The radiation-damaged polystyrene (given the identification name of 'polycube') was fabricated by mixing high-density polystyrene material ("Dylene Fines # 100") with plutonium and uranium oxides. The polycubes were used in the 1960s for criticality studies during processing of spent nuclear fuel. The polycubes have since been stored for almost 40 years at the Hanford Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) after failure of two processes to reclaim the plutonium and uranium oxides from the polystyrene matrix. Thermal decomposition products from this highly cross-linked polystyrene matrix were characterized using Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) system coupled to a horizontal furnace. The decomposition studies were performed in air and helium atmospheres at about 773 K. The volatile and semi-volatile organic products for the radiation-damaged polystyrene were different compared to virgin polystyrene. The differences were in the number of organic species generated and their concentrations. In the inert (i.e., helium) atmosphere, the major volatile organic products identified (in order of decreasing concentrations) were styrene, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, nathphalene, propane, .alpha.-methylbenzene, indene and 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene. But in air, the major volatile organic species identified changed slightly. Concentrations of the organic species in the inert atmosphere were significantly higher than those for the air atmosphere processing. Overall, 38 …

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The massively parallel computer QCDOC (QCD On a Chip) of the RIKEN BNL Research Center (RI3RC) will provide ten-teraflop peak performance for lattice gauge calculations. Lattice groups from both Columbia University and RBRC, along with assistance from IBM, jointly handled the design of the QCDOC. RIKEN has provided $5 million in funding to complete the machine in 2003. Some fraction of this computer (perhaps as much as 10%) might be made available for large-scale computations in areas of theoretical nuclear physics other than lattice gauge theory. The purpose of this workshop was to investigate the feasibility and possibility of using a supercomputer such as the QCDOC for lattice, general nuclear theory, and other calculations. The lattice applications to nuclear physics that can be investigated with the QCDOC are varied: for example, the light hadron spectrum, finite temperature QCD, and kaon ({Delta}I = 1/2 and CP violation), and nucleon (the structure of the proton) matrix elements, to name a few. There are also other topics in theoretical nuclear physics that are currently limited by computer resources. Among these are ab initio calculations of nuclear structure for light nuclei (e.g. up to {approx}A = 8 nuclei), nuclear shell model calculations, nuclear hydrodynamics, …

The Hanford Site 200 Area Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) processes contaminated liquids derived from Hanford Site facilities. Groundwater monitoring for tritium and other constituents is required by the state-issued permit at 22 wells surrounding the facility. Water level measurements in nearby wells indicate that a small hydraulic mound exists around the SALDS facility as a result of discharges. Evaluation of this condition indicates that the network is currently adequate for tracking potential effects of the SALDS on the groundwater. During FY 2000, average tritium activities in most wells declined from average activities in 1999. The exception was deep well 699-48-77C, where tritium results were at an all-time high (710,000 pCi/L) as a result of the delayed penetration of effluent deeper into the aquifer. Of the 12 constituents with permit enforcement limits, which are monitored in SALDS proximal wells, all were within groundwater limitations during FY 2000. Analyses for conductivity, total dissolved solids, sulfate, chloride, sulfate, dissolved calcium, and dissolved sodium indicate that well 699-48-77A and, to a lesser extent, well 699-48-77D show the effects of dilute effluent entering groundwater, resulting in a depression of concentrations of these constituents below natural background levels. Recommendations for future monitoring include temporarily increasing the …

The Hanford Site 200 Area Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) processes contaminated liquids derived from Hanford Site facilities. The clean water generated by these processes is occasionally enriched in tritium, and is discharged to the 200 Area State Approved Land Disposal Site (SALDS). Groundwater monitoring for tritium and other constituents is required by the state-issued permit at 22 wells surrounding the facility. Water level measurements in nearby wells indicate that a small hydraulic mound exists around the SALDS facility as a result of discharges. This feature is directing groundwater flow radially outward a short distance before the regional northeasterly flow predominates. Evaluation of this condition indicates that the networks currently adequate for tracking potential effects of the SALDS on the groundwater. During FY 2000, average tritium activities inmost wells declined from average activities in 1999. The exceptions are deep well 699-48-77C, where tritium results reached a maximum value of 710,000 pCi/L as a result of the delayed penetration of effluent deeper into the aquifer, and in well 299-W7-3, along the northern boundary of the 200 West Area, which has apparently been affected for the first time by the SALDS tritium plume, with a tritium activity of 1,400 pCi/L measured in August …

This report provides information about the Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods.Federal law requires most imports informing the "Ultimate purchaser" of their country of origin.

Federal law requires most imports, including many food items, to bear labels informing the “ultimate purchaser” of their country of origin. Meats, produce, and several other raw agricultural products generally have been exempt. The omnibus farm law (P.L. 107-171) signed on May 13, 2002, contains a requirement that many retailers provide, starting on September 30, 2004, country-of-origin labeling (COOL) on fresh fruits and vegetables, red meats, seafood, and peanuts. The program is voluntary until then. USDA on October 8, 2002, issued guidelines for the voluntary labeling program.

This report first provides information on the most recent Chinese-related food safety concern, the use of melamine in dairy ingredients. Following this section, the report provides data on U.S.-China trends in agricultural trade, examines U.S. programs to monitor the safety of imports, and reports on other recent Chinese food safety developments. It concludes with a brief discussion of the congressional role.

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 Energy and Water. It summarizes the current legislative status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related legislative activity. The report lists the key CRS staff relevant to the issues covered and related CRS products.

This report provides a broad overview of Treasury debt management and examines changes in debt sales implemented by the Clinton and Bush Administrations.

This document includes tables of analytical data for Hanford Site environmental surveillance samples collected in 2006.

In addition to describing the structure and development of the Afghan narcotics trade, this report provides current statistical information, profiles the trade's various participants, explores alleged narco-terrorist linkages, and reviews U.S. and international policy responses since late 2001. The report also considers current policy debates regarding the role of the U.S. military in counternarcotics operations, opium poppy eradication, alternative livelihood development, and funding issues for Congress.

This report describes the structure and development of the narcotics trade in Afghanistan and explores its relevance to Afghan, U.S., and international security interests, including the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the United States make a long term commitment to the stability and security of Afghanistan. The report provides current statistical information on the opium trade, profiles its various participants, explores alleged narco-terrorist linkages, and reviews the U.S. and international policy response since late 2001. The report also considers current policy debates regarding the role of the U.S. military in future counternarcotics operations in Afghanistan; planned opium poppy eradication; and funding issues for Congress.

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 Interior Appropriations Subcommittees.

This report discusses the District of Columbia Appropriations Act for FY2003, as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee, that does continue existing prohibitions and restrictions on the use of federal and District funds for abortions and medical marijuana.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) has committed to a series of model reports documenting the methodology to be utilized in the Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report (YMP 2000). These model reports detail and provide validation of the methodology to be utilized for criticality analyses related to: (1) Waste form/waste package degradation; (2) Waste package isotopic inventory; (3) Criticality potential of degraded waste form/waste package configurations (effective neutron multiplication factor); (4) Probability of criticality (for each potential critical configuration as well as total event); and (5) Criticality consequences. This purpose of this summary report is to provide a status of the model reports and a schedule for their completion. This report also provides information relative to the model report content and validation. The model reports and their revisions are being generated as a result of: (1) Commitments made in the Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report (YMP 2000); (2) Open Items from the Safety Evaluation Report (Reamer 2000); (3) Key Technical Issue agreements made during DOE/U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Technical Exchange Meeting (Reamer and Williams 2000); and (4) NRC requests for additional information (Schlueter 2002).

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This is a directory of telephone numbers and addresses that congressional offices may use to obtain publications from the Executive Office of the President, the executive departments, and the independent agencies and commissions of the federal government. Electronic sources are included for locating copies of government publications on the Internet. The information for each agency was provided by the agency itself.

Initially, most micro-CHP systems will likely be designed as constant-power output or base-load systems. This implies that at some point the power requirement will not be met, or that the requirement will be exceeded. Realistically, both cases will occur within a 24-hour period. For example, in the United States, the base electrical load for the average home is approximately 2 kW while the peak electrical demand is slightly over 4 kW. If a 3 kWe micro- CHP system were installed in this situation, part of the time more energy will be provided than could be used and for a portion of the time more energy will be required than could be provided. Jalalzadeh-Azar [6] investigated this situation and presented a comparison of electrical- and thermal-load-following CHP systems. In his investigation he included in a parametric analysis addressing the influence of the subsystem efficiencies on the total primary energy consumption as well as an economic analysis of these systems. He found that an increase in the efficiencies of the on-site power generation and electrical equipment reduced the total monthly import of electricity. A methodology for calculating performance characteristics of different micro-CHP system components will be introduced in this article. Thermodynamic cycles …

The potential for air quality impacts from heavy mechanized vehicles operating in the training ranges and on the unpaved main supply routes at Fort Bliss is being investigated. The investigation uses the atmospheric modeling system DUSTRAN to simulate fugitive dust emission and dispersion from typical activities occurring on the installation. This report conveys the results of DUSTRAN simulations conducted using a “Full Training” scenario developed by Fort Bliss personnel. he Full Training scenario includes simultaneous off-road activities of two full Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (HCBTs) and one HCBT battalion on three training ranges. Simulations were conducted for the six-day period, April 25-30, 2005, using previously archived meteorological records. Simulation results are presented in the form of 24-hour average PM10 plots and peak 1-hour PM10 concentration plots, where the concentrations represent contributions resulting from the specified military vehicular activities, not total ambient PM10 concentrations. Results indicate that the highest PM10 contribution concentrations occurred on April 30 when winds were light and variable. Under such conditions, lofted particulates generated by vehicular movement stay in the area of generation and are not readily dispersed. The effect of training duration was investigated by comparing simulations with vehicular activity extending over a ten hour period …

The Plasma Theory and Simulation Group (PTSG) is collaborating with LLNL in order to model the edge region of a tokamak plasma and its interaction with the diverter plate. In the overall framework of the project, MHD will be used to model the bulk plasma. Near the edge, the MHD model will interface with the gyrokinetic code UEDGE developed at LLNL. Since the UEDGE model approximations may not be accurate within a few cyclotron radii of the diverter plate, the UEDGE code will interface with a collisional PIC-hybrid code developed by the PTSG under this project. The PTSG PIC code will include a self-consistent potential with kinetic or fixed hydrogen ions. The sputtering profile of the plate, under development at LLNL, will be used as input to the PIC code in order to correctly model the kinetic behavior of sputtered carbon. These carbon products will interact with hydrogen according to known chemistry cross-sections. While some kinetic electrons may be used to model the fast tail of the distribution function (if necessary), the bulk of the electron population will be modeled as being in thermal equilibrium using the Boltzmann relation, resulting in a significant improvement in code speed. Coulomb collisions may …

This report discusses Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes of Child Pornography.

This revision was prepared to address comments from DOE-SR that arose following publication of revision 0. This Special Analysis (SA) addresses disposal of wastes with high concentrations of I-129 in the Intermediate-Level (IL) Vaults at the operating, low-level radioactive waste disposal facility (the E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility or LLWF) on the Savannah River Site (SRS). This SA provides limits for disposal in the IL Vaults of high-concentration I-129 wastes, including activated carbon beds from the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF), based on their measured, waste-specific Kds.