On July 1, 2000, President Clinton signed H.R. 4762, P.L. 106-230. The law amended the Internal Revenue Code [IRC] to require political organizations described in IRC § 527 to disclose their political activities, if they were not already required to do so by the Federal Election Campaign Act [FECA]. This report summarizes the three major changes made by the law and some of the major responses to the legislation. First, all 527 organizations which expect to have over $25,000 in gross receipts during a taxable year and which are not required to report to the Federal Election Commission [FEC] are required to register with the IRS within 24 hours of their formation, whether they are involved in state, local, or federal elections. Second, 527 issue advocacy organizations, which previously reported neither to the IRS nor the FEC, are required to file regular disclosure statements with the IRS. Third, all 527 organizations with gross receipts in excess of $25,000 per year are required to file annual reports with the IRS. The registration statements, disclosure forms, and annual reports will be made public. H.R. 527 and S. 527 in the 107th Congress would exempt most state and local 527 organizations from the …

The goal of this project was to assess the economic feasibility of CO{sub 2} flooding the naturally fractured Spraberry Trend Area in west Texas. This objective was accomplished through research in four areas: (1) extensive characterization of the reservoirs, (2) experimental studies of crude oil/brine/rock (COBR) interactions in the reservoirs, (3) reservoir performance analysis, and (4) experimental investigations on CO{sub 2} gravity drainage in Spraberry whole cores. The four areas have been completed and reported in the previous annual reports. This report provides the results of the final year of the project including two SPE papers (SPE 71605 and SPE 71635) presented in the 2001 SPE Annual Meeting in New Orleans, two simulation works, analysis of logging observation wells (LOW) and progress of CO{sub 2} injection.

Although U.S. intelligence agencies have not identified any terrorist acts targeting agricultural production (i.e., agroterrorism) in the United States to date, the events of September 11, 2001 have awakened the nation to their possibility. Some experts estimate that a single agroterrorist attack using a highly contagious livestock disease could cost between $10 billion and $30 billion to the U.S. economy. This report examines the potential threats to America’s agriculture from a deliberate biological attack, describes the current defense structure and capabilities available to respond to agroterrorism, and analyzes current congressional proposals to address the threat of biological weapons to U.S. agriculture.

This report discusses the reasons for the U.S. current account deficit, popularly known as the trade deficit, and which is on the rise.

Downhole oil/water separator (DOWS) technology is available to separate oil from produced water at the bottom of an oil well. Produced water can be injected directly to a disposal formation rather than lifting it to the surface, treating it there, and reinjecting it. Because of a lack of detailed performance data on DOWS systems, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provided funding to secure DOWS performance data. A large U.S. oil and gas operator offered to share its data with Argonne National Laboratory. This report summarizes data from the DOWS installation in eastern Texas.

The Underground Injection Control Regulations promulgated in 1980, under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, require Area-of-Review (AOR) studies be conducted as part of the permitting process for newly drilled or converted Class II injection wells. Existing Class II injection wells operating at the time regulations became effective were excluded from the AOR requirement. The AOR is the area surrounding an injection well or wells defined by either the radial distance within which pressure in the injection zone may cause migration of the injection and/or formation fluid into an underground source of drinking water (USDW) or defined by a fixed radius of not less than one-fourth mile. In the method where injection pressure is used to define the AOR radial distance, the AOR is also known as the ''zone of endangering influence.''

Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Legislative Branch Appropriations.

This report discusses the fees associated with automated teller machines (ATMs) that was increased as a result of a 1996 Visa U.S.A. and MasterCard International decision.

The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) ballooning stability of a compact, quasiaxially symmetric stellarator (QAS), expected to achieve good stability and particle confinement is examined with a method that can lead to estimates of global stability. Making use of fully 3D, ideal-MHD stability codes, the QAS beta is predicted to be limited above 4% by ballooning and high-n kink modes. Here MHD stability is analyzed through the calculation and examination of the ballooning mode eigenvalue isosurfaces in the 3-space [s, alpha, theta(subscript ''k'')]; s is the edge normalized toroidal flux, alpha is the field line variable, and theta(subscript ''k'') is the perpendicular wave vector or ballooning parameter. Broken symmetry, i.e., deviations from axisymmetry, in the stellarator magnetic field geometry causes localization of the ballooning mode eigenfunction, with new types of nonsymmetric, eigenvalue isosurfaces in both the stable and unstable spectrum. The isosurfaces around the most unstable points i n parameter space (well above marginal) are topologically spherical. In such cases, attempts to use ray tracing to construct global ballooning modes lead to a k-space runaway. Introduction of a reflecting cutoff in k(perpendicular) to model numerical truncation or finite Larmor radius (FLR) yields chaotic ray paths ergodically filling the allowed phase space, indicating that …

This report is the fifth in a series of bibliographies of work on the photocatalytic oxidation of organic or inorganic compounds in air or water and on the photocatalytic reduction of inorganic compounds in water. This search contains information extracted from 1149 new references to papers, books, and reports from searches conducted between October 1996 and April 2001.

The DOE is in the process of developing technologies for converting plant matter other than feed stock, e.g., corn stover, into biofuels. The goal of this research project was to determine what the farming community thinks of ethanol as a fuel source, and specifically what they think of bioethanol produced from corn stover. This project also assessed the image of the DOE and the biofuels program and determined the perceived barriers to ethanol-from-stover production.

On December 15, 2000, Congress reached an agreement with the President and passed the remaining appropriations (H.R. 4577; H.Rept. 106-1033) for fiscal year (FY) 2001. The legislation, including tax cuts ($31.5 billion over 10 years), completes budget action in the 106th Congress for FY2001. The action followed extended disagreements over appropriations, which resulted in a series of continuing resolutions on appropriations that funded those parts of the government not covered by regular appropriations or permanent funding during the fall. The fiscal year had begun with only 2 of the 13 regular appropriations enacted into law.

The report presents calculation results of isotopic composition of irradiated fuel performed for the Quad Cities-1 reactor bundle with UO{sub 2} and MOX fuel. The MCU-REA code was used for calculations. The code is developed in Kurchatov Institute, Russia. The MCU-REA results are compared with the experimental data and HELIOS code results.

An economic evaluation of the impact of policies intended to control emissions of CO{sub 2} and other ''greenhouse gases'' (GHGS) depends on the net costs of these controls and their distribution throughout the production sectors of developed and developing economics. The answers derived from appraisals of these net costs, in turn, stem from what is assumed about the timing of the controls, the pace of technological change, and any short-term secondary benefits from their control. There have only been a few serious attempts to estimate the economic benefits from the policies associated with such long run outcomes. All of the approaches to date have made fairly strong assumptions or relied on contingent valuation estimates of hypothetical situations.

This report catalogs the existing geologic data that can be found in various databases, published and unpublished reports, and in individuals' technical files. The scope of this catalog is primarily on the 100, 200, and 300 Areas, with a particular emphasis on the 200 Areas. Over 2,922 wells are included in the catalog. Nearly all of these wells (2,459) have some form of driller's or geologist's log. Archived samples are available for 1,742 wells. Particle size data are available from 1,078 wells and moisture data are available from 356 wells. Some form of chemical property data is available from 588 wells. However, this catalog is by no means complete. Numerous individuals have been involved in various geologic-related studies of the Hanford Site. The true extent of unpublished data retained in their technical files is unknown. However, this data catalog is believed to represent the majority (>90%) of the geologic data that is currently retrievable.

This report catalogs the existing geologic data that can be found in various databases, published and unpublished reports, and in individuals' technical files. The scope of this catalog is primarily on the 100, 200, and 300 Areas, with a particular emphasis on the 200 Areas. Over 2,922 wells are included in the catalog. Nearly all of these wells (2,459) have some form of driller's or geologist's log. Archived samples are available for 1,742 wells. Particle size data are available from 1,078 wells and moisture data are available from 356 wells. Some form of chemical property data is available from 588 wells. However, this catalog is by no means complete. Numerous individuals have been involved in various geologic-related studies of the Hanford Site. The true extent of unpublished data retained in their technical files is unknown. However, this data catalog is believed to represent the majority (>90%) of the geologic data that is currently retrievable.

A series of laser welds have been made on several materials using a Rofin-Sinar DY-033, 3.3 kW, Diode-Pumped Continuous Wave (CW) Nd:YAG laser system, located at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Materials welded in these experiments include 21-6-9 stainless steel, 304L stainless steel, vanadium, and tantalum. The effects of changes in the power input at a constant travel speed on the depth, width, aspect ratio, and total melted area of the welds have been analyzed. Increases in the measured weld pool dimensions as a function of power input are compared for each of the base metals investigated. These results provide a basis for further examining the characteristics of diode pumped CW Nd:YAG laser systems in welding applications.

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Public assessments by Department of Defense (DOD) officials have emphasized the seriousness of the military threat from chemical and biological (CB) weapons. However, neither DOD nor the services have systematically examined the adequacy of the current specialty mix of medical personnel for CB defense. Although some of the services have begun to review the adequacy of staffing of deployable medical units that would manage the consequences of chemical warfare scenarios, they have not done so for biological warfare scenarios. Joint protocols for treating CB casualties have recently been completed, but the services have not yet agreed on which health care providers should provide treatment. Relatively few military health care providers are trained to a standard of proficiency in providing care to CB casualties. The service surgeons general have begun integrating chemical and a few biological scenarios into their medical exercises, but no realistic field exercise of medical support for CB warfare had been concluded. DOD and the services have not fully addressed weaknesses and gaps in modeling, planning, training, tracking, or proficiency testing for the treatment of CB casualties. The resulting medical structure has not been …

China has sought over the past several years to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the international agency that administers multilateral trade rules. In September 2001, China completed its multilateral negotiations with the WTO Working Party handling its accession application and reached a trade agreement with Mexico, the last of the original 37 WTO members that requested a bilateral trade agreement with China. China’s WTO membership (as well as that of Taiwan’s) was formally approved at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar in November 2001.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared a total system performance assessment for a site recommendation (TSPA-SR), if suitable, on Yucca Mountain for disposal of radioactive waste. Discussed here is the Cladding Degradation Component of the Waste Form Degradation Model (WF Model), of the TSPA-SR. The Cladding Degradation Component determines the degradation rate of the Zircaloy cladding on commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) and, thereby, the CSNF matrix exposed and radioisotopes available for dissolution in any water present. Since the 1950s, most CSNF has been clad with less than 1 mm (usually between 600 and 900 {micro}m) of Zircaloy, a zirconium alloy. Zircaloy cladding is not a designed engineered barrier of the Yucca Mountain disposal system, but rather is an existing characteristic of the CSNF that is important to determining the release rate of radioisotopes once the waste package (WP) has breached. Although studies of cladding degradation from fluoride [F] began at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as early as 1984, cladding as a characteristic of the waste was not considered in TSPAs, conducted in the early 1990s. However, enough information on cladding performance has accumulated in the literature such that cladding was considered in 1993 when examining the performance …

Presently we have focused on the membrane synthesis, hydrotalcite surface and transport mechanism characterization, and quantitative measurement on CO{sub 2} reversibility. This quarterly report presents the results from the surface characterization study. FTIR, DRIFTS and TGA/MS have been used to quantitatively characterize the thermal behavior of hydrotalcite materials. Based upon these characterization results, a thermal evolution pattern accounting for the loss of interlayer water, hydroxyl group, and CO{sub 2} is proposed for the hydrotalcite we studied. According to the DRIFTS results, a small amount of CO{sub 2} release ({approximately}2wt%) was observed at {approximately}220 C, while the remaining releases at {approximately}450 C. TGA/MS result is consistent with the amount and the temperature region estimated from DRIFTS. Both regions are possible candidates for transport of CO{sub 2} in a membrane configuration. In the next quarter, we will conduct adsorption/desorption study to verify the reversibility of the CO{sub 2} released from these two regions.

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As concerns about terrorism have grown, Executive Branch responsibilities and authorities have received greater attention, which led to the 1998 appointment of a national coordinator in the National Security Council. Both Congress and the President have recognized the need to review and clarify the structure for overall leadership and coordination. The President recently requested that the Vice President oversee a coordinated national effort to improve national preparedness, including efforts to combat terrorism. Federal efforts to develop a national strategy to combat terrorism and related guidance have progressed, but key efforts remain incomplete. The first step toward developing a national strategy is to conduct a national threat and risk assessment. The Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have collaborated on such an assessment, but they have not formally coordinated with other departments and agencies on this task. Under current policy, the federal government also has improved its capabilities to respond to a domestic terrorist incident. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are tasked with leading federal efforts in their respective roles for managing a terrorist crisis and the consequences …

The collections of IEEE and 1EC standards have some overlap, but in many cases cover significantly different topics. For example, 1EEE standards go to great depth on environmental qualification of many specific types of components, while IEC covers the topic only at the general level. Conversely, certain IEC standards deal with specific instrumentation and control functions, a topic area where IEEE standards are largely mute. This paper studies two questions related to the above observations. Which standards in each body should be coordinated with each other? What opportunities exist for the two bodies to build on each other's standards to efficiently improve upon the coverage of their sets of standards? Poor coordination between the two sets of standards poses a problem for the developers of systems for plant upgrades. Developers must try to address both sets of standards to avail themselves of a sufficiently broad market. Additionally, the IEEE and IEC standards together form a more comprehensive set of guidance than either set alone. If the interfaces between the standard sets were smoother, plant staff and system designers would have a better set of tools to help in the design and specification of I and C upgrades. To understand the …

The objective of this report is to compare the benefits and costs of modifications proposed for intake gate closure systems at four hydroelectric stations on the Lower Snake and Upper Columbia Rivers in the Walla Walla District that are unable to meet the COE 10-minute closure rule due to the installation of fish screens. The primary benefit of the proposed modifications is to reduce the risk of damage to the station and environs when emergency intake gate closure is required. Consequently, this report presents the results and methodology of an extensive risk analysis performed to assess the reliability of powerhouse systems and the costs and timing of potential damages resulting from events requiring emergency intake gate closure. As part of this analysis, the level of protection provided by the nitrogen emergency closure system was also evaluated. The nitrogen system was the basis for the original recommendation to partially disable the intake gate systems. The risk analysis quantifies this protection level.