UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 
OCT 3 1978 
OFFICE OF 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
Joseph G. Perpich, M.D. , J.D. 
Associate Director for 
Program Planning and Evaluation 
National Institutes of Health 
Bethesda, Maryland 20014 
Dear Dr. Perpich: 
Z /77f ' 
I am writing you in regard to your note of Se p t e m ber 7, - 1978 , 
to Dr. Barth concerning The Proposed Guidelines to control Recombinant 
DNA research funded by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Barth 
has recently accepted an Intergovernmental Personnal Act position 
with the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and I am acting in his 
former position as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Health and 
Ecological Effects. 
I realize that comments at this time are too late to be coordinated 
for the public hearing and I apologize for this lateness. 
My staff has reviewed the Proposed Guidelines and in essence feel 
that they are adequate. There were a number of items of which the most 
significant relates to the brevity of the coverage of the effects on water, 
air, plants, insects, fresh water and marine organisms. 
I feel that due to the lateness of our comments, we should await 
your publication of those you have already received and at that time 
see whether or not our concerns have been addressed. 
We are looking forward to receiving further information as it 
devel ops. 
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator 
for Health and Ecological Effects 
[A-412] 
