Report of the Texas State Auditor's Office related to financial statements from the Teacher Retirement System, which were accurately stated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

The Environmental Systems Research (ESR) Program, a part of the Environmental Systems Research and Analysis (ESRA) Program, was implemented to enhance and augment the technical capabilities of the INEEL. Strengthening the Technical capabilities of the INEEL will provide the technical base to serve effectively as the Environmental Management Laboratory for the Office of Environmental Management (EM). This is a progress report for the third year of the ESR Program (FY 2000). A report of activities is presented for the five ESR research investment areas: (1) Transport Aspects of Selective Mass Transport Agents, (2) Chemistry of Environmental Surfaces, (3) Materials Dynamics, (4) Characterization Science, and (5) Computational Simulation of Mechanical and Chemical Systems. In addition to the five technical areas, the report describes activities in the Science and Technology Foundations element of the program, e.g., interfaces between ESR and the EM Science Program (EMSP) and the EM Focus Areas. The five research areas are subdivided into 18 research projects. FY 2000 research in these 18 projects has resulted in more than 50 technical papers that are in print, in press, in review, or in preparation. Additionally, more than 100 presentations were made at professional society meetings nationally and internationally. Work supported …

The Environmental Systems Research Candidates (ESRC) Program, which is scheduled to end September 2001, was established in April 2000 as part of the Environmental Systems Research and Analysis Program at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to provide key science and technology to meet the clean-up mission of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management, and perform research and development that will help solve current legacy problems and enhance the INEEL’s scientific and technical capability for solving longer-term challenges. This report documents the progress and accomplishments of the ESRC Program from April through September 2000. The ESRC Program consists of 24 tasks subdivided within four research areas: A. Environmental Characterization Science and Technology. This research explores new data acquisition, processing, and interpretation methods that support cleanup and long-term stewardship decisions. B. Subsurface Understanding. This research expands understanding of the biology, chemistry, physics, hydrology, and geology needed to improve models of contamination problems in the earth’s subsurface. C. Environmental Computational Modeling. This research develops INEEL computing capability for modeling subsurface contaminants and contaminated facilities. D. Environmental Systems Science and Technology. This research explores novel processes to treat waste and decontaminate facilities. Our accomplishments during FY 2000 include …

Report summarizing budgets and performance information for Texas agencies, organized by government function: general, health and human services, education, judiciary, public safety and criminal justice, natural resources, business and economic development, and regulatory activities.

Over 200 single-pass flow-through experiments were completed with LAWABP1 glass, the reference glass for the 2001 Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Performance Assessment. These data provided the kinetic rate law parameters and Na ion-exchange rate needed to conduct long-term performance analyses using the reactive chemical transport code STORM. Pressurized unsaturated flow (PUF) experiments with five prototypic LAW glasses were also performed. The PUF test provides a means to dramatically accelerate the weathering process in a simulated vadose zone environment. The performance of these five next generation LAW glasses in the PUF test (and other accelerated tests) improved dramatically from earlier glass compositions that were being developed by BNFL, Inc. No autocatalytic corrosion rate accelerations were observed in tests that were conducted for over 1 year. SPFT and PUF experiments were run with a commercial humic acid solution, 25 to 50 times more concentrated than expected in Hanford vadose zone pore water. No difference in glass dissolution rate versus the rate measured in deionized water could be detected within experimental error. Initial development and testing of a parallelized lattice-Boltzmann method for solving reactive chemical transport problems in complex geometries was completed. This method is being examined as a means to dramatically decrease the …

The Wastewater Triad Project (WTP) consists of three operational units: the cesium removal (CsR) system, the out-of-tank evaporator (OTE) system, and the solid/liquid separation (SLS) system. These systems were designed to reduce the volume and radioactivity of low-level liquid waste (LLLW) stored in the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVSTs) and are operated independently or in series in order to accomplish the treatment goals. Each is a modular, skid-mounted system that is self-contained, individually shielded, and designed to be decontaminated and removed once the project has been completed. The CsR and OTE systems are installed inside Building 7877; the SLS system is installed adjacent to the east side of the MVST 7830 vault cover. The CsR, which consists of ion-exchange equipment for removing {sup 137}Cs from LLLW, was demonstrated in 1997. During the Cesium Removal Demonstration, 30,853 gal of radioactive supernate was processed and 1142 Ci of {sup 137}Cs was removed from the supernate and loaded onto 70 gal of a crystalline silicotitanate sorbent manufactured by UOP, Inc. The OTE system is a subatmospheric single-stage evaporator system designed to concentrate LLLW to smaller volumes. It was previously demonstrated in 1996 and was operated in 1998 to process about 80,000 gal of …

Most large-scale high-critical-temperature superconductor applications require wires or tapes that an carry high currents in applied magnetic fields. This report describes technical progress of research and development efforts aimed at producing superconducting components and devices in the Y-Ba-Cu-O and Bi-(Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O systems. Topics discussed are formation of first- and second-generation composite conductors, characterization of structures and superconducting and mechanical properties, modeling of grain-boundary current transport, and fabrication and analysis of prototype components.

The fabrication of boron-covered crystal scintillation detectors is described. Bulk boron-loaded epoxy material was cast and cut into 0.5 mm-thick wafers that were mounted on CdWO{sub 4} and CsI(Tl) crystals. The crystals were mounted on miniature photomultiplier tubes and gamma spectra were obtained with the detectors. The ability of these small detectors to produce spectra that can be analyzed to provide isotopic identification has been demonstrated. In addition, the detector can produce a signature indicating the presence of neutrons. The same miniature size of these detectors that makes them attractive for hand-held portable use, may be a limiting factor in their efficiency. The small size of the scintillation crystals makes them not as efficient as larger NaI(Tl) crystals simply by virtue of significantly decreased sensitive volume and surface area. It may be worthwhile to consider slightly larger crystals (approximately 15 mm cubic CdWO{sub 4}) mounted on rectangular photomultipliers in a detecting head connected to the electronics package by a signal cable.

The fabrication of boron-covered crystal scintillation detectors is described. Bulk boron-loaded epoxy material was cast and cut into 0.5 mm-thick wafers that were mounted on CdWO{sub 4} and CsI(Tl) crystals. The crystals were mounted on miniature photomultiplier tubes and gamma spectra were obtained with the detectors. The ability of these small detectors to produce spectra that can be analyzed to provide isotopic identification has been demonstrated. In addition, the detector can produce a signature indicating the presence of neutrons. The same miniature size of these detectors that makes them attractive for hand-held portable use, may be a limiting factor in their efficiency. The small size of the scintillation crystals makes them not as efficient as larger NaI(Tl) crystals simply by virtue of significantly decreased sensitive volume and surface area. It may be worthwhile to consider slightly larger crystals (approximately 15 mm cubic CdWO{sub 4}) mounted on rectangular photomultipliers in a detecting head connected to the electronics package by a signal cable.

Annual report of the Texas Department of Health Bureau of HIV & STD Prevention describing their activities and statistics on HIV and STD cases in Texas during 2000.

Report on the activities of the Health Professions Council for fiscal year 2000, highlighting the organization's accomplishments and budget.

A major milestone was reached in Fiscal Year (FY) 2000--the completion of the Chicago Pile-5 (CP-5) D and D Project. CP-5, the first reactor built on the Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) site, was a 5-megawatt, heavy water-moderated, enriched uranium-fueled reactor. It was the principal reactor on the Argonne site used to produce neutrons for scientific research from 1954 to 1979. The reactor was shut down and defueled in 1979, and placed in a lay-up condition. In 1990, funding was provided to begin the decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) of this facility, and work began in June 1991. D and D tasks were performed by both ANL-E personnel and subcontractor personnel from Duke Engineering and Services, Marlborough MA, under the management of ANL-E D and D Program personnel. In July 2000, the final project report was presented to the Department of Energy, and the facility was formally decommissioned and transferred to the landlord. Total project duration was 97 months, and total project cost was $29.5M. Also, in FY 2000, work began on the 60 Cyclotron D and D Project. An accelerator used for basic research, this facility produced beams of deuterons, helium ions, singly charged hydrogen molecules, and neutrons of …

Problems with pipeline plugs at Hanford have occurred throughout its tank farm system. Most cross-site transfer lines at Hanford are no longer functional due to these plugs. Waste transfers frequently led to partial line plugs, resulting in substantial amounts of water being added to the tank system in an attempt to free the lines. In response to these plugs, the Hanford tank farm developed waste acceptance criteria that a waste must pass before it can be transferred (Shekarriz et al., 1997). The criteria, which include physical properties such as viscosity, specific gravity, and percent solids, are based primarily on past operational experience. Unfortunately, the chemistry of the waste solutions was not included in the criteria even though the tank farm operators are fully aware of its importance. Pipeline plugs have also occurred during relatively short waste transfers at Hanford. In FY 2000, the effort to saltwell pump 50,000 gal of filtered waste from tank U-103 to tank SY-102 was delayed for several weeks due to a plugged pipeline. Attempts to locate the plug(s) determined that it had occurred in the 02-A flex and that other plugs were possible in each of the SY-farm flexes. Modifications such as larger flex jumpers …

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We have begun building the ''Mercury'' laser system as the first in a series of new generation diode-pumped solid-state lasers for target physics research. Mercury will integrate three key technologies: diodes, crystals, and gas cooling, within a unique laser architecture that is scalable to kilojoule and megajoule energy levels for fusion energy applications. The primary near-term performance goals include 10% electrical efficiencies at 10 Hz and 100 J with a 2-10 ns pulse length at 1.047 {micro}m wavelength. Currently, this review concentrates on the critical development and production of Yb:S-FAP crystals. After solving many defect issues that can be present in the crystals, reproducibility is the final issue that needs to be resolved. We have enlisted the help of national experts and have strongly integrated two capable commercial crystal growth companies (Litton-Airton/Synoptics and Scientific Materials) into the effort, and have solicited the advice of Robert Morris (retired from Allied Signal), a recognized international expert in high temperature oxide growth.

The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab or LBNL) is a multi-program national research facility operated by the University of California for the Department of Energy (DOE). As an integral element of DOE's National Laboratory System, Berkeley Lab supports DOE's missions in fundamental science, energy resources, and environmental quality. Berkeley Lab programs advance four distinct goals for DOE and the nation: (1) To perform leading multidisciplinary research in the computing sciences, physical sciences, energy sciences, biosciences, and general sciences in a manner that ensures employee and public safety and protection of the environment. (2) To develop and operate unique national experimental facilities for qualified investigators. (3) To educate and train future generations of scientists and engineers to promote national science and education goals. (4) To transfer knowledge and technological innovations and to foster productive relationships among Berkeley Lab's research programs, universities, and industry in order to promote national economic competitiveness. Annual report on Laboratory Directed Research and Development for FY2000.

This document reports the low-level radioactive waste, mixed low-level radioactive waste, and Polychlorinated Biphenyl contaminated low-level waste transported to or from the Nevada Test Site during fiscal year 2000.

This document describes activities of the Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Area for the past year.

This report presents the results of groundwater and vadose zone monitoring and remediation for fiscal year 2000 on the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, Washington. The most extensive contaminant plumes are tritium, iodine-129, and nitrate, which all had multiple sources and are very mobile in groundwater. Carbon tetrachloride and associated organic constituents form a relatively large plume beneath the central part of the Site. Hexavalent chromium is present in smaller plumes beneath the reactor areas along the river and beneath the central part of the site. Strontium-90 exceeds standards beneath each of the reactor areas, and technetium-99 and uranium are present in the 200 Areas. RCRA groundwater monitoring continued during fiscal year 2000. Vadose zone monitoring, characterization, remediation, and several technical demonstrations were conducted in fiscal year 2000. Soil gas monitoring at the 618-11 burial ground provided a preliminary indication of the location of tritium in the vadose zone and in groundwater. Groundwater modeling efforts focused on 1) identifying and characterizing major uncertainties in the current conceptual model and 2) performing a transient inverse calibration of the existing site-wide model. Specific model applications were conducted in support of the Hanford Site carbon tetrachloride Innovative Treatment Remediation Technology; to support …

Bimonthly publication of the Texas Veterans Commission discussing specific topics of relevance to veterans in Texas. This pamphlet providess a report of total monetary benefits paid during fiscal year 2000 listed by county.

The objective of this study was to examine the relative importance of pressure changes as a source of turbine-passage injury and mortality. Specific tests were designed to quantify the response of fish to rapid pressure changes typical of turbine passage, with and without the complication of the fish being acclimated to gas supersaturated water. We investigated the responses of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) to these two stresses, both singly and in combination.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Comptroller General discusses GAO's report on the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2000. This is the fourth consecutive year that GAO has been unable to express an opinion on the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements. Material weaknesses in internal control and accounting and reporting issues prevented GAO from being able to provide Congress and the American people with an opinion as to whether the government's consolidated financial statements are fairly stated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. These material weaknesses also affected the reliability of information in the Management's Discussion and Analysis included in the financial report and other financial management information--including information used to manage the government and budget information reported by agencies--which is taken from the same data sources as the financial statements."

Report of the Texas State Auditor's Office related to the audit opinion on the Permanent School Fund's (Fund) fiscal year 2000 financial statements, which are materially correct in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and micro-technologies will soon give rise to production of large-scale forces of autonomous micro-robots with systems of innate behaviors and with capabilities of self-organization and real world tasking. Such organizations have been compared to schools of fish, flocks of birds, herds of animals, swarms of insects, and military squadrons. While these systems are envisioned as maintaining a high degree of autonomy, it is important to understand the relationship of man with such machines. In moving from research studies to the practical deployment of large-scale numbers of robots, one of critical pieces that must be explored is the command and control architecture for humans to re-task and also inject global knowledge, experience, and intuition into the force. Tele-operation should not be the goal, but rather a level of adjustable autonomy and high-level control. If a herd of sheep is comparable to the collective of robots, then the human element is comparable to the shepherd pulling in strays and guiding the herd in the direction of greener pastures. This report addresses the issues and development of command and control for largescale numbers of autonomous robots deployed as a collective force.