SKEB& Tillies NEWS FOR AND ABOUT EPA EMPLOYEES INSIDE: ~ Thrift Plan * RICC VOLUME 4 NUMBER 5 May 1987 Retirement Information and Counseling Center (RICC) Opens at Headquarters by Michael Hamlin With the snip of a ribbon and a ring of the phone, the Retirement Information and Counseling Center opened April 2 to general acclaim. The Center is a joint effort by the Office of Administration and the Office of the Comptroller to help people decide whether to stick with the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or convert to the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Morgan Kinghom, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Administration and Resources Management, presided over opening ceremonies attended by some 50 representatives of Agency offices who collaborated to make the Center a reality. The RICC will provide a broad range of retirement information and options. Employees covered by FERS can obtain cross-referenced data on how their complex program works. Those covered by CSRS can get individually tailored computer comparisons to clarify the consequences of transfer. All issues of the Agency's FERS FACTS bulletins are available at the Center, and specialists are available by appointment for consultations lasting up to one hour. The Center will also process election forms and related paperwork. "It's another aspect of our total human resources management program," notes Clarence Hardy, Director of Personnel, "and once again demonstrates the Agency's commitment to its people." To schedule an appointment or get information, call the RICC on 475-9686 or stop by Room 3906 in the Mall. Everyone is urged to exploit this timely and comprehensive service. Morgan Kinghom Exercise for Longevity National Physical Fitness and Sports Month began for EPA with Federal Fitness Day on April 30, when the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports sponsored a 3K WALK and a 3K RUN on the Mall. That event may be over but research tells us it's never too late to undo the damage wreaked by sloth, indifference and bad habits, to wit: stop by the EPA Health Unit to have your blood pressure checked make an appointment for a health screening examination attend an introductory smoking-cessation class look into the Training Office's seminars on stress management enroll in an EPA aerobics class start working out in the Stress Lab consider biking or walking to work (on Monday, of course, you may crawl). Call the Health Unit (382-4347), Stress Lab (755-2618) or the Wellness Program Director (475-7366) for information. The EPA Times is published monthly for EPA employees. Readers are encouraged to submit news about themselves or fellow employees, letters of opinion, questions, comments and suggestions to the Editor. The EPA Times. Office of Public Affairs (A-107). Telephone: 475-6643. Items selected for publication may be edited to accommodate space available. Editor: Don Bronkema Departments: Marilyn Rogers ------- New Thrift Plan Better Than an IRA Now that you have had a chance to review the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board's brochure on the new thrift savings plan, why not take advantage of the plan's generous tax-deferred benefits? To calculate your cumulative account at retirement time just multiply your annual average salary Years You Contribute times the index figure appropriate for the years you plan to work and the rate of your contribution. For example, an employee who earns an annual average salary of $26,000 and who contributes 5% of his salary for 30 years will multiply his index figure of 9.76 times $26,000that produces a cumulative account balance of $253,760, assuming a steady 7% rate of return and the automatic government contribution of 5%. The table below assumes a pay-^ of 7% per annum because that is average rate of return on fixed-ratd securities over the last 130 years. For read-outs of greater or lesser returns, say, at 4% or 10%, refer to the booklet Thrift Savings Plan for Federal Employees or contact your servicing personnel office. But act now to get in on the ground floor. Remember, this is a better deal than an IRA because it's all tax deductible! YourAssumeci Contribution Percentage 0% * 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10% 05 0.06 0.18 0.30 0.42 0.51 0.59 0.65 0.71 0.77 0.83 0.89 10 0.14 0.43 0.71 1.00 1.21 1.43 1.57 1.71 1.86 2.00 2.14 15 0.26 0.78 1.30 1.82 2.21 2.60 2.86 3.12 3.38 3.64 3.89 20 0.42 1.27 2.12 2.97 3.60 4.24 4.66 5.08 5.51 5.93 6.35 25 0.65 1.96 3.27 4.57 5.55 6.54 7.19 7.84 8.50 9.15 9.80 30 0.98 2.93 4.88 6.83 8.30 9.76 10.74 11.71 12.69 13.66 14.64 35 1.43 4.29 7.14 10.00 12.14 14.28 15.71 17.14 18.57 20.00 21.43 40 2.06 6.19 10.31 14.44 17.53 20.63 22.69 24.75 26.82 28.88 30.94 * Agency contributes 1% of base pay even if you contribute nothing. People Howard M. Messner, Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resources Management, left EPA on May 9 to become Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of the American Consulting Engineers Council. Col. Robert Bauman, Office of Air Quality Programs in North Carolina, has been presented with the Department of the Army's Legion of Merit for "distinguished and exceptionally meritorious" administrative work with the assistant chief of staff for intelligence over the last 20 years. This is Bauman's 30th year of service on active or reserve duty. Dr. Joseph C. Arcos, Senior Science Advisor, Existing Chemical Assessment Division, OTS, received the 1987 American Chemical Society (ACS) "Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology" at the 193rd National Meeting of the ACS in Denver, April 6, 1987. Nomination for this award was made by OTS in 1985 on the basis of Dr. Arcos's authorship of the "Chemical Induction of Cancer" monograph series, which supports OTS hazard assessment activities. Morgan Kinghorn has been appointed as Acting Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resources Management. John Floeter, the Assistant Regional Administrator from Region 6, will act as Kinghorn's Deputy. Kinghorn and Floeter will direct the administrative and human resource operations of the Agency. Bill Henderson has been named as EPA's new Director of Human Resources Management. Henderson brings broad managerial experience to this position. He plans to accelerate outreach to regions, laboratories and Headquarters program offices and initiate an aggresive rotational assignment program to bring people from throughout the Agency into OHRM. Gary Katz was appointed to the position of Deputy Director of the Office of Administration, responsible for assisting the Director of the Office of Administration, John Chamberlin, in managing vital support functions for the Agency: procurement and contracts management, health and safety, personnel management, grants administration, facilities management, and management and organizational studies. David O'Connor has been appointed Director, Procurement and Contracts Management Division. He will be responsible for management of the Agency's procurements, which currently account for about half of the Agency's operating and Superfund budgets. Special Act Awards presented to: Deloris Swann, Frederick Allen, Brendan Doyle and John Hoffman, Policy, Planning and Evaluation. . . Paul Savage, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. . . Carlyn Perry, Administration and Resources Management. . . David Davis, Charles Gregg, James Plafkin, Beverly Randolph, Michael Slimak, Jay Benedofo, Harriet Hubbard, Marlene Lash, Bruce Mintz, Sonya Ross, and Paul Kramer, Water. Sustained Superior Performance Awards given to: Michael Shelby, Peter Caulkins, Robert Fegley, and Stacey Katz, Policy, Planning and Evaluation. . . and Marcella DePont, Air and Radiation. ------- Note* Organizational Heatth Survey: A Synopsis Region 10 recently completed an unprecedented survey If its organzational morale and effectiveness in which 223 eople, about 59 percent of all employees, participated, ome 15.2 percent of the respondees were in Grades 1-5, 30.9 percent in Grades 6-11, 41.2 percent in Grades. 12-14, and 12.5 percent in GM-SES. Approximately 89 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed supervisors were willing to discuss things with them, 76 percent agreed or strongly agreed supervisors respected and sought their opinions, and 72 percent agreed or strongly agreed that their supervisors were competent. About 40 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed job vacancies were filled with the most qualified applicants, 34 percent were uncertain and 25 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. Some 53 percent agreed or strongly agreed there were opportunities for promotion, but 25 percent were uncertain and 21 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. An astounding 92 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed they feel a personal sense of accomplishment on the job. An unusually high 61 percent were satisfied or very satisfied with the work environment: space, lighting, ventilation, absence of hazards, etc. Some 89 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they have the competence to perform in a Itisfactory manner, and 82 percent said supervisors had en willing to talk with them about performance :ficiencies. About 52 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that supervisors were aware of their career aspirations and would assist them wherever possible, 35 percent were uncertain and 12 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. Approximately 33 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that most EPA meetings were worth the time, 40 percent agreed somewhat and 25 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed. Some 22 percent agreed or strongly agreed agendas were sufficiently developed and published in advance, and 40 percent agreed somewhat, but 33 percent demurred. Fame: Progress and Prospects William M. Henderson,Director, Office of Human Resources Management, recently provided Deputy Administrator Jim Barnes with an update on the Framework for Achieving Managerial Excellence (FAME), detailing a prospective overall communications strategy for the concept and explaining its locus within EPA's Human Resources Management Program. Henderson stated that in management's zeal to improve the way EPA manages and develops people, it has created and implemented an array of potentially useful tools without effectively communicating their utility or location tithin the human resources spectrum. Senior managers p undoubtedly familiar with the general thrust and tent of FAME, but probably know less about the tremendous progress it has achieved over the last two years. Beginning in 1984, a team led by Peg Anthony of the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) began formulating a plan to bring together a cross section of Agency managers and "personnelists" to address EPA's need for more sophisticated means of management development. Since then a free-floating cadre of at least fifty staffers has been developing and, in some cases, implementing a variety of new tools. Among these are the 3-day course for new supervisors, "Framework for Supervisors"; the new course for mid-managers, "Keys to Managerial Success"; a rotational/developmental assignment policy and system; the "Managerial Discussion Guide"; and a brochure for supervisors limning ways to recognize and reward exceptional performance. The FAME conference of April 14-16 brought together three subcommittees (Recruitment/Selection, Training/Development, Performance/Rewards) to develop a sense of closure on various ongoing projects in management development. The participants focused on a communications plan for each unit within the broad communications strategy for FAME, its place within management development, and its role in human resource development generally. Many of the initial segments of the management development product have been completed, though continued evaluation and refinement will be necessary. The present challenge, says Henderson, is to educate the workforce in general and management in particular on the existence of these units, how each contributes to the overall schema, and their immediate utility to individuals. Some subcommittees and some members will continue; others may be created and faces will change as different skills are brought to bear. But FAME will continue to be a critical element in guiding development of Agency peoplepower. On Managerial Excellence The Personnel Management Division has announced a new course, "Keys To Managerial Excellence", designed to strengthen the skills of middle management. "Keys" is the core program for people who supervise supervisors, typically at GM 14 and 15 levels, focusing on how the middle manager's role differs from first-line supervisors', EPA's expectations of middle managers and the basic skills necessary for success. The first offering of this three-day program will be presented gratis in Chicago from July 28-30. The instructors will be Jack Hoffbuhr, Water Division, Region 8, and Wayne Ploger, a management consultant and trainer. This combination of EPA perspective and external expertise worked extremely well in the pilot offering. For details call your servicing personnel office or Jim Guy in Headquarters on 382-2997. Underground Storage Tank Regulations On April 17, 1987, the Agency published proposed Technical Standards, Corrective Action and Financial Responsibility Requirements for USTs. The reporting of suspected leaks will require phased-in leak-detection systems. Upgrading or replacement of tanks within 10 ------- Nettt- years is required and so is site clean-up to the extent needed. New UST systems will be required to meet prescribed standards, including protection of all metal components from corrosion The Financial Responsibility Regulation will require owners and operators of businesses utilizing underground storage tanks for petroleum products to submit evidence of financial responsibility to cover costs of corrective action and third-party liability for bodily injury and property damage caused by leaking USTs. The regulations establish levels of financial responsibility starting at $1.0 million per occurence for firms with 1-12 tanks. The more tanks, the higher the coverage requirement. The Agency will consider all comments received by June 15. 1987. Air Regulations New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for regulating volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from application of surface coating to plastic parts for business machine manufacture are now being drafted in final form. A Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) was published on January 6. 1986. Publication of the final rule in the Federal Register is anticipated in the near future. Early studies and program planning are underway for National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and NSPS to cover degreasing operations. The NSPS would address nonhalogenated solvents (precursors of ozone formation in the lower atmosphere) and the NESHAP would regulate emissions of halogenaled organics, particularly methylchloride. trichloroethvlene and perchloroethylene. In addition, chlorofluorocarbon 113 and trichloroethvlene may be included in the study as stratospheric ozone depleters. The Agency is also initiating work for Drycleaning NESHAP. with prime attention to perchloroethylene. A Regulatory Flexibility Analysis will be performed, and small entities may be exempted if risk analyses so justify. Knauer praises Heritage Virginia H. Knauer, Special Adviser to the President for Consumer Affairs, recently cited John Heritage, editor of EPA Journal, for his April edition on "Consumers and the Environment." Knauer declared that in covering some of the environmental topics of greatest concern to today's consumers, Heritage and his staff "have provided both preventive medicine and vital follow-up information. The April issue is a sort of 'how-to' guide for pursuing an environmental ethic in the marketplace. It is a tool for consumers in exercising their rights to safety, information and choice. I hope that you are able to distribute this issue to influential government officials, media, educators and business leaders. I am sure they would find it very interesting." Knauer concluded by saying that "you have great cause to be particularly proud of this useful, enlightening issue. I am delighted to have been able to contribute, but the overall credit for this wide-ranging, up-to-the-minute consumer resource goes to you and your colleagues at the Environmental Protection Agency. Congratulations!" Video Display Terminals An estimated 10 to 14 million workers in the United States and Canada spend part or all ol their working day| in front of video display terminals (VDTs). Questions hfl been raised by various investigators as to whether sucli^ continuous exposure could produce radiation injury, stress or ergonomic (visual or musculoskeletal), impairment. To date, however, no association has been found between VDTs and health problems except eye strain and sore back muscles. A review of the subject can be found in "Health Effects of Video Display Terminals" in the Journal of the American Medical Association. March 20. 1987. Vol. 257, No. 11. pp. 1508-1512, now available in the Library, with the following: TK 7887.8 VDTs in the Workplace: A Study of the T4V38 1983 Effects on Employment. Bureau of National Affairs. 1984. RC965 V 5 3 V 5 3 1983 TK6655 V65464 1981 Video Displays, Work and Vision. National Academy Press, 1983. Select Research Reports on Health Issues in Video Display Terminal Operations. NIOSH. 1981 1VI cl V i upM Public Service Recognition Week An EPA Public Service Recognition Week was held May 4-7, dedicated to recognizing the contributions ot public employees to good government. It proved "an excellent opportunity," Lee Thomas declared, "for us to reflect u|5 the many fine accomplishments we have achieved over the past year and to renew our commitment to high standards of public service in the months ahead." A series of events were planned and coordinated by the Agency's Committee on Integrity and Management Improvement, highlighted on Thursday. May 7. when Mike Causey of the Washington Post and Jerry Shaw of the Public Employees' Roundtable spoke in the EPA Auditorium. Many observers commented on the continuing high level of morale at the Agency as a consequence of reforms over the last four years. The 48-Hour Rule Deputy Administrator Jim Barnes has reminded all those who testify on the Hill that copies of their remarks must be delivered to Senate and House Committees 48 hours in advance of their appearance. This is not easy considering the time-consuming nature of EPA-OMB discussions and the extraordinary number of hearings this spring. Testimony through April arrived consistently off-deadline, often late in the evening before hearings, preventing Committee staff from having an adequate opportunity to review statements and prepare the Members. Recognizing the constraints, Barnes said Lee Thomas and he have encouraged those who prepare and deliver^ testimony to make every strenuous attempt to comply v the 48-hour rule, not only as a courtesy but to ensure fruitful communication. ------- |