Congressional policymaking with respect to trade with Japan is driven by strong domestic interests, appeals to broad political principles, and numerous horror stories. The $43 billion U.S. trade deficit with Japan continues to be a focus of attention, but the deficit is an issue because it reflects aggressive competition between Japanese companies and U.S. industries.

This report examines the delivery of energy services in developing countries and how the United States can help to improve these energy services while minimizing environmental impacts, OTA examines the technologies and policies that will enable more efficient use of energy and the most promising new sources of energy supply.

Tunnel damage resulting from seismic loading is an important issue for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. The tunnel dynamics experiment was designed to obtain and document ground motions, permanent displacements, observable changes in fracture patterns, and visible damage at ground motion levels of interest to the Yucca Mountain Project. Even though the maximum free-field loading on this tunnel was 28 g, the damage observed was minor. Fielding details, data obtained, and supporting documentation are reported.

This document contains information about the environmental applications of aerial surveys. It discusses the accuracy, dependability, history, advantages, and sensitivity of aerial surveys. Also included, are a brief overview of in-situ gamma spectroscopy and samples of aerial surveys. This document contains entirely of an outline and viewfoils for the presentation.

Tunnel damage resulting from seismic loading is an important issue for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. The tunnel dynamics experiment was designed to obtain and document ground motions, permanent displacements, observable changes in fracture patterns, and visible damage at ground motion levels of interest to the Yucca Mountain Project. Even though the maximum free-field loading on this tunnel was 28 g, the damage observed was minor. Fielding details, data obtained, and supporting documentation are reported.

This report describes the results of a study to investigate the influence of proposed exploratory shafts on the moisture distribution within unsaturated, fractured rock at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The long-term effects of exploratory shafts at Yucca Mountain are important in the estimation of potential waste migration and fate, while short-term effects may be important in the planning and interpretation of tests performed at the site. The PORFLO-3 computer code was used for simulation of moisture flow through the geologic units adjacent to the ESF. Rather than represent fractures as discrete elements, an equivalent continuum was stipulated, in which the fractured units were assigned equivalent or composite hydrologic properties. Explicit treatment of fractures is not feasible because of the extremely large number of fractures contained in the site-scale problem and the difficulties in characterizing and modeling the fracture geometries.

Designers and analysts of radioactive waste repositories must be able to predict the mechanical behavior of the host rock. Sandia National Laboratories elected to conduct a development program to enhance mechanical-type measurements. The program was focused on pressurized slot testing and featured (1) development of an improved method to cut slots using a chain saw with diamond-tipped cutters, (2) measurements useful for determining in situ stresses normal to slots, (3) measurements applicable for determining the in situ modulus of deformation parallel to a drift surface, and (4) evaluations of pressurized slot strength testing results and methods. This report contains data interpretation and evaluations. Included are recommendations for future efforts. This third report contains the interpretations of the testing with emphasis on the measurement results as they apply to describing rock behavior. In particular, emphases are placed on (1) normal stress determinations using the flatjack cancellation (FC) method, (2) modulus of deformation determinations, and (3) high pressure investigations. Most of the material in the first two reports is not repeated here. Appropriate data are repeated in tabular form.

Designers and analysts of radioactive waste repositories must be able to predict the mechanical behavior of the host rock. Sandia National laboratories elected to conduct a development program on pressurized slot testing and featured (1) development of an improved method to cut slots using a chain saw with diamond-tipped cutters, (2) measurements useful for determining in situ stresses normal to slots, (3) measurements applicable for determining the in situ modulus of deformation parallel to a drift surface, and (4) evaluations of the potentials of pressurized slot strength testing. This report describes the preparations leading to the measurements and evaluations.

Designers and analysts of radioactive waste repositories must be able to predict the mechanical behavior of the host rock. Sandia National Laboratory has conducted a mine-by experiment in welded tuff so that information could be obtained regarding the response of the rock to a drill and blast excavation process, where smooth-blasting techniques were used. This report describes the results of the evaluations of nine different instrument or measurement systems used in conjunction with these mining activities.

The Bullion site in Area 20 of the Nevada Test Site has been selected for an intensive study of the hydrologic consequences of underground testing, including subsequent radionuclide migration. The bulk of the chimney and cavity lie in zeolitized tuffs of low hydraulic conductivity, while the base of the cavity may extend downward into more conductive rhyolite flows. A mathematical analog to the Bullion setting is used here to estimate expected radionuclide migration rates and concentrations. Because of a lack of hydrologic data at the site, two contrasting scenarios are considered. The first is downward-transport, in which downward hydraulic gradients flush chimney contents into the conductive underlying units, enhancing migration. The other is upward-transport, in which upward gradients tend to drive chimney contents into the low-conductivity zeolitized tuffs, discouraging migration. In the downward-transport scenario, radionuclide travel times and concentrations are predicted to be similar to those encountered at Cheshire, requiring approximately 10 years to reach a proposed well 300 m downgradient. The upward transport scenario yields predicted travel times on the order of 2,000 years to the downgradient well. The most likely scenario is a combination of these results, with vertical movement playing a limited role. Radionuclides injected directly into …

The tectonics program for the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in southwestern Nevada must evaluate the potential for surface faulting beneath the prospective surface facilities. To help meet this goal, Quaternary surficial mapping studies and photolineament analyses were conducted to provide data for evaluating the location, recency, and style of faulting with Midway Valley at the eastern base of Yucca Mountain, the preferred location of these surface facilities. This interim report presents the preliminary results of this work.

Performance assessment modeling for High Level Waste (HLW) disposal incorporates three different types of uncertainty. These include data and parameter uncertainty, modeling uncertainty (which includes conceptual, mathematical, and numerical), and uncertainty associated with predicting the future state of the system. In this study, the potential impact of conceptual model uncertainty on the estimated performance of a hypothetical high-level radioactive waste disposal site in unsaturated, fractured tuff has been assessed for a given group of conceptual models. This was accomplished by taking a series of six, one-dimensional conceptual models, which differed only by the fundamental assumptions used to develop them, and conducting ground-water flow and radionuclide transport simulations. Complementary cumulative distribution functions (CCDFs) representing integrated radionuclide release to the water table indicate that differences in the basic assumptions used to develop conceptual models can have a significant impact on the estimated performance of the site. Because each of the conceptual models employed the same mathematical and numerical models, contained the same data and parameter values and ranges, and did not consider the possible future states of the system, changes in the CCDF could be attributed primarily to differences in conceptual modeling assumptions. Studies such as this one could help prioritize site …

This study investigates spent fuel cask handling experience at existing nuclear facilities to determine appropriate cask decontamination and maintenance operations at the potential Yucca Mountain repository. These operations are categorized as either routine or nonroutine. Routine cask decontamination and maintenance tasks are performed in the cask preparation area at the repository. Casks are taken offline to a separate cask maintenance area for major nonroutine tasks. The study develops conceptual designs of the cask preparation area and cask maintenance area. The functions, layouts, and major features of these areas are also described.

This report describes the CTCN computer code, designed to solve the equations of transient colloidal transport of radionuclides in porous and fractured media. This Fortran 77 package solves systems of coupled nonlinear differential equations with a wide range of boundary conditions. The package uses the Method of Lines technique with a special section which forms finite-difference discretizations in up to four spatial dimensions to automatically convert the system into a set of ordinary differential equations. The CTCN code then solves these equations using a robust, efficient ODE solver. Thus CTCN can be used to solve population balance equations along with the usual transport equations to model colloid transport processes or as a general problem solver to treat up to four-dimensional differential systems.

Northern ecosystems contain up to 455 Gt of C in the soil active layer and upper permafrost. The soil carbon in these layers is equivalent to approximately 60% of the carbon currently in the atmosphere as CO{sub 2}. Much of this carbon is stored in the soil as dead organic matter. Its fate is subject to the net effects of global change on the plant and soil systems of northern ecosystems. The arctic alone contains about 60 Gt C, 90% of which is present in the soil active layer and upper permafrost. The arctic is assumed to have been a sink for CO{sub 2} during the historic and recent geologic past. The arctic has the potential to be a very large, long-term source or sink of CO{sub 2} with respect to the atmosphere. In situ experimental manipulations of atmospheric CO{sub 2}, indicated that there is little effect of elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} on leaf level photosynthesis or whole-ecosystem CO{sub 2} flux over the course of weeks to years, respectively. However, there may be longer- term ecosystem responses to elevated CO{sub 2} that could ultimately affect ecosystem CO{sub 2} balance. In addition to atmospheric CO{sub 2}, climate may affect net ecosystem …

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently announced a revision to Chapter 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20 (10 CFR 20) ``Standards for Protection Against Radiation,`` which incorporates recommendations contained in Publications 26 and 30 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), issued in 1977 and 1979, respectively. The revision to 10 CFR 20 was also developed in parallel with Presidential Guidance on occupational radiation protection published in the Federal Register. Thus, this study concludes that the issuance of the revised 10 CFR 20 will not affect calculations using the computer codes considered in this report. In general, the computer codes and EPA and DOE guidance on which computer codes are based were developed in a manner consistent with the guidance provided in ICRP 26/30, well before the revision of 10 CFR 20.

This report describes the remedial action to achieve compliance with 29 CFR 1910 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements of fluorescent light fixtures containing PCBs at K-25 site. This remedial action is called the Remediation Plan for Fluorescent Light Fixtures Containing PCBs at the K-25 Site (The Plan). The Plan specifically discusses (1) conditions of non-compliance, (2) alternative solutions, (3) recommended solution, (4) remediation plan costs, (5) corrective action, (6) disposal of PCB waste, (7) training, and (8) plan conclusions. The results from inspections by Energy Systems personnel in 2 buildings at K-25 site and statistical extension of this data to 91 selected buildings at the K-25 site indicates that there are approximately 28,000 fluorescent light fixtures containing 47,036 ballasts. Approximately 38,531 contain PCBs and 2,799 of the 38,531 ballasts are leaking PCBs. Review of reportable occurrences at K-25 for the 12 month period of September 1990 through August 1991 shows that Energy Systems personnel reported 69 ballasts leaking PCBs. Each leaking ballast is in non-compliance with 29 CFR 1910 - Table Z-1-A. The age of the K-25 facilities indicate a continued and potential increase in ballasts leaking PCBs. This report considers 4 alternative solutions for dealing with the …

This report describes the remedial action to achieve compliance with 29 CFR 1910 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements of fluorescent light fixtures containing PCBs at K-25 site. This remedial action is called the Remediation Plan for Fluorescent Light Fixtures Containing PCBs at the K-25 Site (The Plan). The Plan specifically discusses (1) conditions of non-compliance, (2) alternative solutions, (3) recommended solution, (4) remediation plan costs, (5) corrective action, (6) disposal of PCB waste, (7) training, and (8) plan conclusions. The results from inspections by Energy Systems personnel in 2 buildings at K-25 site and statistical extension of this data to 91 selected buildings at the K-25 site indicates that there are approximately 28,000 fluorescent light fixtures containing 47,036 ballasts. Approximately 38,531 contain PCBs and 2,799 of the 38,531 ballasts are leaking PCBs. Review of reportable occurrences at K-25 for the 12 month period of September 1990 through August 1991 shows that Energy Systems personnel reported 69 ballasts leaking PCBs. Each leaking ballast is in non-compliance with 29 CFR 1910 - Table Z-1-A. The age of the K-25 facilities indicate a continued and potential increase in ballasts leaking PCBs. This report considers 4 alternative solutions for dealing with the …

This report describes the progress in the Georgetown University research, development and demonstration project of a fuel cell/battery powered bus system. The topics addressed in the report include vehicle design and application analysis, technology transfer activities, coordination and monitoring of system design and integration contractor, application of fuel cells to other vehicles, current problems, work planned, and manpower, cost and schedule reports.

This document contains Volume I of the report entitled The Origin and History of Alteration and Carbonatization of the Yucca Mountain Ignimbrites by Jerry S. Szymanski and a related correspondence with comments by Donald E. Livingston. In the Great Basin, the flow of terrestrial heat through the crust is affected in part by the flow of fluids. At Yucca Mountain, the role of fluids in crustal heat transport is manifested at the surface by youthful calcretes, sinters, bedrock veins, hydrothermal eruption breccias and hydrothermal alteration. This report discusses evidence for recent metasomatism high in the stratigraphic section at Yucca Mountain. Over the last several hundred years, episodes of calcite emplacement contemporaneous with local mafic volcanism have occurred at intervals that are not long in comparison with the isolation time required for a High-Level Radioactive Waste repository.

A geological history is presented for Yucca Mountain. This appendix concentrates on the alteration and carbonatization of ignimbrites.

The year-end report notes that the 1991-92 heating season had lower average oil prices (retail home heating fuel) than the past two winters and prices remained relatively stable throughout the season. This year, the heating season average was $.87 per gallon, $1.05 for kerosene, and $1.33 for propane.

The remainder of this report provides a detailed, final status of Andersen Consulting`s participation in the FMS systems implementation project and offers suggestions for continued FMS improvements. The report presents the following topics of discussion: (1) Summary and Status of Work (2) Recommendations for Continued Success (3) Contract Deliverables and Client Satisfaction The Summary and Status of Work section presents a detailed, final status of the FMS project at the termination of Andersen`s full-time participation. This section discusses the status of each FMS sub-system and of the Andersen major project deliverables. The Recommendations section offers suggestions for continued FMS success. The topics discussed include recommendations for each of the following areas: (1) End User and Business Operations (2) AISD; Development and Computer Operations (3) Software (4) Technical Platform (5) Control Procedures The Contract Deliverables and Client Satisfaction section discusses feedback received from Johnson Controls management and FMS system users. The report also addresses Andersen`s observations from the feedback.

This report provides a detailed, final status of Andersen Consulting`s participation in the Facilities Management System (FMS) implementation project under contract with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and offers suggestions for continued FMS improvements. The report presents the following topics of discussion: (1) summary and status of work (2) recommendations for continued success (3) contract deliverables and client satisfaction. The Summary and Status of Work section presents a detailed, final status of the FMS project at the termination of Andersen`s full-time participation. This section discusses the status of each FMS sub-system and of the Andersen major project deliverables. The Recommendations section offers suggestions for continued FMS success. The topics discussed include recommendations for each of the following areas: (1) End User and Business Operations; (2) AISD; Development and Computer Operations; (3) Software; (4) Technical Platform; and (5) Control Procedures The Contract Deliverables and Client Satisfaction section discusses feedback received from Johnson Controls management and FMS system users. The report also addresses Andersen`s observations from the feedback.