A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "To make buses a more reliable and effective high-speed transit alternative, a new concept-- Bus Rapid Transit--proposes (1) running buses on highways exclusively for them or on HOV lanes or (2) improving service on busier routes on city streets. Federal support for Bus Rapid Transit projects may come from several different sources, including the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts, Bus Capital, and Urbanized Area Formula Grants programs, but its use is constrained. Two Bus Rapid Transit projects have received about $831 million in funding commitments from the current New Starts Program. Few additional Bus Rapid Transit projects will likely receive funding commitments under the current New Starts Program, which expires in 2003, because few Bus Rapid Transit projects are ready to compete for funding; many projects are eligible to compete for the $462 million that is projected to remain available for fiscal year 2003; and some types of Bus Rapid Transit projects are ineligible for New Starts funding because projects are required to operate on separate right-of-ways for the exclusive use of mass transit and high-occupancy vehicles. The Bus Rapid Transit systems generally had lower capital …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "From 1945 through 1962, the United States conducted a series of aboveground atomic weapons tests. Many people exposed to radiation from this nuclear weapons testing program later developed serious diseases, including cancer. To begin the process of making partial restitution to these victims, the President signed into law the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) in 1990. RECA established the Radiation Exposure Compensation Trust Fund (Trust Fund), criteria for determining claimant eligibility for compensation, and a program (administered by the Attorney General) to process and adjudicate claims under the act. The Department of Justice (DOJ) established the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program (RECP) within its Civil Division to administer its responsibilities under the act. Through the end of fiscal year 2000, RECP received 7,819 applications for compensation. Roughly equal numbers of applications have been approved and denied, awarding compensation to about 46 percent of the claimants and denying compensation to about 46 percent. RECA claims are most often denied because the victim's disease is not eligible for compensation under the RECA program. The costs for administering RECP have fluctuated from the first full year of program implementation, fiscal …

We investigate the possibility that the CP violation due to the soft supersymmetry breaking terms in squark mixing can give significant contributions to the various $\gamma$ related parameters in B decays, different from those of the Standard Model. We derive the new limits on $(\delta^u_12)_LL,LR,RR$ and on $(\delta^d_23)_LL,LR,RR$ from the recent data on $D^0$--$\barD^0$ oscillation as well as those on $B_s^0$--$\barB_s^0$ oscillation. We show that, together with all the other constraints, the currents limits on these parameters still allow large contributions to the CP violating phases in $B_s^0$--$\bar{B_s}^0$ as well as $D^0$--$\barD^0$ oscillations which will modify some of the proposed measurements of $\gamma$ parameters in CP violating B decays. However, the current constraints already dictate that the one-loop squark mixing contributions to various B decay amplitudes cannot be competitive with that of the Standard Model (SM), at least for those B decay modes which are dominated the tree level amplitudes within the SM, and therefore they are not significant in contributing to CP asymmetries in the corresponding B decays.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) currently manages the UF{sub 6} Cylinder Project. The project was formed to maintain and safely manage the depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) stored in approximately 50,000 carbon steel cylinders. The cylinders are located at three DOE sites: the ETTP site (K-25) at Oak Ridge, Tennessee; the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) in Paducah, Kentucky, and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) in Portsmouth, Ohio. The System Requirements Document (SRD) (LMES 1997a) delineates the requirements of the project. The appropriate actions needed to fulfill these requirements are then specified within the System Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) (LMES 1997b). This report documents activities that in whole or in part satisfy specific requirements and actions stated in the UF{sub 6} Cylinder Project SRD and SEMP with respect to forecasting cylinder conditions. The results presented here supercede those presented previously (Lyon 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000). Many of the wall thickness projections made in this report are conservative, because they are based on the assumption that corrosion trends will continue, despite activities such as improved monitoring, relocations to better storage, and painting.

The Safety Metrics Indicator Program (SMIP) retrieved 69 packaging- or transportation-related occurrences from the Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS) during the period from April 1 through June 30, 2001. Only those incidents that occur in preparation for transport, during transport, and during unloading of hazardous material are considered as packaging- or transportation-related occurrences. Other incidents with packaging and transportation (P and T) significance but not involving hazardous material (such as vehicle accidents or empty packagings) are not rated to the SMIP criteria, but are archived in the SMIP Subsidiary Database of occurrences, a sub-database of the main SMIP P and T Occurrence Database. Fifty-one of the originally-selected 69 occurrences were appropriate for classification to the SMIP criteria, 26 of which have offsite applicability. Eight of the original 69 reports are archived in a subsidiary database because they either do not involve the transport of hazardous material or they do not involve transport by vehicle, plane, boat, or rail. The others were either deleted because more thorough review revealed that they were not strictly related to P and T or they were canceled by the reporting site and removed from the ORPS. The number and severity of the selected occurrence …

The SEAlevel project between Science & Engineering Associates, Inc. (SEA) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in Morgantown, WV (contract DE-AC21-96MC33126) began in direct response to a need expressed by personnel involved with monitoring fluid levels in underground storage tanks at the Hanford Tank Farms. Hanford expressed a desire for an automated monitoring system that could be installed into tanks through liquid observation wells (LOWs). The LOWs are pipes that run from the surface above the tank to the bottom of the tank. The end of the LOW pipe in the tank waste is sealed. Therefore, the LOW provides a clean conduit through which sensors and monitors can be lowered into the tanks. When the SEAlevel project first began, it was understood that the LOWs would be of steel construction, because several existing LOWs at the time were steel pipes and the plans for all future LOW installations were to be with steel pipes. Based on this assumption the SEAlevel monitoring system was to be made using an array of acoustic sensors. However, during the course of the project it was learned that many existing LOWs are of fiberglass construction and that it was the desire of the Tanks …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) human capital management practices have been shaped largely by a growing staffing crisis that threatens to undermine the agency's ability to carry out its mission. GAO surveyed current and former SEC attorneys, accountants, and examiners to determine what factors influenced turnover, satisfaction, and morale among SEC staff. GAO found that inadequate compensation is the primary reason that employees leave the agency. But staff raised other issues that warrant attention, including limited opportunities for advancement, the amount of uncompensated overtime, and the quality of administrative support services. In response to the high turnover rates, SEC has placed greater emphasis on compensation-based human capital programs, including compensation-based flexibilities and performance awards. Although SEC uses compensation-based flexibilities to a greater extent than do other government agencies, the Office of Personnel Management believes it could do more. SEC has taken several steps to focus more attention on strategic human capital management but faces continuing challenges. In April 2001, SEC integrated its human capital strategies with it's core business practices by adding a human capital goal to its 2002 Annual Performance Plan. SEC has …

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed a work structure that serves to ensure work is performed safely and in compliance with applicable environment, safety, and health (ES&H) requirements. Safety begins and ends with the worker ''on the floor'' conducting the work activity. The primary focus of the NIF Programs Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS) is to provide the worker with a sound work environment, necessary resources to perform the job, and adequate procedures and controls to ensure the work is performed safely. It is to this end that the ES&H roles, responsibilities, and authorities are developed and practiced. NIF Programs recognizes and understands the Department of Energy (DOE)/University of California (UC) Contract requirements for ISMS at LLNL and the opportunities and values of the system. NIF Programs understands and supports the DOE Integrated Safety Management (ISM) objective, guiding principles, core functions, and the institutional requirements contained in the LLNL ISMS Description document. NIF Programs is committed to implementing and utilizing ISMS in all of its programs, operations, facilities, and activities and to continuing to assess its successful implementation and use. NIF Programs ISMS has been developed consistent with the requirements of the ''LLNL Integrated Safety Management System Description'' document …

This report describes the production of U{sub 3}O{sub 8} powders from three types of cation exchange resins: Dowex 50W, a strong acid, sulfonate resin; AG MP-50, a macroporous form of sulfonate resin; and Bio-Rex 70, a weak acid, carboxylic resin.

Dimming controls for electric lighting have been one of the mainstays of the effort to use daylighting to reduce annual lighting energy consumption. The coincidence of daylighting with electric utility peak demand makes daylighting controls an effective strategy for reducing commercial building peak electric loads. During times of energy shortage, there is a greatly increased need to reduce electricity use during peak periods, both to ease the burden on electricity providers and to control the operating costs of buildings. The paper presents a typical commercial building electric demand profile during summer, and shows how daylighting-linked lighting controls and load shedding techniques can reduce lighting at precisely those times when electricity is most expensive. We look at the importance of dimming for increasing the reliability of the electricity grid in California and other states, as well as examine the potential cost-effectiveness of widespread use of daylighting to save energy and reduce monthly electricity bills.

This report presents results from jet performance tests with simulated sludge slurries.

The solvent was loaded with {sup 137}Cs and subsamples were stored on a shaker table while in contact with the extract, scrub, or strip aqueous phases. Evidence of solvent degradation was evaluated at exposure times of 0, 20, 54, and 83 days. This resulted in estimated solvent doses ranging up to 1.24 Mrad, equivalent to the dose expected to be received during 16.5 years of operation at the plant proposed for the Savannah River Site. The break times and distribution of cesium of the batch samples remained constant within experimental error; in addition, no third-phase formation was observed. The solvent concentrations of calix[4]arene-bis-(tert-octylbenzo-crown-6) and 1-(2,2,3,3-tetra-fluoroproproxy)-3-(4-sec-butylphenoxy)-2-propanol remained constant within experimental error. Solvent degradation with irradiation was evidenced by a decrease in the trioctylamine (TOA) concentration in the solvent and an increase in the solvent concentration of the degradation product 4-sec-butylphenol. No decline in extraction or scrubbing performance of the irradiated solvents was observed. The stripping performance of the solvent was seriously impaired with irradiation; however, a mild caustic wash and replenishment of the TOA concentration restored the ability to strip the irradiated solvent.

This study examines the effects of time and temperature on the leaching of Savannah River Plant waste glass. The effects of pH, SA/V ratio, surface finish, protective layers formed, time and temperature are being studied in detail, and the model is being extended by applying it to other waste glass systems.

The proposal is to make large deuterium (D-D) magnetic fusion power plants in which some (most) of the tritium produced by fusion is removed and stored. This tritium will ultimately decay to helium-3 that will be recycled to supplement the helium-3 produced by fusion. Thus the dominant fusion becomes that of deuterium and helium-3. The level of neutron damage is reduced very substantially from that for a D-T power plant.

Ozone levels observed during a field campaign in Houston were significantly higher than that observed in Phoenix or Philadelphia. An examination of the slope of O{sub x} versus NO{sub z} in the urban plumes shows that NO{sub x} is used 2 to 3 times more efficiently in Houston as compared with Phoenix and Philadelphia. Representative values of OPEx are 7-12, 3, and 4, in Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia. Aircraft observations have been used to calculate P(O{sub 3})/P(NO{sub z}). Values in Houston are significantly higher than in Phoenix and Philadelphia. We show that P(O{sub 3})/P(NO{sub z}) is proportional to a VOC/NO{sub 2}-OH reactivity ratio. High values of P(O{sub 3})/P(NO{sub z}) in Houston are due to emissions of reactive olefins from the ship channel region. It is significant that high values of P(O{sub 3})/P(NO{sub z}) occur at NO{sub x} levels up to several 10's of ppb. Not only is the chemistry efficient but it will be long lasting. The occurrence of high NO{sub x} and high OPEx is fostered by the co-location of VOC and NO{sub x} sources in the Houston industrial areas.

This report provides the theoretical bases for use of an evacuated canister for draining a glass melter. Design recommendations are also presented to ensure satisfactory performance in future tests of the concept.

The maxima value of the depth dose coefficient for fission neutrons in ICRP Publication 21 was a reasonable estimator of the effective dose coefficient recently tabulated in ICRP Publication 74. Thus the inflation of the coefficient in the 1996 Q-System analysis (IAEA 2000b) for the purpose of being consistent with respect to ICRP guidance on the neutron weighting factor was unnecessary from the standpoint of the effective dose. The consequence resulted in an unnecessarily restrictive value of A{sub 1} for {sup 248}Cm, {sup 252}Cf, and {sup 254}Cf. The calculations presented here support a relaxation of the A{sub 1} limits for these radionuclides.

This report summarizes testing of an alternate ''pressurized vessel slurry pumping'' apparatus. The principle is similar to rural domestic water systems and ''acid eggs'' used in chemical laboratories in that material is extruded by displacement with compressed air.

A brochure for local and state policymakers, informing them about the State and Local Initiatives team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The brochure outlines the benefits of using renewables and energy efficiency, the benefits of using the State and Local Initiatives team as a liaison to the wealth of information at NREL, and some of the services and resources available.

This Letter Report presents the results of calculations to assess long-term performance of commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) spent nuclear fuel (DSNF), high-level radioactive waste (HLW), and Greater Than Class C (GTCC) radioactive waste and DOE Special Performance Assessment Required (SPAR) radioactive waste at the potential Yucca Mountain repository in Nye County Nevada with respect to the 10,000-year performance period specified in 40 CFR Part 197.30 (66 FR 32074 [DIRS 155216], p. 32134) with regard to radiation-protection standards. The EPA Final Rule 40 CFR Part 197 has three separate standards, individual-protection, human-intrusion, and groundwater-protection standards, all with a compliance timeframe of 10,000 years. These calculations evaluate the dose to receptors for each of these standards. Further, this Letter Report includes the results of simulations to the 1,000,000-year performance period described in 40 CFR Part 197.35 (66 FR 32074 [DIRS 155216], p. 32135) which calls for the calculation of the peak dose to the Reasonably Maximally Exposed Individual (RMEI) that would occur after 10,000 years and within the period of geological stability. In accordance with TSPA-SR the ''period of geologic stability'' is from zero to 1,000,000 years after repository closure. The calculations also present the 5th …