A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

Coal ash, and particularly fine fly ash, remain one of the principal practical and environmental problems in coal-based power generation. In particular, submicron aerosols are identified with direct inhalation risk. Submicron ash is thought to arise from mineral vaporization during char combustion, followed by nucleation, condensation and coagulation to yield an aerosol. While aerosols are predominantly made out of volatile alkali minerals, they also can include refractory oxides that are chemically reduced to more volatile forms within the char particle and vaporized. Most of the ash of size greater than 1 {mu}m is generated by agglomeration of mineral as the char particle bums out. These two principal mechanisms are thought to account for most of the ash generated in coal combustion. Previous research has shown that various forms of coal treatment can influence the yields of fine ash from combustion. The research reported here investigates various forms of treatment, including physical coal cleaning, aerodynamic sizing, degree of grinding, and combinations of these on both aerosol yields and on yields of fine residual ash (1-4 {mu}m). The work also includes results from the combustion of artificial chars that include individual mineral elements. This research shows that these various forms of coal …

This project involves the development of an optimized, bench-scale processing circuit capable of efficiently removing trace elements from run-of-mine coals. The optimized circuit will be developed using characterization data obtained from detailed washability studies and release analyses tests conducted with several eastern US coals. The optimized circuit will incorporate a variety of conventional and advanced coal cleaning processes which are believed to be the most cost-effective and commercially viable. The coal products from the optimized circuit will be further treated with complexing agents specifically designed to extract organometallic trace elements that are difficult to remove by physical cleaning operations. Finally, innovative bioremediation schemes will be investigated as a means of controlling the release of trace elements from the process waste streams. Emphasis has been placed on the development of a processing circuit which maximizes the rejection of trace elements, minimizes the production of coal fines which are costly to process and less marketable, and minimizes the downstream impacts of the process waste streams on the environment. During the past quarter, the project work plan and all associated technical/management reports were successfully approved. Activities associated with the selection and acquisition of all three base coal samples have also been completed. Characterization …

A control methodology is developed and monitoring alternatives evaluated for controlling pressurization in a Multi- Canister Overpack for the Hanford Spent Nuclear Fuel Project. Monitoring alternative evaluations include concept description, identification of uncertainties, and identification of experimental work required for implementation. A monitoring alternative is recommended and implementation requirements, risks and start up testing associated with the recommendation are discussed.

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) seeks to address, in a cooperative manner, the environmental issues affecting the North American region and understand the linkages between environment and economy. Broadly, the goal of the CEC can be thought of as an attempt to achieve a sustainable economy concomitantly with continued economic, cultural, and technological evolution. The emerging field of industrial ecology provides a useful means for balancing the environmental and economical objectives of NAFTA. As NAFTA stimulates economic cooperation and growth, we must collectively develop mechanisms that enhance the environmental quality of the region. LLNL`s effort in industrial ecology provides the scientific basis and innovative use of technology to reconcile environmental and economic concerns. Nevertheless, these are not issues which can be resolved by a single institution. Efficient use of the linkages established by NAFTA is necessary to nurture our regional partnership which forms the basis for a sustainable environment, economy and relationship.

Anthropogenic sulfur dioxide emissions from energy-producing and metal production activities have become an important factor in better understanding the relationship between humans and the environment. Concerns about (1) acid rain effects on the environment and (2) anthropogenic aerosols affecting possible global change have prompted interest in the transformation and fate of sulfur in the environment. One step in assessing the importance of sulfur emissions is the development of a reliable regional emission inventory of sulfur as a function of time. The objective of this research effort was to create a homogeneous database for historical sulfur emission estimates for the world. The time from 1850--1990 was selected to include the period of industrialization form the time the main production of fuels and minerals began until the most recent year for which complete production data exist. This research effort attempts to correct some of the deficiencies associated with previous global sulfur emission estimates by (1) identifying those production activities that resulted in sulfur emissions by country and (2) calculating historical emission trends by country across years. An important component of this study was the comparison of the sulfur emission results with those of previous studies.

The program described in this report studies the suitability of electrodialysis-ion exchange (EDIX) to treat aqueous streams containing heavy metals and radioactive cations in a solution containing sodium and nitrates. The goal of the program was to produce a cation stream containing sodium, heavy metals, and radioactive cations; an anion stream of nitric acid free of heavy metals and radioactive cations; and a product stream that meets discharge criteria. The experimental results, described in detail, indicated that EDIX was not a suitable process for treating wastes containing metals that formed insoluble hydroxides in a basic solution; the metals precipitate in the catholyte and feed compartments, and in the cathode membrane. The test program was therefore terminated prior to completion of all planned activities. 2 refs., 22 figs., 8 tabs.

The purpose of this document is to describe the systems engineering approach and methods that will be integrated with established WHC engineering practices. The methodology promotes and ensures sound management of the SNF Project. The scope of the document encompasses the efforts needed to manage the WHC implementation of systems engineering on the SNF Project including risk management process, design authority/design agent concept, and documentation responsibilities. This implementation applies to, and is tailored to the needs of the SNF Project and all its Subprojects, including all current and future Subprojects.

A criticality safety assessment was performed in support of Project 320 for the retrieval of waste from tank 241-C-106 to tank 241-AY-102. The assessment was performed by a multi-disciplined team consisting of expertise covering the range of nuclear engineering, plutonium and nuclear waste chemistry,and physical mixing hydraulics. Technical analysis was performed to evaluate the physical and chemical behavior of fissile material in neutralized Hanford waste as well as modeling of the fluid dynamics for the retrieval activity. The team has not found evidence of any credible mechanism to attain neutronic criticality in either tank and has concluded that a criticality accident is incredible.