The U.S. Geological Survey received eight awards from the National Association of Government Communicators’ 2007 Blue Pencil-Gold Screen competition. Awards were presented at NAGC’s annual Communications School in Chicago, Ill., on April 26, 2007.

More than 550 participants entered the competition. The NAGC is a not-for-profit professional organization for writers, editors, and public affairs specialists in local, state, and federal government.

A first-place award went to “Wind-Deposited Sand,” in the individual map category, submitted by Craig Brunstein, geologist-editor, with principal contributions by Richard F. Madole and additional contributions by Paco VanSistine, John Michael, Craig Brunstein, and Carol Quesenberry.

Also receiving a first-place award was the “Fire Science Folder,” in the special product category, submitted by Brunstein with principal contributions by Randy Updike and additional contributions by Quesenberry and Brunstein.

Another first-place winner was “Disease Emergence and Resurgence: the Wildlife-Human Connection,” in the soft-over book category, submitted by Gail Moede Rogall, information specialist, with principal contributions by Milton Friend and additional contributions by Rogall.

Receiving a second-place award was “Tularemia,” in the technical or statistical reports category, submitted by Rogall, with principal contributions by Friend and additional contributions by Rogall.

A second-place award went to “People, Land& Water: 100th Anniversary — 1906 Earthquake,” in the internal magazine category, submitted by Clarice Nassif Ransom, public affairs specialist, with principal contributions by Ransom and additional contributions by Tania Larson and David Hebert.

Another second-place award went to “Science Picks — USGS Monthly Report,” in the news release category, submitted by Denver Makle, public affairs specialist, with principal contributions by Makle.

An award of excellence went to “Volatile Organic Compounds in the Nation’s ground Water and Drinking-Water Supply Wells,” in the technical or statistical reports category, submitted by Mark Anderson, director of the South Dakota Water Science Center, with principal contributions by John S. Zogorski and additional contributions by other report authors, Ella Decker and Connie Ross.

An award of excellence went to “Geologic and Active Fault Maps of San Francisco Bay Region,” in the individual map category, submitted by Jane S. Ciener, approving official for the Western Region Geology and the Geospatial Information Office, with principal contributions by Russell Graymer and additional contributions by the Western Earth Surface Processes Team, the Earthquake Hazards Team and the Western GIO Menlo Publishing Service Center.