Guidance issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This publication supersedes AIMD-00-83, Executive Guide: Maximizing the Success of Chief Information Officers (Exposure Draft), March 2000. This guide is intended to assist federal agencies in maximizing the success of chief information officers (CIO). Principles and practices gleaned from the case studies presented in this guide offer concrete suggestions on what agency executives can do to ensure the effectiveness of their CIO organizations. The specific key conditions and strategies described in this guide can be used as suggestions for federal CIOs to apply or adapt to their environments, where appropriate."

Guidance issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This publications has been superseded by GAO-01-1008G, Internal Control Management and Evaluation Tool, August 2001. The Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act of 1982 required that GAO issue standards for internal control in the federal government, which it did in 1983. However, changes in information technology, human capital management issues, and financial management-related legislation prompted GAO to revise the standard and issue another internal control guide. (See GAO/AIMD-00-21.3.1, November 1999.) These standards provide the overall framework for establishing and maintaining internal control and for identifying and addressing major performance challenges and areas at greatest risk for fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. GAO is issuing this management and evaluation tool, which is based on GAO's internal control guide, to help agencies maintain or implement effective internal control and, when needed, to determine what, where, and how improvements can be implemented. Although this tool is not required to be used, it is intended to provide a systematic, organized, and structured approach to assessing the internal control structure."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In May 2000, United Airlines proposed acquiring US Airways and divesting part of those assets to create a new airline to be called DC Air. More recently, American Airlines has proposed buying Trans World Airlines (TWA), along with certain assets from United. These proposals have raised questions about how such consolidation within the airline industry could affect competition in general and consumers in particular. Congress, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Transportation need to answer several questions in evaluating the proposed mergers. For example, questions remain about whether American's purchase of financially-strapped TWA represents the last anticompetitive means to preserve its assets. The proposals by American, TWA, United, US Airways, and DC Air constitute the most significant recent changes that have occurred in the airline industry, and the outcome of these decisions could have both positive and negative effects for consumers for years to come. This testimony summarizes a December report (GAO-01-212)."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "People are the federal government's most valuable asset in managing for results. The importance of human capital is underscored by the many links GAO has identified between agencies' human capital shortfalls and the programmatic challenges. A consensus has yet to emerge on broad-based federal human capital legislative reform. However, even in the absence of fundamental legislative reform, federal agencies need to take a more strategic and integrated approach to human capital management and to maximize their efforts in such areas as workforce planning, recruiting and retention, succession planning, training and professional development, and performance management and rewards, within the context of current law. Just as modern performance management principles have been brought to federal financial management, information technology management, and results-oriented goal-setting and performance measurement, so they must be brought to federal human capital management. Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management, the agencies, and other interested parties must work together to make this happen."

Weekly newspaper from Canadian, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Bogata, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Rusk, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.

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Weekly newspaper from Albany, Texas that includes local, county, and state news along with extensive advertising.

This data package documents the experimentally derived input data on the representative waste glasses LAWABP1 and HLP-31 that will be used for simulations of the immobilized lowactivity waste disposal system with the Subsurface Transport Over Reactive Multiphases (STORM) code. The STORM code will be used to provide the near-field radionuclide release source term for a performance assessment to be issued in March of 2001. Documented in this data package are data related to 1) kinetic rate law parameters for glass dissolution, 2) alkali-H ion exchange rate, 3) chemical reaction network of secondary phases that form in accelerated weathering tests, and 4) thermodynamic equilibrium constants assigned to these secondary phases. The kinetic rate law and Na+-H+ ion exchange rate were determined from single-pass flow-through experiments. Pressurized unsaturated flow and vapor hydration experiments were used for accelerated weathering or aging of the glasses. The majority of the thermodynamic data were extracted from the thermodynamic database package shipped with the geochemical code EQ3/6. However, several secondary reaction products identified from laboratory tests with prototypical LAW glasses were not included in this database, nor are the thermodynamic data available in the open literature. One of these phases, herschelite, was determined to have a potentially …

Lake Franklin D. Roosevelt was created with the completion of the Grand Coulee Dam in 1942. The lake stretches 151 miles up-stream to the International border between the United States and Canada at the 49th parallel. Increased recreational use, subsistence and sport fishing has resulted in intense interest and possible exploitation of the resources within the lake. Previous studies of the lake and its fishery have been limited. Early studies indicate that natural reproduction within the lake and tributaries are not sufficient to support a rainbow trout (Onchoryhnchus mykiss) fishery (Scholz et. al., 1988). These studies indicate that the rainbow trout population may be limited by lack of suitable habitat for spawning and rearing (Scholz et. al., 1988). The initial phase of this project (Phase I, baseline data collection- 1990-91) was directed at the assessment of limiting factors such as quality and quantity of available spawning gravel, identification of passage barriers, and assessment of other limiting factors. Population estimates were conducted using the Seber/LeCren removal/depletion method. After the initial assessment of stream parameters, several streams were selected for habitat/passage improvement projects (Phase II, implementation-1992-96). At the completion of project habitat improvements, the final phase (Phase III, monitoring) began. This phase …

The NO/CO reaction over Rh metal in automobile catalytic converters is critical to the control of emissions of these pollutant molecules. As part of a program to determine the elementary mechanism(s) of this reaction, we have been performing mid- and far-infrared reflection/absorption spectroscopic (IRAS) measurements of the adsorption and co-adsorption and co-adsorption of NO and CO on Rh single crystal surfaces. Of particular interest is the low-frequency range of the IRAS spectra where we hoped to observe features due to metal-N stretching and/or bending vibrational motions. In particular, we hoped to obtain information regarding the site-requirements for the dissociation of the NO molecule on various Rh single crystal surfaces. An important result from our earlier work is that the selectivity of the reaction for the two nitrogen-containing products, N2 and N2O, is a strong function of the Rh surface structure. On the basis of ancillary data, we suggested that the location of adsorbed NO and N-atoms (formed from dissociation of adsorbed NO) on various Rh surfaces could, perhaps account for the selectivity differences.

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The US Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) has fully embraced a flexible, computer-based tool to help increase waste management efficiency and integrate multiple operational functions from waste generation through waste disposition while reducing cost. The Integrated Waste Tracking System (IWTS)provides comprehensive information management for containerized waste during generation,storage, treatment, transport, and disposal. The IWTS provides all information necessary for facilities to properly manage and demonstrate regulatory compliance. As a platformindependent, client-server and Web-based inventory and compliance system, the IWTS has proven to be a successful tracking, characterization, compliance, and reporting tool that meets the needs of both operations and management while providing a high level of management flexibility.

This report presents the results of the 2000 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program conducted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.44 for the Three Mile Island, Unit 2, Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation. A description of the facility and the monitoring program is provided. The results of monitoring the two predominant radiation exposure pathways, potential airborne radioactivity releases and direct radiation exposure, indicate the facility operation has not contributed to any increase in the estimated maximum potential dose commitment to the general public.

The purpose of this document is to provide the technical information to Savannah River Site (SRS) personnel that is required for the development of a basic steady-state process simulation of the vitrification treatment train of sodium bearing waste (SBW) at Idaho National Engineering and nvironmental Laboratory (INEEL). INEEL considers simulation to have an important role in the integration/optimization of treatment process trains for the High Level Waste (HLW) Program. This project involves a joint Technical Task Plan (TTP ID77WT31, Subtask C) between SRS and INEEL. The work scope of simulation is different at the two sites. This document addresses only the treatment of SBW at INEEL. The simulation model(s) is to be built by SRS for INEEL in FY-2001.

This report presents the results of the 2003 Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program conducted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.44 for the Fort St. Vrain Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation. A description of the facility and the monitoring program is provided. The results of monitoring the predominant radiation exposure pathway, direct radiation exposure, indicate the facility operation has not contributed to any increase in the estimated maximum potential dose commitment to the general public.

A number of reinforced concrete bridges on the Oregon coast are protected against chloride-induced corrosion damage by means of impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP). Thermal-sprayed Zn serves as the anode in these systems. Rebar in the concrete can remain passive and protected for some period of time after the CP system is turned off. The active-passive corrosion behavior of rebar in simulated pore solution (SPS) was investigated as a function of pH and Cl- concentration as part of a study of intermittent ICCP operation. Rebar corrosion rates in SPS were determined from polarization curves by fitting the Butler-Volmer equation and the linear polarization equation. Analysis of the passive film in SPS by x-ray diffraction and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy showed it to be largely Fe3O4. However, the Fe(OH)2 content increased with cathodic polarization time.

A review has been performed of existing information that describes geology, hydrogeology, and geochemistry at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is operated by the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, in Dade County, Florida. Treated sanitary wastewater is injected into a saline aquifer beneath the plant. Detection of contaminants commonly associated with treated sanitary wastewater in the freshwater aquifer that overlies the saline aquifer has indicated a need for a reevaluation of the ability of the confining layer above the saline aquifer to prevent fluid migration into the overlying freshwater aquifer. Review of the available data shows that the geologic data set is not sufficient to demonstrate that a competent confining layer is present between the saline and freshwater aquifers. The hydrogeologic data also do not indicate that a competent confining layer is present. The geochemical data show that the freshwater aquifer is contaminated with treated wastewater, and the spatial patterns of contamination are consistent with upward migration through localized conduits through the Middle Confining Unit, such as leaking wells or natural features. Recommendations for collection and interpretation of additional site characterization data are provided.

The vadose zone comprises the region lying between the earth’s surface and the top of the regional seasonal aquifer. Until recently contamination in the vadose zone was believed to remain relatively immobile. Thus, little attention was paid to understanding the nature of the vadose zone or the potential pathways for contaminants to migrate through it to the water table or other accessible environments. However, recent discoveries of contaminants migrating considerable distances through the vadose zone at several Department of Energy (DOE) sites have changed many assumptions both about the nature and function of the vadose zone and the importance we place on understanding this region. As a result of several vadose zone surprises, DOE Environmental Management (EM) tasked the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to lead the development of a vadose zone science and technology roadmap. The roadmap is focused on identifying research spanning the next 25 years necessary to be able to better predict the fate and transport of contaminants in the vadose zone. This in turn will provide the basis for reducing scientific uncertainty in environmental remediation and, especially, vadose zone related long-term stewardship decisions across the DOE complex. Vadose zone issues are now recognized as …

The U.S.Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP), located at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), has been chartered with the responsibility for developing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) standardized canisters and a transportation cask system for shipping DOE SNF to the national repository. The mandate for this development is outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement for Acceptance of Department of Energy Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste that states, “EM shall design and fabricate … DOE SNF canisters for shipment to RW.” (1) It also states, “EM shall be responsible for the design, NRC certification, and fabrication of the transportation cask system for DOE SNF canisters or bare DOE SNF in accordance with 10 CFR Part 71.” (2) In fulfillment of these requirements, the NSNFP has developed four SNF standardized canister configurations and has conceptually designed a versatile transportation cask system for shipping the canisters to the national repository.1 The standardized canister sizes were derived from the national repository waste package design for co-disposal of SNF with high-level waste (HLW). One SNF canister can be placed in the center of the waste package or one can be placed in one of five radial positions, …

The sheer expanse of the Hanford Site, the inherent hazards associated with the significant inventory of nuclear materials and wastes, the large number of aging contaminated facilities, the diverse nature and extent of environmental contamination, and the proximity to the Columbia River make Hanford perhaps the world's largest and most complex environmental cleanup project. It is not possible to address the more complex elements of this enormous challenge in a cost-effective manner without strategic investments in science and technology. Success requires vigorous and sustained efforts to enhance the science and technology basis, develop and deploy innovative solutions, and provide firm scientific bases to support site cleanup and closure decisions at Hanford.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) has acquired Hanford tank waste treatment services at a demonstration scale. The River Protection Project Waste Treatment Plant (RPP-WTP) team is responsible for producing an immobilized (vitrified) high-level waste (IHLW) waste form. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, hereafter referred to as PNNL, has been contracted to produce and test a vitrified IHLW waste form from two Envelope D high-level waste (HLW) samples previously supplied to the RPP-WTP project by DOE.