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2018 Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report Attachment A: Site Description

This attachment expands on the general description of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) presented in the Introduction to the Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report 2018. Included are subsections that summarize the site’s geological, hydrological, climatological, and ecological settings and the cultural resources of the NNSS. The subsections are meant to aid the reader in understanding the complex physical and biological environment of the NNSS. An adequate knowledge of the site’s environment is necessary to assess the environmental impacts of new projects, design and implement environmental monitoring activities for current site operations, and assess the impacts of site operations on the public residing in the vicinity of the NNSS. The NNSS environment contributes to several key features of the site that afford protection to the inhabitants of adjacent areas from potential exposure to radioactivity or other contaminants resulting from NNSS operations. These key features include the general remote location of the NNSS, restricted access, extended wind transport times, the great depths to slow-moving groundwater, little or no surface water, and low population density. This attachment complements the annual summary of monitoring program activities and dose assessments presented in the main body of this report.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

2019 Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report Attachment A: Site Description

This attachment expands on the general description of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) presented in the Introduction to the Nevada National Security Site Environmental Report 2019. Included are subsections that summarize the site’s geological, hydrological, climatological, and ecological settings and the cultural resources of the NNSS. The subsections are meant to aid the reader in understanding the complex physical and biological environment of the NNSS. An adequate knowledge of the site’s environment is necessary to assess the environmental impacts of new projects, design and implement environmental monitoring activities for current site operations, and assess the impacts of site operations on the public residing in the vicinity of the NNSS. The NNSS environment contributes to several key features of the site that afford protection to the inhabitants of adjacent areas from potential exposure to radioactivity or other contaminants resulting from NNSS operations. These key features include the general remote location of the NNSS, restricted access, extended wind transport times, the great depths to slow-moving groundwater, little or no surface water, and low population density. This attachment complements the annual summary of monitoring program activities and dose assessments presented in the main body of this report.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Changes in active-site geometry on X-ray photoreduction of a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase active-site copper and saccharide binding

The recently discovered lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are Cu-containing enzymes capable of degrading polysaccharide substrates oxidatively. The generally accepted first step in the LPMO reaction is the reduction of the active-site metal ion from Cu 2+ to Cu + . Here we have used a systematic diffraction data collection method to monitor structural changes in two AA9 LPMOs, one from Lentinus similis (LsAA9_A) and one from Thermoascus auranti­acus (TaAA9_A), as the active-site Cu is photoreduced in the X-ray beam. For LsAA9_A, the protein produced in two different recombinant systems was crystallized to probe the effect of post-translational modifications and different crystallization conditions on the active site and metal photoreduction. We can recommend that crystallographic studies of AA9 LPMOs wishing to address the Cu 2+ form use a total X-ray dose below 3 × 10 4 Gy, while the Cu + form can be attained using 1 × 10 6 Gy. In all cases, we observe the transition from a hexa­coordinated Cu site with two solvent-facing ligands to a T-shaped geometry with no exogenous ligands, and a clear increase of the θ 2 parameter and a decrease of the θ 3 parameter by averages of 9.2° and 8.4°, respectively, but also a slight increase in θ T . Thus, the θ 2 and θ 3 parameters are helpful diagnostics for the oxidation state of the metal in a His-brace protein. On binding of cello-oligosaccharides to LsAA9_A, regardless of the production source, the θ T parameter increases, making the Cu site less planar, while the active-site Tyr—Cu distance decreases reproducibly for the Cu 2+ form. Thus, the θ T increase found on copper reduction may bring LsAA9_A closer to an oligosaccharide-bound state and contribute to the observed higher affinity of reduced LsAA9_A for cellulosic substrates.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Site Assessment Report for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chena Site Near Fairbanks, Alaska

This report presents an analysis of the requirements for charging station installation and electric vehicle operation at the US Army Corps of Engineers - Chena Site, located in a cold weather climate in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. The report includes findings from a site visit, and a detailed electric vehicle (EV) charging site plan with cost estimates. Cost for three 50-ampere pedestal chargers located on the edge of the existing parking lot is estimated at $\$$53,100, and the cost of three 80-ampere chargers is estimated at $\$$89,400. The authors did not assess the cost of a heated garage. The USACE Chena site reaches extreme cold temperatures of -40 Degrees Celsius (-40 Degrees Fahrenheit) and below in a typical winter, often for days on end. Considerations of operating EVs as well as electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) at this site can be applicable to other cold or extremely cold locations. Interviews with EV users in cold climates and a literature review indicated that EVs operate well but have significantly decreased range compared to 21 Degrees Celsius (70 Degrees Fahrenheit) operations. Some strategies such as prewarming the vehicle while it is plugged in and using heated seats and steering wheel instead of cabin heat, can improve cold weather performance. Storing the EV in a garage would mean the battery and cabin are automatically preheated, the battery would not age as rapidly as when the vehicle is stored outside, and problems with charging the vehicle are less likely. Lowest temperate-rated Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), as electric vehicle chargers are known as, are rated to -40 Degrees Celsius (-40 Degrees Fahrenheit), and sometimes malfunction. No EVSE is rated to the temperatures that USACE Chena site experienced for more than a week in winter 2023-4, of -50 Degrees Celsius (-45 Degrees Fahrenheit) and which are typical for the area. If reliability is a must, entities may want to consider a heated garage to minimize potential problems with charging equipment. There is a companion technical report to this titled "Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Assessment in Cold-Weather Climates: A Case Study of Fairbanks, Alaska" that examines the data on EV and EVSE cold-weather functionality in more detail. (Esparza, Truffer Moudra, and Hodge 2024).

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Diagnostic assessment of reservoir response to fracturing: a case study from Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site (HFTS) in Midland Basin

Abstract This paper outlines a data collection and diagnostics case study involving multiple horizontal shale wells. We look at well production profiles using rate transient analysis, differences in near wellbore complexity, geologic variations within the area of interest, as well as compositional differences in the rocks based on cores obtained from within the stimulated reservoir. The Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site is a multi-well experiment involving stimulation of unconventional shale wells in the southeastern Midland portion of the Permian Basin. The targeted formations include both the upper as well as the middle Wolfcamp formations, also referred alternatively as Wolfcamp A and Wolfcamp B. Data integration and analysis shared in this paper help us understand the various geologic controls impacting well productivity, particularly the wide variance observed between the Wolfcamp A and Wolfcamp B formations. Rate transient analysis indicates similar system permeabilities for stimulated wells. However, we observe higher effective fracture half-lengths for upper Wolfcamp wells. Using observations from 3D seismic interpretations (such as pad scale faults) as well as petrophysical and image log data, we highlight the substantial differences in stimulation as we move along the well laterals from the heel toward the toe sections. These differences are further reconciled with observations from zones with high data density at the core locations through stimulated rock, as well as independent data such as microseismic emissions. At the test site, Wolfcamp A was found to be relatively quartz rich with significant heterogeneity whereas Wolfcamp B is richer in clay and organic content. This impacts the geomechanical characteristics of the rock mass with much higher natural fracture density in the shallower interval. Thus, the fracture growth is more uniform in the deeper interval and more heterogeneous with branching likely in upper interval. Increased complexity also leads to consistently better productivity from the wells in the shallower interval as demonstrated from RTA results. This case study is unique because it provides valuable insights from actual sampling of the stimulated zones in hydraulically fractured wells and helps understand impact of various factors that contribute toward variability in well production. The findings from this study provides insights into need for optimization of completion designs in the various Wolfcamp landing zones, such as optimization of cluster or fracture spacing in various Wolfcamp intervals. In addition, it provides a useful template for data collection and research direction in future field test sites of similar nature in unconventional reservoirs.

Energy & Fuels↗

A Versatile Approach for Quantification of Surface Site Fractions using Reaction Kinetics: The Case of CO Oxidation on Supported Ir Single Atoms and Nanoparticles

Supported metal single atom catalysts have shown unique activity and selectivity for several reactions. Investigating the reaction mechanism on single atom catalysts and unambiguous assignment of the activity and selectivity requires catalysts with exclusively single atoms. However, it is challenging to prepare pure single atom catalysts with conventional impregnation methods, which typically result in a mixture of single atoms and nanoparticles. Here, we show that owing to different reaction mechanisms on single atoms and nanoparticles, reaction kinetics can serve as a surface sensitive characterization technique for quantifying their surface site fractions. As a case study, we use CO oxidation kinetics on Ir/MgAl2O4 to quantify the surface site fractions of single atoms and nanoparticles and the results are consistent with aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure and infrared spectroscopies. Additionally, by carefully choosing the reaction conditions, the activity of single atoms (or nanoparticles) can be made dominant, enabling detection of a small fraction, or allowing a study of their reaction mechanism on a catalyst containing a mixture of single atoms and nanoparticles. These results are general and could be applied to other systems where two types of sites have different reaction mechanisms.

Single atom catalyst, Kinetics, CO oxidation, x-ra↗

Dioxygen Activation Kinetics over Distinct Cu Site Types in Cu-Chabazite Zeolites

Cu-exchanged zeolites activate dioxygen to form active sites for partial methane oxidation (PMO), nitrogen oxide decomposition, and carbon monoxide oxidation. Apparent rates of O 2 activation depend both on the intrinsic kinetics of distinct Cu site types and the distributions of such sites within a given zeolite, which depend on the density and arrangement of the framework Al atoms. In this work, we use hydrothermal synthesis methods to control the arrangement of framework Al sites in chabazite (CHA) zeolites and, in turn, the distinct Cu site types formed. Time-resolved in situ Raman spectroscopy reveals the kinetics of O 2 adsorption and activation within these well-defined Cu-CHA materials and the concomitant structural evolution of copper–oxygen (Cu x O y ) complexes, which are interpreted alongside Cu(I) oxidation kinetics extracted from in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Raman spectra of several plausible Cu x O y species simulated using density functional theory suggest that experimental spectra (λ ex = 532 nm) capture the formation of mono(μ-oxo)dicopper species (ZCuOCuZ). Transient experiments show that the timescales required to form Cu x O y structures that no longer change in Raman spectra correspond to the durations of oxidative treatments that maximize CH 3 OH yields in stoichiometric PMO cycles (approximately 2 h). Yet, these periods extend well beyond the timescales for the complete conversion of the initial Cu(I) intermediates to their Cu(II) states (<0.3 h, reflected in X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy spectra), which demonstrates that Cu x O y complexes continue to evolve structurally following rapid Cu(I) oxidation. The dependence of ZCuOCuZ formation rates on O 2 pressure, H 2 O pressure, and temperature is consistent with a mechanism in which ZCuOH reduces to form ZCu + sites that bind molecular oxygen and form ZCu-O 2 intermediates. Subsequent reaction with proximate ZCu + forms bridging peroxo dicopper complexes that cleave O–O bonds to form ZCuOCuZ in steps facilitated by water. These data and interpretations provide evidence for the chemical processes that link rapid and kinetically irrelevant Cu oxidation steps (frequently probed by XAS and UV–vis spectroscopy) to the relatively slow genesis of reactive Cu complexes that form CH 3 OH during PMO. In doing so, we reveal previously unrecognized complexities in the processes by which Cu ions in zeolites activate O 2 to form active Cu x O y complexes, which underscore the insight afforded by judicious combinations of experimental and theoretical techniques.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

ADAR activation by inducing a syn conformation at guanosine adjacent to an editing site

Abstract ADARs (adenosine deaminases acting on RNA) can be directed to sites in the transcriptome by complementary guide strands allowing for the correction of disease-causing mutations at the RNA level. However, ADARs show bias against editing adenosines with a guanosine 5′ nearest neighbor (5′-GA sites), limiting the scope of this approach. Earlier studies suggested this effect arises from a clash in the RNA minor groove involving the 2-amino group of the guanosine adjacent to an editing site. Here we show that nucleosides capable of pairing with guanosine in a syn conformation enhance editing for 5′-GA sites. We describe the crystal structure of a fragment of human ADAR2 bound to RNA bearing a G:G pair adjacent to an editing site. The two guanosines form a Gsyn:Ganti pair solving the steric problem by flipping the 2-amino group of the guanosine adjacent to the editing site into the major groove. Also, duplexes with 2′-deoxyadenosine and 3-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosine displayed increased editing efficiency, suggesting the formation of a Gsyn:AH+anti pair. This was supported by X-ray crystallography of an ADAR complex with RNA bearing a G:3-deaza dA pair. This study shows how non-Watson–Crick pairing in duplex RNA can facilitate ADAR editing enabling the design of next generation guide strands for therapeutic RNA editing.

Doherty, Erin E.↗

Data for "Discovery, Characterization, and Application of Chromosomal Integration Sites in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus islandicus"

Sulfolobus islandicus , an emerging archaeal model organism, offers unique advantages for metabolic engineering and synthetic biology applications owing to its ability to thrive in extreme environments. Although several genetic tools have been established for this organism, the lack of well-characterized chromosomal integration sites has limited its potential as a cellular factory. Here, we systematically identified and characterized 13 artificial CRISPR RNAs targeting eight integration sites in S. islandicus using the CRISPR-COPIES pipeline and a multi-omics-informed computational workflow. We leveraged the endogenous CRISPR-Cas system to integrate the reporter gene lacS and validated heterologous expression through a β-galactosidase assay, revealing significant positional effects. As a proof of concept, we utilized these sites to genetically manipulate lipid ether composition by overexpressing glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) ring synthase B (GrsB). This study expands the genetic toolbox for S. islandicus and advances its potential as a robust platform for archaeal synthetic biology and industrial biotechnology.

AI/ML↗

Site Remediation Technology InfoBase: A Guide to Federal Programs, Information Resources, and Publications on Contaminated Site Cleanup Technologies. First Edition

Table of Contents: Federal Cleanup Programs; Federal Site Remediation Technology Development Assistance Programs; Federal Site Remediation Technology Development Electronic Data Bases; Federal Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Other Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Other Electronic Resources for Site Remediation Technology Information; Selected Bibliography: Federal Publication on Alternative and Innovative Site Remediation; and Appendix: Technology Program Contacts.

INFORMATION RESOURCES↗

Development of Methane Emissions Model to Assess Fuel Recovery Potential at Gas Well Sites Using On Site Compression

The U.S. natural gas production and consumption has increased 85.5% since 2005 primarily due to the unconventional production methods of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Natural gas used as a fuel has a lower greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint than coal and petroleum due to lower Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions when combusted. However, the “greener” benefit to natural gas may be negated by leaks in production and transmission systems. Methane (CH4), the primary hydrocarbon in natural gas, has an estimated Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 28-36 over 100 years, meaning it can absorb 28-36 more energy than CO2 which has a GWP of 1.0. Natural gas well sites are prone to methane emissions, or leaks and irregular gas releases, vented to atmosphere throughout production and transmission. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has recently granted West Virginia University (WVU) funding under agreement DE-FOA-0002005, to “Advance technologies to mitigate methane emissions and increase the efficiency of the natural gas transportation infrastructure”. As part of this funding WVU was tasked with identifying and quantifying sources of methane emissions at unconventional well sites, processing this data, and developing a system to recapture these emissions. A 0-D Simulink model was developed, utilizing standardized methodologies, data from previously conducted studies, as well as collected data from well sites in the Marcellus shale play region. The model was developed to predict emission rates from various components at natural gas well sites as well as the potential to utilize these emissions as fuel for the natural gas powered compressor engines on-site. This model was utilized to run high, medium, and low cases for four identified emission sources, engine size, pneumatic controller count, liquid level production which dictates tank emissions, and compressor packing vent emissions. Due to discrepancies in transient tank emission data, a high and low emission factor for tanks was used, resulting in two sets of 81 executed cases, and 162 unique cases of total site emissions and potential for fuel consumption. Each of the cases were run over 86,400 seconds at a 1 Hz, representative of a full 24 hour day of operation. The fuel consumption offset an average of 557% of fuel consumption on an energy density basis across all 81 cases with the high tank emission factor with a maximum offset of 2334%. The fuel consumption offset was an average of 82.9% for all 81 cases with the low tank emission factor with a maximum offset of 337%. This study highlights flaws in the use of publicly available methane number calculations to determine natural gas’s suitability as an engine fuel as well as the lack of public data for transient liquid storage tank emissions.

03 NATURAL GAS↗