From its inception in 1972, one of the goals of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) was to reduce the incidental mortality of dolphins in the ETP tuna fishery. Regulations promulgated under MMPA authority set standards for tuna seining and motivated technological improvements that reduced dolphin mortalities in this fishery -- by 1977, annual dolphin mortality by U.S. tuna seiners had declined to about 25,450 animals. Despite the extensive mortalities, no ETP dolphin population has been listed as endangered or threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. However, two ETP dolphin stocks were listed as depleted under the MMPA.

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 Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents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.

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 Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents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.

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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether filing of appeal bond, or affidavit of inability in lieu thereof, excuses justice court appellant from requirements of rule 143a.

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification;Clarification of Letter Opinion No.97-77(ID# 39747).

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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Division of authority over the selection of prospective jurors between a district clerk and a jury administrator (RQ-2178)

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Methane oxidative coupling experiments were conducted in a porous gamma alumina membrane reactor using Mn-W-Na/SiOz catalyst, and its performance was compared with a packed reactor. By varying the helium flow rate and keeping the temperature, methane flow rate, and oxygen flow rate constant, the membrane reactor gave 10% higher Cz yield and 30% higher C2 selectivity than the co-feed reactor operated at the same methane conversion. At similar C2 yield and C2 selectivity, the methane conversion of the membrane reactor was 15% lower than that of a co-feed reactor. By varying the oxygen flow rate and keeping the temperature, methane flow rate, and helium flow rate constant, at the same methane conversion, the membrane reactor gave about 3% higher C2 yield and C2 selectivity than the co-feed reactor. Higher helium flow rate gave higher C2 selectivity and yield, whereas changing methane flow rate did not significantly affect the reactor performance.

It is now possible to obtain high resolution sequential photographs of the initial formation and evolution of hypervelocity metal jets formed by shaped charge devices fired in air. Researchers have been frustrated by the high velocity of the jet material and the luminous sheath of hot gases cloaking the jet that made detailed observation of the jet body extremely difficult. The camera system that provides the photographs is a large format multi-frame electro-optic camera, referred to as an IC camera (IC stands for image converter), that utilizes electro-optic shuttering, monochromatic pulsed laser illumination and bandpass filtering to provide sequential pictures (in 3D if desired) with minimal degradation due to luminous air shocks or motion blur. The large format (75mm image plane), short exposure (15 ns minimum), ruby laser illumination and bandpass filtering (monochromatic illumination while excluding extraneous light) produces clear, sharp, images of the detailed surface structure of a metal shaped charge jet during early jet formation, elongation of the jet body, jet tip evolution and subsequent particulation (breakup) of the jet body. By utilizing the new camera system in conjunction with the more traditional rotating mirror high speed cameras, pulsed radiography, and electrical sensors, a maximum amount of, often …

A new structure-property relationship is discussed which links atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) and the lattice thermal conductivity of clathrate-like compounds. For many clathrate-like compounds, in which one of the atom types is weakly bound and ''rattles'' within its atomic cage, room temperature ADP information can be used to estimate the room temperature lattice thermal conductivity, the vibration frequency of the ''rattler'', and the temperature dependence of the heat capacity. Neutron data and X-ray crystallography data, reported in the literature, are used to apply this analysis to several promising classes of thermoelectric materials.

The contribution of the F- and H-Area Seepage Basins (FHSBs) tritium releases to the tritium concentration in the Savannah River are presented in this report. WASP5 was used to simulate surface water transport for tritium releases from the FHSBs. The WASP5 model was qualified with the 1993 tritium measurements at US Highway 301. The tritium concentrations in Fourmile Branch and the Savannah River were calculated for tritium releases from FHSBs. The calculated tritium concentrations above normal environmental background in the Savannah River, resulting from FHSBs releases, drop from 1.25 pCi/ml (<10% of EPA Drinking Water Guide) in 1995 to 0.0056 pCi/ml in 2045.

The objective of this project is to retrofit a burner capable of firing microfine coal to a standard gas/oil designed industrial boiler to assess the technical and economic viability of displacing premium fuels with microfine coal. This report documents the technical aspects of this project during the fifteenth quarter (April `95 through June `95) of the program. The overall program has consisted of five major tasks: (1.0) A review of current state-of-the-art coal firing system components. (2.0) Design and experimental testing of a prototype HEACC (High Efficiency Advanced Coal Combustor) burner. (3.0) Installation and testing of a prototype HEACC system in a commercial retrofit application. (4.0) Economics evaluation of the HEACC concept for retrofit applications. (5.0) Long term demonstration under commercial user demand conditions. Task 1 through Task 4 were previously completed. Based on all the results obtained to date the ABB/Penn State team and DOE/PETC have decided to conduct a 1000 hr demonstration test (Task 5). Importantly, a decision was made to employ a new burner for the demonstration. The new burner is based on the concept called {open_quotes}Radially Stratified Flame Core (RSFC){close_quotes}, developed by MIT and licensed by ABB. Work under Task 5 of this program was started …

Laboratory testing was completed on chemical stabilization and physical encapsulation methods that are applicable (to comply with federal and state regulations) to the final disposal of both hazardous and mixed hazardous elemental mercury waste that is in either of the following categories: (1) waste generated during decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) activities on mercury-contaminated buildings, such as Building 9201-4 at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, or (2) waste stored and regulated under either the Federal Facilities Compliance Agreement or the Federal Facilities Compliance Act. Methods were used that produced copper-mercury, zinc-mercury, and sulfur-mercury materials at room temperature by dry mixing techniques. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) results for mercury on batches of both the copper-mercury and the sulfur-mercury amalgams consistently produced leachates with less than the 0.2-mg/L Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulatory limit for mercury. The results clearly showed that the reaction of mercury with sulfur at room temperature produces black mercuric sulfide, a material that is well suited for land disposal. The results also showed that the copper-mercury and zinc-mercury amalgams had major adverse properties that make them undesirable for land disposal. In particular, they reacted readily in air to form oxides and liberate elemental mercury. …

An effort is underway to provide waste inventory estimates that will serve as standard characterization source terms for the various waste management activities. As part of this effort, an evaluation of available information for single-shell tank 241-BX-111 was performed, and a best-basis inventory was established. This work follows the methodology that was established by the standard inventory task.

The MYWP technical baseline describes the work to be accomplished by the Project and the technical standards which govern that work. The Waste Management Project manages and integrates (non-TWRS) waste management activities at the site. Activities include management of Hanford wastes as well as waste transferred to Hanford from other DOE, Department of Defense, or other facilities. This work includes handling, treatment, storage, and disposition of radioactive, nonradioactive, hazardous, and mixed solid and liquid wastes. Major Waste Management Projects are the Solid Waste Project (SW), Liquid Effluents Project (LEP), and Analytical Services. Existing facilities (e.g., grout vaults and canyons) shall be evaluated for reuse for these purposes to the maximum extent possible. The paper tabulates the major facilities that interface with this Project, identifying the major facilities that generate waste, materials, or infrastructure for this Project and the major facilities that will receive waste and materials from this Project.

This report consists of 11 tables.

An effort is underway to provide waste inventory estimates that will serve as standard characterization source terms for the various waste management activities. As part of this effort, an evaluation of available information for single-shell tank 241-SX-105 was performed, and a best-basis inventory was established. This work follows the methodology that was established by the standard inventory task.

An effort is underway to provide waste inventory estimates that will serve as standard characterization source terms for the various waste management activities. As part of this effort, an evaluation of available information for single-shell tank 241-SX-112 was performed, and a best-basis, inventory was established. This work follows the methodology that was established by the standard inventory task.

An effort is underway to provide waste inventory estimates that will serve as standard characterization source terms for the various waste management activities. As part of this effort,.an evaluation of available information for single-shell tank 241-SX-111 was performed, and a best-basis inventory was established. This work follows the methodology that was established by the standard inventory task.

The Scoping Assessment addresses the need for medical isotope production and the capability of the Fast Flux Test Facility to provide such isotopes. Included in the discussion are types of isotopes used in radiopharmaceuticals, which types of cancers are targets, and in what way isotopes provide treatment and/or pain relief for patients.

An effort is underway to provide waste inventory estimates that will serve as standard characterization source terms for the various waste management activities. As part of this effort, an evaluation of available information for single-shell tank 241-SX-106 was performed, and a best-basis inventory was established. This work follows the methodology that was established by the standard inventory task.

An effort is underway to provide waste inventory estimates that will serve as standard characterization source terms for the various waste management activities. As part of this effort, an evaluation of available information for single-shell tank 241-SX-107 was performed, and a best-basis inventory was established. This work follows the methodology that was established by the standard inventory task.

Research at three locations in the southeastern US is quantifying changes in soil quality and soil carbon storage that occur during production of biomass crops compared with row crops. After three growing seasons, soil quality improved and soil carbon storage increased on plots planted to cottonwood, sycamore, sweetgum with a cover crop, switchgrass, and no-till corn. For tree crops, sequestered belowground carbon was found mainly in stumps and large roots. At the TN site, the coarse woody organic matter storage belowground was 1.3 Mg ha{sup {minus}1}yr{sup {minus}1}, of which 79% was stumps and large roots and 21% fine roots. Switchgrass at the AL site also stored considerable carbon belowground as coarse roots. Most of the carbon storage occurred mainly in the upper 30 cw although coarse roots were found to depths of greater than 60 cm. Biomass crops contributed to improvements in soil physical quality as well as increasing belowground carbon sequestration. The distribution and extent of carbon sequestration depends on the growth characteristics and age of the individual biomass crop species. Time and increasing crop maturity will determine the potential of these biomass crops to significantly contribute to the overall national goal of increasing carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse …

Four (alumina or silica) supported catalysts with nominal compositions (on mass basis) of synthesized catalysts are: (1) 100 Fe/5 Cu/6 K/139 SiO{sub 2} (2) 100 Fe/10 Cu/6 K/134 SiO{sub 2}, (3) 100 Fe/5 Cu/ K/139 Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} and (4) 100 Fe/10 Cu/6 K/134 Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} were char BET surface area measurements. The surface areas of all four catalysts are between 94 and 136 m{sup 2}/g, whereas the surface areas of alumina and silica support are 213 and 252 m{sup 2}/g, respectively. The decrease in surface area of the supports is due to pore filling and blocking during the impregnation of supports with iron and promoters. During the current reporting period one slurry reactor test (SB-2337) was performed with an alumina supported catalyst with nominal composition 100 Fe/5 Cu/9 K/139 Al{sub 2}0{sub 3}, which was synthesized in our laboratory during the last quarter. The performance of this catalyst was inferior in comparison to our catalysts B (100 Fe/5 Cu/6 K/24 SiO{sub 2}) and C (100 Fe/3 Cu/4 K/16 SiO{sub 2}). Activity of the alumina supported catalyst was lower, and its catalyst deactivation rate was higher than that of the baseline catalysts B and C. The work on testing of …