This report provides a summary of the structure of the Abandon Mine Land (AML) program, distribution of funds, and discusses major proposals considered in the 108th Congress.

The Hyperbaric Advanced Hot Section Materials & Coating Test Rig program provides design and implementation of a laboratory rig capable of simulating the hot gas path conditions of coal-gas fired industrial gas turbine engines. The principal activity during this reporting period were the evaluation of syngas combustor concepts, the evaluation of test section concepts and the selection of the preferred rig configuration.

This report provides a brief overview of the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for individuals, discusses the issues associated with the current system, and describes current legislation to amend the AMT. The report will be updated as legislative action warrants.

The state of North Dakota is considering updating its commercial building energy code. This report evaluates the potential costs and benefits to North Dakota residents from updating and requiring compliance with ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2001. Both qualitative and quantitative benefits and costs are assessed in the analysis. Energy and economic impacts are estimated using the Building Loads Analysis and System Thermodynamics (BLAST simulation combined with a Life-cycle Cost (LCC) approach to assess correspodning economic costs and benefits.

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Assisted living facilities provide help with activities of daily living in a residential setting for individuals who cannot live independently but do not require 24-hour skilled nursing care. In 2002, over 36,000 assisted living facilities served approximately 900,000 residents. The states establish and enforce licensing standards for these institutions. Because states have taken widely differing approaches to regulating and supporting assisted living, they can potentially learn from each other's experiences as they consider changes to their own policies. GAO was asked to review challenges faced by consumers and providers of assisted living and seek out notable state initiatives addressing those challenges in three selected areas: (1) disclosure of full and accurate information to consumers, (2) state assistance to providers to meet licensing requirements, and (3) procedures for addressing residents' complaints. We identified specific examples of individual programs in Florida, Texas, Washington, Georgia, and Massachusetts that highlighted different approaches in these three areas, which other states might wish to consider emulating."

The purpose of this data package is to summarize our conceptual understanding of atmospheric transport and deposition, describe how this understanding will be simplified for numerical simulation as part of the 2004 Composite Analysis (i.e., implementation model), and finally to provide the input parameters needed for the simulations.

Methane fermentation has been in practice over a century for the stabilization of high strength organic waste/wastewater. Although methanogenesis is a well established process and methane--the end-product of methanogenesis is a useful energy source; it is a low value end product with relatively less energy content (about 56 kJ energy/g CH{sub 4}). Besides, methane and its combustion by-product are powerful greenhouse gases, and responsible for global climate change. So there is a pressing need to explore alternative environmental technologies that not only stabilize the waste/wastewater but also generate benign high value end products. From this perspective, anaerobic bioconversion of organic wastes to hydrogen gas is an attractive option that achieves both goals. From energy security stand point, generation of hydrogen energy from renewable organic waste/wastewater could substitute non-renewable fossil fuels, over two-third of which is imported from politically unstable countries. Thus, biological hydrogen production from renewable organic waste through dark fermentation represents a critically important area of bioenergy production. This study evaluated both process engineering and microbial physiology of biohydrogen production.

The technology referred to as Cavity Like Completions (CLC) offers a new technique to complete wells in friable and unconsolidated sands. A successfully designed CLC provides significant increases in well PI (performance index) at lower costs than alternative completion techniques. CLC technology is being developed and documented by a partnership of major oil and gas companies through a GPRI (Global Petroleum Research Institute) joint venture. Through the DOE-funded PUMP program, the experiences of the members of the joint venture will be described for other oil and gas producing companies. To date six examples of CLC completions have been investigated by the JV. The project was performed to introduce a new type of completion (or recompletion) technique to the industry that, in many cases, offers a more cost effective method to produce oil and gas from friable reservoirs. The project's scope of work included: (1) Further develop theory, laboratory and field data into a unified model to predict performance of cavity completion; (2) Perform at least one well test for cavity completion (well provided by one of the sponsor companies); (3) Provide summary of geo-mechanical models for PI increase; and (4) Develop guidelines to evaluate success of potential cavity completion. The …

This research was conducted to improve our fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of U accumulation with NAS in the evaporators and in other process areas at the SRS that may concentrate U in the presence of silicates, aluminum and NAS. Our study uses information gained from the characterization of solids formed in laboratory tests under similar HLW evaporator conditions to aid our interpretation of characterization data of an actual archived 2H Evaporator scale sample. These basic scientific studies will help support the basis for the continued safe operation of SRS evaporators and this fundamental information will be used to help mitigate U accumulation during evaporator operation.

High-level nuclear waste is being immobilized at the Savannah River Site by vitrification into borosilicate glass at the Defense Waste Processing Facility. Control of the REDuction/OXidation (REDOX) equilibrium in the DWPF melter is critical for processing high level liquid wastes. Based upon previous research, an acceptable iron REDOX ratio was defined for the DWPF melts as 0.09 Fe2/SFe 0.33. Controlling the DWPF melter at a REDuction/OXidation (REDOX) equilibrium ofFe2/SFe 0.33 prevents the potential for metallic and metallic sulfide species to form and accumulate on the floor of the melter. Control of foaming due to deoxygenation of manganic species is achieved by converting 66-100 of the MnO2 or Mn2O3 species in a waste feed to MnO before the waste is fed to the DWPF melter. At the lower redox limit of Fe 2/SFe 0.09 about 99 of the Mn 4/Mn 3 is converted to Mn 2. Therefore, the lower REDOX limit eliminates melter foaming from deoxygenation. Organic and nitrate concentrations in the DWPF melter feed are the major parameters influencing melt REDOX. Organics such as formates act as reductants while nitrates, nitrites, and manganic (Mn 4 and Mn 3) species act as oxidants. During melting, the REDOX of the melt pool …

The laboratory conditions under which synthetic uranyl silicates are made are almost identical to SRS evaporator conditions,with the exception of differences in sodium ion concentration. Synthetic uranyl silicates have been made only under low sodium ion concentration (less than 0.02 M), while attempts to synthesize uranyl silicates in this study in the presence of high sodium ion concentration (5.6 M), which are typical of SRS evaporators have proved unfruitful. In the presence of soluble silica and uranyl ion, uranyl silicates (sodium weeksite, sodium boltwoodite and uranophane) have been synthesized at moderately low to high pH in temperature ranges of 80-150 degrees C and at less than 0.02 M sodium ion ion concentration in the reaction mixtures. However, in the presence of high sodium ion concentration the main product distribution for the same soluble silica-uranium reaction mixture shifts towards the formation of clarkeite, a hydrated sodium uranate and not towards the formation of uranyl silicates. There is a threshold sodium ion concentration requirement above which uranyl silicates are not formed under laboratory conditions that are quite similar to SRS evaporator conditions. This threshold sodium ion concentration, which is yet to be determined, may be influenced by the sodium-to-uranium ratio in a …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of State requested $415 million to fund programs in the Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining, and Related Programs (NADR) appropriations account for fiscal year 2005. Interest has been expressed in learning about whether programs are being implemented in accord with the law, and in the extent to which programs use experts hired on a contractual basis. GAO was asked to determine (1) the legal authorizations for the programs and the extent to which programs are implemented in accord with these authorizations and (2) the extent to which program management and implementation use outside experts."

During the third semi-annual period we have mostly finished a series of QM calculations on relevant metals (Pt, Zr, Y, Ba), metal alloys (Y/Zr), metal oxides (ZrO{sub 2}, Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, BaO) and Y-doped BaZrO{sub 3}. Based on these data we started developing ReaxFF for further MD simulations of different physico-chemical processes in the electrolyte and at the electrode/electrolyte interface. To accelerate the densification process of BaZrO{sub 3} ceramics at lower temperature an initial screening of all transition elements in the series Sc to Zn has been carried out. It turned out that NiO, CuO and ZnO are the most effective additives for enhancing barium zirconate densification. Characterization (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and impedance spectroscopy) of Zn-, Cu- and Ni-modified BYZ has been performed. The temperature dependence of the bulk conductivity {sigma}{sub gi}, grain boundary conductivity {sigma}{sub gb}, and specific grain boundary conductivity {sigma}{sub sp.gb} were measured. The bulk conductivity of BYZ-Zn4 is slightly lower than that of unmodified BYZ.

Working within the context of the Southern States Biobased Alliance (SSBA) and with officials in each state, the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) is identifying bioenergy-related policies and programs within each state to determine their impact on the development, deployment or use of bioenergy. In addition, SSEB will determine which policies have impacted industry's efforts to develop, deploy or use biobased technologies or products. As a result, SSEB will work with the Southern States Biobased Alliance to determine how policy changes might address any negative impacts or enhance positive impacts.

High Level Waste samples contain elevated concentrations of radioactive cesium requiring marked dilution of the waste to facilitate handling in non-shielded facilities. The authors developed a sample treatment protocol, using ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP) to remove sufficient cesium to allow handling of the samples with minimal dilution. The sample treatment protocol includes the following steps: pH adjust the sample to the range of 0.01 to 1.0 M acidity; mix 30 mL of acidified sample with 40-60 mg of AMP; cap and shake the mixture for 30-60 seconds; filter AMP from the liquid using 0.45 PTFE syringe filters; and send filtrate directly forward for analysis. To develop the method, SRTC performed a series of tests with three different salt solutions designed to determine the propensity of ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP) to bind some of the common analytes such as the actinides (Pu, Am, Np, U), strontium, or the metals (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Se) regulated by the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA). SRTC also examined relevant literature to summarize reported interactions between AMP and other elements.

Preliminary tests have been completed to assess the corrosivity of an in-tank process to decompose cesium and potassium tetraphenylborate in Tank 48H. Testing was requested by the Tank 48 Closure Team to ''Perform a corrosion study to assess the effects of reduced pH solution on Tank 48 components''. The initial corrosion tests were in support of the Fenton's reagent process with ferric ion. A second set of tests was performed with tetraamido macrocylcic ligand in place of ferric ion. A task plan was approved prior to the start of the experiments, which prescribed short-term electrochemical testing to determine the corrosion susceptibility of carbon steel to simulated waste containing Fenton's reagent.

Switchable electrochromic (EC) windows have been projected to significantly reduce the energy use of buildings nationwide. This study quantifies the potential impact of electrochromic windows on US primary energy use in the commercial building sector and also provides a broader database of energy use and peak demand savings for perimeter zones than that given in previous LBNL simulation studies. The DOE-2.1E building simulation program was used to predict the annual energy use of a three-story prototypical commercial office building located in five US climates and 16 California climate zones. The energy performance of an electrochromic window controlled to maintain daylight illuminance at a prescribed setpoint level is compared to conventional and the best available commercial windows as well as windows defined by the ASHRAE 90.1-1999 and California Title 24-2005 Prescriptive Standards. Perimeter zone energy use and peak demand savings data by orientation, window size, and climate are given for windows with interior shading, attached shading, and horizon obstructions (to simulate an urban environment). Perimeter zone primary energy use is reduced by 10-20% in east, south, and west zones in most climates if the commercial building has a large window-to-wall area ratio of 0.60 compared to a spectrally selective low-e window …

This 2003 Annual Report describes the research and accomplishments of staff and users of the W.R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), located in Richland, Washington. EMSL is a multidisciplinary, national scientific user facility and research organization, operated by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The resources and opportunities within the facility are an outgrowth of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) commitment to fundamental research for understanding and resolving environmental and other critical scientific issues.

This Technical Progress Report describes progress made on the eight sub-projects awarded in the first year and the five projects awarded in the second year of Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-01NT41091: Establishment of the Center for Advanced Separation Technologies. This work is summarized in the body of the main report: the individual subproject Technical Progress Reports are attached as Appendices. Due to the time taken up by the solicitation/selection process (approx. six months), the second year project TPR's cover the initial 6-month period of activity only.

The overall program objective is to develop and evaluate environmentally benign agents or products that are effective in the prevention, inhibition, and mitigation of microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) in the internal surfaces of metallic natural gas pipelines. The goal is to develop one or more environmentally benign (a.k.a. ''green'') products that can be applied to maintain the structure and dependability of the natural gas infrastructure. Previous testing of pepper extracts resulted in preliminary data indicating that some pepper extracts inhibit the growth of some corrosion-associated microorganisms. This quarter additional tests were performed to more specifically investigate the ability of three pepper extracts to inhibit the growth, and to influence the metal corrosion caused by two microbial species: Desulfovibrio vulgaris, and Comomonas denitrificans. All three pepper extracts rapidly killed Desulfovibrio vulgaris, but did not appear to inhibit Comomonas denitrificans. While corrosion rates were at control levels in experiments with Desulfovibrio vulgaris that received pepper extract, corrosion rates were increased in the presence of Comomonas denitrificans plus pepper extract. Further testing with a wider range of pure bacterial cultures, and more importantly, with mixed bacterial cultures should be performed to determine the potential effectiveness of pepper extracts to inhibit MIC.

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Farmers receive about $15 billion annually in federal farm program payments to help produce major commodities, including corn, cotton, rice, and wheat. The Farm Program Payments Integrity Act of 1987 (1987 Act) limits payments to individuals and entities--such as corporations and partnerships-- that are "actively engaged in farming." GAO (1) determined how well USDA's regulations limit payments, (2) assessed USDA's oversight of the act, and (3) summarized the distribution of farm payments by type of entity."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Energy's (DOE) contractor-operated laboratories perform mission-related research and development (R&D) for DOE and other federal agencies. In 1992, DOE established the Laboratory- Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program, under which laboratory directors may allocate funding to scientists to conduct worthy independent research. DOE allows participating laboratories to support their LDRD programs by including a charge of up to 6 percent of the total project cost in the indirect costs for R&D performed for DOE and other federal agencies. GAO was asked to address 11 specific questions on DOE's LDRD program regarding: DOE's statutory authority for charging other federal agencies for LDRD, DOE's policies and procedures for ensuring departmental compliance with statutory requirements and committee report direction, the extent to which DOE believes the LDRD program is a necessary tool for recruiting and retaining laboratory scientists, and the sources and amounts of LDRD funding that each laboratory received from fiscal year 1998 through fiscal year 2003. In commenting on the draft report, DOE agreed with its factual accuracy."

The original proposal described the construction and operation of a 1-MMscfd treatment system to be operated at a Butcher Energy gas field in Ohio. The gas produced at this field contained 17% nitrogen. During pre-commissioning of the project, a series of well tests showed that the amount of gas in the field was significantly smaller than expected and that the nitrogen content of the wells was very high (25 to 30%). After evaluating the revised cost of the project, Butcher Energy decided that the plant would not be economical and withdrew from the project. Since that time, Membrane Technology and Research, Inc. (MTR) has signed a marketing and sales partnership with ABB Lummus Global, a large multinational corporation. MTR will be working with the company's Randall Gas Technologies group, a supplier of equipment and processing technology to the natural gas industry. Randall's engineering group has found a new site for the project at a North Texas Exploration (NTE) gas processing plant. The plant produces about 1 MMscfd of gas containing 24% nitrogen. The membrane unit will bring this gas to 4% nitrogen for delivery to the pipeline. The system has been installed in the field and initial startup activities have …

OAK-B135 Tech-X Corporation designed and developed all the networking code tying together the NTCC data server with the data client and the physics server with the data server and physics client. We were also solely responsible for the data and physics clients and the vast majority of the work on the data server. We also performed a number of other tasks.