The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA) and the Federal Power Act (FPA) were enacted to eliminate unfair practices and other abuses by electricity and gas holding companies by requiring federal control and regulation of interstate public utility holding companies. Comprehensive energy legislation has passed the House and Senate. The House passed H.R. 6 on April 11, 2003. On July 31, 2003, the Senate suspended debate on S. 14, inserted the text of H.R. 4 (107th Congress) as a substitute, and passed H.R. 6. A conference agreement was reached November 17, 2003, and passed by the House the next day. H.R. 6 includes an electricity title that would, in part, repeal PUHCA, would prospectively repeal the mandatory purchase requirement under PURPA, and would create an electric reliability organization. On June 15, 2004, H.R. 4503, a comprehensive energy policy bill, passed the House.

Yoffe's linear theory of dynamic brittle fracture suggests that crack motion will be unstable beyond {approx}70% of the Rayleigh speed, a prediction that is not supported by experiment. We show by atomistic simulations that hyperelasticity, the elasticity of large strains, plays a governing role in the instability dynamics of brittle fracture. A simple scaling model based on an effective elastic modulus, coupled with Yoffe's solution, gives successful predictions for the onset speed of the crack instability.

The expected production rates at RIA imply it should be possible to collect 10-{micro}g of a one-day half-life isotope. The amount of material should be sufficient to enable direct neutron cross-section measurements for many unstable isotopes. This capability is crucial for many of the stockpile stewardship and some of the astrophysical cross-section measurements. Enabling this capability at RIA requires the ability to harvest the desired isotopes, process highly radioactive material into targets, and irradiate targets with neutrons. This paper will discuss the changes and additions to the RIA complex that are necessary in order to enable direct neutron cross-section measurements. This will include a discussion of harvesting as well as a conceptual design for a co-located experimental facility with radiochemistry capability and a variable 'mono-energetic' neutron source.

An experimental campaign to study hohlraum-driven ignition-like double-shell target performance using the Omega laser facility has begun. These targets are intended to incorporate as many ignition-like properties of the proposed National Ignition Facility (NIF) double-shell ignition design [1,2] as possible, given the energy constraints of the Omega laser. In particular, this latest generation of Omega double-shells is nominally predicted to produce over 99% of the (clean) DD neutron yield from the compressional or stagnation phase of the implosion as required in the NIF ignition design. By contrast, previous double-shell experience on Omega [3] was restricted to cases where a significant fraction of the observed neutron yield was produced during the earlier shock convergence phase where the effects of mix are deemed negligibly small. These new targets are specifically designed to have optimized fall-line behavior for mitigating the effects of pusher-fuel mix after deceleration onset and, thereby, providing maximum neutron yield from the stagnation phase. Experimental results from this recent Omega ignition-like double-shell implosion campaign show favorable agreement with two-dimensional integrated hohlraum simulation studies when enhanced (gold) hohlraum M-band (2-5 keV) radiation is included at a level consistent with observations.

The ASME Code Case N-729-1 defines alternative examination requirements for the Control Rod Drive Mechanism (CRDM) upper head penetration nozzle welds. The basis for these examination requirements was developed as part of an Industry program conducted by the Materials Reliability Program (MRP) through the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The results of this program were published in MRP-95 Rev. 1 and document a set of finite element weld residual stress analyses conducted on a variety of upper head penetration nozzles. The inspection zone selected by the industry was based on the stress where it was assumed that primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) would not initiate. As explained in MRP-95 Rev. 1, it has been illustrated that PWSCC does not occur in the Alloy 600 tube when the stresses are below the yield strength of that tube. Typical yield strengths at operating conditions for Alloy 600 range from 35 ksi to 65 ksi. A stress less than 20-ksi tension was chosen as a conservative range where PWSCC would not initiate. Over the last several years, Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus (Emc2) has conducted welding residual stress analyses on upper head penetration J-welds made from Alloy 182 weld metal for the …

The purpose of this protocol is to assist US Department of Energy (DOE) sites in releasing concrete for reuse. Current regulations allow the sites to release surface-contaminated materials if their radioactivity falls below certain levels and to possibly release materials with volumetric contamination or higher levels of surface contamination on a case-by-case basis. In all cases, an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) analysis that evaluates the risks of releasing volumetrically contaminated concrete or concrete with higher levels of surface contamination is required as a basis for proposing and setting new release limits that allow for reuse of the concrete material. To evaluate the dose impacts of reusing radioactively contaminated material, the measured radiation levels (pCi/g or disintegrations per minute [dpm]/100 cm{sup 2}) must be converted to the estimated dose (mrem/yr) that would be received by affected individuals. The dose depends on the amounts and types of isotopes present and the time, distance, and method of exposure (e.g., inhalation or external exposure). For each disposition alternative, the protocol provides a systematic method to evaluate the impact of the dose on the affected individuals. The cost impacts of reusing concrete also need to be evaluated. They too depend on the disposition …

This month's issue has the following articles: (1) Important Missions, Great Science, and Innovative Technology--Commentary by Cherry A. Murray; (2) NanoFoil{reg_sign} Solders with Less Heat--Soldering and brazing to join an array of materials are now Soldering and brazing to join an array of materials are now possible without furnaces, torches, or lead; (3) Detecting Radiation on the Move--An award-winning technology can detect even small amounts An award-winning technology can detect even small amounts of radioactive material in transit; (4) Identifying Airborne Pathogens in Time to Respond--A mass spectrometer identifies airborne spores in less than A mass spectrometer identifies airborne spores in less than a minute with no false positives; (5) Picture Perfect with VisIt--The Livermore-developed software tool VisIt helps scientists The Livermore-developed software tool VisIt helps scientists visualize and analyze large data sets; (6) Revealing the Mysteries of Water--Scientists are using Livermore's Thunder supercomputer and new algorithms to understand the phases of water; and (7) Lightweight Target Generates Bright, Energetic X Rays--Livermore scientists are producing aerogel targets for use in inertial Livermore scientists are producing aerogel targets for use in inertial confinement fusion experiments and radiation-effects testing.

This screening addresses the critical characteristics for food industry type cans and containers used for handling and storage of special nuclear materials at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP). HNF-5460, Revision 0 specified a minimum tin plate of 0.50 Ib./base box. Since the food pack cans currently used and that have been tested have a listed tin plate of 0.20 lbs. per base box, Revision 1 reduced the tin plate to {ge} 0.20 Ib./base box (i.e., No. 20 tinned commercial steel or heavier). This revision lists Critical Characteristics for two (2) large filtered containers, and associated shielding over-packs. These new containers are called ''Nuclear Material Containers'' (NMCs). They are supplied in various sizes, which can be nested, one inside another. The PFP will use NMCs with volumes up to 8-quarts as needed to over-pack largely bulged containers.

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The Bush Administration outlined its proposals for addressing the nation’s energy problems in May 2001 with a 170-page report by the National Energy Policy Development Group (NEPD) titled National Energy Policy (NEP). In June, the President transmitted to Congress a summation of the report’s concepts and strategies that call for legislative action.

Assuring the security and privacy of institutionalinformation assets is a complex task for the line manager responsible forinternational and multi-national transactions. In the face of an unsureand often conflicting international legal framework, the line managermust employ all available tools in an Integrated Security and PrivacyManagement framework that ranges from legal obligations, to policy, toprocedure, to cutting edge technology to counter the rapidly evolvingcyber threat to information assets and the physical systems thatinformation systems control.

Since the mid-1980s the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has used a value of 0.85 as a correction factor for the self absorption of activity of particulate radioactive air samples. More recently, an effort was made to evaluate the current particulate radioactive air sample filters (Versapor® 3000) used at PNNL for self absorption effects. There were two methods used in the study, 1) to compare the radioactivity concentration by direct gas-flow proportional counting of the filter to the results obtained after acid digestion of the filter and counting again by gas-flow proportional detection and 2) to evaluate sample filters by high resolution visual/infrared microscopy to determine the depth of material loading on or in the filter fiber material. Sixty samples were selected from the archive for acid digestion in the first method and about 30 samples were selected for high resolution visual/infrared microscopy. Mass loading effects were also considered. From the sample filter analysis, large error is associated with the average self absorption factor, however, when the data is compared directly one-to-one, statistically, there appears to be good correlation between the two analytical methods. The mass loading of filters evaluated was <0.2 mg cm-2 and was also compared against other …

In response to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, the 109th Congress enacted two FY2005 emergency supplemental appropriations bills, which together provided $62.3 billion for emergency response and recovery needs. This CRS report summarizes federal disaster assistance funding legislation in the 109th Congress and presents some information on federal expenditures and obligations for disaster recovery activities.

This CRS report summarizes federal disaster assistance funding legislation in the 109th Congress and presents some information on federal expenditures and obligations for disaster recovery activities.

Animal protection activists in the United States have long sought legislation to modify or curtail some practices considered by U.S. agriculture to be both acceptable and necessary to animal health. Some Members of Congress over the years have offered various bills that would affect animal care on the farm, during transport, or at slaughter. The House and Senate Agriculture Committees from time to time have held hearings on farm animal welfare issues, but their members generally express a preference for voluntary rather than regulatory approaches to humane methods of care. This report briefly provides an overview of the subject.

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is under construction at LLNL for the Department of Energy Stockpile Stewardship Program. It will be used for experiments for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Ignition, High Energy Density (HED) science, and basic science. Many issues confront experimentalists who wish to design, fabricate, and install diagnostics on the NIF. To foster this process the ICF and HED programs at LLNL have formed a diagnostic research and development group to look at issues outside the charter of facility diagnostics (core diagnostics). We will present data from instrumentation and associated technology that is being developed by this group. A major portion of our instrumentation work is on improvements for readout systems. We have several efforts related to CCD device development. Work has been done in collaboration with the University of Arizona to backthin a large format CCD device (36mm{sup 2}). This work has shown good results. The device has very high quantum efficiency, low noise readout and high charge transfer efficiency. The device is being fielded in direct optical, direct x-ray and 13-15 RV electron readout applications. In addition to readout device development we have completed work on a CCD readout system. With a commercial vendor we have …

Target location is a common problem in acoustical imaging using either passive or active data inversion. Time-reversal methods in acoustics have the important characteristic that they provide a means of determining the eigenfunctions and eigenvalues of the scattering operator for either of these problems. Each eigenfunction may often be approximately associated with an individual scatterer. The resulting decoupling of the scattered field from a collection of targets is a very useful aid to localizing the targets, and suggests a number of imaging and localization algorithms. Two of these are linear subspace methods and maximum-entropy imaging.

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The paper reviews the results from tokamak experiments for the line ratios x/w, y/w, and z/w from helium-like ions with Z in the range from 14 to 28. With exception of the DITE experiments, where these line ratios were found to be in agreement with theoretical predictions, all other tokamak experiments yielded values that were significantly larger than predicted. The reasons for these discrepancies are not yet understood. It is possible that radial profile effects were not properly taken into account in the majority of the tokamak experiments. The paper also gives a short historical review of the X-ray diagnostic developments and also presents very recent data from a new type of X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer, which records spatially resolved spectra with a spatial resolution of about 1 cm in the plasma. These new data can be Abel inverted, so that it will be possible to determine line ratios at each radial position in the plasma. Effects of radial profiles, which may have affected the chord-integrated measurements of the past, will thus be eliminated in the future.

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Each year, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) prepares an annual Site Environmental Report (SER) in accordance with DOE Order 231.1A, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The SER is written to inform the public, regulators, Laboratory employees, and other stakeholders of BNL's environmental performance during the calendar year in review. The report summarizes BNL's environmental data; environmental management performance; compliance with applicable DOE, federal, state, and local regulations; and restoration and surveillance monitoring programs. BNL has prepared annual SERs since 1971 and has documented nearly all of its environmental history since the Laboratory's inception in 1947. The SER is intended to be a technical document. It is available in print and as a downloadable file on the BNL web page at http://www.bnl.gov/esd/SER.htm. A summary of the SER is also prepared each year to provide a general overview of the report, and is distributed with a CD version of the full report. The summary supports BNL's educational and community outreach program.

This report provides an overview of the registry as means of obtaining lawful permanent residence on immigration.

The House passed a bill (H.R. 3146) on September 24 to extend TAIF, mandatory child care, abstinence education, and transitional Medicaid, on current terms, through March 31, 2004. In the absence of legislation, these programs would expire on September 30. The Senate Finance Committee approved a comprehensive TAIF preauthorization proposal of Chairman Chuck Grassley on September 10. Entitled Personal Responsibility and Individual Development for Everyone (PRIDE), the legislation would extend TANF, mandatory child care, abstinence education, and transitional Medicaid for 5 years, FY2004 through FY2008. It would raise TANF work participation standards, increase weekly work hours, add new countable work activities,