Ethics Advisory 99-02: Financial Guide #19/Dominion Resources, Inc. Stock Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 09:56:18 -0400 To: "USGS Employees" From: "Virginia G. Miles" Subject: Ethics Advisory 99-02: Financial Guide #19/Dominion Resources, Inc. Stock In Reply Refer To: Mail Stop 603 MEMORANDUM Supervisors, Managers, and Team Leaders: Please ensure that employees without access to email receive a copy of this message. June 30, 1999 To: All Employees, U.S. Geological Survey From: Deputy USGS Ethics Counselor, Office of Personnel Subject: Ethics Advisory 99-02: Financial Guide #19/Dominion Resources, Inc. Stock Do you own stock in Dominion Resources, Inc.? Following the completion of its planned merger with Consolidated Natural Gas Co., Dominion Resources, Inc. will be prohibited to all USGS employees because it will then hold extensive acres of Federal oil and gas leases. The merger is expected to occur about February 2000. If you hold this stock, you must divest your holdings within 90 days of the merger. Please contact the Deputy Ethics Counselor before you sell your stock for information on divestiture procedures and your right to defer Federal capital gains tax if you will realize a gain from the sale. Do you, your spouse, or minor child hold stock in OIL, GAS, or MINING companies that are prohibited by the USGS Organic Act? You should review the latest Financial Guide #19, dated June 30, 1999, if you (your spouse or minor child): (1) hold stocks, bonds, mutual funds, pension plans, employee stock ownership plans, IRAs, 401(k) plans, mineral royalties, or limited partnerships; (2) are a trustee or trust beneficiary; or (3) received assets through inheritance or gift. You are subject to certain prohibitions and limitations on the ownership of entities engaged in oil, gas, and mining activities in the United States. Some holdings are totally prohibited to all employees, and others are subject to dollar limitations on the value of shares that may be held, depending on the particular division in which the employee resides. Information on the regulations that apply and a listing of companies that are subject to these restrictions are provided in the 1999 USGS Financial Guide #19, which is available for review on the Human Resources Homepage @ http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/hro/ethics/financ19.html=20 All USGS employees are subject to these prohibitions and limitations, and they are responsible for ensuring that they take necessary action to ensure that they are in compliance. You should annually review the Financial Guide, especially when you make changes in your stock holdings or when changes in your official responsibilities may subject you to divestiture requirements. Employees subject to financial disclosure requirements should review their holdings now to ensure compliance. More detailed information on the Dominion Resources, Inc. merger and financial interests that may cause conflicts for USGS employees is available in Ethics Advisory Memorandum 99-02 @ http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/hro/ethics/99-02.html=20 Advice and guidance concerning all financial interests can be obtained from the Deputy USGS Ethics Counselor, Virginia G. Miles, at phone: 703/648-7474; E-mail: vmiles@usgs.gov ; or regular mail: USGS, Mail Stop 603, National Center, Reston, Virginia 20192. If you need a printed copy of Financial Guide #19, you may request a paper copy by providing your mailing address by return E-mail to the Ethics Counselor. An electronic copy of the document may also be requested if you are able to receive WordPerfect attachments through your E-mail system.