Inspection of the Heber binary-cycle geothermal project (open access)

Inspection of the Heber binary-cycle geothermal project

We concluded that DOE had effective management control procedures to monitor project costs and the design, construction and demonstration activities. Lessons learned from previous DOE geothermal projects were applied and technical information generated from the Heber plant will be transferred to the public and private sectors by the project participants. We also identified the following issues that concerned us: Revenue Sharing: under existing revenue sharing provisions in the Cooperative Agreement, we estimate that reimbursable revenues to DOE will range between $30.5 million and $51.6 million. DOE and the public should be reimbursed for the total contribution of $61 million because the plant, if commercialized, will primarily benefit ratepayers and stockholders of San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG and E); Project Office Support Contracts: Our analyses of a number of project office support contracts suggest that some of this work should be cost shared with SDG and E; in other cases, the value of the work is questionable and appears to be an unnecessary expenditure of DOE funds; and Questionable Contractor Procurement: the noncompetitive procurement of a private firm to develop an economic study of a second Heber plant appears to be unjustified and duplicates work already planned by project …
Date: March 28, 1984
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemical Processing Technology Quarterly Progress Report, October-December 1961 (open access)

Chemical Processing Technology Quarterly Progress Report, October-December 1961

The ICPP processed Al fuel, prtncipally of the MTR-ETR type, durtng this quarter. Newly designed and installed processing equipment exhibited excellent operating performance. This included direct-air-pulsed extraction, stripping and scrub columns, and a cascade-controlled continuous evaporator in first cycle product concentration service. Aqueous zirconium fuel processing studies continued with the objective of adapting the hydrofluoric acid process to continuous dissolution-complexing to increase the capacity of the LCPP process while using as much existing equipment as possible to minimize costs. Six variations of hydrofluoric acid flowsheets were tested in a smallscale continuous dissolvers. Dissolution rates were found to be high in all cases and dissolution was easily initiated at temperatures as low as 36 deg C. Monel and Carpenter 2O(Nb) were found to be satisfactory construction materials, from the standpoint of corroston, if oxidizing conditions were carefully controlled. Additional studies are reported on the stability of blended Zr and Al process raffinates and on the nature of the solids which result from the sodium formate headend precipitation process. Electrolytic dissolution studies, dtrected at fundamentals of current utiltzation in a series''-type dissolver, demonstrated that high current utilization is obtained when the polarization resistance is small compared with the solution resistance. Factors affecting …
Date: March 28, 1962
Creator: Bower, J. R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Parameter Survey of Molybdenum-Uranium Alloy Fuels for the Sheldon Reactor (open access)

Nuclear Parameter Survey of Molybdenum-Uranium Alloy Fuels for the Sheldon Reactor

A parameter survey was conducted on 19-rod fuel clusters using 3 and 10 wt.% Mo--U alloys. Graphs are included for the core diameter and initial conversion ratio for k/sub eff/= 1.064 as a function of moderator can size, and for the effect of the Mo resonance integral. (D. L.C.)
Date: March 28, 1958
Creator: Blaine, R. A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Area recommendation report for the crystalline repository project: An evaluation. [Crystalline Repository Project] (open access)

Area recommendation report for the crystalline repository project: An evaluation. [Crystalline Repository Project]

An evaluation is given of DOE's recommendation of the Elk River complex in North Carolina for siting the second repository. Twelve recommendations are made including a strong suggestion that the Cherokee Tribe appeal both through political and legal avenues for inclusion as an affected area primarily due to projected impacts upon economy and public health as a consequence of the potential for reduced tourism.
Date: March 28, 1986
Creator: Beck, J E; Lowe, H & Yurkovich, S P
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Investigation of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and water systems for saturated solar ponds. Final report (open access)

Investigation of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and water systems for saturated solar ponds. Final report

The overall objective of this study was to gather relevant data primarily from the published literature to investigate the technical feasibility of using a Na/sub 2/CO/sub 3/-NaHCO/sub 3/ mixture for a saturated solar pond. This objective was accomplished by a literature search and review of existing chemical information and by performing simple chemistry experiments in the laboratory. Information on density, solubility, phase diagram, equilibrium compositions, reaction rate constant, equilibrium constant, diffusion coefficient, vapor pressure and potentially useful additives is compiled. It is concluded that even though both the saturation density and solubility increase with temperature for trona, it is not chemically stable either at room temperature or higher temperatures (80/sup 0/C). Therefore, as is, trona is not suitable for use in a saturated solar pond. From the literature it has been found that sugar and gum can retard the decomposition of bicarbonate to carbonate in the mixture. Nevertheless, trona is a very attractive solute for an unsaturated solar pond. A laboratory unsaturated pond with a stable density gradient has worked without any problems for about two months at InterTechnology/Solar Corporation.
Date: March 28, 1980
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Farm Commodity Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79) (open access)

Farm Commodity Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79)

This report describes the farm commodity programs in Title I of the 2014 farm bill for "covered commodities" such as wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, and peanuts. Producer support is provided for the 2014-2018 crop years primarily through either statutory ("reference") prices or historical revenue guarantees based on the five most recent years of crop prices and yields.
Date: March 28, 2014
Creator: Shields, Dennis A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues (open access)

Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues

This report discusses the Domain Name System (DNS), which is the distributed set of databases that contain address numbers mapped to corresponding domain names, making it possible to send and receive messages and to access information on the Internet. The report includes background on the DNS and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) that manages the servies, as well as related issues for the 113th Congress.
Date: March 28, 2014
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Terrorism Risk Insurance: Issue Analysis and Overview of Current Program (open access)

Terrorism Risk Insurance: Issue Analysis and Overview of Current Program

This report looks at the background and current Congressional status of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002.
Date: March 28, 2014
Creator: Webel, Baird
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy Efficiency: Better Coordination among Federal Programs Needed to Allocate Testing Resources (open access)

Energy Efficiency: Better Coordination among Federal Programs Needed to Allocate Testing Resources

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The three key federal energy efficiency programs--minimum energy efficiency standards led by the Department of Energy (DOE), EnergyGuide led by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Energy Star led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from DOE--take different approaches to the shared goal of improving the energy efficiency of selected categories of household appliances and consumer electronics. The scope of products covered by these three programs also varies, and a number of products are covered by only one program, while others are covered by two or all three. Examples are as follows:"
Date: March 28, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Port Risk Management: Additional Federal Guidance Would Aid Ports in Disaster Planning and Recovery (open access)

Port Risk Management: Additional Federal Guidance Would Aid Ports in Disaster Planning and Recovery

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "U.S ports are significant to the U.S. economy, handling more than 2 billion tons of domestic and import/export cargo annually. Since Sept. 11, 2001, much of the national focus on ports' preparedness has been on preventing potential acts of terror, the 2005 hurricane season renewed focus on how to protect ports from a diversity of threats, including natural disasters. This report was prepared under the authority of the Comptroller General to examine (1) challenges port authorities have experienced as a result of recent natural disasters, (2) efforts under way to address these challenges, and (3) the manner in which port authorities plan for natural disasters. GAO reviewed documents and interviewed various port stakeholders from 17 major U.S. ports."
Date: March 28, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Technology: Observations on Department of Defense's Draft Enterprise Architecture (open access)

Information Technology: Observations on Department of Defense's Draft Enterprise Architecture

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The fiscal year 2003 Defense Authorization Act requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop by May 1, 2003, a financial management enterprise architecture, including a transition plan, that meets certain requirements. The act also requires that GAO submit to congressional defense committees an assessment of the architecture and transition plan within 60 days of their approval. As part of our ongoing work to satisfy this legislative requirement and at the request of Senate Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Committee on Armed Services, staff, we briefed the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Senate Committee on Armed forces on March 4, 2003, on our preliminary assessment of the DOD draft architecture products dated February 7, 2003. As further requested by the staff, this letter transmits the observations we made during the briefing."
Date: March 28, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Acquisition Workforce: Federal Agencies Obtain Training to Meet Requirements, but Have Limited Insight into Costs and Benefits of Training Investment (open access)

Acquisition Workforce: Federal Agencies Obtain Training to Meet Requirements, but Have Limited Insight into Costs and Benefits of Training Investment

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) sets standards and policies for the federal acquisition workforce, and has established certification requirements, including minimal training, for the three main acquisition roles--contracting staff, Contracting Officer's Representatives, and Program/Project Managers--to promote the development of government-wide core acquisition competencies and facilitate mobility across agencies. DOD follows separate certification standards. The Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), which is responsible for fostering and promoting the training and development of the acquisition workforce, works closely with OFPP and has initiatives underway to improve the collection and management of training information, including cost data and course evaluations; streamline communication of acquisition training guidance; and coordinate efforts to leverage acquisition workforce training resources throughout the government."
Date: March 28, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Private Pensions: Timely Action Needed to Address Impending Multiemployer Plan Insolvencies (open access)

Private Pensions: Timely Action Needed to Address Impending Multiemployer Plan Insolvencies

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The most severely distressed multiemployer plans have taken significant steps to address their funding problems and, while most plans expected improved financial health, some did not. A survey conducted by a large actuarial and consulting firm serving multiemployer plans suggests that the large majority of the most severely underfunded plans--those designated as being in critical status--either have increased or will increase employer contributions or reduce participant benefits. In some cases, these measures will have significant effects on employers and participants. For example, several plan representatives stated that contribution increases had damaged some firms' competitive position in the industry, and, in some cases, threatened the viability of such firms. Similarly, reductions in certain benefits--such as early retirement subsidies--may create hardships for some older workers, such as those with physically demanding jobs. Most of the 107 surveyed plans expected to emerge from critical status, but about 25 percent did not and instead seek to delay eventual insolvency."
Date: March 28, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Klamath River Basin: Reclamation Met Its Water Bank Obligations, but Information Provided to Water Bank Stakeholders Could Be Improved (open access)

Klamath River Basin: Reclamation Met Its Water Bank Obligations, but Information Provided to Water Bank Stakeholders Could Be Improved

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Drought conditions along the Oregon and California border since 2000 have made it difficult for the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to meet Klamath Project irrigation demands and Klamath River flow requirements for threatened salmon. To augment river flows and avoid jeopardizing the salmon's existence, Reclamation established a multiyear water bank as part of its Klamath Project operations for 2002 through 2011. Water banks facilitate the transfer of water entitlements between users. This report addresses (1) how Reclamation operated the water bank and its cost from 2002 through 2004, (2) whether Reclamation met its annual water bank obligations each year, (3) the water bank's impact on water availability and use in the Klamath River Basin, and (4) alternative approaches for achieving the water bank's objectives."
Date: March 28, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
NASA: Issues Surrounding the Transition from the Space Shuttle to the Next Generation of Human Space Flight Systems (open access)

NASA: Issues Surrounding the Transition from the Space Shuttle to the Next Generation of Human Space Flight Systems

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On January 14, 2004, the President announced a new Vision for space exploration that directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to focus its efforts on returning humans to the moon by 2020 in preparation for future, more ambitions missions. Implementing the Vision will require hundreds of billions of dollars and a sustained commitment from multiple administrations and Congresses. Some of the funding for implementing exploration activities is expected to come from funding freed up after the retirement of the Space Shuttle, scheduled for 2010, and projected termination of U.S. participation in the International Space Station by 2016. Congress, while supportive of the effort has voiced concern over the potential gap in human space flight. In the NASA Authorization Act of 2005, Congress stated that it is the policy of the United States to have the capability for human access to space on a continuous basis. NASA has made it a priority to minimize the gap to the extent possible. GAO provides no recommendations in this statement. However, GAO continues to emphasize that given the Nation's fiscal challenges and NASA's past difficulty developing systems within cost, schedule, …
Date: March 28, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aviation Security: Secure Flight Development and Testing Under Way, but Risks Should Be Managed as System Is Further Developed (open access)

Aviation Security: Secure Flight Development and Testing Under Way, but Risks Should Be Managed as System Is Further Developed

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Among its efforts to strengthen aviation security, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is developing a new passenger prescreening system--known as Secure Flight. As required by Congress, TSA is planning to assume, through Secure Flight, the prescreening function currently performed by the air carriers. This report assesses the (1) status of Secure Flight's development and implementation, (2) factors that could influence the effectiveness of Secure Flight, (3) processes used to oversee and manage the Secure Flight program, and (4) efforts taken to minimize the impacts on passengers and protect passenger rights. In conducting this assessment, we addressed the 10 specific areas of congressional interest related to Secure Flight outlined in Public Law 108-334."
Date: March 28, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Manufactured Homes: State-Based Replacement Programs May Provide Benefits, but Energy Savings Do Not Fully Offset Costs (open access)

Manufactured Homes: State-Based Replacement Programs May Provide Benefits, but Energy Savings Do Not Fully Offset Costs

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO identified three states—Maine, Montana, and Washington—that have developed pilot programs focused on replacing older manufactured homes using a combination of state and federal funds. The three programs were relatively small, accounting for about $4.5 million in spending and responsible for replacing 81 homes, over about 2 years. The programs differed in requirements, including whether the land that the replacement home would occupy had to be owned or could be leased; the types of financing used, with some replacements requiring recipients to take on a partial mortgage; and the types of replacement homes."
Date: March 28, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Posthearing Questions: Major Management Challenges at the Department of the Interior (open access)

Posthearing Questions: Major Management Challenges at the Department of the Interior

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On February 16, 2007, GAO testified at the Committee on Natural Resources' oversight hearing on "Reports, Audits, and Investigations by the Government Accountability Office and the Office of Inspector General Regarding the Department of the Interior." This letter responds to the February 26, 2007 congressional request, in which members of the Committee asked additional questions about GAO's past reports. To answer these questions, we relied primarily on a number of GAO reports, as well as our body of knowledge in these areas. We prepared this letter during March 2007 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Because this letter was primarily based on previously issued reports, we did not seek agency comments on a draft of this letter."
Date: March 28, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Protection of Chemical and Water Infrastructure: Federal Requirements, Actions of Selected Facilities, and Remaining Challenges (open access)

Protection of Chemical and Water Infrastructure: Federal Requirements, Actions of Selected Facilities, and Remaining Challenges

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Strategy for Homeland Security grouped critical infrastructure into 13 sectors which include assets that if attacked by terrorists could have a debilitating impact on the nation. Two of these 13 sectors are the chemical and water sectors. The total number of chemical sector facilities is not clear. DHS estimates that there are 4,000 chemical manufacturing facilities that produce, use, or store more than threshold amounts of chemicals that EPA has estimated pose the greatest risk to human health and the environment. There are approximately 53,000 community water systems and more than 2,900 maritime facilities that are required to comply with security regulations under the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA). This report provides information about what federal requirements exist for the chemical and water sectors to secure their facilities, what federal efforts were taken by the lead agencies for these sectors to facilitate sectors' actions, what actions selected facilities within these sectors have taken and whether they reflect a risk management approach, what obstacles they say they faced in implementing enhancements, and what are the Coast Guard's results from its inspection of regulated maritime facilities' …
Date: March 28, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) 2012 portfolio of 86 major defense acquisition programs is estimated to cost a total of $1.6 trillion, reflecting decreases in both size and cost from the 2011 portfolio. Those decreases are largely the result of more programs exiting than entering the portfolio, as well as reductions in procurement quantities due to program cancelations and restructurings. Notably a majority of programs in the portfolio gained buying power in the last year as their acquisition unit costs decreased. DOD's 10 costliest programs, excluding the Missile Defense Agency's Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), drive most of the portfolio's cost performance and funding needs. The majority (65 percent) of the funding that DOD estimates it will need to complete its current programs is associated with those 10 programs, and almost all of that funding is for procurement."
Date: March 28, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DHS Asset Forfeiture: Additional Actions Could Help Strengthen Controls over Equitable Sharing (open access)

DHS Asset Forfeiture: Additional Actions Could Help Strengthen Controls over Equitable Sharing

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "From fiscal years 2003 through 2013, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components that participate in the Treasury Forfeiture Fund—U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)—contributed approximately $3.6 billion in revenues to the fund and obligated about $2.6 billion from the fund for forfeiture-related activities. These obligations included, among other things, approximately $1.2 billion that DHS components shared with state, local, federal, and foreign law enforcement agencies that participated in forfeiture efforts. Also, during this period, DHS components used about $348 million from the fund to support various law enforcement activities and projects, such as the construction of Border Patrol facilities along the southwest border."
Date: March 28, 2014
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
NASA: Significant Challenges Remain for Access, Use, and Sustainment of the International Space Station (open access)

NASA: Significant Challenges Remain for Access, Use, and Sustainment of the International Space Station

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "NASA plans to use international partner and new domestic commercial launch vehicles to access, utilize, and sustain the International Space Station from 2012 through 2020. However, the agency faces challenges in transporting cargo and crew to the ISS as well as ensuring the station is fully utilized. NASA’s decision to rely on the new commercial vehicles to transport cargo starting in 2012 and to transport crew starting in 2017 is inherently risky because the vehicles are not yet proven and are experiencing delays in development. Further, NASA does not have agreements in place for international partners to provide cargo services to the ISS beyond 2016. The agency will also face a decision regarding the need to purchase additional seats on the Russian Soyuz vehicle beyond 2016, likely before commercial vehicles have made significant progress in development, given the three-year lead time necessary for acquiring a seat. This decision is further complicated because restrictions prohibit NASA from making certain payments to Russia in connection with the ISS unless the President makes a determination. Further, NASA currently expects to transport all cargo needed by the ISS in 51 flights through …
Date: March 28, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Contracting: Actions Needed to Increase Competition (open access)

Defense Contracting: Actions Needed to Increase Competition

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense’s (DOD) competition rate for all contract obligations declined over the past five fiscal years, from 62.6 percent in fiscal year 2008 to 57.1 percent in fiscal year 2012. GAO also found that the competition rate in fiscal year 2012 varied by specific DOD component with the Air Force having the lowest at 37.1 percent and the Defense Logistics Agency the highest at 83.3 percent. The majority of the noncompetitive awards cited the availability of only one responsible source to meet the government’s needs as the reason for using noncompetitive procedures."
Date: March 28, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Disaster Preparedness: Better Planning Would Improve OSHA's Efforts to Protect Workers' Safety and Health in Disasters (open access)

Disaster Preparedness: Better Planning Would Improve OSHA's Efforts to Protect Workers' Safety and Health in Disasters

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Concerns about the safety and health of workers involved in the response to Hurricane Katrina included their exposure to contaminated floodwaters and injuries from working around debris. The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for coordinating federal efforts to protect the safety and health of workers involved in the response to large national disasters. Under the Comptroller General's authority, GAO initiated a number of Katrina-related reviews. For this review, GAO examined (1) what is known about the number of response and recovery workers deployed to the Gulf Coast in response to Hurricane Katrina; (2) the extent to which OSHA tracked injuries and illnesses sustained by these workers; and (3) how well OSHA met the safety and health needs of workers. To address these issues, GAO reviewed reports; analyzed data; interviewed federal, state, and local officials; and conducted site visits."
Date: March 28, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library