This report discusses issues regarding the arsenic’s health effects and how to reduce the uncertainty in assessing health risks associated with exposure to low levels of arsenic. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the current standard of 50 parts per billion (ppb) in 1975. . This report reviews EPA efforts to develop a new arsenic rule and summarizes key provisions and subsequent events.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John Cornyn, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings may order the Texas Department of Human Services to pay a licensee's attorney's fees after the SOAH dismissed an administrative action brought to revoke a license (RQ-0463-JC)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John Cornyn, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Method of selection of the justice of the peace member of the El Paso County Bail Bond Board (RQ-0465-JC)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, John Cornyn, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a peace officer is required to attend continuing courses regarding enforcement of traffic laws and the use of radar equipment (RQ-0471-JC)

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Social Security numbers (SSN), originally created in 1936 to track workers' earnings and eligibility for Social Security benefits is now used for many other purposes by both government and private sectors. The growth in electronic record keeping and the availability of information over the Internet, combined with the rise in identity theft, have heightened public concern about how their SSNs are being used. Federal agencies use SSNs to manage records, verify the eligibility of benefit applicants, collect outstanding debts, and do research and program evaluation. GAO found that federal laws designed to protect SSNs are not being followed consistently, Moreover, courts at all levels of government and offices at the state and county level maintain records that contain SSNs for the purpose of making these records available to the public. Recognizing that these SSNs may be misused, some government entities have taken steps to protect the SSNs from public display. At the same time, however, some government entities are considering making more public records available on the Intranet. Ease of access to electronically available files could encourage more information gathering from public records on a broader scale …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides health care services to veterans who have been diagnosed with psychosis--primarily schizophrenia, a disorder that can substantially limit their ability to care for themselves, secure employment, and maintain relationships. These veterans also have a high risk of premature death, including suicide. Effective treatment, especially antipsychotic drug therapy, has reduced the severity of their illnesses and increased their ability to function in society. VA's guideline for prescribing atypical antipsychotic drugs is sound and consistent with published clinical practice guidelines used by public and private health care systems. VA's prescribing guideline, recommends that physicians use their best clinical judgment, based on clinical circumstances and patients' needs, when choosing among the atypical drugs. Most Veterans Integrated Service Networks and facilities use VA's prescribing guideline; however, five VISNs have additional policies and procedures for prescribing atypical antipsychotic drugs. Although these procedures help manage pharmaceutical cost, they also have the potential to result in more weight given to cost than clinical judgment which is not consistent with the prescribing guideline."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In addition to providing an overview of a company's business operations, the annual reports submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission present important information on an employer's estimated obligations for postemployment benefits, including retiree health benefits. However, the assumption used to estimate obligations for postemployment benefits vary across companies and are not comparable. Financial Accounting Standards Board guidelines give employers latitude in calculating these obligations. Moreover, changes in companies' benefit offerings or financial stability would likely alter companies' obligations for retiree health benefits. Most employers also reserve the right to change or terminate retiree health benefits."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This report evaluates the use of profits from the Library of Congress' retail activities to support other Library activities. GAO found that the Library has not yet developed an overall plan, specific business plans, pricing policies, or the accounting procedures to generate profits to support other activities. Although it has policies and procedures to control the use of its logo, the Library has not yet defined the scope and mission of the retailing functions, control of products, or licensing agreements. The Library's three major retail activities--the Photoduplication Service, the Gift Shop, and the Audio Video Laboratory--have not consistently generated profits or covered all costs for the last five years. In each case, the activity's total expenses exceeded its total revenues. GAO found that the Library is not able to conduct a study on generating profits from the its retail activities to support other Library activities or evaluate options."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) prepares an annual report on the implementation of the Paperwork Reduction Act. OIRA's fiscal year 2002 report differed from the agency's previous reports in two important respects. First, the report provided agency-specific information on paperwork burden-hour estimates and violations only for the cabinet departments and the Environmental Protection Agency, but not for for the 12 independent agencies that had been included previously. Second, the report merged data on causes of changes in agencies' burden-hour estimates that previously had been presented separately. According to OIRA the agencies were excluded because (1) OMB's authority over the independent agencies is limited, (2) most independent agencies have total burden inventories under 10 million hours, and (3) OMB can best use its limited resources by focusing on the agencies that impose the most paperwork burden and over which OMB has more authority. OIRA classifies modifications in agencies' burden-hour estimates as either "adjustments" or "program changes." Although OIRA reported adjustments and program changes as separate data in fiscal years 2000 and 2001, the fiscal year 2002 report only included information …

Throughout the utility industry, there is high interest in subsurface imaging of plastic, ceramic, and metallic objects because of the cost, reliability, and safety benefits available in avoiding impacts with the existing infrastructure and in reducing inappropriate excavations. Industry interest in locating plastic pipe has resulted in funding available for the development of technologies that enable this imaging. Gas Technology Institute (GTI) proposes to develop a compact and inexpensive capacitive tomography imaging sensor that takes the form of a flat plate or flexible mat that can be placed on the ground to image objects embedded in the soil. A compact, low-cost sensor that can image objects through soil could be applied to multiple operations and will produce a number of cost savings for the gas industry. In a stand-alone mode, it could be used to survey an area prior to excavation. The technology would improve the accuracy and reliability of any operation that involves excavation by locating or avoiding buried objects. An accurate subsurface image of an area will enable less costly keyhole excavations and other cost-saving techniques. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been applied to this area with limited success. Radar requires a high-frequency carrier to be injected into …

To date, our synthetic research efforts have been focused on the development of stimuli-responsive water-soluble polymers designed for use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. These model systems are structurally tailored for potential application as viscosifiers and/or mobility control agents for secondary and tertiary EOR methods. The following report discloses the progress of our ongoing research of polyzwitterions, polymers derived from monomers bearing both positive and negative charges, that show the ability to sustain or increase their hydrodynamic volume (and thus, solution viscosity) in the presence of electrolytes. Such polymers appear to be well-suited for use under conditions similar to those encountered in EOR operations. Additionally, we disclose the synthesis and characterization of a well-defined set of polyacrylamide (PAM) homopolymers that vary by MW. The MW of the PAM samples is controlled by addition of sodium formate to the polymerization medium as a conventional chain transfer agent. Data derived from polymer characterization is used to determine the kinetic parameter C{sub CT}, the chain transfer constant to sodium formate under the given polymerization conditions. The PAM homopolymer series will be employed in future set of experiments designed to test a simplified intrinsic viscosity equation. The flow resistance of a polymer solution …

This report presents a brief overview of the activities and tasks accomplished during the first half year (October 1, 2001--March 31, 2002) of the fifth project year budget period (October 1, 2001--September 30, 2002). An executive summary is presented initially followed by the tasks of the current budget period. Then, detailed description of the experimental and modeling investigations are presented. Subsequently, the technical and scientific results of the activities of this project period are presented with some discussions. The findings of this investigation are summarized in the ''Conclusions'' section followed by relevant references. The fifth project year activities are divided into three main parts, which are carried out in parallel. The first part is continuation of the experimental program that includes a study of the oil/water two-phase behavior at high pressures and control system development for the two-phase LLCC{copyright}. This investigation has been extended for three-phase GLCC as well. The second part consists of the development of a simplified mechanistic model incorporating the experimental results and behavior of dispersion of oil in water and water in oil. This will provide an insight into the hydrodynamic flow behavior and serve as the design tool for the industry. Although useful for sizing …

Deep Cryogenic Tempering (DCT) is a specialized process whereby the molecular structure of a material is ''re-trained'' through cooling to -300 F and then heating to +175-1100 F. Cryocon, Inc. (hereafter referred to as Cryocon) and RMOTC entered an agreement to test the process on oilfield production components, including rod pumps, rods, couplings, and tubing. Three Shannon Formation wells were selected (TD about 500 ft) based on their proclivity for high component wear rates. Phase 1 of the test involved operation for a nominal 120 calendar day period with standard, non-treated components. In Phase 2, treated components were installed and operated for another nominal 120 calendar day period. Different cryogenic treatment profiles were used for components in each well. Rod pumps (two treated and one untreated) were not changed between test phases. One well was operated in pumped-off condition, resulting in abnormal wear and disqualification from the test. Testing shows that cryogenic treatment reduced wear of rods, couplers, and pump barrels. Testing of production tubing produced mixed results.

The Compliance Plan Volume (Volume I) identifies project activity schedule milestones for achieving compliance with Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR). Information regarding the technical evaluation of treatment options for SRS mixed wastes is contained in the Background Volume (Volume II) and is provided for information.

This document summarizes progress on Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-99FT40718, Furnace Injection of Alkaline Sorbents for Sulfuric Acid Control, during the time period October 1, 2001 through March 31, 2002. The objective of this project is to demonstrate the use of alkaline reagents injected into the furnace of coal-fired boilers as a means of controlling sulfuric acid emissions. The coincident removal of hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid is also being determined, as is the removal of arsenic, a known poison for NO{sub X} selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts. EPRI, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), FirstEnergy Corporation, American Electric Power (AEP) and the Dravo Lime Company are project co-funders. URS Corporation is the prime contractor. This is the fifth reporting period for the subject Cooperative Agreement. During the previous (fourth) period, two long-term sorbent injection tests were conducted, one on Unit 3 at FirstEnergy's Bruce Mansfield Plant (BMP) and one on Unit 1 at AEP's Gavin Plant. Those tests determined the effectiveness of injecting alkaline slurries into the upper furnace of the boiler as a means of controlling sulfuric acid emissions from these units. The alkaline slurries tested included commercially available magnesium hydroxide slurry (Gavin Plant) and a byproduct magnesium hydroxide slurry (at …

Metal ions are critical nutrients, yet overaccumulation of these same metals can also be toxic. To maintain appropriate intracellular levels, cells require specific metal uptake systems that are subject to precise homeostatic regulation. The long-range goal of our research is to define the molecular mechanism(s) and regulation of metal ion uptake in eukaryotic cells. Integrating genetic, molecular biological and biochemical approaches, we have examined these processes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Both are proven model systems for studying fundamental cellular processes. Our work has focused on the ZIP family of metal transporters which we identified; this family has representatives in bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. IRT, one of the founding members of the ZIP family, is an essential cation transporter that is expressed in the epidermal cells of iron deficient plant roots and is responsible for uptake of iron from the soil. We now know that there are 15 ZIP genes in the Arabidopsis and the similarities among their encoded gene products. The ZIP family members display different substrate specificities for metals and different tissue distributions in Arabidopsis. Moreover, the family members respond differentially to metal deficiencies. For example, IRT1, ZIP6 and ZIP9 mRNA are …

To explore the mechanisms for formation of aromatic hydrocarbons as precursors to soot, a model system using combustion of biphenyl in a fuel rich flame is studied. The soots acquired at three different temperatures are solvent extracted and the extract characterized by both GCMS and high resolution mass spectrometry. A description of the NMR results for the whole soots has been published (1). The production of most products could be rationalized from the coupling of biphenyls and subsequent aromatic species and the addition of acetylenes to existing aromatic molecules. Early work by Badger on pyrolysis of hydrocarbons is used in developing these schemes (2). The reaction schemes to produce larger aromatic hydrocarbons will be discussed. Richter and Howard have discussed in detail potential reaction mechanisms in the formation of aromatics as precursors to soot (3).

The objective of this project is to develop an improved ultra-lightweight cement using ultra-lightweight hollow glass spheres (ULHS). This report includes results from laboratory testing of ULHS systems along with other lightweight cement systems, including foamed and sodium silicate slurries. During this project quarter, comparison studies of the three cement systems examined several properties: tensile strength, Young's modulus, and shear bond. Testing to determine the effect of temperature cycling on the shear bond properties of the cement systems was also conducted. In addition, the stress-strain behavior of the cement types was studied. This report discusses a software program that is being developed to help design ULHS cements and foamed cements.

Various nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies are being developed to study the use of ceramic coatings on components in the hot-gas path of advanced low-emission gas-fired turbines. The types of ceramic coatings include thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) and environmental barrier coatings (EBCs). TBCs are under development for vanes, blades, and combustor liners to allow hotter gas-path temperatures, and EBCs are under development to reduce environmental damage to high-temperature components made of ceramic matrix composites. The NDE methods will be used to (a) provide data to assess the reliability of new coating application processes, (b) identify defective components that could cause unscheduled outages, (c) track growth rates of defects during component use in engines, and (d) allow rational judgment for replace/repair/re-use decisions regarding components. Advances in TBC application, both electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) and air plasma spraying (APS), are allowing higher temperatures in the hot-gas path. However, as TBCs become ''prime reliant,'' their condition at scheduled or unscheduled outages must be known. NDE methods are under development to assess the condition of the TBC for pre-spall conditions. EB-PVD test samples with up to 70 thermal cycles have been studied by a newly developed method involving polarized laser back-scatter NDE. Results suggest …

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Between 1992 and 1996, the CDF and D0 experiments have collected data samples of 110 pb{sup -1} each of p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron. In the year 2001 the Tevatron commenced p{bar p} collisions again at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV with the goal of delivering an integrated luminosity of 1 fb{sup -1} per year. In the mean time the CDF and D0 detectors have undergone substantial upgrades which allow for a rich B physics program with unique capabilities. In this paper we discuss recent results and the B Physics prospects at the Tevatron with 2 fb{sup -1} of data (Run IIa) or 15 fb{sup -1} of data (Run IIa+Run IIb).

Monthly newsletter discussing news and activities related to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program, articles about weather and atmospheric phenomena, and other related topics.

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The project seeks to develop and validate a new pulverized coal combustion system to reduce utility PC boiler NOx emissions to 0.15 lb/million Btu or less without post-combustion flue gas cleaning. Work during previous reporting periods completed the design, installation, shakedown and initial PRB coal testing of a 3-million Btu/h pilot system at BBP's Pilot-Scale Combustion Facility (PSCF) in Worcester, MA. Based on these results, modifications to the gas-fired preheat combustor and PC burner were defined, along with a modified testing plan and schedule. During the current reporting period, BBP's subcontract was modified to reflect changes in the pilot testing program, and the modifications to the gas-fired preheat combustor were completed. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling approach was defined for the combined PC burner and 3-million Btu/h pilot system. Modeling of the modified gas-fired preheat combustor was also started.