[SLA-SF] Save EPA Libraries!

Thu Oct 26 20:44:14 PDT 2006

Subject: [ALA-WO:332] Save EPA Libraries! 
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 15:35:40 -0400 
From: "ALAWASH E-MAIL" <ALAWASH at alawash.org> 
To: ALA Washington Office Newsline <ala-wo at ala.org> 

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American Library Association Washington Office Newsline 

ALAWON 
Volume 15, Number 115 
DATE : October 26, 2006 

________________________________ 

Save EPA Libraries! 

________________________________ 

CALL BOTH OF YOUR SENATORS IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THEM TO SIGN ONTO the Boxer- 
Lautenberg "Dear Colleague" letter asking the Senate Appropriations 
Committee to direct EPA to maintain access and research expertise at ALL of 
EPA's regional and headquarter libraries until the Agency solicits adequate 
public and Congressional input. 

Background: 

Senators Barbara Boxer and Frank Lautenberg have drafted a letter to the 
Senate Appropriations Committee stating their concern that EPA is 
dismantling their unique library system (see below). 

As you know, the government, business and the general public depend on EPA's 
libraries to conduct research critical to protecting public health, 
enforcing environmental laws, and promoting sound economic, land-use 
planning and other decisions.   Closure of these facilities will severely 
limit, and in some cases eliminate, the information resources needed by 
those investigating issues critical to environmental safety and health. 

Although EPA's FY2007 budget hasn't been passed yet, this year EPA has 
already eliminated or reduced library service covering 31 states (see list 
below below ). 

ACTION 

CALL BOTH OF YOUR SENATORS TODAY AND ASK THEM TO SIGN ONTO Boxer-
Lautenberg "Dear Colleague" letter!  The letter asks the Appropriators to 
direct EPA to maintain access and research expertise at all of EPA's 
regional and headquarter libraries until the Agency solicits adequate public 
and Congressional input. 

The deadline for signing the letter is November 1st, so call today! Tell 
your Senator's Office that they can arrange to sign the letter by calling 
Grant Cope (4-7931) or Daniel Rosenberg (4-7225) and that they must do so 
before November 1st. 

Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee: 

October 26, 2006 

Honorable Thad Cochran, Chair 
Appropriations Committee 
U.S. Senate 

Honorable Conrad Burns, Chair 
Appropriations Committee 
Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies 
U.S. Senate 
Honorable Robert C. Byrd, Ranking Member 
Appropriations Committee 
U.S. Senate 

Honorable Byron Dorgan, Ranking Member 
Appropriations Committee 
Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies 
U.S. Senate 

Dear Colleague: 

       We are writing to request that you direct the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) to restore and maintain public access and onsite 
library collections and services at EPA's headquarters, regional, 
laboratory, and specialized program libraries while the Agency solicits and 
considers public input on its plan to drastically cut its library budget and 
services.  Government representatives, businesses and citizens use 
information in these libraries to protect public health, enforce 
environmental laws, and promote sound decision-making.  We are concerned 
that EPA is already dismantling its unique library system without including 
the public or Members of Congress in the decision-making.  Congress should 
not allow EPA to gut its library system, which plays a critical role in 
supporting the Agency's mission to protect the environment and public 
health. 

EPA has already eliminated or reduced library service to the public in seven 
EPA regions covering 31 states and is planning to close its Headquarters' 
library and maintain it only as a repository. (Attachment)  EPA has also 
closed its pesticide and toxics program library, reducing access to unique 
materials needed to assess pesticides and other chemicals' potential health 
effects on children.  EPA is implementing these devastating closures on the 
grounds that they expect to save $2 million.   

       EPA's libraries provide far more benefits than the minor cost 
reductions resulting from their closure.  A 2004 EPA report found that "[c]
alculated conservatively, the benefit-to-cost ratio for EPA library services 
ranges between 2:1 and 5.7:1."  The report noted that libraries saved EPA 
professional staff $7.5 million and non-EPA personnel $2.8 million, in 2003; 
and that one-third of the libraries' work gave EPA $22 million in 
benefits.   

       The American Library Association, American Association of Law 
Libraries, and Special Library Association strongly oppose the cuts, 
pointing out that EPA has "unique collections, including an estimated 50,000 
one-of-a-kind primary source documents that are available nowhere else."  
Notes provided by the American Library Association that recount a meeting 
with EPA on the library closures state that their warnings that the Agency 
should develop a new system before closing libraries "fell on deaf ears."  
Unions representing 10,000 EPA scientists, engineers, and other staff have 
similar concerns.  They note that "[t]he ability of EPA to respond to 
emergencies will be reduced because important reference materials may be 
unavailable or take significant time to receive from storage or another 
library."   

       A document from EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance 
(OECA) about the library restructuring expresses concern about the Agency's 
failure to adequately assess costs and funding needs, maintain critical 
information, and ensure data accessibility.  OECA notes that the libraries 
have information important to specific regions, states and locales, and 
unique data on industrial processes and analytical methods.  OECA has 
indicated that it fears that dispersal of this material without proper 
tracking and access could undercut rulemakings and the ability 
to "substantiate and support findings, determinations, and guidance."   

We are extremely troubled that EPA is rushing to eliminate or reduce library 
operations without adequately consulting Congress or the public. We 
respectfully request that you direct EPA in the FY 2007 Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Bill to restore and maintain public access and 
onsite library collections and services at EPA's headquarters, regional, 
laboratory, and specialized program libraries to the status they held as of 
January 1, 2006.  We also ask that you direct EPA to solicit and consider 
public and Congressional input, in an open process, prior to making any 
decision to close a library, cut services, or dramatically restructure the 
Agency's library system.   

Sincerely, 

Barbara Boxer                                           Frank R. 
Lautenberg 
United States Senator                                United States 
Senator 

CC:  Senator Ted Stevens 
Senator Arlen Specter 
Senator Pete Domenici 
Senator Christopher Bond 
Senator Mitch McConnell 
Senator Richard Shelby 
Senator Judd Gregg 
Senator Robert Bennett 
Senator Larry Craig 
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson 
Senator Mike DeWine 
Senator Sam Brownback 
Senator Wayne Allard 
Senator Daniel Inouye 
Senator Patrick Leahy 
Senator Tom Harkin 
Senator Barbara Mikulski 
Senator Harry Reid 
Senator Herb Kohl 
Senator Patty Murray 
Senator Dianne Feinstein 
Senator Richard Durbin 
Senator Tim Johnson 
Senator Mary Landrieu 

Status of EPA Regional Library Closures and Reductions in Service: 

(Specialized Libraries Not Included) 

1.  Closed 

    *     Region 5, which served Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Ohio, and Wisconsin.   
    *     Regions 6, which serves Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, 
Texas, and Iowa. 
    *     Region 7, which serves Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.   

2.   Closed to the Public with Reduced Hours to EPA Staff 

    *     Region 2 Library, which served New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, 
and the Virgin Islands. 

3.  Reduced Access to EPA Staff and the Public 

    *     EPA Region 1, which serves Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New 
Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.   
    *     EPA Region 9, which serves Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, 
the Pacific Islands, and Tribal Nations. 
    *     EPA Region 10, which serves Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and 
Native Tribes. 
    *     EPA Headquarters 

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