development for
support staff. The FWP in Re-
gion 3 initiated a pilot pro-
gram that allows EPA
employees—primarily sup-
port staff—to take courses
(Continued on Back.)
Regional Administrator fames M. Seif greeted the
Pennsylvania Secretary of Community Affairs, Shirley
Dennis, as the featured speaker during Women in History
Week, sponsored by Region 3's Federal Women's Program.

-------
People
Letters
Special Act Awards were presented to: Annie Hargrove,
Michele Zenon, and Janet Bearden, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances. . Anthony Musick, Edward Callahan, Kizmet
Adams, and Robert Coombs, Administration and Resources
Management. . .Richard Robinson, Enforcement and
Compliance Monitoring.
Sustained Superior Performance Awards to: Linda Hilwig,
Dorothy Clark, and Antionette Ruther, Office of the
Administrator. . Keith Hinman and David Robinson, Policy,
Planning and Evaluation. . .Thomas Charlton, Enforcement
and Compliance Monitoring. . Delores Williams, Anita
Nichens, Rae Lee Carruth, Janet Butler, Raymond Alwood,
Patricia Briscoe, Richard Sigman, Robert Benson, Richard
Hefter, Jane Hopkins, Robert Moore, Jeffrey Davidson, Philip
Wirdyek, John Helm, John Leitzke, David William, Terry
O'Brien, James Willis, Paul Hayes, Julie Du, Gloria
Drayton-Miller, Jacqualine Donaldson, Michael Climino,
Mary Argus, Samir Zakhari, Richard Wormell, Kia Williams,
Glen Williams, Roberta Ward, Peter Tong, Arthur Stern,
William Rabert, Clementine Quarles, Myron Ottley, Larry
Newsome, Marian May, Kathleen Kennedy, Rebecca Jones,
Oscar Hernandez, Jane Mitchell, David Hanneman, Mary
Begg, James Bradshaw, Timothy Knutson, Shirley LeaCraft,
Eyvone Petty, Joni Repasch, George Heath, Denise Adams,
Jodi Bakst, Gloria Brown, Chi-wan Chen, Ronald Evans,
Sharon Hagan, Debra Harper Robert Israel, Dennis Leaf,
Nabil Massouda, Paul Tobin, Brenda Kover, Mary Miller,
Margaret Reynolds, Pamela Harrison, Norma Williams,
Sandra Cooper, Dorothy Home, Edith Sterrett, Joan Blake,
Robert Frederick, Lynn Delpire, Ralph Wright, Debra
Washington, Tabetha Trice, Yvonne Stancil, Jon Silberman,
Bruce Sidwell, Jane Rissler, John Rigby, Patricia Miller,
Anne Hollander, Jaqueline Knight, and Sylvia Curtis,
Pesticides and Toxic Substances. . .Donna Poole,
Administration and Resources Management.
C. Morgan Kinghorn, EPA Comptroller, received the
Donald L. Scantlebury Memorial Award March 18 for
distingished and sustained leadership in financial
management. This is the only award program sponsored by
the Federal Government that recognizes outstanding financial
leaders in the public sector.
Conferences, Etc.
EPA is co-sponsoring a Midwest Conference on
Environmental Dispute Resolution May 1 and 2 at the
University Inn in Champaign, Illinois. For more information,
contact Donna Herriott at 217-333-2883.
An upcoming EPA Symposium on Chemical and Biological
Characterization of Municipal Sludges, Sediments, Dredge
Spoils and Drilling Muds will be held on May 20-22 at the
Omni Netherland Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more
information, contact Dave Reisman at 684-7588.
... a means for Agency employees to communicate to other employees
whatever messages of criticism, praise, opinion, or explanation they so
desire. Brevity and constructive suggestions are encouraged; obscenity i
rudeness are disallowed. Letters will be published as space allows andi
be edited for clarity and conciseness. No attempt is made by the editof
confirm any data presented by correspondents and the opinions expres?
should not be taken to represent Agency positions, unless signed by the
head of the appropriate office. All letters must be signed and accompanied
by submitter's office location and telephone number.
iO
V araL
:'i
ess^P
Dear Editor:
Are you concerned about the air quality in your office? Do
you suffer from extremes of heat or cold? Have you noticed
unusual or unpleasant odors? Do you suffer from headaches
or allergies caused by indoor air pollution? If so, you are not
alone. Last year, the Facilities and Support Services Division
(FSSD) received 1300 complaints about air quality. (Most of
these were about temperature.)
The heating, cooling, and ventilating system in EPA's
Waterside Mall offices is woefully inadequate. This was
documented in a 1983 report commissioned by EPA entitled
HVAC Systems Study. The report says that temperature
extremes are caused by having interior and exterior spaces in
the same heating and cooling "zone." With regard to
ventilation, the report says that the building manager totally
closed many fresh air intake dampers so fresh air could not
enter the building. (This allowed him to save on heating and
cooling costs and presumably, this has been going on for
years). The report also recommends many system changes and
repairs necessary to ensure adequate air quality in the Mall.
Hopefully, the Agency will recognize the importance of these
problems and will allocate money to correct them.
Extremes of heat and cold affect employee performance^
Lack of fresh air creates indoor air pollution. (Indoor air
pollution includes: cigarette smoke; ozone from machines;"'
new carpet odors; radon and asbestos from building materials;
and fumes from paints, glues, solvents, cleansers, typewriters,
printing equipment, and copy machines.) Short-term health
effects from indoor air pollution include headaches and
allergy symptoms. Serious long-term effects such as cancer
are possible.
If you have a problem with your office's air quality you
should report it to the FSSD "trouble desk" (382-2100). A
committee of ll has been formed to help resolve these
problems. If you are interested, call us.
Myra Cypser (382-2872)
(plus 10 other signatures)

Available Information	
The Office of Information Resources Management is initiating
a hazardous waste collection for the EPA library network. It
will be introduced in the headquarters library with a
reception at 2:00 p.m. on May 21. The collection contains
EPA reports, OSWER policy and guidance directives, books,
journals, and databases that have been identified with the
assistance of the program staff.
EPA Headquarters WISE was presented the Outstanding
Chapter of the Year Award for 1985 by the Federal WISE
Organization. Left to right, Nancy Beach (chairwoman), J<
Goodwin, (Secretary), Susan Goldhaber, (Vice Chairwoman
for Programs), Ambika Bathija, (Treasurer), and Diane
Niedzialkowski, (Vice Chairwoman for Communications).

-------
Training Opportunities
1I11U
u
Monday, 9 a.m. Students, milling in the halls, gradually file
into several classrooms and find their seats. Instructors move
ae front of the class and begin the day's lectures.
Jtypical classroom scene? Perhaps, but these students and
ructors are very special—they are all EPA employees. The
scene described above will begin this Spring with the first
course offerings of the EPA Institute.
However, the EPA Institute is not a place:
"The Institute is an innovative concept under which our
own EPA employees will teach a wide range of relevant
programs—specific and generic courses within our current
facilities and resource levels," Administrator Lee Thomas
said upon announcing the establishment of the Institute in
October, 1985.
Mike O'Reilly, from the Office of Human
Resources Management, has been appointed the full-time
Institute Director. In addition, an Agencywide Advisory
Council, chaired by Art Sandoval, Director of Personnel
Management in Las Vegas, has also been selected to guide and
direct the Institute.
By February of 1986, Howard Messner, Assistant
Administrator for Administration and Resources
Management, had issued the call for Institute courses and
instructors. To date, the Institute has received over 120 course
proposals from EPA employees nationwide who volunteered
to be Institute instructors.
"Work on the Institute has been moving rapidly," O'Reilly
said. "We will be ready to announce the first Spring Course
Offerings this month. The Course Announcement will be sent
to all Administrative and Regional Training Officers, as well
displayed on bulletin boards around the Agency."
pe EPA Institute concept is not a new idea; many Regions
been providing in-house training for their employees for
quite some time. In fact, many of their training activities have
become the prototypes for Institute courses.
Jim Merrill in the Regional Counsel's office in Region 10,
began instructing the "Expert Witness Seminar" in April
1985. Since that time, 25 sessions of the seminar have been
presented to over 600 EPA employees from Headquarters, the
Regions, and labs. The seminar will be one of the first
offerings of the Institute.
The Region 3 Human Resources Council has developed a
volunteer "Instructor Cadre" of 11 employees. The employees
teach over half the training courses offered in that Region,
Andrew Carlin, of the Human Resources Management Branch,
stated. The courses provide professional development as well
as technical training.
Dr. Richard Brunker, who works in the Waste Management
Division in Region 3, is a member of the Instructor Cadre.
"I noticed an interest among the Project Officers in
toxicology," Dr. Brunker said, "so I volunteered to teach a
class in basic toxicology."
Since the beginning of 1985, Dr. Brunker has taught over
125 EPA employees in four 15-week sessions.
"I always feel that each session is probably the last one I'll
teach. But then, a group gets together and wants me to
conduct another session of the course. I've just been asked to
teach an interested group in Annapolis."
The course was originally open only to the Hazardous
iste Management Division. However, as in many other
^s, the interest and demand among employees was so high,
'course was opened to all employees. All lectures are
videotaped and made available to EPA and state employees.
When asked about the time it takes to prepare for a class,
IU all
e 1
c
Dr. Brunker replied it all depends on the instructor's teaching
experience and familiarity with the course material.
"In the beginning, it takes about four hours of preparation for a
one-hour class. After you have conducted the course for
awhile, it takes about one hour for each hour of class."
Region 1 has developed a "Lunchtime Learning Series"
where EPA employees discuss topics of interest over a brown
bag lunch. Some of the topics have included: "Superfund in
Plain English," "Risk Assessment—Can It be Modeled?" and
"Indoor Air Pollution."
"Employees who conduct a lunchtime seminar are
incredibly responsible," Georgie Bishop, human resource
specialist in Region 1 and originator of the Lunchtime
Learning Series, said. "When we first asked employees to do a
session, we didn't think they would go all out— but they
did." Employees put a lot of time and effort into making their
presentation interesting as well as informative, Bishop
added.
The Lunchtime Learning Series provides many employees
with a medium for sharing their unique work experiences.
After returning from an exchange program with the Chinese
Science Institute, a Region 1 lab specialist conducted a
noon-time seminar on "What Environmental Protection Means
to the Chinese."
Since April is Career Development Month in Region 1,
Bishop will be using the Lunchtime Learning Series as a
Career Expo, highlighting EPA employees who have had
interesting work experiences during their careers.
Almost all the other regions and labs have similar in-house
training opportunities for their employees. With the
establishment of the EPA Institute, the Agency will be able to
tap into the talents of EPA employees nationwide by creating
highly skilled and motivated EPA Institute "faculty."
Send inquiries or course proposals to Mike 0"Reilly, Office
of Human Resources Management, Room 1129WT, 401 M
Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20460; Mail Code PM-224;
E-mail EPA 3801. ~
The Office of Solid Waste, winner of the regular season title
with a 26-7 record, took 3 straight games from the Office of
Toxic Substances in the best 3 out of 5 final playoff rounds to
win EPA's 1985-86 Co-Ed Volleyball League Championship.
Pictured above during their post game celebration at a local
pub are (left to right) Barbara Williams, Kate Blow, Eydie
Pines, Dan Tuttle (kneeling); George Faison, Eric Males,
Alvara Atilano, Bruce Weddle, and team captain Mike Burns.

-------
Federal Women
(Cover Story J
provided on site by Temple
University. Eventually, they
can earn credits qualifying
them as environmental pro-
tection specialists.
According to Cecelia Scott,
manager of EPA's women's
program Agency-wide, "The
program at EPA is about
three things. We need to in-
crease the sensitivity of em-
ployees, especially managers
and supervisors, to the em-
ployment issues affecting
women. We need to address
problems such as uneven
training opportunities and
recruitment practices. And,
we need to show women
how to advance their own
careers."
Getting serious considera-
tion of women for high man-
agement positions is another
issue the program is tackling.
EPA's top management is
strongly committed to equal
opportunities for women, but
communicating that commit-
ment to hiring officials is a
critical effort. "One ex-
ample," says Scott, "is train-
ing opportunities for em-
ployees at the GS-9 through
GS-12 levels. That's where
people are 'groomed' for su-
pervisory and managerial po-
sitions. Are women getting
the same opportunities as
men? My gut feeling is that
they are not. Eighty percent
of supervisors are white
males, and when they recruit,
they unconsciously tend to
use the old-boy network. So
the system just keeps per-
petuating itself. That's why
programs to help women pre-
sent themselves as candi-
dates are so important. And
that's why we need to train
the trainers to be aware of
these situations.
"But basically, there's no
blatant discrimination at
EPA. It's the subtler things,
such as where Agency man-
agers go looking for new em-
ployees, or the institutional
biases against women who
need more flexibility in their
hours, for example. Our job
in the Federal Women's Pro-
gram is to see what's needed
in terms of resources to end
this situation. We really need
to set up some system to
strengthen recruitment so
that the Agency can systema-
tically look for, say, minority
female scientists and get
them. At the same time, we
have to make sure that our
employees all have equal
opportunities to develop and
advance to their full poten-
tial. Think how much more
effective EPA can be if we
draw upon the different
strengths of all the people
who make up our
country." ~
On February 24, 1986, Howard Messner, Assistant
Administrator for Administration and Resources
Management, and Nathaniel Scurry, Director, Office of Civil
Rights, sponsored a reception to introduce five new Special
Emphasis Program Managers for Headquarters. From left are:
Shirley Lucas, Co-Manager Federal Women's Program;
Howard Messner; Linda Brewer, Hispanic Employment
Program; Art Bay, Black Employment Program; Sherri
Sheppard, Co-Manager Federal Women's Program; Janice
Hill, Co-Manager Federal Women's Program; and Nat Scurry.
1
Women: Builders of
Communities
As a woman employee at EPA, have you thought ab|
career development, financial security, part-time
employment and job-sharing? Networking and support ^
groups, women in the Senior Executive Service?
These concerns are part and parcel of EPA's Federal
Womens Program (FWP). From child-care needs to
training needs, the program is working on the issues that
affect women employees.
The FWP has two major subcommittees: the
Secretarial Advisory Committee (SAC) and Women in
Science and Engineering (WISE). SAC is comprised of a
cross section of secretarial and clerical employees from
all over the Agency and deals with issues affecting
EPA's support staff. Major interests include improving
career advancement paths within the secretarial and
clerical workforce and improving recognition of their
profession.
The purpose of WISE is to interest qualified women in
government careers as scientists and engineers and to
keep them abreast of career opportunities in these fields.
WISE has participated in Agency efforts to enhance
excellence in science by creating the Professional
Development Plan for Scientists and Engineers (PDP).
The PDP offers a proposal for attracting and retaining
outstanding scientists and engineers to meet current and
future challenges of the Agency, and has resulted in the
formation of the Office of Human Resources' Scientific
and Technical Careers Advisory Committee.
Membership in WISE is automatic for all women ini
science and engineering and open to others who suppj
the goals of the organization. EPA is planning its first
Agency-wide WISE conference for June of this year. If
you are interested in WISE, please contact Nancy Beach
at 382-7567. The next WISE activities will be on April 24
with Marcia Williams, Director, Office of Solid Waste,
and May 6 with Larry Jensen, Assistant Administrator
for Water, as speakers. On June, 18 an annual luncheon
will be held with Judith Ayers, Region 9 Administrator,
as the luncheon speaker. Tickets will be sold. A directory
of all active members has also been prepared and is
available from Diane Niedzialkowski 382-2716.
If you are interested in the Women's Programs in
general at EPA, please contact Janice Hill at 382-4575.
For more information on the day-care committee,
contact Beverly Gregory at 382-5621.
National Secretaries Week is the week of April 21—a
good time to show your appreciation for your secretaries
and all they do for you. There is a luncheon planned for
all secretaries and their supervisors. It will be the 23rd
of April at Blackios House of Beef, Administrator Lee
Thomas will be the keynote speaker. There will also be
a talk on April 24 by Mary McCaffery, chairwoman of
the Support Careers Advisory Committee, on "Career
Opportunities for Secretarial and Clerical Staff." For
more information, contact Carrie Pope at 382-5700. ~

The EPA Times is published monthly to provide news and informal
for and about EPA employees. Readers are encouraged to submit ne '
themselves and of fellow employees, letters of opinion, questions,
comments, and suggestions to: Marilyn Rogers, Editor, The EPA Time
Office of Public Affairs (A-107). Telephone 382-4355. Information
selected for publication will be edited as necessary in keeping with
space available.
tim|^J

-------