Semi-weekly newspaper from Clifton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

N-Reactor spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is currently residing underwater in the K Basins at the Hanford site, in Richland, Washington. This report presents results of the metallographic examination of specimens cut from an SNF element (Mark IV-E) with breached cladding. The element had resided in the K-West (KW) Storage Basin for at least 10 years after it was discharged from the N-Reactor. The storage containers in the KW Basin were nominally closed, isolating the SNF elements from the open pool environment. Seven specimens from this Mark IV-E outer fuel element were examined using an optical metallograph. Included were two specimens that had been subjected to a conditioning process recommended by the Independent Technical Assessment Team, two specimens that had been subjected to a conditioning process recommended in the Integrated Process Strategy Report, and three that were in the as-received, as-cut condition. One of the as-received specimens had been cut from the damaged (or breached) end of the element. All other specimens were cut from the undamaged mid-region of the fuel element. The specimens were visually examined to (1) identify uranium hydride inclusions present in the uranium metal fuel, (2) measure the thickness of the oxide layer formed on the uranium …

This ninth revision of the Hanford Site National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Characterization presents current environmental data regarding the hanford Site and its immediate environs. This information is intended for use in preparing Chapters 4 and 6 in Hanford Site-related NEPA documents. Chapter 4.0 (Affected Environment) includes information on climate and meteorology, geology, hydrology, ecology, cultural, archaeological and historical resources, socioeconomics, and noise. Chapter 6.0 (Statutory and Regulatory Requirements) provides the preparer with the federal and state regulations, DOE directives and permits, and environmental standards directly applicable to the NEPA documents on the Hanford Site. Not all of the sections have been updated for this revision. The following lists the updated sections: climate and meteorology; ecology (threatened and endangered species section only); culture, archaeological, and historical resources; socioeconomics; all of Chapter 6.

During FY97, the University of Wisconsin Fusion Technology Institute personnel have participated in the ARIES-RS and the ARIES-ST projects. The main areas of effort are: (1) neutronics analysis; (2) shielding of components and personnel; (3) neutron wall loading distribution; (4) radiation damage to in-vessel components; (5) components lifetimes; (6) embrittled materials designs issues; (7) stress and structural analysis; (8) activation, LOCA, and safety analysis; (9) support and fabrication of components; (10) vacuum system; and (11) maintenance. Progress made in these areas are summarized.

This is a final technical report for a project of the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission (sponsored contract NRC-04-090-51) with the University of Arizona. The contract was an optional extension that was initiated on July 21, 1994 and that expired on May 31, 1995. The project manager was Thomas J. Nicholson, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. The objectives of this contract were to examine hypotheses and conceptual models concerning unsaturated flow and transport through fractured rock, and to design and execute confirmatory field and laboratory experiments to test these hypotheses and conceptual models at the Apache Leap Research Site near Superior, Arizona. The results discussed here are products of specific tasks that address a broad spectrum of issues related to flow and transport through fractures. Each chapter in this final report summarizes research related to a specific set of objectives and can be read and interpreted as a separate entity. The tasks include detection and characterization of historical rapid fluid flow through fractured rock and the relationship to perched water systems using environmental isotopic tracers of {sup 3}H and {sup 14}C, fluid- and rock-derived {sup 2343}U/{sup 238}U measurements, and geophysical data. The water balance in a small watershed at the ALRS …

This report provides baseline geochemistry for soils (including fill), and for bedrock within three specific areas that are planned for use in the remediation of Material Disposal Area P (MDA-P) at Technical Area 16 (TA-16). The baseline chemistry includes leachable element concentrations for both soils and bedrock and total element concentrations for all soil samples and for two selected bedrock samples. MDA-P operated from the early 1950s to 1984 as a landfill for rubble and debris generated by the burning of high explosives (HE) at the TA-16 Burning Ground, HE-contaminated equipment and material, barium nitrate sand, building materials, and trash. The aim of this report is to establish causes for recognizable chemical differences between the background and baseline data sets. In many cases, the authors conclude that recognizable differences represent natural enrichments. In other cases, differences are best attributed to analytical problems. But most importantly, the comparison of background and baseline geochemistry demonstrates significant contamination for several elements not only at the two remedial sites near the TA-16 Burning Ground, but also within the entire region of the background study. This contamination is highly localized very near to the surface in soil and fill, and probably also in bedrock; consequently, …

Laboratory and field ponded infiltration tests in quasi-saturated soils (containing entrapped air) exhibit the same three-stage temporal variability for the flow rate and hydraulic conductivity. However, the values for the hydraulic conductivity may differ by as much as two orders of magnitude due to differences in the geometry and physics of flow when different laboratory and field methods are applied. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this variability using a comparison of results of ponded infiltration tests conducted under laboratory conditions using confined cores, with results of field tests conducted using partially isolated cores and double-ring infiltrometers. Under laboratory conditions in confined cores, during the firs stage, the water flux decreases over time because entrapped air plugs the largest pores in the soils; during the second stage, the quasi-saturated hydraulic conductivity increases by one to two orders of magnitude, essentially reaching the saturated hydraulic conductivity, when entrapped air is discharged from the soils; during the third stage, the hydraulic conductivity decreases to minimum values due to sealing of the soil surface and the effect of biofilms sealing the pores within the wetted zone. Under field conditions, the second stage is only partially developed, and when the surface sealing …

Monthly newspaper from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that includes news and information about the Churches of Christ along with advertising.

In 1996 the Kalispell Natural Resource Department (KNRD) in conjunction with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) continued the implementation of a habitat and population enhancement project for bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), westslope cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). A habitat and population assessment was conducted on Browns Creek a tributary of Cee Cee Ah Creek, one of the priority tributaries outlined in the 1995 annual report. The assessment was used to determine the type and quality of habitat that was limiting to native bull trout and cutthroat trout populations. Analysis of the habitat data indicated high amounts of sediment in the stream, low bank cover, and a lack of winter habitat. Data collected from this assessment was used to prescribe habitat enhancement measures for Browns Creek. Habitat enhancement measures, as outlined in the recommendations from the 1995 annual report, were conducted during field season 1996. Fencing and planting of riparian areas and in stream structures were implemented. As a precursor to these enhancement efforts, pre-assessments were conducted to determine the affects of the enhancement. Habitat quality, stream morphology and fish populations were pre-assessed. The construction of the largemouth bass hatchery was started in October …

Daily newspaper from Sapulpa, Oklahoma that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

The overall goal of this project was to improve the efficiency of miscible C0{sub 2} floods and enhance the prospects for flooding heterogeneous reservoirs. This objective was accomplished through experimental and modeling research in three task areas: (1) foams for selective mobility control in heterogeneous reservoirs,( 2) reduction of the amount of C0{sub 2} required in C0{sub 2} floods, and (3) low IFT processe and the possibility of C0{sub 2} flooding in fractured reservoirs. This report provides results from the three-year project for each of the three task areas.

This report describes the Offsite Radiation Safety Program. This laboratory operated an environmental radiation monitoring program in the region surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and at former test sites in Alaska, Colorado, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Mexico. The surveillance program is designed to measure levels and trends of radioactivity, if present, in the environment surrounding testing areas to ascertain whether current radiation levels and associated doses to the general public are in compliance with existing radiation protection standards. The surveillance program additionally has the responsibility to take action to protect the health and well being of the public in the event of any accidental release of radioactive contaminants. Offsite levels of radiation and radioactivity are assessed by sampling milk, water, and air; by deploying thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs); and using pressurized ionization chambers (PICs). No nuclear weapons testing was conducted in 1996 due to the continuing nuclear test moratorium. During this period, R and IE personnel maintained readiness capability to provide direct monitoring support if testing were to be resumed and ascertained compliance with applicable EPA, DOE, state, and federal regulations and guidelines. Comparison of the measurements and sample analysis results with background levels and with appropriate standards and regulations …

This workshop is the latest in a series which has looked at technological issues related to the commercial development and success of silicon based photovoltaic (PV) modules. PV modules based on silicon are the most common at present, but face pressure from other technologies in terms of cell performance and cell cost. This workshop addresses a problem which is a factor in the production costs of silicon based PV modules.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

Time-resolved mass spectrometry and time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy are used to study the ultrafast photodissociation dynamics of chlorine dioxide, an important constituent in stratospheric ozone depletion. Chapter 1 introduces these pump/probe techniques, in which a femtosecond pump pulse excites a molecule to a dissociative state. At a later time, a second femtosecond probe pulse ionizes the molecule. The resulting mass and photoelectron spectra are acquired as a function of the delay between the pump and probe pulses, which follows the evolution of the molecule on the excited state. A comparison to other techniques used to study reaction dynamics is discussed. Chapter 2 includes a detailed description of the design and construction of the experimental apparatus, which consists of a femtosecond laser system, a molecular beam time-of-flight spectrometer, and a data acquisition system. The time-of-flight spectrometer is specifically designed to have a short flight distance to maximize the photoelectron collection efficiency without degrading the resolution, which is limited by the bandwidth of the femtosecond laser system. Typical performance of the apparatus is demonstrated in a study of the time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of nitric oxide. The results of the time-resolved mass spectrometry experiments of chlorine dioxide are presented in Chapter 3. Upon excitation …

Daily newspaper from Baytown, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

The purpose of developing guidelines for electric and magnetic field (EMF) personal exposure measurements (lF'EM) is to ensure reliable and comparable data across I?EM studies. Study techniques may vary due to different populations or objectives, but the resulting data should be consistently reported and comparable, to the extent possible. Any guideline must allow creativity by the research-oriented investigator and provide specific guidance to industrial hygienists or other results-oriented investigators, requiring a standard protocol. Recognizing measurement studies with different purposes is an important aspect of these recommendations. The guidelines presented here intend to produce comparable data across studies while remaining flexible. The recommendations for designing and implementing an EMF PEM program describe a three-stage process. The first step is to clearly state the purpose of the PEM program. The next stage addresses the fundamental elements of an EMF PEM study, including an assessment of the scientific and organizational resources that will be required. This process is codified in a written study plan. These stages are described in 1 Section 5 of this report. The third stage of a PEM study involves the design, implementation and documentation of specific procedures and protocols fo~ sampling strategies, selection of measurement parameters; instrumentation, measurement and …

This document is a monthly publication describing information received and published by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This information includes (1) docketed material associated with civilian nuclear power plants and other uses of radioactive materials and (2) nondocketed material received and published by NRC pertinent to its role as a regulatory agency. As used here, {open_quotes}docketed{close_quotes} does not refer to Court dockets; it refers to the system by which NRC maintains its regulatory records.