Children are important to our environment, today and in the future. The good news is that they are interested and many, in all 50 states and the U.S. Territories, participate in projects that demonstrate their commitment.

Following up on the spring ceremony at the White House, Doug Lipka, Director of the Region 6 Laboratory in Houston, presented the President's Environmental Youth Awards to our runners-up, two groups from Sugar Land, Texas schools.

The Fort Settlement Middle School Peer and Leadership group was 1st runner-up; Dulles High School Youth in Philanthropy was 2nd. The President presented our Regional winner, Andrew Rominger of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with his award last spring in the White House ceremony attended by Regional Administrator Richard Greene and awards manager Patty Senna.

The program encourages local environmental awareness by individual youths and groups, and the channeling of this awareness to positive community involvement. Many participants eventually make the environment their life's work, professionally or as volunteers.

Congratulations to our regional winners, and to all who participate in the program. They represent the future of our environment.

Region 6 readiness demonstrated

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency called late Friday evening, September 4, we were ready to assist! FEMA was organizing one of their largest ever deployments to assist with hurricane recovery efforts in the storm-battered state of Florida, and requested EPA's help.

Sixteen volunteers left Sunday morning; ten followed later. Their mission: help the survivors of Hurricane Frances. Working 12- and 14-hour shifts mostly as Community Outreach Officers during their two-week stay, the volunteers helped bring relief to residents and business owners who were facing property damage and often total devastation.

"I'm proud of our employees who volunteered to help those in need," Region 6 Regional Administrator Richard Greene said during an award presentation back in Dallas. The Region 6 group was the largest regional contingent among the 150 EPA volunteers requested by FEMA. Their efforts were praised by the other agencies involved.

Darlene Sanchez --- October 2004

Customer Service Award Winner

Darlene Sanchez is the October 2004 EPA Customer Service Award winner. Secretary to Jayne Fontenot, chief of the Customer Service Branch, Water Quality Protection Division, she also handles the branch's travel, payroll and telephone call routing.

"She cares about the branch and the job," Jayne said, "and goes out of her way to do the right thing." While examples of her patience and dedication are legion, she earned the award for solving a critical potential problem for all Water Division travelers. When she heard that Delta Airlines was closing its hub at Dallas-Fort Worth International, she called American Airlines to make emergency reservations for EPA volunteers traveling to help Florida communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Frances. She also worked out an agreement that saved money for EPA.

Nominators Helen Thompson and Merylen Haynes said, "The agreement applied throughout the Region, and is just one example of Darlene's sincere willingness to take the lead with calmness in a stressful atmosphere, as well as her initiative, resourcefulness and professionalism.

Darlene has been with EPA for four years. She previously worked with the Corps of Engineers for six years.

2004 Annual Honor Awards Ceremony

EPA Region 6 employees recently gathered to show that the contributions of every employee are what unite us as a Region. We enjoyed that camaraderie. Today, we are united to show our appreciation for the contributions and achievements of employees who stand out among us. To those of you receiving awards and medals today, please accept my appreciation and gratitude for your hard work.

The work for which our award recipients are being honored today represent exceptional illustrations of the work taking place in our Region and deserve to be recognized. While this occasion is devoted to those special achievements, it's also an appropriate time for us to express congratulations to all of you for the consistent quality of work you perform day after day. It's a good time to mention the collective progress we've made toward making our environment better.

I'd like to thank everyone of you for the contributions you made this last year toward that goal. I am pleased to see so many awards that recognize the work being done jointly with our State partners and similar group achievements. Involving our stakeholders, ensures that the environmental protection plans and actions being established today are sustainable well into the future. I challenge each of us to keep this as our guiding objective.

I offer my congratulations to everyone being recognized today for your outstanding service to the public.

Amber Whisnant --- September 2004 Customer Service Award Winner

Environmental scientist Amber Whisnant, a hazardous waste inspector and enforcement officer, is the EPA Region 6 Customer Service Award winner for September 2004.

When hazardous waste enforcement officer Joel Dougherty was assigned a high-priority case with limited resources and time, Amber volunteered to help him meet the short deadlines. She rearranged her schedule to conduct one of her own inspections in the same area so she could assist Joel, thus allowing him to start on the critical case with national significance. She spent three days helping Joel finish the work.

"Without Amber's help," Joel said, "I never would have been able to complete the inspections on time. Her selfless dedication came with a smile and no expectation of credit or recognition. That is teamwork with a capital T."

Amber earned her degree in environmental science from Oklahoma State University. During her senior year, she also worked for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. She joined the Hazardous Waste Enforcement Branch of EPA Region 6 in June 1998.

Gerald R. Carney, Ph.D --- August 2004 Customer Service Award Winner

Gerald R. Carney, Ph.D., senior toxicologist in the Office of Planning and Coordination of the Enforcement Division, received the Region 6 Customer Service Award for August 2004.

The award recognizes his contributions and initiative in developing Supplemental Environmental Projects for enforcement actions. Supplemental Environmental Projects are those in which a violator voluntarily agrees to undertake an environmentally beneficial project in the community.

The specific project cited in his nomination was based on Small Scale Chemistry, a sustainable initiative benefiting schools and students. The initiative helps school systems reduce their environmental impacts by minimizing chemical storage and inventory needs in a cost-effective, sustainable manner. It also educates students about the principles of chemistry and their applications in their communities.

In the nomination for the Award, Hazardous Waste Water Enforcement Branch Chief Mark Potts, said, "Not only did Dr. Carney develop the new approach, he also successfully marketed it to the education community, developed materials and helped launch the projects, including one at El Centro College in Dallas."

Mr. Potts also credited Dr. Carney with "contributing to an all-time high percentage of settlements, under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act containing Supplemental Environmental Projects, thus making a significant contribution to regional efforts to meet this enforcement objective."

This success is due to Dr. Carney's personal effort to incorporate initiatives in pollution prevention, compliance assistance, environmental management and enforcement. The Small Scale Chemistry initiative is applicable to schools throughout the region, saving thousands of dollars while eliminating the use of thousands of pounds of toxic chemicals.

"The complexity and impact of this innovative solution is still being measured throughout the Region," Mr. Potts added. "Gerald deserves recognition for his demonstrated willingness to help, upbeat attitude, timeliness, resourcefulness and positive impact on the enforcement program."

Dr. Carney previously was awarded several EPA Bronze Medals for analytical innovations. He joined the Environmental Protection Agency in 1989, following many years of work in hospital laboratories and in medical research. He served as a medical specialist in the U.S. Army Special Forces during the Vietnam era. He earned a bachelor's degree in the liberal arts, a master's degree in microbiology, and a doctorate in toxicology, all from the University of North Texas.

Pauline Levy --- July 2004 Customer Service Award Winner

Pauline Levy, Office Automation Assistant in the Air Quality Analysis Section, Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division (6PD), received the Region 6 Customer Service Award for July 2004.

The award recognizes her contributions above and beyond her regular duties in helping another section in 6PD. For several months she helped the Permits Section reorganize its file room and reduce its backlog.

She quickly learned a new process and the Envirofacts Query System database to find file numbers and enter permits into the database. Her tireless efforts whenever she had a little free time from her regular section duties also helped the Permits Section respond faster to Freedom of Information (FOIA) inquiries.

Donna Ascenzi, Pauline's section chief for the last three years, said, "This award further exemplifies Pauline's wonderful attitude -- always willing to go farther to help her co-workers in the section and division. Pauline performs her regular job extremely well while still finding time to help others. She also has a great desire to learn new things."

Pauline has been an EPA employee since 1986, after working with the Internal Revenue Service and the Postal Service.

Nancy Dorsey --- June 2004 Customer Service Award Winner

Nancy Dorsey has the complete support and admiration of all members of the Ground Water/UIC Section. Her recent coordination of the Environmental Segment of the 2004 American Association of Petroleum Geologists Convention held in Dallas, April 18-21, 2004, resulted in an attendance of over 4,000 participants. Planning for the event required months of dedicated concentration in planning and coordinating convention sessions, scheduling talks and poster sessions.

In April, 2004, Nancy received SMU’s Outstanding Graduate Student for the College of Engineering. In addition, she was selected as the Outstanding Graduate Student in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She is scheduled to receive her Master’s Degree at the end of the 2004 summer session.

Nancy’s attention to detail, tremendous work ethic, and willingness to “go the extra mile” make her a standout member of the Ground Water UIC staff and a valued consultant to other Region 6 Divisions.

Betty J. Williams --- May 2004 Customer Service Award Winner

Betty J. Williams, Office Automation Assistant in the Air State and Tribal Operations Section, Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division, received the Region 6 Customer Service Award for May 2004. The Award recognizes her outstanding contribution to the Cherokee Nation's Treatment In The Same Manner As A State (TAS) notification process. Treatment as State is a highly complex and potentially controversial matter for State and Tribal governments. Mistakes in communication could be damaging to relationships. Betty, a 16-year EPA employee, recognized the importance of the notice and took responsibility for ensuring a perfect launch of the proposal.

The complex project involved 24 addressees, multiple copies, numerous enclosures and more than eight modifications of the letters. Betty closely monitored the package throughout the process, ensuring timely signatures, printing and distribution. She was professional, communicated effectively with Division, Regional Counsel and External Affairs staff, and maintained a positive attitude under great pressure. The ultimate result of her efforts was effective, timely notification of States and Tribes regarding the Cherokee Nation's TAS package.

Susan Branning, Betty's Section Chief for the past three-and-a-half years, nominated her for the Award. She noted Betty's excellent attention to detail and called her a great asset to the Division. It shows, as Betty has won three Divisional Customer Service Awards, was the Region 6 Secretary to the Administrative Council for Excellence and was the Region 6 Clerical Employee of the Year in 2000. "I'm more than happy to help you," are the words she is known for, according to Environmental Scientist Jim Yarborough. "She loves to help people, and often volunteers her help, even to people like me who aren't in her Section," Jim added.

Sam Alaw - April 2004 Customer Service Award Winner

Sam Alaw, our local area computer network manager, has been selected as the region's Customer Service Award Winner for the month of April. Sam has played a critical role in improving the region's data network and security. The recent failed virus attacks to our computer system is proof of his expertise.

Sam's job requires him to make crucial and very complex decisions on the spot. Timeliness and customer service are crucial. Whether the work involves the configuration of the network applications or the computer itself, he has to determine what fits our workplace. Then he has to come up with a plan to build the process without interrupting the users.

Sam Alaw takes the time to listen to customer concerns and explain his plan to solve the problem. Watching Sam in action speaks for itself! He works tirelessly to get what users need and seldom settles for anything less. Sam's efforts have helped our office succeed in everything we do.

David Eppler - March 2004 Customer Service Award Winner

David Eppler, the Region's Building Indoor Toxics Coordinator, has been selected as the Customer Service Award winner for March 2004. Since David joined EPA in July of 2003, he has provided our region's Brownfields Program with critical and valuable information concerning asbestos requirements.

The new Brownfields Act makes asbestos contaminated sites eligible for economic development ‘brownfields' assistance. The popular Brownfields Program continues to help communities return abandoned properties to productive use. Transforming vacant or blighted lots into new developments spurs economic growth, creates tax revenues and jobs, and helps to preserve surrounding neighborhoods.

David previously worked with the Public Health Service. When asked about his new job with EPA, he quickly states, "I love my job. I get to help people from all over solve indoor air problems from asbestos and lead paint," he continues.

The number of asbestos sites the Brownfields Program is helping to redevelop is growing. The Brownfields Program provides federal grant funds for the assessment and cleanup of asbestos. In order to do this job effectively, it was important for the region's team to understand the regulatory schemes for asbestos and state/local oversight roles.