Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO exists to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. To accomplish its mission, GAO depends on a diverse and knowledge-based workforce comprising individuals with a broad spectrum of technical and program skills and institutional memory. This workforce represents GAO's human capital--its greatest asset--and is critical to the agency's success in serving the Congress and the nation. This strategic human capital plan is a key step in continuing GAO's progress to build a highly effective, performance-based organization by attracting, retaining, motivating, and rewarding a high-performing, top-quality workforce. GAO believes that strategic human capital management must be the centerpiece of any serious change management initiative and effort to transform the culture and operations of any large organization, including government agencies. This plan extends and builds upon what GAO has already accomplished by using existing administrative authorities and by pursuing incremental additional tools and flexibilities legislatively. From the demonstrated results that GAO has achieved, it is clear that we have been a leader in human capital …

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether Hidalgo County deputy district clerks are subject to the provisions of the Hidalgo County civil service plan, and if not, whether the Hidalgo County commissioners court may amend the civil service plan to include deputy district clerks (RQ-0196-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether the judge of the Kerr County constitutional county court must hear certain matters at the Kerrville State Hospital and is entitled to a salary supplement for doing so (RQ-0197-GA)

A large solar thermal system installed at the Phoenix Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in 1998 heats water for the prison and costs less than buying electricity to heat that water. This renewable energy system provides 70% of the facility's annual hot water needs. The Federal Bureau of Prisons did not incur the up-front cost of this system because it was financed through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC). The ESPC payments are 10% less than the energy savings so that the prison saves an average of$6,700 per year, providing an immediate payback. The solar hot water system produces up to 50,000 gallons of hot water daily, enough to meet the needs of 1,250 inmates and staff who use the kitchen, shower, and laundry facilities.

This factsheet provides an overview of the current state of electrolytic hydrogen production technologies and an economic analysis of the processes and systems available as of December 2003. The operating specifications and hydrogen production costs of commercially available electrolyzers from five manufacturers, i.e., Stuart, Teledyne, Proton, Norsk Hydro, and Avalence, are compared.

In a ''green roof,'' a layer of vegetation (e.g., a roof garden) covers the surface of a roof to provide shade, cooler indoor and outdoor temperatures, and effective storm-water management to reduce runoff. The main components are waterproofing, soil, and plants. There are two basic kinds: intensive and extensive. An intensive green roof often features large shrubs and trees, and it can be expensive to install and maintain. An extensive green roof features shallow soil and low-growing, horizontally spreading plants that can thrive in the alpine conditions of many rooftops. These plants do not require a lot of water or soil, and they can tolerate a significant amount of exposure to the sun and wind. This Federal Technology Alert focuses on the benefits, design, and implementation of extensive green roofs and includes criteria for their use on federal facilities.

This report provides an overview of the current state of electrolytic hydrogen production technologies and an economic analysis of the processes and systems available as of December 2003. The operating specifications of commercially available electrolyzers from five manufacturers, i.e., Stuart, Teledyne, Proton, Norsk Hydro, and Avalence, are summarized. Detailed economic analyses of three systems for which cost and economic data were available were completed. The contributions of the cost of electricity, system efficiency, and capital costs to the total cost of electrolysis are discussed.

The Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Research and Engineering (NEM R&E) Program is dedicated to providing knowledge, technical expertise, and products to US agencies responsible for monitoring nuclear explosions in all environments and is successful in turning scientific breakthroughs into tools for use by operational monitoring agencies. To effectively address the rapidly evolving state of affairs, the NNSA NEM R&E program is structured around three program elements described within this strategic plan: Integration of New Monitoring Assets, Advanced Event Characterization, and Next-Generation Monitoring Systems. How the Program fits into the National effort and historical accomplishments are also addressed.

Wind Powering America: Clean Energy for the 21st Century continues to be one of the most popular publications produced by the Wind Powering America team. This latest revision incorporates new wind facts from the American Wind Energy Association, as well as wind FAQs for consumers, updated wind resource maps, and a list of WPA publications.

From vehicle acquisition and credit trading to exemptions and outreach activity, the Annual Report summarizes the State & Alternative Fuel Provider Program accomplishments during FY2003/FY2004.

BestPractices program tip sheet discussing the benefits of installing high-pressure boilers with backpressure turbine-generators.

Fact sheet describes the initiation of NREL's evaluation of a fuel cell hybrid electric bus at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii as part of DOE's Hydrogen, Fuel Cells& Infrastructure Technologies Program.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ludwig Matzat. Matzat joined the Army in 1944. In January of 1945 he joined the 128th Regiment, Company B, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Division, at New Guinea as a replacement. Matzat served as a rifleman. His outfit also participated in the Battle of Luzon, moving the Japanese back into the Caraballo Mountains. He shares details of his combat experiences, being the sole survivor on one mission, and receiving a shell fragment wound to his back. Matzat was discharged in April of 1946.