The 100-D-2 Lead Sheeting waste site was located approximately 50 m southwest of the 185-D Building and approximately 16 m north of the east/west oriented road. The site consisted of a lead sheet covering a concrete pad. In accordance with this evaluation, the verification sampling results support a reclassification of this site to Interim Closed Out. The results of verification sampling show that residual contaminant concentrations do not preclude any future uses and allow for unrestricted use of shallow zone soils. The results also demonstrate that residual contaminant concentrations are protective of groundwater and the Columbia River.

The Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF), located in the Z-Area of the Savannah River Site (SRS), is used for the disposal of low-level radioactive salt solution. The SDF currently contains two vaults: Vault 1 (6 cells) and Vault 4 (12 cells). Additional disposal cells are currently in the design phase. The individual cells of the saltstone facility are filled with saltstone., Saltstone is produced by mixing the low-level radioactive salt solution, with blast furnace slag, fly ash, and cement or lime to form a dense, micro-porous, monolithic, low-level radioactive waste form. The saltstone is pumped into the disposal cells where it subsequently solidifies. Significant effort has been undertaken to accurately model the movement of water and contaminants through the facility. Key to this effort is an accurate understanding of the hydraulic and physical properties of the solidified saltstone. To date, limited testing has been conducted to characterize the saltstone. The primary focus of this task was to estimate the hydraulic and physical properties of MCU (Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit) saltstone relative to two permeating fluids. These fluids included simulated groundwater equilibrated with vault concrete and simulated saltstone pore fluid. Samples of the MCU saltstone were prepared by the Savannah …

With DOE funding, I have conducted research on the topic of patents and technology transfer in the Human Genome Project since 1994. My research has proceeded along the following tracks: (1) research and monitoring of legal developments relating to (a) the patenting of DNA sequences and (b) the role of patents in technology transfer; (2) investigating and monitoring the strategies of different institutions in the public and private sector that are involved in DNA sequencing with respect to patenting and disseminating sequence information; (3) investigating and monitoring the impact of these strategies on those who use sequence information in research and product development. I have published commentary as my research proceeds in a variety of forums directed at scientists, lawyers, and science policy-makers.

Tests were performed to determine the moderator temperature coefficient of reactivity, the prompt temperature coefficient of reactivity and the power coefficient of reactivity of Mark VII-A charges. This document summarizes the results of the tests and reports values of the coefficients that are commensurate with the test data.

The second meeting of the Co-ordinated Research Project on"Reference Database for Neutron Activation Analysis" was held at the IAEA, Vienna from 7-9 May, 2007. A summary of the presentations made by participants is given, along with reports on specifically assigned tasks and subsequent discussions. In order to meet the overall objectives of this CRP, the outputs have been reiterated and new task assignments made.

Superbursts are energetic events on neutron stars that are a thousand times more powerful than ordinary type I X-ray bursts. They are believed to be powered by a thermonuclear explosion of accumulated {sup 12}C. However, the source of this {sup 12}C remains elusive to theoretical calculations and its concentration and ignition depth are both unknown. Here we present the first computational simulations of the nucleosynthesis during the thermal decay of a superbust, where X-ray bursts are quenched. Our calculations of the quenching time verify previous analytical calculations and shed new light on the physics of stable burning at low accretion rates. We show that concentrated (X{sub {sup 12}C} {approx}> 0.40), although insufficient, amounts of {sup 12}C are generated during the several weeks following the superburst where the decaying thermal flux of the superburst stabilizes the burning of the accreted material.

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This report discusses the continued debate amongst congressional policymakers regarding telecommunications reform. A major point of the ongoing discussion is whether action is needed to ensure unfettered access to the Internet.

This report discusses the welfare reform law of 1996 that sharply increased federal child care funding for low-income families, with the expectation that new work requirements for welfare parents would increase demand for child care services.

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This report assesses the feasibility of handling MST in the SWPF and ARP facility as a dry solid versus that as an aqueous slurry. MST is an inorganic sorbent material that exhibits high selectivity for strontium and actinide elements in the presence of strongly alkaline and high sodium containing salt solutions. In addition to this assessment, the effects of drying on MST properties including strontium and actinide removal performance were also tested. This work represents two of the subtasks identified in the scope of work for the DOE funded project to develop improved sorbent materials for strontium/actinide separations at SRS.

Executive orders and proclamations are used extensively by Presidents to achieve policy goals, set uniform standards for managing the Executive Branch, or outline a policy view intended to influence the behavior of private citizens. The Constitution does not define these presidential instruments, and does not explicitly vest the President with the authority to issue them. Nonetheless, such orders are accepted as an inherent aspect of presidential power, and, if based on appropriate authority, they have the force and effect of law. This report discusses the nature of executive orders and proclamations, with a focus on the scope of presidential authority to execute such instruments and judicial and congressional responses thereto.

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Discretionary spending limits are statutory caps on the level of budget authority and outlays determined through the annual appropriations process. They were initially established by the Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1990 (Title XIII of P.L. 101-508) as part of an agreement between Congress and President George Bush to reduce the deficit. Twice since, they were extended to enforce agreements between Congress and President Bill Clinton, most recently to achieve a surplus.

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Foreign direct investment in the United States declined sharply after 2000, when a record $300 billion was invested in U.S. businesses and real estate. In 2004, according to preliminary data, foreigners invested about $100 billion. Foreign direct investments are highly sought after by State and local governments that are struggling to create additional jobs in their localities.

This report briefly examines the accounting system that failed to provide a clear picture of the firm’s true condition, the independent auditors and board members who were unwilling to challenge Enron’s management, the Wall Street stock analysts and bond raters who missed the trouble ahead, the rules governing employer stock in company pension plans, and the unregulated energy derivatives trading that was the core of Enron’s business. The report also describes related legislation that has received floor or committee action and will be updated regularly.

Geochemical and microbiological modeling was performed to evaluate the potential quantities and impact of microorganisms on the geochemistry of the area adjacent to and within nuclear waste packages in the proposed repository drifts at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The microbial growth results from the introduction of water, ground support, and waste package materials into the deep unsaturated rock. The simulations, which spanned one million years, were accomplished using a newly developed computer code, Microbial Impacts to the Near-Field Environment Geochemistry (MING). MING uses environmental thresholds for limiting microbial growth to temperatures below 120 C and above relative humidities of 90 percent in repository drifts. Once these thresholds are met, MING expands upon a mass balance and thermodynamic approach proposed by McKinley and others (1997), by using kinetic rates to supply constituents from design materials and constituent fluxes including solubilized rock components into the drift, to perform two separate mass-balance calculations as a function of time. The first (nutrient limit) assesses the available nutrients (C, N, P and S) and calculates how many microorganisms can be produced based on a microorganism stoichiometry of C{sub 160}(H{sub 280}O{sub 80})N{sub 30}P{sub 2}S. The second (energy limit) calculates the energy available from optimally combined redox couples …

This report explains the American with Disabilities Act that provides nondiscrimination protection in employment, public services, public accomodations, and services operated by private entities, transportation, and telecommunications for individuals with disabilities.

This report discusses policy issues regarding military-to-military (mil-to-mil) contacts with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and provides a record of major contacts and crises since 1993. The United States suspended military contacts with China and imposed sanctions on arms sales in response to the Tiananmen Crackdown in 1989.

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This report provides an overview of the current medical malpractice insurance situation and insurance market structure, summarizes the provisions of both S. 352 and the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945, and examines arguments for and against modifying the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

The 2001 annual reports of the board of trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds were released on March 19, 2001. Both programs have benefitted from an improved economic outlook in the near term, but both continue to have projected long-range problems. Insolvency for the Disability Insurance (DI) part of Social Security is projected to occur in 2026, and for the retirement and survivors part, in 2040.