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UseLATEX.cmake is a collection of script functions and examples for building LaTeX documents. It simplifies the process of building LaTeX documents, which requires the execution of multiple programs and the management of several input files. UseLATEX.cmake also provides several options to customize the LaTeX build process.
The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992, with later amendments, was enacted with the goal of reducing U.S. petroleum consumption by building a core market for alternative fuels and vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy manages three federal programs related to EPAct; the Sustainable Federal Fleets Program, the State and Alternative Fuel Provider Program, and Clean Cities. Federal agencies and State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleets are required to submit annual reports that document their compliance with the legislation. Clean Cities is a voluntary program aimed at building partnerships and providing technical expertise to encourage cities to reduce petroleum use in transportation. This study reviews the evolution of these three programs in relation to alternative fuel and vehicle markets and private sector adoption of alternative fueled vehicles to assess the impact of the programs on reduction in petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions both within the regulated fleets and through development of alternative fuel and vehicle markets. The increased availability of alternative fuels and use of alternative fuels in regulated fleets is expected to improve cities' ability to respond to and quickly recover from both local disasters and short- and long-term regional or national fuel supply interruptions. Our analysis examines the benefits as well as potential drawbacks of alternative fuel use for the resiliency of U.S. cities.
The National Laboratories are a critical partner and provide expertise in numerous aspects of the successful execution of the Direct-Feed Low Activity Waste Program. The National Laboratories are maturing the technologies of the Low-Activity Waste Pre-Treatment System (LAWPS) consistent with DOE Order 413.3B “Program and Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets” expectations. The National Laboratories continue to mature waste forms, i.e. glass and secondary waste grout, for formulations and predictions of long-term performance as inputs to performance assessments. The working processes with the National Laboratories have been developed in procurements, communications, and reporting to support the necessary delivery-based technology support. The relationship continues to evolve from planning and technology development to support of ongoing operations and integration of multiple highly coordinated facilities.
The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992, with later amendments, was enacted with the goal of reducing U.S. petroleum consumption by building a core market for alternative fuels and vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy manages three federal programs related to EPAct; the Sustainable Federal Fleets Program, the State and Alternative Fuel Provider Program, and Clean Cities. Federal agencies and State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleets are required to submit annual reports that document their compliance with the legislation. Clean Cities is a voluntary program aimed at building partnerships and providing technical expertise to encourage cities to reduce petroleum use in transportation. This study reviews the evolution of these three programs in relation to alternative fuel and vehicle markets and private sector adoption of alternative fueled vehicles to assess the impact of the programs on reduction in petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions both within the regulated fleets and through development of alternative fuel and vehicle markets. The increased availability of alternative fuels and use of alternative fuels in regulated fleets is expected to improve cities' ability to respond to and quickly recover from both local disasters and short- and long-term regional or national fuel supply interruptions. Our analysis examines the benefits as well as potential drawbacks of alternative fuel use for the resiliency of U.S. cities.
The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) prides itself on being the premier outdoor, indoor, and underground national laboratory. It is the preferred location for experiments supporting the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear weapons Stockpile Stewardship Programs, national defense programs, and national security research, development, and training programs, as well as vital programs of other federal agencies. Work at the NNSS supports the Stockpile Stewardship Program, Global and Homeland Security programs, and Environmental Management. The NNSS looks to incorporate safer work practices and continuous improvements. Unmanned Aerial Surveys (UAS) have already been implemented in areas off the NNSS for multiple uses. Using these best practices with systems catered to the NNSS would allow integration of new technology and would allow work at the NNSS to maintain the high level of quality already exhibited. The Management and Operating Contractor (M&O) has shown experience in multiple UAS platforms. Through the coordination and experience developed through these projects, the M&O can further improve the quality and cost effectiveness of services currently rendered and offer new services not currently available today. Several NNSS departments that could implement UAS technology are Emergency Response, Facility Management, Environmental Management, and Training. These departments would be able to improve their capabilities and expand personnel effectiveness with the inclusion of UASs and the information they provide.
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, a system, and a computer program product for managing metadata. The method includes determining a common characteristic of metadata entries for a plurality of files in a directory of a file system and computing a representative metadata entry for the plurality of metadata entries according to the common characteristic of the metadata entries. The plurality of metadata entries in the file system then may be represented according to the computed representative metadata entry.
This fact sheet describes geothermal energy and the Bureau of Land Management's geothermal program.
This presentation was made at the "Gasification Technology Status and Pathways for Net-Zero Carbon Economy Workshop" held on November 30, 2022. The presentation primarily focuses on TEA/LCA results that NETL has developed for coal gasification w/ & w/o CCS as well as net-zero greenhouse gas coal/biomass gasification. Full reporting of these cases is publicly available in the NETL report titled "Comparison of Commercial, State-of-the-Art, Fossil-Based Hydrogen Production Technologies," April 2022. Additionally, the presentation describes current NETL work in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) Gasification Program in the areas of TEA/LCA/Markets analysis of biomass/MSW/waste plastics gasification to achieve cost reductions for net-zero H2 production.
The Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management (DOE EM) program has invested in site specific advisory boards since 1994. These boards have served as a portal to the communities surrounding the DOE sites, provided a key avenue for public involvement, and have actively engaged in providing input and feedback that has informed clean up and priority decisions made by EM. Although the EM program has made considerable progress in completing its mission, work will continue for decades, including work at the Savannah River Site (SRS). It is reasonable to assume the advisory boards will continue in their role providing input and feedback to EM. The SRS Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) formed in 1994 and has issued 298 recommendations through September 2012. Although the effectiveness of the board is not measured by the number of recommendations issued, the recommendations themselves serve to illustrate the areas in which the CAB is particularly interested, and offer insight to the overall effectiveness of the CAB as a means for public participation in the EM decision making process. (authors)
An automated groundwater monitoring system for the detection of uranyl ion in groundwater was deployed at the 300 Area Industrial Complex, Hanford Site, Washington. The research was conducted to determine if at-site, automated monitoring of contaminant movement in the subsurface is a viable alternative to the baseline manual sampling and analytical laboratory assay methods currently employed. The monitoring system used Arsenazo III, a colorimetric chelating compound, for the detection of the uranyl ion. The analytical system had a limit of quantification of approximately 10 parts per billion (ppb, μg/L). The EPA's drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL) is 30 ppb [1]. In addition to the uranyl ion assay, the system was capable of acquiring temperature, conductivity, and river level data. The system was fully automated and could be operated remotely. The system was capable of collecting water samples from four sampling sources, quantifying the uranyl ion, and periodically performing a calibration of the analytical cell. The system communications were accomplished by way of cellular data link with the information transmitted through the internet. Four water sample sources were selected for the investigation: one location provided samples of Columbia River water, and the remaining three sources provided groundwater from aquifer sampling tubes positioned in a vertical array at the Columbia River shoreline. The typical sampling schedule was to sample the four locations twice per day with one calibration check per day. This paper outlines the instrumentation employed, the operation of the instrumentation, and analytical results for a period of time between July and August, 2012. The presentation includes the uranyl ion concentration and conductivity results from the automated sampling/analysis system, along with a comparison between the automated monitor's analytical performance and an independent laboratory analysis. Benefits of using the automated system as an alternative to traditional sample collection and analysis includes the following: - Field observations that provide more characterization information than is possible using traditional monitoring methods. - Potentially significant reductions in labor and analytical costs if traditional methods are complemented by automated systems. - The reduced cost of acquiring samples will allow for more frequent collection of samples that may be automatically introduced into real-time graphical flux programs allowing site managers to observe the changes in contaminant concentrations during remediation projects and across discrete river stage events. (authors)
The waste inventory to be taken into account for the design of the Cigeo project is defined in the industrial program for waste management established in cooperation between nuclear operators (EDF, AREVA, CEA) and Andra. This waste inventory has been constituted with a list of different families of radioactive waste packages from High Level Waste (HLW) to Intermediate Level Long-lived Waste (IL-LLW). IL-LLW include a large variety of items such as structural elements from fuel assemblies (cladding from the fuel rods called 'hulls', end pieces called 'end caps' and assembly spacer grids, etc.), sludge from effluent treatment or miscellaneous equipment (filters, pumps, etc.). Most ILLW (except solidified sludges) are basically metallic but organic and inorganic components such as plastics (cellulose, PVC...) and salts may also be included. The rules used for designing Cigeo are based on the separation of waste having different physico-chemical characteristics in different cells. However it could be possible to dispose of waste packages with different physico-chemical characteristics in the same cell if we can demonstrate that a type of waste does not generate significant physico-chemical perturbations on other co-stored families. The first step of our analysis has been the identification of categories of materials present in waste likely to interact with each other. The second step consisted in analysing qualitatively the physico-chemical interactions between these materials. In the third step, we defined criteria allowing evaluation of the consequences of these interactions on (i) gas production (mainly H{sub 2}), (ii) radionuclide release and transfer and (iii) degradation of concrete components of the disposal cell. We built then a table allowing qualitative comparison of the consequences of the interactions between the materials types defined in the first step. The conclusion of this study shows that it is necessary to pay a very careful attention before disposing of waste packages containing organic components nearby waste packages containing actinides radionuclides. The geochemical phenomena coupling must also be quantitatively evaluated so as to analyse possible interaction processes between the released organic compounds and the cementitious components of the cells, the near-field clay-stone and the radionuclides migration. (authors)
The National Laboratories are a critical partner and provide expertise in numerous aspects of the successful execution of the Direct-Feed Low Activity Waste Program. The National Laboratories are maturing the technologies of the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System consistent with DOE Order 413.3B, 'Program and Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Assets', expectations. The National Laboratories continue to mature waste forms, i.e., glass and secondary waste grout, for formulations and predictions of long-term performance as inputs to performance assessments. The working processes with the National Laboratories have been developed in procurements, communications, and reporting to support the necessary delivery-based technology support. The relationship continues to evolve from planning and technology development to support of ongoing operations and integration of multiple highly coordinated facilities. (authors)
The Material Management and Minimization Program (formerly known as the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor Program) is responsible for converting research reactors that use highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuels to ones that use low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuels. As part of the development of LEU fuels, a variety of irradiation experiments are being conducted using the Advanced Test Reactor. In addition to the reactor tests, there is interest in generating information about the transient behavior of irradiated fuel plates. For example, it is of interest to determine the temperature at which a blister will form on the surface of a fuel plate, due to fission gas release from the fuel meat, for a particular fuel plate design. Since in-pile testing to determine the 'blister threshold' (the temperature where a blister forms on the surface of a fuel plate) in plate-type fuel is very difficult and expensive and has historically been deemed impractical for fuel qualification testing, an out-of-pile 'blister test' has been developed and employed. This post-irradiation blister anneal test was developed as a conservative simulation of in-pile behavior and has been routinely used for many research reactor fuel designs currently in use. In this test, the irradiated fuel plate is inserted into a furnace at a given temperature, soaked for a period of time, and removed for inspection. If no visible blisters appear, the furnace temperature is increased, and the plate is soaked and inspected again. This process continues until blisters are observed. Recently, a section from an irradiated U-7Mo dispersion fuel plate with Al-4043 matrix, which has a nominal composition of 4.81Si-0.20Fe-0.14Ti-0.16Cu-0.01Cr 0.01Mn-bal Al, was tested in a furnace located in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility, located at the Idaho National Laboratory, up to 500 deg. C, at which point blisters were observed on the surface of the fuel plate section. A sample near the blistered region of the fuel plate section was then characterized using scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This paper discusses the results of this characterization and how they compare to those generated for a similar sample characterized after fabrication but before irradiation and for a sample characterized after irradiation but before furnace testing. One goal of this work is to identify the changes in the microstructure during blister testing that contribute to the eventual release of fission gas that results in the development of blisters. SEM analysis of the furnace-tested sample showed that in some locations of the U-7Mo particles, Al-4043 matrix constituents (primarily Si) had penetrated the microstructure along grain boundaries. This provided potential pathways for increased fission gas migration in the fuel meat microstructure during the furnace heating process. Some attack of these boundaries was also observed in the as-fabricated U-7Mo/Al-4043 sample, but there appeared to be additional attack during the furnace annealing. Besides the changes observed in grain boundary features, the TEM analysis showed that the fission gas bubbles that are typically present in the intra-granular regions of the as-irradiated U-7Mo microstructure as a fission gas bubble superlattice had changed in size, morphology, and distribution. The result of this may be an increase in the mobility of the fission gas in intra-granular regions of the fuel. The complete implications of the changes in fission gas morphology and distribution in the fuel meat microstructure and their impact on blistering continues to be investigated. (authors)
The recognition that agricultural systems provide services beyond food production has motivated federal legislation and associated programs that promote sustainable management and conservation of productive working lands. This study evaluates the ability of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT), which has been used to determine eligibility for enrollment in the Conservation Stewardship Program, to reflect changes in ecosystem services resulting from the use of conservation management practices on croplands. This work evaluates four macroconcerns or outcomes (soil erosion, soil quality, water quality, and air quality) that are quantified within the tool by comparing CMT scores tabulated according to practices reported by farmers involved in grain producing operations in the US Midwest with soil health measures (dynamic soil properties [DSPs]) determined on 72 Illinois farm fields. Three management practice categories-Conventional, Conservation, and Organic-were evaluated. The CMT identified significant differences among management categories, and scores ranked consistently higher for Organic than Conventional or Conservation systems. Direct analysis of DSPs suggested that there were relatively small differences among soil health indicators measured on farms under varied management; this implies that the CMT might be overemphasizing the influence of selected management practices. The evaluation of multivariate relationships between the practices scored in the CMT and DSPs revealed that soil properties like soil pH and particulate organic matter-carbon (POM-C) can be used to improve the accuracy of the tool. They also show how relationships between questions (practices) and outcomes suggested by DSPs vary among farming categories and suggest this type of practice-based tool should be adapted by embedding factors to scale farming systems or, preferably, by adding questions that better describe important factors (e.g., plant productivity and fertilizer timing, rate, and form of application) and their interactions with other factors known to influence specific outcomes. This work shows how field data describing practices, properties, and outcomes can be used to statistically evaluate and refine conservation scoring tools.
Whiteshell Laboratories (WL) is a nuclear research site in Canada that was commissioned in 1964 by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. It covers a total area of approximately 4,375 hectares (10,800 acres) and includes the main campus site, the Waste Management Area (WMA) and outer areas of land identified as not used for or impacted by nuclear development or operations. The WL site employed up to 1100 staff. Site activities included the successful operation of a 60 MW organic liquid-cooled research reactor from 1965 to 1985, and various research programs including reactor safety research, small reactor development, fuel development, biophysics and radiation applications, as well as work under the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program. In 1997, AECL made a business decision to discontinue research programs and operations at WL, and obtained government concurrence in 1998. The Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program (NLLP) was established in 2006 by the Canadian Government to remediate nuclear legacy liabilities in a safe and cost effective manner, including the WL site. The NLLP is being implemented by AECL under the governance of a Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)/AECL Joint Oversight Committee (JOC). Significant progress has since been made, and the WL site currently holds the only Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) nuclear research site decommissioning license in Canada. The current decommissioning license is in place until the end of 2018. The present schedule planned for main campus decommissioning is 30 years (to 2037), followed by institutional control of the WMA until a National plan is implemented for the long-term management of nuclear waste. There is an impetus to advance work and complete decommissioning sooner. To accomplish this, AECL has added significant resources, reorganized and moved to a projectized environment. This presentation outlines changes made to the organization, the tools implemented to foster projectization, and the benefits and positive impacts on schedule and delivery. A revised organizational structure was implemented in two phases, starting 2011 April 1, to align WL staff with the common goal of decommissioning the site through the direction of the WL Decommissioning Project General Manager. On 2011 September 1, the second phase of the reorganization was implemented and WL Decommissioning staff was organized under five Divisions: Programs and Regulatory Compliance, General Site Services, Decommissioning Strategic Planning, Nuclear Facilities and Project Delivery. A new Mission, Vision and Objectives were developed for the project, and several productivity enhancements are being implemented. These include the use of an integrated and fully re-sourced Site Wide Schedule that is updated and reviewed at Plan-of-the-Week meetings, improved work distribution throughout the year, eliminating scheduling 'push' mentality, project scoreboards, work planning implementation, lean practices and various process improvement initiatives. A revised Strategic Plan is under development that reflects the improved project delivery capabilities. As a result of these initiatives, and a culture change towards a projectized approach, the decommissioning schedule will be advanced by approximately 10 years. (authors)
The Nuclear Material Management & Storage (NMM&S) program at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) have the responsibility for the life-cycle management of accountable nuclear materials (NM) in accordance with Department of Energy (DOE) Order 410.2, “Management of Nuclear Materials” and for ensuring workers are protected from exposure to nuclear materials stored outside of an authorized shipping package under DOE Manual 441.1-1. To ensure these responsibilities were addressed in an effective, concise, and secure manner the development of NMM&S databases was undertaken. Using the existing database server structure and data acquired from the official Material Control & Accountability (MC&A) accounting program development of two separate applications, one for O 410.2 inventory requirements (NMIA) and one for M441, were begun in September 2015. The databases were deployed onto the production server in January 2017. The inventory database allows for entering NM characterization data, production of O 410.2 reports, and the ability to retain history files. The M441 database screens NM to determine if it is subject to the manual's requirements, ability to pull in unclassified RadCon materials, and provide reports as required by NMM&S, NM owners, and headquarters programs. These two databases provide NMM&S the ability to better ensure safe and secure packaging, storage, stabilization, consolidation, or disposition of NM and achieve life-cycle management goals.
Over the past 20 years the NIH has funded individual grants, program projects grants, and clinical trials which have been instrumental in advancing patient care. The ways that each grant mechanism lends itself to the different phases of translating research into clinical practice will be described. Major technological innovations, such as IMRT and proton therapy, have been advanced with R01-type and P01-type funding and will be discussed. Similarly, the role of program project grants in identifying and addressing key hypotheses on the potential of 3D conformal therapy, normal tissue-guided dose escalation and motion management will be described. An overview will be provided regarding how these technological innovations have been applied to multi-institutional NIH-sponsored trials. Finally, the panel will discuss regarding which research questions should be funded by the NIH to inspire the next advances in radiation therapy. Learning Objectives: Understand the different funding mechanisms of the NIH Learn about research advances that have led to innovation in delivery Review achievements due to NIH-funded program project grants in radiotherapy over the past 20 years Understand example advances achieved with multi-institutional clinical trials NIH.
This Nevada Nuclear Security Site Environmental Report (NNSSER) was prepared to satisfy DOE Order DOE O 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting.” Its purpose is to (1) report compliance status with environmental standards and requirements, (2) present results of environmental monitoring of radiological and nonradiological effluents, (3) report estimated radiological doses to the public from releases of radioactive material, (4) summarize environmental incidents of noncompliance and actions taken in response to them, (5) describe the NNSA/NFO Environmental Management System and characterize its performance, and (6) highlight significant environmental programs and efforts.This NNSSER summarizes data and compliance status for calendar year 2014 at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) (formerly the Nevada Test Site) and its two support facilities, the North Las Vegas Facility (NLVF) and the Remote Sensing Laboratory–Nellis (RSL-Nellis). It also addresses environmental restoration (ER) projects conducted at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) and the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). Through a Memorandum of Agreement, NNSA/NFO is responsible for the oversight of these ER projects, and the Sandia Field Office of NNSA (NNSA/SFO) has oversight of all other TTR and NTTR activities. NNSA/SFO produces the TTR annual environmental report, which is available at http://www.sandia.gov/news/publications/environmental/index.html.Major Site Programs and Facilities NNSA/NFO directs the management and operation of the NNSS and six sites across the nation. The six sites include two in Nevada (NLVF and RSL-Nellis) and four in other states (RSL-Andrews in Maryland, Livermore Operations in California, Los Alamos Operations in New Mexico, and Special Technologies Laboratory in California). Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia National Laboratories are the principal organizations that sponsor and implement the nuclear weapons programs at the NNSS. National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), is the current Management and Operating contractor accountable for the successful execution of work and ensuring that work is performed in compliance with environmental regulations. The six sites all provide support to enhance the NNSS as a location for weapons experimentation and nuclear test readiness. The three major NNSS missions include National Security/Defense, Environmental Management, and Nondefense. The major programs that support these missions are Stockpile Stewardship and Management, Nonproliferation and Counterterrorism, Nuclear Emergency Response, Strategic Partnership Projects, Environmental Restoration, Waste Management, Conservation and Renewable Energy, Other Research and Development, and Infrastructure. The major facilities that support the programs include the U1a Facility, Big Explosives Experimental Facility (BEEF), Device Assembly Facility, Dense Plasma Focus Facility, Joint Actinide Shock Physics Experimental Research Facility, Radiological/Nuclear Countermeasures Test and Evaluation Complex, Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex (NPTEC), Radiological/Nuclear Weapons of Mass Destruction Incident Exercise Site (known as the T-1 Site), Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC), and the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS).