A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since the late 1990s, many funding changes have been made to the Food Stamp E&T Program. In 1997, legislation required states to spend 80 percent of their funds on participants who lose their food stamp benefits if they do not meet work requirements within a limited time frame. The legislation also increased funds by $131 million to help states serve these participants. But spending rates for the program declined until, in 2001, states spent only about 30 percent of the federal allocation. In 2002, the Congress reduced federal funds to $110 million a year. While it is too soon to know the impact of these changes, GAO was asked to determine whom the program serves, what services are provided, and what is known about program outcomes and effectiveness."

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This report describes the interpolation package in the Livermore Equation of State (LEOS) system. It is an updated and expanded version of report [1], which described the status of the package as of May 1998, and of [2], which described its status as of the August 2001 release of the LEOS access library, and of [3], which described its status as of library version 7.02, released April 2002. This corresponds to library version 7.11, released March 2003. The main change since [3] has been the addition of the monotone bicubic Hermite (bimond) interpolation method. Throughout this report we assume that data has been given for some function f({rho},T) on a rectangular mesh {rho} = {rho}{sub 0}, {rho}{sub 1}, ..., {rho}{sub nr-1}; T = T{sub 0}, T{sub 1}, ..., T{sub nt-1}. Subscripting is from zero to be consistent with the C code. (Although we use this notation throughout, there is nothing in the package that assumes that the independent variables are actually density and temperature.) The data values are f{sub ij} = f({rho}{sub j},T{sub i}). (This subscript order is historical and reflects the notation used in the program.) There are nr x nt data values, (nr-1) x (nt-1) mesh rectangles (boxes). …

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OAK-B135 On March 12-13, 2002, the National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC), in cooperation with regional stakeholders, held a two-day workshop: Planning for Electrical Transmission Needs in the Upper Midwest. The workshop was the outgrowth of an effort to develop a forum and process for consideration of transmission options that strives for equitable allocation of benefits and impacts among all affected parties. The goal of this workshop was to provide a catalyst for an enhanced, inclusive process for transmission planning with participation of and acceptance by all affected stakeholders. Participants in the meeting included representatives of state and regional regulatory agencies, utilities and power generators, the wind industry, environmental and landowner interests, and other interested parties (see Attachment A for a list of meeting participants).

Electricity markets in the United States have witnessed unprecedented instability over the last few years, with substantial volatility in wholesale market prices, significant financial distress among major industry organizations, and unprecedented legal, regulatory and legislative activity. These events demonstrate the considerable risks that exist in the electricity industry. Recent industry instability also illustrates the need for thoughtful resource planning to balance the cost, reliability, and risk of the electricity supplied to end-use customers. In balancing different supply options, utilities, regulators, and other resource planners must consider the unique risk profiles of each generating source. This paper evaluates the relative risk profiles of renewable and natural gas generating plants. The risks that exist in the electricity industry depend in part on the technologies that are used to generate electricity. Natural gas has become the fuel of choice for new power plant additions in the United States. To some, this emphasis on a single fuel source signals the potential for increased risk. Renewable generation sources, on the other hand, are frequently cited as a potent source of socially beneficial risk reduction relative to natural gas-fired generation. Renewable generation is not risk free, however, and also imposes certain costs on the electricity sector. …

The objective of the project was to examine how seismic and geologic data could be used to improve characterization of small-scale heterogeneity and their parameterization in reservoir models. Performed a theoretical and numerical study to examine which subsurface features the surface seismic method actually resolves.

The purpose of the ''Criticality Model Report'' is to validate the MCNP (CRWMS M&O 1998h) code's ability to accurately predict the effective neutron multiplication factor (k{sub eff}) for a range of conditions spanned by various critical configurations representative of the potential configurations commercial reactor assemblies stored in a waste package may take. Results of this work are an indication of the accuracy of MCNP for calculating eigenvalues, which will be used as input for criticality analyses for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) storage at the proposed Monitored Geologic Repository. The scope of this report is to document the development and validation of the criticality model. The scope of the criticality model is only applicable to commercial pressurized water reactor fuel. Valid ranges are established as part of the validation of the criticality model. This model activity follows the description in BSC (2002a).

The synthesis of sodium aluminosilicate solids phases precipitated from NO{sub 2}/NO{sub 3}-free and NO{sub 2}/NO{sub 3}-rich liquors has been performed. Four sodium aluminosilicate precipitation products were formed. These are (1) X-ray/electron diffraction-indifferent amorphous phase; (2) crystalline zeolite A; (3)NO{sub 2}/NO{sub 3}-rich crystalline sodalite; and (4) NO{sub 2}/NO{sub 3}-rich crystalline cancrinite phase. Characterization of the physicochemical properties for these phases has been performed under conditions simulating Westinghouse Savannah River Company liquid waste processing.

The objective of the project was to examine how seismic and geologic data could be used to improve characterization of small-scale heterogeneity and their parameterization in reservoir models. The study was performed at West Coalinga Field in California.

This report is a brief of the controversies for the 108th Congress regarding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Calculating greenhouse gas emissions reductions from climate change mitigation projects requires construction of a baseline that sets emissions levels that would have occurred without the project. This paper describes a standardized multiproject methodology for setting baselines, represented by the emissions rate (kg C/kWh), for electric power projects. A standardized methodology would reduce the transaction costs of projects. The most challenging aspect of setting multiproject emissions rates is determining the vintage and types of plants to include in the baseline and the stringency of the emissions rates to be considered, in order to balance the desire to encourage no- or low-carbon projects while maintaining environmental integrity. The criteria for selecting power plants to include in the baseline depend on characteristics of both the project and the electricity grid it serves. Two case studies illustrate the application of these concepts to the electric power grids in eastern India and South Africa. We use hypothetical, but realistic, climate change projects in each country to illustrate the use of the multiproject methodology, and note the further research required to fully understand the implications of the various choices in constructing and using these baselines.

The shrinkage in U.S. family cash welfare rolls has slowed to a near halt, although national numbers still are 50% below those of August, 1996, when Congress created the time-limited and work-conditioned block grant program of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Under TANF, the nature of the caseload has changed. The share of recipients who combine welfare and work has risen sharply (from 11% to 26%).

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One of the least controversial provisions of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-163) established corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for new passenger cars. This report presents a brief background and analysis regarding the price of crude oil that brought into sharp focus the fuel inefficiency of U.S. automobiles. The report also discusses the previous issues and the most recent developments regarding CAFE.

In this report several other Clean Water Act issues are likely to receive congressional attention, through oversight hearings and possibly in legislative proposals. Among the topics of interest is whether and how the Administration will revise the current program for restoration of pollution-impaired waters (the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL program), in view of controversy over regulatory changes made during the Clinton Administration and continuing disagreement among states, cities, industry, and environmental advocates about program effectiveness and efficiency.

This report discusses policy and legislation regarding fish and marine mammals. These animals are important resources in open ocean and nearshore coastal areas. Commercial and sport fishing are jointly managed by the federal government and individual states. Many laws and regulations guide the management of these resources by federal agencies.

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This report addresses budgeting and priority-setting Issues of 108th congress related to federal research and development.

The Federal Railroad Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation is the primary federal agency that promotes and regulates railroad safety. To implement its safety responsibilities, the Federal Railroad Administration uses numerous strategies including the Safety Assurance and Compliance Program, field inspections; and to help improve its regulations, the administration uses the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee. This report contains information on the Federal Railroad Administration's Safety Program, railroad safety statistics, key reauthorization issues, and related information.

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