Oil and Gas Development in Southwestern Wyoming - Energy Data and Services for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI)

Science.gov (United States)

Biewick, Laura

2009-01-01

The purpose of this report is to explore current oil and gas energy development in the area encompassing the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative. The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative is a long-term science-based effort to ensure southwestern Wyoming's wildlife and habitat remain viable in areas facing development pressure. Wyoming encompasses some of the highest quality wildlife habitats in the Intermountain West. At the same time, this region is an important source of natural gas. Using Geographic Information System technology, energy data pertinent to the conservation decision-making process have been assembled to show historical oil and gas exploration and production in southwestern Wyoming. In addition to historical data, estimates of undiscovered oil and gas are included from the 2002 U.S. Geological Survey National Assessment of Oil and Gas in the Southwestern Wyoming Province. This report is meant to facilitate the integration of existing data with new knowledge and technologies to analyze energy resources development and to assist in habitat conservation planning. The well and assessment data can be accessed and shared among many different clients including, but not limited to, an online web-service for scientists and resource managers engaged in the Initiative.

South Carolina DOE/EPSCoR energy-related graduate research traineeships. Progress performance report, September 30, 1991--September 29, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durig, J.R.

1992-09-01

The three primary objectives of the DOE/EPSCOR Traineeship Grant are to increase the number of US graduates with training in energy-related disciplines; to provide training and research experience through active participation in on-going energy research programs; and to ensure that the trainees obtain a broader understanding of energy-related research and technology.

76 FR 34815 - Wyoming Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-14

... Revegetation Success Standards listed by post-mine land use categories. Wyoming also proposed to combine the... document. B. Minor Wording, Editorial, Punctuation, Grammatical, and Recodification Changes to Previously Approved Regulations Wyoming proposed minor wording, editorial, punctuation, grammatical, and...

Environmental Survey preliminary report, Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, Casper, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-02-01

This report presents the preliminary environmental findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming (NPOSR-CUW) conducted June 6 through 17, 1988. NPOSR consists of the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 3 (NPR-3) in Wyoming, the Naval Oil Shale Reserves No. 1 and 3 (NOSR-1 and NOSR-3) in Colorado and the Naval Oil Shale Reserve No. 2 (NOSR-2) in Utah. NOSR-2 was not included in the Survey because it had not been actively exploited at the time of the on-site Survey. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, lead and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team specialists are outside experts being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with NPOSR. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at NPOSR and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team has developed a Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing specific environmental problems identified at NOSR-3 during the on-site Survey. There were no findings associated with either NPR-3 or NOSR-1 that required Survey-related sampling and Analysis. The Sampling and Analysis Plan will be executed by Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the Environmental Survey Summary report. The Summary Report will reflect the final determinations of the NPOSR-CUW Survey and the other DOE site-specific Surveys. 110 refs., 38 figs., 24 tabs.

Conversion of Low-Rank Wyoming Coals into Gasoline by Direct Liquefaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polyakov, Oleg

2013-12-31

Under the cooperative agreement program of DOE and funding from Wyoming State’s Clean Coal Task Force, Western Research Institute and Thermosolv LLC studied the direct conversion of Wyoming coals and coal-lignin mixed feeds into liquid fuels in conditions highly relevant to practice. During the Phase I, catalytic direct liquefaction of sub-bituminous Wyoming coals was investigated. The process conditions and catalysts were identified that lead to a significant increase of desirable oil fraction in the products. The Phase II work focused on systematic study of solvothermal depolymerization (STD) and direct liquefaction (DCL) of carbonaceous feedstocks. The effect of the reaction conditions (the nature of solvent, solvent/lignin ratio, temperature, pressure, heating rate, and residence time) on STD was investigated. The effect of a number of various additives (including lignin, model lignin compounds, lignin-derivable chemicals, and inorganic radical initiators), solvents, and catalysts on DCL has been studied. Although a significant progress has been achieved in developing solvothermal depolymerization, the side reactions – formation of considerable amounts of char and gaseous products – as well as other drawbacks do not render aqueous media as the most appropriate choice for commercial implementation of STD for processing coals and lignins. The trends and effects discovered in DCL point at the specific features of liquefaction mechanism that are currently underutilized yet could be exploited to intensify the process. A judicious choice of catalysts, solvents, and additives might enable practical and economically efficient direct conversion of Wyoming coals into liquid fuels.

76 FR 80310 - Wyoming Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-23

... violator system or AVS,'' ``Control or controller,'' ``Notice of violation,'' and ``Own, owner or ownership... related AVS entry requirements); and Chapter 16, Section 2(h) and (j) (notification requirements related to Wyoming's enforcement regulations and AVS entry requirements). Wyoming also addresses four...

South Carolina DOE/EPSCoR energy-related graduate research traineeships. [Progress Performance Report for period September 30, 1991 to September 29, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durig, J.R.

1992-01-01

The three primary objectives of the DOE/EPSCOR Traineeship Grant are to increase the number of US graduates with training in energy-related disciplines; to provide training and research experience through active participation in on-going energy research programs; and to ensure that the trainees obtain a broader understanding of energy-related research and technology.

Characterization of Crushed Base Materials in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-01

To improve the pavement design and construction in Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is adopting the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). A full implementation of MEPDG requires the characterization of local cr...

Wyoming's uranium industry: status, impacts, and trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

The Mineral Division of the Wyoming Department of Economic Planning and Development (DEPAD) commissioned a study in July 1978 of the uranium industry in Wyoming. The study was conducted for the purposes of determining the status, impacts, and future activities of the uranium industry in the State; and to assist in establishing a data base for monitoring programs and related planning activities by State and federal agencies. Another objective of the study was to enhance understanding of the uranium industry in Wyoming by public officials, industrial leaders, and the general public

Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah, 2017

Science.gov (United States)

Schenk, Christopher J.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Woodall, Cheryl A.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Le, Phuong A.; Klett, Timothy R.; Gaswirth, Stephanie B.; Finn, Thomas M.; Marra, Kristen R.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.

2018-02-16

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable resources of 26 million barrels of oil and 700 billion cubic feet of gas in the Wyoming Thrust Belt Province, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING MODELS FOR CULTURAL RESOURCES IN OIL & GAS FIELDS IN NEW MEXICO AND WYOMING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peggy Robinson

2005-01-01

This report summarizes activities that have taken place in the last 6 months (July 2004-December 2004) under the DOE-NETL cooperative agreement ''Adaptive Management and Planning Models for Cultural Resources in Oil and Gas Fields, New Mexico and Wyoming'' DE-FC26-02NT15445. This project examines the practices and results of cultural resource investigation and management in two different oil and gas producing areas of the US: southeastern New Mexico and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. The project evaluates how cultural resource investigations have been conducted in the past and considers how investigation and management could be pursued differently in the future. The study relies upon full database population for cultural resource inventories and resources and geomorphological studies. These are the basis for analysis of cultural resource occurrence, strategies for finding and evaluating cultural resources, and recommendations for future management practices. Activities can be summarized as occurring in either Wyoming or New Mexico.

Uranium in the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative study area, southwestern Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Anna B.

2015-10-20

Wyoming has led the nation as the producer of uranium ore since 1995 and contains the largest reserves of any state. Approximately one third of Wyoming’s total production came from deposits in, or immediately adjacent to, the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) study area in the southwestern corner of the state including all of Carbon, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta, and parts of southern Fremont Counties. Conventional open-pit and underground mining methods were employed in the study area until the early 1990s. Since the early 1990s, all uranium mining has been by in-situ recovery (also called in-situ leach). It is estimated that statewide remaining resources of 141,000 tonnes of uranium are about twice the 84,000 tonnes of uranium that the state has already produced.

Greater sage-grouse population trends across Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Edmunds, David; Aldridge, Cameron L.; O'Donnell, Michael; Monroe, Adrian

2018-01-01

The scale at which analyses are performed can have an effect on model results and often one scale does not accurately describe the ecological phenomena of interest (e.g., population trends) for wide-ranging species: yet, most ecological studies are performed at a single, arbitrary scale. To best determine local and regional trends for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Wyoming, USA, we modeled density-independent and -dependent population growth across multiple spatial scales relevant to management and conservation (Core Areas [habitat encompassing approximately 83% of the sage-grouse population on ∼24% of surface area in Wyoming], local Working Groups [7 regional areas for which groups of local experts are tasked with implementing Wyoming's statewide sage-grouse conservation plan at the local level], Core Area status (Core Area vs. Non-Core Area) by Working Groups, and Core Areas by Working Groups). Our goal was to determine the influence of fine-scale population trends (Core Areas) on larger-scale populations (Working Group Areas). We modeled the natural log of change in population size ( peak M lek counts) by time to calculate the finite rate of population growth (λ) for each population of interest from 1993 to 2015. We found that in general when Core Area status (Core Area vs. Non-Core Area) was investigated by Working Group Area, the 2 populations trended similarly and agreed with the overall trend of the Working Group Area. However, at the finer scale where Core Areas were analyzed separately, Core Areas within the same Working Group Area often trended differently and a few large Core Areas could influence the overall Working Group Area trend and mask trends occurring in smaller Core Areas. Relatively close fine-scale populations of sage-grouse can trend differently, indicating that large-scale trends may not accurately depict what is occurring across the landscape (e.g., local effects of gas and oil fields may be masked by increasing

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING MODELS FOR CULTURAL RESOURCES IN OIL & GAS FIELDS IN NEW MEXICO AND WYOMING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peggy Robinson

2005-07-01

This report summarizes activities that have taken place in the last six (6) months (January 2005-June 2005) under the DOE-NETL cooperative agreement ''Adaptive Management and Planning Models for Cultural Resources in Oil and Gas Fields, New Mexico and Wyoming'' DE-FC26-02NT15445. This project examines the practices and results of cultural resource investigation and management in two different oil and gas producing areas of the United States: southeastern New Mexico and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. The project evaluates how cultural resource investigations have been conducted in the past and considers how investigation and management could be pursued differently in the future. The study relies upon full database population for cultural resource inventories and resources and geomorphological studies. These are the basis for analysis of cultural resource occurrence, strategies for finding and evaluating cultural resources, and recommendations for future management practices. Activities can be summarized as occurring in either Wyoming or New Mexico. Gnomon as project lead, worked in both areas.

Wyoming's Early Settlement and Ethnic Groups, Unit IV.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Terry

This unit on Wyoming's early settlement and ethnic groups provides concepts, activities, stories, charts, and graphs for elementary school students. Concepts include the attraction Wyoming held for trappers; the major social, economic, and religious event called "The Rendezvous"; the different ethnic and religious groups that presently…

78 FR 63243 - Notice of Public Meeting; Wyoming Resource Advisory Council

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-23

... Wyoming's ``A Landscape Discussion on Energy Law in Wyoming,'' and follow-up to previous meetings. On..., November 13, ``A Landscape Discussion on Energy Law in Wyoming'' begins at 8:00 a.m. Members of the public... and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land...

Aeronautics Education, Research, and Industry Alliance (AERIAL) Progress Report and Proposal for Funding Continuation NASA Nebraska EPSCoR

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Brent; Fink, Mary; Gogos, George; Moussavi, Massoum; Nickerson, Jocelyn; Rundquist, Donald; Russell, Valerie; Tarry, Scott

2004-01-01

The Aeronautics Education, Research, and Industry Alliance (AERIAL), which began as a comprehensive, multi-faceted NASA EPSCoR 2000 initiative, has contributed substantially to the strategic research and technology priorities of NASA, while intensifying Nebraska's rapidly growing aeronautics research and development endeavors. AERIAL has enabled Nebraska researchers to: (a) continue strengthening their collaborative relationships with NASA Field Centers, Codes, and Enterprises; (b) increase the capacity of higher education throughout Nebraska to invigorate and expand aeronautics research; and (c) expedite the development of aeronautics-related research infrastructure and industry in the state. Nebraska has placed emphasis on successfully securing additional funds from non-EPSCoR and non-NASA sources. AERIAL researchers have aggressively pursued additional funding opportunities offered by NASA, industry, and other agencies. This report contains a summary of AERIAL's activities and accomplishments during its first three years of implementation.

Asset management for Wyoming counties : volume I, II, III.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

Vol. 1: In the fall of 2003, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and the Wyoming T2/LTAP Center (T2/LTAP) began planning an asset management program to assist counties impacted by oil and gas drilling with management of their road system...

Effect of fungicides on Wyoming big sagebrush seed germination

Science.gov (United States)

Robert D. Cox; Lance H. Kosberg; Nancy L. Shaw; Stuart P. Hardegree

2011-01-01

Germination tests of Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young [Asteraceae]) seeds often exhibit fungal contamination, but the use of fungicides should be avoided because fungicides may artificially inhibit germination. We tested the effect of seed-applied fungicides on germination of Wyoming big sagebrush at 2 different...

Environmental assessment of ground-water compliance activities at the Uranium Mill Tailings Site, Spook, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-02-01

This report assesses the environmental impacts of the Uranium Mill Tailings Site at Spook, Wyoming on ground water. DOE previously characterized the site and monitoring data were collected during the surface remediation. The ground water compliance strategy is to perform no further remediation at the site since the ground water in the aquifer is neither a current nor potential source of drinking water. Under the no-action alternative, certain regulatory requirements would not be met

Spatial mapping and attribution of Wyoming wind turbines

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, Michael S.; Fancher, Tammy S.

2010-01-01

This Wyoming wind-turbine data set represents locations of wind turbines found within Wyoming as of August 1, 2009. Each wind turbine is assigned to a wind farm. For each turbine, this report contains information about the following: potential megawatt output, rotor diameter, hub height, rotor height, land ownership, county, wind farm power capacity, the number of units currently associated with its wind farm, the wind turbine manufacturer and model, the wind farm developer, the owner of the wind farm, the current purchaser of power from the wind farm, the year the wind farm went online, and the status of its operation. Some attributes are estimates based on information that was obtained through the American Wind Energy Association and miscellaneous online reports. The locations are derived from August 2009 true-color aerial photographs made by the National Agriculture Imagery Program; the photographs have a positional accuracy of approximately ?5 meters. The location of wind turbines under construction during the development of this data set will likely be less accurate than the location of turbines already completed. The original purpose for developing the data presented here was to evaluate the effect of wind energy development on seasonal habitat used by greater sage-grouse. Additionally, these data will provide a planning tool for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative Science Team and for other wildlife- and habitat-related projects underway at the U.S. Geological Survey's Fort Collins Science Center. Specifically, these data will be used to quantify disturbance of the landscape related to wind energy as well as quantifying indirect disturbances to flora and fauna. This data set was developed for the 2010 project 'Seasonal predictive habitat models for greater sage-grouse in Wyoming.' This project's spatially explicit seasonal distribution models of sage-grouse in Wyoming will provide resource managers with tools for conservation planning. These

Adaptive Management and Planning Models for Cultural Resources in Oil and Gas Fields in New Mexico and Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eckerle, William; Hall, Stephen

2005-12-30

In 2002, Gnomon, Inc., entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) for a project entitled, Adaptive Management and Planning Models for Cultural Resources in Oil and Gas Fields in New Mexico and Wyoming (DE-FC26-02NT15445). This project, funded through DOE’s Preferred Upstream Management Practices grant program, examined cultural resource management practices in two major oil- and gas-producing areas, southeastern New Mexico and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming (Figure 1). The purpose of this project was to examine how cultural resources have been investigated and managed and to identify more effective management practices. The project also was designed to build information technology and modeling tools to meet both current and future management needs. The goals of the project were described in the original proposal as follows: Goal 1. Create seamless information systems for the project areas. Goal 2. Examine what we have learned from archaeological work in the southeastern New Mexico oil fields and whether there are better ways to gain additional knowledge more rapidly or at a lower cost. Goal 3. Provide useful sensitivity models for planning, management, and as guidelines for field investigations. Goal 4. Integrate management, investigation, and decision- making in a real-time electronic system. Gnomon, Inc., in partnership with the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office (WYSHPO) and Western GeoArch Research, carried out the Wyoming portion of the project. SRI Foundation, in partnership with the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division (NMHPD), Statistical Research, Inc., and Red Rock Geological Enterprises, completed the New Mexico component of the project. Both the New Mexico and Wyoming summaries concluded with recommendations how cultural resource management (CRM) processes might be modified based on the findings of this research.

Wyoming State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-10-01

The Wyoming State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Wyoming. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Wyoming. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Wyoming.

Wyoming State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

The Wyoming State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Wyoming. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Wyoming. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Wyoming

75 FR 5108 - Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-01

... Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains Repository, Laramie, WY AGENCY: National Park Service... funerary objects in the possession and control of the University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human... of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains Repository professional staff in consultation with...

76 FR 14058 - Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-15

...: University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains Repository, Laramie, WY AGENCY: National Park... in the possession and control of the University of Wyoming Anthropology Department, Human Remains... made by University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains Repository, professional staff in...

Employment Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Wyoming

OpenAIRE

Mallory, Christy; Sears, Brad

2015-01-01

About 8,900 LGBT workers in Wyoming are not explicitly protected from discrimination under state or federal laws. Discrimination against LGBT employees in Wyoming has recently been documented in surveys, court cases, and other sources. Many corporate employers and public opinion in the state support protections for LGBT people in the workplace. If sexual orientation and gender identity were added to existing statewide non-discrimination laws, four more complaints would be filed in Wyoming eac...

Residential Energy Efficiency Potential: Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, Eric J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-11-27

Energy used by Wyoming single-family homes that can be saved through cost-effective improvements. Prepared by Eric Wilson and Noel Merket, NREL, and Erin Boyd, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis.

Mathematics Efficacy and Professional Development Needs of Wyoming Agricultural Education Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Haynes, J. Chris; Stripling, Christopher T.

2014-01-01

School-based agricultural education programs provide contextualized learning environments for the teaching of core academic subject matter. This study sought to examine the mathematics efficacy and professional development needs of Wyoming agricultural education teachers related to teaching contextualized mathematics. Wyoming agricultural…

Environmental assessment for the Hoe Creek underground, Coal Gasification Test Site Remediation, Campbell County, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-10-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared this EA to assess environmental and human health Issues and to determine potential impacts associated with the proposed Hoe Creek Underground Coal Gasification Test Site Remediation that would be performed at the Hoe Creek site in Campbell County, Wyoming. The Hoe Creek site is located south-southwest of the town of Gillette, Wyoming, and encompasses 71 acres of public land under the stewardship of the Bureau of Land Management. The proposed action identified in the EA is for the DOE to perform air sparging with bioremediation at the Hoe Creek site to remove contaminants resulting from underground coal gasification (UCG) experiments performed there by the DOE in the late 1970s. The proposed action would involve drilling additional wells at two of the UCG test sites to apply oxygen or hydrogen peroxide to the subsurface to volatilize benzene dissolved in the groundwater and enhance bioremediation of non-aqueous phase liquids present in the subsurface. Other alternatives considered are site excavation to remove contaminants, continuation of the annual pump and treat actions that have been used at the site over the last ten years to limit contaminant migration, and the no action alternative. Issues examined in detail in the EA are air quality, geology, human health and safety, noise, soils, solid and hazardous waste, threatened and endangered species, vegetation, water resources, and wildlife. Details of mitigative measures that could be used to limit any detrimental effects resulting from the proposed action or any of the alternatives are discussed, and information on anticipated effects identified by other government agencies is provided.

Prevalence of and risk factors associated with ovine progressive pneumonia in Wyoming sheep flocks.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerstner, Shelley; Adamovicz, Jeffrey J; Duncan, John V; Laegreid, William W; Marshall, Katherine L; Logan, James R; Schumaker, Brant A

2015-10-15

To determine the prevalence of antibodies against small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), the causative agent of ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP), and to identify risk factors associated with OPP in Wyoming sheep flocks. Cross-sectional study. 1,415 sheep from 54 flocks in Wyoming. Flocks were surveyed as part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) 2011 sheep study. Serum samples obtained from sheep in Wyoming were analyzed for anti-SRLV antibodies by use of a competitive-inhibition ELISA. The prevalence of seropositive animals overall and within each flock was calculated. Respective associations between flock OPP status and various demographic and management variables were assessed. The estimated prevalence of sheep seropositive for anti-SRLV antibodies and OPP-infected flocks in Wyoming was 18.0% and 47.5%, respectively. Within OPP-infected flocks, the prevalence of seropositive sheep ranged from 3.9% to 96%. Flocks maintained on nonfenced range were more likely to be infected with OPP than were flocks maintained on fenced range (OR, 3.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 10.7). The estimated prevalence of OPP-infected flocks in Wyoming did not vary substantially from that at the regional or national level reported in the NAHMS 2001 sheep study. Compared with results of the NAHMS 2011 sheep study, Wyoming producers were more familiar with OPP than were other US sheep producers, but only 61% of Wyoming producers surveyed reported being very or somewhat familiar with the disease. Results indicated that OPP is prevalent in many Wyoming sheep flocks, which suggested that continued efforts are necessary to increase producer knowledge about the disease and investigate practices to minimize economic losses associated with OPP.

U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2012 annual report

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Bern, Carleton R.; Biewick, Laura; Boughton, Gregory K.; Carr, Natasha B.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Clark, Melanie L.; Fedy, Bradford C.; Foster, Katharine; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Hethcoat, Matthew G.; Homer, Collin G.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Keinath, Douglas; Latysh, Natalie; Manier, Daniel J.; McDougal, Robert R.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Kirk A.; Montag, Jessica; Potter, Christopher J.; Schell, Spencer; Shafer, Sarah L.; Smith, David B.; Sweat, Michael J.; Wilson, Anna B.

2014-01-01

Southwest Wyoming contains abundant energy resources, wildlife, habitat, open spaces, and outdoor recreational opportunities. Although energy exploration and development have been taking place in the region since the late 1800s, the pace of development for fossil fuels and renewable energy increased significantly in the early 2000s. This and the associated urban and exurban development are leading to landscape-level environmental and socioeconomic changes that have the potential to diminish wildlife habitat and other natural resources, and the quality of human lives, in Southwest Wyoming. The potential for negative effects of these changes prompted Federal, State, and local agencies to undertake the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative for Southwest Wyoming.

Geothermal energy in Wyoming: site data base and development status

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, R.W.

1979-04-01

An overview of geothermal energy and its current and potential uses in Wyoming is presented. Chapters on each region are concluded with a summary of thermal springs in the region. The uniqueness of Yellowstone is discussed from both an institutional point of view and a natural one. The institutional situation at the federal and state level is discussed as it applies to geothermal development in Wyoming. (MHR)

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Residential Provisions of the 2015 IECC for Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendon, Vrushali V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhao, Mingjie [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Taylor, Zachary T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Poehlman, Eric A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-02-15

The 2015 IECC provides cost-effective savings for residential buildings in Wyoming. Moving to the 2015 IECC from the 2009 IECC base code is cost-effective for residential buildings in all climate zones in Wyoming.

Banking Wyoming big sagebrush seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Robert P. Karrfalt; Nancy Shaw

2013-01-01

Five commercially produced seed lots of Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. var. wyomingensis (Beetle & Young) S.L. Welsh [Asteraceae]) were stored under various conditions for 5 y. Purity, moisture content as measured by equilibrium relative humidity, and storage temperature were all important factors to successful seed storage. Our results indicate...

Case studies on direct liquefaction of low rank Wyoming coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adler, P.; Kramer, S.J.; Poddar, S.K. [Bechtel Corp., San Francisco, CA (United States)

1995-12-31

Previous Studies have developed process designs, costs, and economics for the direct liquefaction of Illinois No. 6 and Wyoming Black Thunder coals at mine-mouth plants. This investigation concerns two case studies related to the liquefaction of Wyoming Black Thunder coal. The first study showed that reducing the coal liquefaction reactor design pressure from 3300 to 1000 psig could reduce the crude oil equivalent price by 2.1 $/bbl provided equivalent performing catalysts can be developed. The second one showed that incentives may exist for locating a facility that liquifies Wyoming coal on the Gulf Coast because of lower construction costs and higher labor productivity. These incentives are dependent upon the relative values of the cost of shipping the coal to the Gulf Coast and the increased product revenues that may be obtained by distributing the liquid products among several nearby refineries.

Wyoming CV Pilot Traveler Information Message Sample

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — This dataset contains a sample of the sanitized Traveler Information Messages (TIM) being generated by the Wyoming Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot. The full set of TIMs...

Uranium assessment for the Precambrian pebble conglomerates in southeastern Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgman, L.E.; Sever, C.; Quimby, W.F.; Andrew, M.E.; Karlstrom, K.E.; Houston, R.S.

1981-03-01

This volume is a geostatistical resource estimate of uranium and thorium in quartz-pebble conglomerates, and is a companion to Volume 1: The Geology and Uranium Potential to Precambrian Conglomerates in the Medicine Bow Mountains and Sierra Madre of Southeastern Wyoming; and to Volume 2: Drill-Hole Data, Drill-Site Geology, and Geochemical Data from the Study of Precambrian Uraniferous Conglomerates of the Medicine Bow Mountains and the Sierra Madre of Southeastern Wyoming

Economics and a novel voltage conversion technique associated with exporting Wyoming's energy by HVDC transmission

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Kaili

Wyoming is by far the largest coal producing state in the US, but local utilization is extremely low. As much as 92% of Wyoming's coal is shipped to the other states and is mainly consumed by their electricity producers. Coal accounts for more than 50% of the US electricity generation and is one of the least expensive energy sources. Wyoming could utilize its coal better by exporting electricity instead of exporting the coal only in its raw form. Natural gas is another important energy resource in Wyoming but local utilization is even lower. As a result of the development in coalbed methane fields, natural gas production in Wyoming is almost in pace with its coal production. In addition to constructing more new pipelines, new transmission lines should be considered as an alternative way of exporting this energy. Because of their enormous electricity market sizes and high electricity prices, California, Texas and Illinois are chosen to be the target markets for Wyoming's electricity. The proposed transmission schemes use High Voltage DC (HVDC) lines, which are suitable for long distance and cross-system power transmission. Technical and economic feasibilities are studied in details. The Wyoming-California scheme has a better return of investment than both the Wyoming-Texas and the Wyoming-Illinois schemes. A major drawback of HVDC transmission is the high level of harmonics generated by the converters. Elaborate filtering is required at both the AC and the DC sides. A novel pulse-multiplication method is proposed in the thesis to reduce the harmonics from the converter source. By introducing an averaging inductor, the proposed method uses less thyristors to achieve the same high-pulse operation as the existing series scheme. The reduction of thyristors makes the switching circuit more reliable and easier to control and maintain. Harmonic analysis shows that the harmonic level can be reduced to about one third of the original system. The proposed method is also

Wyoming's "Education Reform & Cost Study."

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Joseph B.

A history of education in the state of Wyoming, along with a description of recent legislative initiatives, are presented in this paper. It opens with statewide reorganizations begun in the 1960s that unified school districts and equalized property valuation. A decade later a court order ruled the system inequitable and new laws provided for a…

76 FR 36040 - Wyoming Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-21

... SMCRA, clarify ambiguities, and improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Wyoming program and proposed amendment to that program are available for your [[Page... is available for you to read at the locations listed above under ADDRESSES. III. Public Comment...

78 FR 13004 - Wyoming Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-26

... (definitions related to ownership and control including ``Applicant violator system or AVS,'' ``Control or... information, review of permit history, review of compliance history, and related AVS entry requirements); and... and AVS entry requirements). Wyoming also proposes to add a provision which allows for variable...

Ammonia emission inventory for the state of Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirchstetter, Thomas W.; Maser, Colette R.; Brown, Nancy J.

2003-12-17

Ammonia (NH{sub 3}) is the only significant gaseous base in the atmosphere and it has a variety of impacts as an atmospheric pollutant, including the formation of secondary aerosol particles: ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate. NH{sub 3} preferentially forms ammonium sulfate; consequently ammonium nitrate aerosol formation may be limited by the availability of NH{sub 3}. Understanding the impact of emissions of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen on visibility, therefore, requires accurately determined ammonia emission inventories for use in air quality models, upon which regulatory and policy decisions increasingly depend. This report presents an emission inventory of NH{sub 3} for the state of Wyoming. The inventory is temporally and spatially resolved at the monthly and county level, and is comprised of emissions from individual sources in ten categories: livestock, fertilizer, domestic animals, wild animals, wildfires, soil, industry, mobile sources, humans, and publicly owned treatment works. The Wyoming NH{sub 3} inventory was developed using the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Ammonia Model as framework. Current Wyoming-specific activity data and emissions factors obtained from state agencies and published literature were assessed and used as inputs to the CMU Ammonia Model. Biogenic emissions from soils comprise about three-quarters of the Wyoming NH{sub 3} inventory, though emission factors from soils are highly uncertain. Published emission factors are scarce and based on limited measurements. In Wyoming, agricultural land, rangeland, and forests comprise 96% of the land area and essentially all of the estimated emissions from soils. Future research on emission rates of NH{sub 3} for these land categories may lead to a substantial change in the magnitude of soil emissions, a different inventory composition, and reduced uncertainty in the inventory. While many NH{sub 3} inventories include annual emissions, air quality modeling studies require finer temporal

76 FR 14057 - Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-15

...: University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains Repository, Laramie, WY AGENCY: National Park... Anthropology Department, Human Remains Repository, Laramie, WY. The human remains and associated funerary... the human remains was made by University of Wyoming, Anthropology Department, Human Remains Repository...

76 FR 3926 - Notice and Request for Comments: LSC Elimination of the Nevada, South Dakota, and Wyoming Migrant...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-21

... Dakota, and Wyoming Migrant Service Areas Beginning April 1, 2011 AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments--LSC Elimination of the Nevada, South Dakota, and Wyoming Migrant... Wyoming migrant service areas: MNV, MSD, and MWY, effective April 1, 2011, because any eligible migrant...

High wind warning system for Bordeaux, Wyoming.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

"The state of Wyoming has frequent severe wind conditions, particularly in the southeast corner of the state along Interstate : 80 and Interstate 25. The high winds are problematic in many ways including, interfering with the performance of the : tra...

78 FR 16204 - Wyoming Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-14

... efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Wyoming program and proposed amendment to... penalties). The full text of the program amendment is available for you to read at the locations listed... hearing, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. We will arrange the location and...

77 FR 55529 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming From the...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-10

... background information is also available online at http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf... allowing the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission (WGFC) to diminish Wyoming's Wolf Trophy Game Management Area... minimum levels. In early 2011, we began discussions with Wyoming seeking to develop a strategy to address...

Jobs and Economic Development from New Transmission and Generation in Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lantz, Eric [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Tegen, Suzanne [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2011-03-31

This report is intended to inform policymakers, local government officials, and Wyoming residents about the jobs and economic development activity that could occur should new infrastructure investments in Wyoming move forward. The report and analysis presented is not a projection or a forecast of what will happen. Instead, the report uses a hypothetical deployment scenario and economic modeling tools to estimate the jobs and economic activity likely associated with these projects if or when they are built.

Jobs and Economic Development from New Transmission and Generation in Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lantz, E.; Tegen, S.

2011-03-01

This report is intended to inform policymakers, local government officials, and Wyoming residents about the jobs and economic development activity that could occur should new infrastructure investments in Wyoming move forward. The report and analysis presented is not a projection or a forecast of what will happen. Instead, the report uses a hypothetical deployment scenario and economic modeling tools to estimate the jobs and economic activity likely associated with these projects if or when they are built.

Fens and their rare plants in the Beartooth Mountains, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnie Heidel; Walter Fertig; Sabine Mellmann-Brown; Kent E. Houston; Kathleen A. Dwire

2017-01-01

Fens are common wetlands in the Beartooth Mountains on the Shoshone National Forest, Clarks Fork Ranger District, in Park County, Wyoming. Fens harbor plant species found in no other habitats, and some rare plants occurring in Beartooth fens are found nowhere else in Wyoming. This report summarizes the studies on Beartooth fens from 1962 to 2009, which have contributed...

WYOMING MENTAL ABILITY SURVEY, 1957-58.

Science.gov (United States)

LINFORD, VELMA

A STATEWIDE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN WYOMING FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISCOVERING THE EXTENT OF MENTAL RETARDATION AMONG ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS IN THE STATE, DETERMINING WHERE THE MENTALLY RETARDED ARE FOUND, AND PLANNING AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR THEM. GROUP MENTAL TESTS WERE APPLIED TO 67,620 CHILDREN WHICH REPRESENTED 91.8 PERCENT OF THE…

Site qualification studies of the UCG-SDB at North Knobs, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, B.E.; Krajewski, S.A.; Ahner, P.F.; Avasthi, J.M.; Dolde, M.E.; Greenman, C.A.; Miranda, J.E.

1979-01-01

The site qualification program for the North Knobs UCG site near Rawlins, Wyoming has been completed. This site will be the location for the field tests of Underground Coal Gasification of Steeply Dipping Beds undertaken by Gulf Research and Development Company for DOE in a cost shared contract. Site characterization included a comprehensive geotechnical analysis along with vegetation, historical, and archeological studies. The G coal seam chosen for these tests is a subbituminous B coal with a true seam thickness of 22 feet and has thin coal benches above and below the main seam. The water table is at 90 feet below the surface. Hydrologic studies have defined the seam as an aquiclude (non-aquifer). The site is deemed restorable to regulatory requirements. Evaluation of this site indicates total acceptability for the three-test program planned by GR and DC.

Influence of container size on Wyoming big sagebrush seedling morphology and cold hardiness

Science.gov (United States)

Kayla R. Herriman; Anthony S. Davis; R. Kasten Dumroese

2009-01-01

Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is a key component of sagebrush steppe ecosystems and is a dominant shrub throughout the western United States. Our objective was to identify the effect of container size on plant morphology of Wyoming big sagebrush. We used three different stocktypes (45/340 ml [20 in3], 60/250 ml [15 in3], 112/105 ml [6....

Energy map of southwestern Wyoming, Part B: oil and gas, oil shale, uranium, and solar

Science.gov (United States)

Biewick, Laura R.H.; Wilson, Anna B.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has compiled Part B of the Energy Map of Southwestern Wyoming for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI). Part B consists of oil and gas, oil shale, uranium, and solar energy resource information in support of the WLCI. The WLCI represents the USGS partnership with other Department of the Interior Bureaus, State and local agencies, industry, academia, and private landowners, all of whom collaborate to maintain healthy landscapes, sustain wildlife, and preserve recreational and grazing uses while developing energy resources in southwestern Wyoming. This product is the second and final part of the Energy Map of Southwestern Wyoming series (also see USGS Data Series 683, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/683/), and encompasses all of Carbon, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, and Uinta Counties, as well as areas in Fremont County that are in the Great Divide and Green River Basins.

78 FR 25484 - License Amendment for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Bear Creek Facility, Converse County, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-01

... Petroleum Corporation, Bear Creek Facility, Converse County, Wyoming AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.... 47 for its Bear Creek Uranium Mill facility in Converse County, Wyoming. The NRC has prepared an... INFORMATION: I. Background The Bear Creek Uranium Mill operated from September 1977 until January 1986, and...

The history of dinosaur footprint discoveries in Wyoming with emphasis on the Bighorn Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Kvale, Erik P.; Mickelson, Debra L.; Hasiotis, Stephen T; Johnson, Gary D.

2003-01-01

Dinosaur traces are well known from the western United States in the Colorado Plateau region (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona). Utah contains the greatest abundance of known and documented dinosaur footprints and trackways. Far less well known, however, is the occurrence and distribution of dinosaur footprint-bearing horizons in Wyoming. Scientific studies over the past 10 years have shown that three of the four Middle and Upper Jurassic formations in northern Wyoming contain dinosaur footprints. Two of the footprint-bearing horizons are located in geologic intervals that were once thought to have been deposited in offshore to nearshore marine settings and represent rare North American examples of Middle Jurassic (Bajocian and Bathonian) dinosaur remains. Some of these new Wyoming sites can be correlated to known dinosaur footprint-bearing horizons or intervals in Utah. Wyoming has a great potential for additional discoveries of new dinosaur footprint-bearing horizons, and further prospecting and study is warranted and will ultimately lead to a much better understanding of the geographic distribution and behavior of the potential footprint-makers.

Woody fuels reduction in Wyoming big sagebrush communities

Science.gov (United States)

Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young) ecosystems historically have been subject to disturbances that reduce or remove shrubs primarily by fire, although insect outbreaks and disease have also been important. Depending on site productivity, fire return in...

Gas desorption and adsorption isotherm studies of coals in the Powder River basin, Wyoming and adjacent basins in Wyoming and North Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

Stricker, Gary D.; Flores, Romeo M.; McGarry, Dwain E.; Stillwell, Dean P.; Hoppe, Daniel J.; Stillwell, Cathy R.; Ochs, Alan M.; Ellis, Margaret S.; Osvald, Karl S.; Taylor, Sharon L.; Thorvaldson, Marjorie C.; Trippi, Michael H.; Grose, Sherry D.; Crockett, Fred J.; Shariff, Asghar J.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the State Office, Reservoir Management Group (RMG), of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Casper (Wyoming), investigated the coalbed methane resources (CBM) in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana, from 1999 to the present. Beginning in late 1999, the study also included the Williston Basin in Montana and North and South Dakota and Green River Basin and Big Horn Basin in Wyoming. The rapid development of CBM (referred to as coalbed natural gas by the BLM) during the early 1990s, and the lack of sufficient data for the BLM to fully assess and manage the resource in the Powder River Basin, in particular, gave impetus to the cooperative program. An integral part of the joint USGS-BLM project was the participation of 25 gas operators that entered individually into confidential agreements with the USGS, and whose cooperation was essential to the study. The arrangements were for the gas operators to drill and core coal-bed reservoirs at their cost, and for the USGS and BLM personnel to then desorb, analyze, and interpret the coal data with joint funding by the two agencies. Upon completion of analyses by the USGS, the data were to be shared with both the BLM and the gas operator that supplied the core, and then to be released or published 1 yr after the report was submitted to the operator.

Geology of photo linear elements, Great Divide Basin, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Blackstone, D. L., Jr.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Ground examination of photo linear elements in the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming indicates little if any tectonic control. Aeolian aspects are more widespread and pervasive than previously considered.

The Earthworms (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae)of Wyoming, USA, Revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

This survey of the earthworms from 22 of the 23 counties of Wyoming recorded 13 species of terrestrial Oligochaeta, all members of the family Lumbricidae. One of these species, Aporrectodea limicola, is reported for the first time from the state. Current nomenclature is applied to historical records...

Final environmental statement related to the United Nuclear Corporation, Morton Ranch, Wyoming Uranium Mill (Converse County, Wyoming)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-02-01

Impacts from Morton Ranch Uranium Mill will result in: alterations of up to 270 acres occupied by the mill facilities; increase in the existing background radiation levels; socioeconomic effects on Glenrock and Douglas, Wyoming. Solid waste material (tailings solids) from the mill will be deposited onsite in exhausted surface mine pits. Any license issued for the Morton Ranch mill will be subject to conditions for the protection of the environment.

Final environmental statement related to the United Nuclear Corporation, Morton Ranch, Wyoming Uranium Mill (Converse County, Wyoming)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-02-01

Impacts from Morton Ranch Uranium Mill will result in: alterations of up to 270 acres occupied by the mill facilities; increase in the existing background radiation levels; socioeconomic effects on Glenrock and Douglas, Wyoming. Solid waste material (tailings solids) from the mill will be deposited onsite in exhausted surface mine pits. Any license issued for the Morton Ranch mill will be subject to conditions for the protection of the environment

Rancher and farmer quality of life in the midst of energy development in southwest Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Leslie; Montag, Jessica; Lyon, Katie; Soileau, Suzanna; Schuster, Rudy

2014-01-01

Quality of life (QOL) is usually defined as a person’s general well-being, and may include individual perceptions of a variety of factors such family, work, finances, local community services, community relationships, surrounding environment, and other important aspects of their life, ultimately leading to life satisfaction. Energy development can have an effect on QOL components for rural residents. Southwest Wyoming is a rural area with a history of ranching and farming which continues today. This area has also seen a “boom” of increasing wind, solar, oil and gas energy developments over the past decade. Wyoming Department of Agriculture, as part of the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI), sponsored research to examine the effect of energy development on ranchers’ and farmers’ quality of life.

78 FR 23951 - Powder River Regional Coal Team Activities: Notice of Public Meeting in Casper, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-23

... meeting is open to the public. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation... Right Lease Applications in New Mexico held by Ark Land Company, for competitive bidding rights in Wyoming, pursuant to 43 CFR part 3435. 5. Discussion on updating the Data Adequacy Standards for the...

Weatherization: Wyoming's Hidden Resource; Weatherization Assistance Close-Up Fact Sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

Wyoming demonstrates its commitment to technology and efficiency through the Weatherization Program. Weatherization uses advanced technologies and techniques to reduce energy costs for low-income families by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes

77 FR 25664 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming From the...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

..., Wyoming clarified that the buffer would be applied solely within Wyoming's portion of the population in... 2 gray wolves, and specify that each permit can only apply to a specified limited geographic or... source of take is limited in time and geography. Similarly, State regulations indicate that purported...

Weather conditions associated with autumn migration by mule deer in Wyoming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chadwick D. Rittenhouse

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Maintaining ecological integrity necessitates a proactive approach of identifying and acquiring lands to conserve unfragmented landscapes, as well as evaluating existing mitigation strategies to increase connectivity in fragmented landscapes. The increased use of highway underpasses and overpasses to restore connectivity for wildlife species offers clear conservation benefits, yet also presents a unique opportunity to understand how weather conditions may impact movement of wildlife species. We used remote camera observations (19,480 from an existing wildlife highway underpass in Wyoming and daily meteorological observations to quantify weather conditions associated with autumn migration of mule deer in 2009 and 2010. We identified minimal daily temperature and snow depth as proximate cues associated with mule deer migration to winter range. These weather cues were consistent across does and bucks, but differed slightly by year. Additionally, extreme early season snow depth or cold temperature events appear to be associated with onset of migration. This information will assist wildlife managers and transportation officials as they plan future projects to maintain and enhance migration routes for mule deer.

Use of dye tracing in water-resources investigations in Wyoming, 1967-94

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, J.F.; Rankl, J.G.

1996-01-01

During 1967-94, the U.S. Geological Survey made numerous applications of dye tracing for water-resources investigations in Wyoming. Many of the dye tests were done in cooperation with other agencies. Results of all applications, including some previously unpublished, are described. A chronology of past applications in Wyoming and a discussion of potential future applications are included. Time-of-travel and dispersion measurements were made in a 113-mile reach of the Wind/Bighorn River below Boysen Dam; a 117-mile reach of the Green River upstream from Fontenelle Reservoir and a 70-mile reach downstream; parts of four tributaries to the Green (East Fork River, 39 miles; Big Sandy River, 112 miles; Horse Creek, 14 miles; and Blacks Fork, 14 miles); a 75-mile reach of the Little Snake River along the Wyoming-Colorado State line; and a 95-mile reach of the North Platte River downstream from Casper. Reaeration measurements were made during one of the time-of-travel measurements in the North Platte River. Sixty-eight dye-dilution measurements of stream discharge were made at 22 different sites. These included 17 measurements for verifying the stage-discharge relations for streamflow-gaging stations on North and South Brush Creeks near Saratoga, and total of 29 discharge measurements at 12 new stations at remote sites on steep, rough mountain streams crossing limestone outcrops in northeastern Wyoming. The largest discharge measured by dye tracing was 2,300 cubic feet per second. In karst terrane, four losing streams-North Fork Powder River, North Fork Crazy Woman Creek, Little Tongue River, and Smith Creek-were dye-tested. In the Middle Popo Agie River, a sinking stream in Sinks Canyon State Park, a dye test verified the connection of the sink (Sinks of Lander Cave) to the rise, where flow in the stream resumes.

Digital Learning Compass: Distance Education State Almanac 2017. Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Seaman, Julia E.; Seaman, Jeff

2017-01-01

This brief report uses data collected under the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Fall Enrollment survey to highlight distance education data in the state of Wyoming. The sample for this analysis is comprised of all active, degree-granting…

Progress performance report of clean uses of fossil fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Todd, Jr., Lee T.; Boggess, Ronald J.; Carson, Ronald J.; Falkenberg, Virginia P.; Flanagan, Patrick; Hettinger, Jr., William P.; Kimel, Kris; Kupchella, Charles E.; Magid, Lee J.; McLaughlin, Barbara; Royster, Wimberly C.; Streepey, Judi L.; Wells, James H.; Stencel, John; Derbyshire, Frank J.; Hanley, Thomas R.; Magid, Lee J.; McEllistrem, Marc T.; Riley, John T.; Steffen, Joseph M.

1992-01-01

A one-year USDOE/EPSCOR Traineeship Grant, entitled Clean Uses of Fossil Fuels.'' was awarded to the Kentucky EPSCoR Committee in September 1991 and administered through the the DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee. Ten Traineeships were awarded to doctoral students who are enrolled or accepted into Graduate Programs at either the University of Kentucky or the University of Louisville. The disciplines of these students include Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Geological Sciences, and Physics. The methods used for a statewide proposal solicitation and to award the Traineeships are presented. The review panel and Kentucky DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee involved in awarding the Traineeships are described. A summary of the proposed research to be performed within these awards is presented, along with a description of the qualifications of the faculty and students who proposed projects. Future efforts to increase participation in Traineeship proposals for the succeeding funding period are outlined.

Progress performance report of clean uses of fossil fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-09-01

A one-year USDOE/EPSCOR Traineeship Grant, entitled ``Clean Uses of Fossil Fuels.`` was awarded to the Kentucky EPSCoR Committee in September 1991 and administered through the the DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee. Ten Traineeships were awarded to doctoral students who are enrolled or accepted into Graduate Programs at either the University of Kentucky or the University of Louisville. The disciplines of these students include Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Geological Sciences, and Physics. The methods used for a statewide proposal solicitation and to award the Traineeships are presented. The review panel and Kentucky DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee involved in awarding the Traineeships are described. A summary of the proposed research to be performed within these awards is presented, along with a description of the qualifications of the faculty and students who proposed projects. Future efforts to increase participation in Traineeship proposals for the succeeding funding period are outlined.

78 FR 56769 - Genesee & Wyoming Inc.-Corporate Family Transaction Exemption

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-13

... unnecessary intermediate subsidiaries, which will save unnecessary accounting and corporate maintenance. This... Inc.--Corporate Family Transaction Exemption Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI), a noncarrier holding company, filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(3) for a corporate family transaction...

Wyoming geo-notes No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glass, G.B.

1984-01-01

After a general overview of the mineral industry in Wyoming, activities and data are given on petroleum, natural gas, coal, uranium, trona, thorium, and other industrial minerals, metals, and precious stones. Coal production figures by county and basin are given. Maps are included showing regions containing subbituminous, bituminous, lignite, and strippable deposits of coal; major active and inactive uranium deposits; oil, gas, and oil shale deposits and pipeline corridors; and selected mineral occurrences of bentonite, trona, and jade. Production forecasts are given for uranium, trona, oil, gas, and coal. Reserve estimates are given for petroleum, natural gas, coal, trona, uranium, and oil shale. 8 references, 4 figures, 7 tables

Wyoming Carbon Capture and Storage Institute

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nealon, Teresa

2014-06-30

This report outlines the accomplishments of the Wyoming Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technology Institute (WCTI), including creating a website and online course catalog, sponsoring technology transfer workshops, reaching out to interested parties via news briefs and engaging in marketing activities, i.e., advertising and participating in tradeshows. We conclude that the success of WCTI was hampered by the lack of a market. Because there were no supporting financial incentives to store carbon, the private sector had no reason to incur the extra expense of training their staff to implement carbon storage. ii

Distribution and pathogenicity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in boreal toads from the grand teton area of western wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, P.J.; St-Hilaire, S.; Bruer, S.; Corn, P.S.; Peterson, C.R.

2009-01-01

The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the skin disease chytridiomycosis, has been linked to amphibian population declines and extinctions worldwide. Bd has been implicated in recent declines of boreal toads, Bufo boreas boreas, in Colorado but populations of boreal toads in western Wyoming have high prevalence of Bd without suffering catastrophic mortality. In a field and laboratory study, we investigated the prevalence of Bd in boreal toads from the Grand Teton ecosystem (GRTE) in Wyoming and tested the pathogenicity of Bd to these toads in several environments. The pathogen was present in breeding adults at all 10 sites sampled, with a mean prevalence of 67%. In an experiment with juvenile toadlets housed individually in wet environments, 106 zoospores of Bd isolated from GRTE caused lethal disease in all Wyoming and Colorado animals within 35 days. Survival time was longer in toadlets from Wyoming than Colorado and in toadlets spending more time in dry sites. In a second trial involving Colorado toadlets exposed to 35% fewer Bd zoospores, infection peaked and subsided over 68 days with no lethal chytridiomycosis in any treatment. However, compared with drier aquaria with dry refuges, Bd infection intensity was 41% higher in more humid aquaria and 81% higher without dry refuges available. Our findings suggest that although widely infected in nature, Wyoming toads may escape chytridiomycosis due to a slight advantage in innate resistance or because their native habitat hinders Bd growth or provides more opportunities to reduce pathogen loads behaviorally than in Colorado. ?? 2009 International Association for Ecology and Health.

Habitat and nesting biology of Mountain Plovers in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Plumb, R.E.; Anderson, S.H.; Knopf, F.L.

2005-01-01

Although previous research has considered habitat associations and breeding biology of Mountain Plovers in Wyoming at discrete sites, no study has considered these attributes at a statewide scale. We located 55 Mountain Plover nests in 6 counties across Wyoming during 2002 and 2003. Nests occurred in 2 general habitat types: grassland and desert-shrub. Mean estimated hatch date was 26 June (n = 31) in 2002 and 21 June (n = 24) in 2003. Mean hatch date was not related to latitude or elevation. Hatch success of nests was inferred in 2003 by the presence of eggshell fragments in the nest scrape. Eggs in 14 of 22 (64%) known-fate nests hatched. All grassland sites and 90% of desert sites were host to ungulate grazers, although prairie dogs were absent at 64% of nest sites. Nest plots had less grass coverage and reduced grass height compared with random plots. More than 50% of nests occurred on elevated plateaus. The Mountain Plover's tendency to nest on arid, elevated plateaus further substantiates claims that the bird is also a disturbed-prairie species.

Connected vehicle pilot deployment program phase 2, data management plan - Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

2017-04-10

The Wyoming Department of Transportations (WYDOT) Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot Deployment Program is intended to develop a suite of applications that utilize vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication technology to ...

TESS Follow-up Observing Programs at the University of Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Jang-Condell, Hannah; Kasper, David; Kar, Aman; Sorber, Rebecca; Hancock, Daniel A.; Leuquire, Jacob D.; Suhaimi, Afiq; Kobulnicky, Henry A.; Pierce, Michael; Pilachowski, Catherine A.

2018-06-01

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), launched in Spring 2018, will detect thousands of new exoplanet candidates. These candidates will need to be vetted by ground-based observatories to rule out false positives. The Observatories at the University of Wyoming are well-positioned to take active roles in TESS Follow-Up Observing Program (TFOP) Working Groups. The 0.6-m Red Buttes Observatory has already demonstrated its capability to do precision photometric monitoring of transiting exoplanet targets as a participant in the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope Follow-Up Network (KELT-FUN). A new echelle spectrograph, Fiber High-Resolution Echelle (FHiRE), being built for the 2.3-m Wyoming InfraRed Observatory (WIRO), will enable precision radial velocity measurements of exoplanet candidates. Over 180 nights/year at both observatories will be available to our team to undertake follow-up observations of TESS Objects of Interest (TOIs). We anticipate making significant contributions to new exoplanet discoveries in the era of TESS.

Investigating the Multicultural Competency of a Sample of Wyoming Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Kern, Stacey L.

2016-01-01

The literature on disproportionality indicates a generally held belief that disproportionality endures, in part, because of the lack of multicultural competency in today's educators. Yet, there is a dearth of empirical evidence to support this belief. This study examined the multicultural competency of a sample of Wyoming educators in order to…

Food habits of Northern Goshawks nesting in south central Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

John R. Squires

2000-01-01

Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentiles) nesting in south central Wyoming consumed at least 33 species of prey; 14 were mammals and 19 were birds. Based on percent occurrence in regurgitated pellets, dominant (>10% frequency) prey species included: red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus; present in 50% of pellets), Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus; 34...

Application of NURE data to the study of crystalline rocks in the Wyoming uranium province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rush, S.M.; Anderson, J.R.; Bennett, J.E.

1983-03-01

The Wyoming uranium province study is a part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program conducted by Bendix Field Engineering Corporation for the US Department of Energy. The ultimate objective of the entire project is the integration of NURE and other data sources to develop a model for a uranium province centered in Wyoming. This paper presents results of the first phase of the Wyoming uranium province study, which comprises characterization of the crystalline rocks of the study area using NURE hydrogeochemical and stream-sediment data, aerial radiometric and magnetic data, and new data generated for zircons from intrusive rocks in the study area. The results of this study indicate that the stream-sediment, aerial radiometric, aerial magnetic, and zircon data are useful in characterization of the crystalline rocks of the uranium province. The methods used in this project can be applied in two ways toward the recognition of a uranium province: (1) to locate major uranium deposits and occurrences, and (2) to generally identify different crystalline rock types, particularly those that could represent significant uranium source rocks. 14 figures, 8 tables

Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Truck Crash Rates on Wyoming Highways

Science.gov (United States)

2017-05-04

M Mahdi Rezapour Mashhadi (ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0774-737X); Promothes Saha, Ph.D., P.E. (ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3298-8327); Trenna Terrill (ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5239-6380); Khaled Ksaibati, Ph.D., P.E. (ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3532-6839) Wyoming has one of th...

Instructional Design of Entrepreneurship Courses: Interview Research of Wyoming BRAVO! Entrepreneurs

Science.gov (United States)

Kolb, Belinda J.

2010-01-01

This qualitative study investigated the opportunity recognition process of Wyoming BRAVO! Entrepreneur (WBE) Award winners or nominees, in order to better inform the learner analysis and organizational strategy components of instructional design, specifically with respect to entrepreneurship courses. This study may be of significance to post…

Health hazard evaluation report HETA 92-0361-2343, M-I Drilling Fluids, Greybull, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Gilder, T.J.; Robinson, L.

1993-08-01

In response to a request from the state epidemiologist in Wyoming, an investigation was begun of two cases of acute, febrile hepatitis in employees of M-I Drilling Fluids (SIC-1459), Greybull, Wyoming. The two cases of hepatitis were caused by Coxiella-burnetii, the rickettsia which causes Q-fever. A survey of 39 workers using a self-administered questionnaire and a blood test revealed seven workers with serologic evidence of infection. Three showed evidence of recent infection and four showed evidence of past infection. The major risk factor identified through the questionnaire data was sheep ownership. Risk factors suggestive of either recent or past infection included working outdoors, operating heavy equipment, and hunting.

78 FR 21565 - Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, Wyoming to Wilmington, DE

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-11

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [MB Docket No. 13-73; RM-11695; DA 13-450] Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, Wyoming to Wilmington, DE AGENCY: Federal Communications... review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television. Federal...

Microhabitat Conditions in Wyoming's Sage-Grouse Core Areas: Effects on Nest Site Selection and Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinkins, Jonathan B; Smith, Kurt T; Beck, Jeffrey L; Kirol, Christopher P; Pratt, Aaron C; Conover, Michael R

2016-01-01

The purpose of our study was to identify microhabitat characteristics of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nest site selection and survival to determine the quality of sage-grouse habitat in 5 regions of central and southwest Wyoming associated with Wyoming's Core Area Policy. Wyoming's Core Area Policy was enacted in 2008 to reduce human disturbance near the greatest densities of sage-grouse. Our analyses aimed to assess sage-grouse nest selection and success at multiple micro-spatial scales. We obtained microhabitat data from 928 sage-grouse nest locations and 819 random microhabitat locations from 2008-2014. Nest success was estimated from 924 nests with survival data. Sage-grouse selected nests with greater sagebrush cover and height, visual obstruction, and number of small gaps between shrubs (gap size ≥0.5 m and sage-grouse were selecting different nest sites in Core Areas relative to areas outside of Core. The Kaplan-Meier nest success estimate for a 27-day incubation period was 42.0% (95% CI: 38.4-45.9%). Risk of nest failure was negatively associated with greater rock and more medium-sized gaps between shrubs (gap size ≥2.0 m and <3.0 m). Within our study areas, Wyoming's Core Areas did not have differing microhabitat quality compared to outside of Core Areas. The close proximity of our locations within and outside of Core Areas likely explained our lack of finding differences in microhabitat quality among locations within these landscapes. However, the Core Area Policy is most likely to conserve high quality habitat at larger spatial scales, which over decades may have cascading effects on microhabitat quality available between areas within and outside of Core Areas.

Home on the Range: Host Families for Developmental Disabilities in Wyoming.

Science.gov (United States)

Walling, Teresa; Potts, Bridget; Fortune, Jon; Cobb, Ginny L.; Fortune, Barbara

This report describes the outcomes of a Wyoming program that provides host families for individuals with developmental disabilities. Host families work with certified Medicaid providers of home and community-based services for people with developmental disabilities and provide residential habilitation to an adult who is accepted as a member of…

A crocodylian trace from the Lance Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Wyoming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falkingham, Peter L; Milàn, Jesper; Manning, Philip L

2010-01-01

A 1.5-m-long double sinusoidal trace from the Lance Formation of Wyoming, U.S.A, is attributed a crocodylian origin. The trace forms part of a diverse tracksite containing dinosaur and bird tracks. The double sinusoidal nature of the trace is suggested to have originated from the dual undulatory...

Wyoming big sagebrush: Efforts towards development of target plants for restoration

Science.gov (United States)

Kayla R. Herriman

2009-01-01

Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis) is a dominant shrub throughout much of the interior western United States. It is a key component of sagebrush steppe ecosystems, which have been degraded due to European settlement, improper land use, and changing fire regimes resulting from the invasion of exotic...

Occurrence of Pesticides in Ground Water of Wyoming, 1995-2006

Science.gov (United States)

Bartos, Timothy T.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Hallberg, Laura L.

2009-01-01

Little existing information was available describing pesticide occurrence in ground water of Wyoming, so the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality on behalf of the Wyoming Ground-water and Pesticides Strategy Committee, collected ground-water samples twice (during late summer/early fall and spring) from 296 wells during 1995-2006 to characterize pesticide occurrence. Sampling focused on the State's ground water that was mapped as the most vulnerable to pesticide contamination because of either inherent hydrogeologic sensitivity (for example, shallow water table or highly permeable aquifer materials) or a combination of sensitivity and associated land use. Because of variations in reporting limits among different compounds and for the same compound during this study, pesticide detections were recensored to two different assessment levels to facilitate qualitative and quantitative examination of pesticide detection frequencies - a common assessment level (CAL) of 0.07 microgram per liter and an assessment level that differed by compound, referred to herein as a compound-specific assessment level (CSAL). Because of severe data censoring (fewer than 50 percent of the data are greater than laboratory reporting limits), categorical statistical methods were used exclusively for quantitative comparisons of pesticide detection frequencies between seasons and among various natural and anthropogenic (human-related) characteristics. One or more pesticides were detected at concentrations greater than the CAL in water from about 23 percent of wells sampled in the fall and from about 22 percent of wells sampled in the spring. Mixtures of two or more pesticides occurred at concentrations greater than the CAL in about 9 percent of wells sampled in the fall and in about 10 percent of wells sampled in the spring. At least 74 percent of pesticides detected were classified as herbicides

U.S. Geological Survey Science Strategy for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Chong, Geneva W.; Drummond, Mark A.; Homer, Collin G.; Johnson, Ronald C.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Knick, Steven T.; Kosovich, John J.; Miller, Kirk A.; Owens, Tom; Shafer, Sarah L.; Sweat, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Southwest Wyoming's wildlife and habitat resources are increasingly affected by energy and urban/exurban development, climate change, and other key drivers of ecosystem change. To ensure that southwest Wyoming's wildlife populations and habitats persist in the face of development and other changes, a consortium of public resource-management agencies proposed the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI), the overall goal of which is to implement conservation actions. As the principal agency charged with conducting WLCI science, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed a Science Strategy for the WLCI. Workshops were held for all interested parties to identify and refine the most pressing management needs for achieving WLCI goals. Research approaches for addressing those needs include developing conceptual models for understanding ecosystem function, identifying key drivers of change affecting WLCI ecosystems, and conducting scientific monitoring and experimental studies to better understand ecosystems processes, cumulative effects of change, and effectiveness of habitat treatments. The management needs drive an iterative, three-phase framework developed for structuring and growing WLCI science efforts: Phase I entails synthesizing existing information to assess current conditions, determining what is already known about WLCI ecosystems, and providing a foundation for future work; Phase II entails conducting targeted research and monitoring to address gaps in data and knowledge during Phase I; and Phase III entails integrating new knowledge into WLCI activities and coordinating WLCI partners and collaborators. Throughout all three phases, information is managed and made accessible to interested parties and used to guide and improve management and conservation actions, future habitat treatments, best management practices, and other conservation activities.

DNA FROM ANCIENT STONE TOOLS AND BONES EXCAVATED AT BUGAS-HOLDING, WYOMING

Science.gov (United States)

Traces of DNA may preserve on ancient stone tools. We examined 24 chipped stone artifacts recovered from the Bugas-Holding site in northwestern Wyoming for the presence of DNA residues, and we compared DNA preservation in bones and stone tools from the same stratigraphic context...

A Study of Informal Learning among University of Wyoming Extension Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Skrabut, Stanley A.

2013-01-01

University of Wyoming Extension educators are often hired because of their subject matter expertise; yet, they must still develop education skills as well as learn to use various and ever-changing technologies. This research was conducted to understand what impact guided instruction on informal learning concepts and methods had on UW Extension…

CCR Certification Form for Wyoming or EPA R8 Tribal Community Water Systems

Science.gov (United States)

The CCR Certification Form can be used to certify that community water systems in Wyoming or on Tribal Lands in EPA Region 8 have completed and distributed their annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) or water quality report.

Wyoming uranium miners set sights on higher production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, L.

1975-01-01

The rising price of U 3 O 8 due to current shortage of supply and stiff environmental regulations on the uranium mining serve as grounds for caution in assessing the future of the uranium industry. Some projections of the need for doubled uranium production in the next 5 years have sparked much exploration and mining in Wyoming. Currently working or near-working mining operations are discussed briefly. The discussions are divided as to the company carrying out the operation-- from Exxon to small drilling contractors

Reconnaissance soil geochemistry at the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, Fremont County, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David B.; Sweat, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Soil samples were collected and chemically analyzed from the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, which lies within the Wind River Indian Reservation in Fremont County, Wyoming. Nineteen soil samples from a depth of 0 to 5 centimeters were collected in August 2011 from the site. The samples were sieved to less than 2 millimeters and analyzed for 44 major and trace elements following a near-total multi-acid extraction. Soil pH was also determined. The geochemical data were compared to a background dataset consisting of 160 soil samples previously collected from the same depth throughout the State of Wyoming as part of another ongoing study by the U.S. Geological Survey. Risk from potentially toxic elements in soil from the site to biologic receptors and humans was estimated by comparing the concentration of these elements with soil screening values established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. All 19 samples exceeded the carcinogenic human health screening level for arsenic in residential soils of 0.39 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), which represents a one-in-one-million cancer risk (median arsenic concentration in the study area is 2.7 mg/kg). All 19 samples also exceeded the lead and vanadium screening levels for birds. Eighteen of the 19 samples exceeded the manganese screening level for plants, 13 of the 19 samples exceeded the antimony screening level for mammals, and 10 of 19 samples exceeded the zinc screening level for birds. However, these exceedances are also found in soils at most locations in the Wyoming Statewide soil database, and elevated concentrations alone are not necessarily cause for alarm. Uranium and thorium, two other elements of environmental concern, are elevated in soils at the site as compared to the Wyoming dataset, but no human or ecological soil screening levels have been established for these elements.

Connected vehicle pilot deployment program phase 1, security management operational concept : ICF/Wyoming.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-14

The Wyoming Department of Transportations (WYDOT) Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot Deployment Program is intended to develop a suite of applications that utilize vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication technology to ...

U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative-2009 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Biewick, Laura R. H.; Blecker, Steven W.; Bristol, R. Sky; Carr, Natasha B.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Diffendorfer, James E.; Fedy, Bradley C.; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Stephen; Grauch, Richard I.; Holloway, JoAnn M.; Homer, Collin G.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Keinath, Douglas; Latysh, Natalie; Manier, Daniel J.; McDougal, Robert R.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Kirk A.; Montag, Jessica; Nutt, Constance J.; Potter, Christopher J.; Sawyer, Hall; Schell, Spencer; Shafer, Sarah L.; Smith, David B.; Stillings, Lisa L.; Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Wilson, Anna B.

2010-01-01

This is the second report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual work activities. The first report described work activities for 2007 and 2008; this report covers work activities conducted in 2009. Important differences between the two reports are that (1) this report does not lump all the Effectiveness Monitoring activities together as last year's report did, which will allow WLCI partners and other readers to fully appreciate the scope and accomplishments of those activities, and (2) this report does not include a comprehensive appendix of the background details for each work activity. In 2009, there were 29 ongoing or completed activities, and there were 5 new work activities conducted under the 5 original major multi-disciplinary science and technical assistance activities: (1) Baseline Synthesis; (2) Targeted Monitoring and Research; (3) Data and Information Management; (4) Integration and Coordination; and (5) Decisionmaking and Evaluation. New work included (1) developing a soil-quality index, (2) developing methods for assessing levels of and relationships between mercury and soil organic matter, and (3) ascertaining element source, mobility, and fate. Additionally, (4) remotely sensed imagery was used to assess vegetation as an indicator of soil condition and geology, and (5) an Integrated Assessment (IA) was initiated to synthesize what has been learned about WLCI systems to date, and to develop associated decision tools, maps, and a comprehensive report.

Wyoming uranium mining and milling. A wage and employment survey, 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-06-01

The results of a wage and employment survey of Wyoming's mining industry are reported. Data were collected to: enumerate the number of workers in selected occupational categories; determine the average straight-line hourly wage in each occupational category; determine the number of workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement in each occupational category; and review the employer contributions to employee fringe benefits

Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Rawlings quadrangle, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Field and laboratory data are presented for 454 water samples and 1279 sediment samples from the Rawlins Quadrangle, Wyoming. Uranium values have been reported by Los Alamos National Laboratory in Report GJBX-81(78). The samples were collected by Los Alamos National Laboratory; laboratory analysis and data reporting were performed by the Uranium Resource Evaluation Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Cheyenne Quadrangle, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Field and laboratory data are presented for 884 water samples and 598 sediment samples from the Cheyenne Quadrangle, Wyoming. Uranium values have been reported by Los Alamos National Laboratory in Report GJBX-106(78). The samples were collected by Los Alamos National Laboratory; laboratory analysis and data reporting were performed by the Uranium Resource Evaluation Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Introduction to uranium geology of the Kaycee area in Johnson county, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Wuwei

2004-01-01

The geology of the Kaycee uranium deposit is introduced in three aspects: regional setting, stratigraphy and structure. At the same time, uranium and vanadium mineralization of significant economic potential have been reported in the sandstones and conglomerates from Paleocene to Eocene period in the eastern and northeastern part of Kaycee, Wyoming. (authors)

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING MODELS FOR CULTURAL RESOURCES IN OIL & GAS FIELDS IN NEW MEXICO AND WYOMING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peggy Robinson

2004-07-01

This report contains a summary of activities of Gnomon, Inc. and five subcontractors that have taken place during the first six months of 2004 (January 1, 2004-June 30, 2004) under the DOE-NETL cooperative agreement: ''Adaptive Management and Planning Models for Cultural Resources in Oil & Gas Fields in New Mexico and Wyoming'', DE-FC26-02NT15445. Although Gnomon and all five subcontractors completed tasks during these six months, most of the technical experimental work was conducted by the subcontractor, SRI Foundation (SRIF). SRIF created a sensitivity model for the Azotea Mesa area of southeastern New Mexico that rates areas as having a very good chance, a good chance, or a very poor chance of containing cultural resource sites. SRIF suggested that the results of the sensitivity model might influence possible changes in cultural resource management (CRM) practices in the Azote Mesa area of southeastern New Mexico.

Summer food habits and trophic overlap of roundtail chub and creek chub in Muddy Creek, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Quist, M.C.; Bower, M.R.; Hubert, W.A.

2006-01-01

Native fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin have experienced substantial declines in abundance and distribution, and are extirpated from most of Wyoming. Muddy Creek, in south-central Wyoming (Little Snake River watershed), contains sympatric populations of native roundtail chub (Gila robusta), bluehead sucker, (Catostomus discobolus), and flannelmouth sucker (C. tatipinnis), and represents an area of high conservation concern because it is the only area known to have sympatric populations of all 3 species in Wyoming. However, introduced creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) are abundant and might have a negative influence on native fishes. We assessed summer food habits of roundtail chub and creek chub to provide information on the ecology of each species and obtain insight on potential trophic overlap. Roundtail chub and creek chub seemed to be opportunistic generalists that consumed a diverse array of food items. Stomach contents of both species were dominated by plant material, aquatic and terrestrial insects, and Fishes, but also included gastropods and mussels. Stomach contents were similar between species, indicating high trophic, overlap. No length-related patterns in diet were observed for either species. These results suggest that creek chubs have the potential to adversely influence the roundtail chub population through competition for food and the native fish assemblage through predation.

Attempting to restore herbaceous understories in Wyoming big sagebrush communities with mowing and seeding

Science.gov (United States)

Shrub steppe communities with depleted perennial herbaceous understories need to be restored to increase resilience, provide quality wildlife habitat, and improve ecosystem function. Mowing has been applied to Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle &Young) steppe...

50 years of change at 14 headwater snowmelt-dominated watersheds in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Voutchkova, D. D.; Miller, S. N.

2017-12-01

Wyoming is a headwater state contributing to the water resources of four major US basins: Columbia River, Colorado River, Great Basin, and Missouri River. Most of the annual precipitation in this semi-arid state is received at high elevations as snow. Water availability for drinking water supply, reservoir storage, industrial, agricultural, and ecological needs - all depends on the variable and potentially changing annual snowmelt. Thus, characterizing snowmelt and snowmelt-dominated runoff variability and change at high-elevation headwater watersheds in Wyoming is of utmost importance. Next to quantifying variability and changes in total precipitation, snow-water equivalent (SWE), annual runoff and low flows at 14 selected and representative high-elevation watersheds during the previous 50 years, we also explore past watershed disturbances. Wildfires, forest management (e.g. timber harvest), and recent bark beetle outbakes have altered the vegetation and potentially the hydrology of these high-elevation watersheds. We present a synthesis and trend analysis of 49-75 complete water years (wy) of daily streamflow data for 14 high-elevation watersheds, 25-36 complete wy of daily SWE and precipitation data for the closest SNOTEL stations, and spatiotemporal data on burned areas for 20 wy, tree mortality for 18 wy, timber harvest during the 20th century, as well as overview on legacy tie-drive related distrbances. These results are discussed with respect to the differing watershed characteristics in order to present a spectrum of possible hydrologic responses. The importance of our work lies in extending our understanding of snowmelt headwater annual runoff and low-flow dynamics in Wyoming specifically. Such regional synthesis would inform and facilitate water managers and planners both at local state-wide level, but also in the intermountain US West.

Microscale patterns of tree establishment near upper treeline, Snowy Range, Wyoming, USA

Science.gov (United States)

W. H. Moir; Shannon G. Rochelle; A. W. Schoettle

1999-01-01

We report tree seedling (mostly Picea engelmannii, some Abies lasiocarpa, very infrequent Pinus contorta) invasion into meadows at upper timberline in the Snowy Range, Wyoming, from 1994 to 1996. We used gradient analysis to relate this to environmental patterns, particularly plant community structure (as aggregates of plant life-forms) and persistence of snowpack in...

Digital representation of oil and natural gas well pad scars in southwest Wyoming: 2012 update

Science.gov (United States)

Garman, Steven L.; McBeth, Jamie L.

2015-01-01

The recent proliferation of oil and natural gas energy development in the Greater Green River Basin of southwest Wyoming has accentuated the need to understand wildlife responses to this development. The location and extent of surface disturbance that is created by oil and natural gas well pad scars are key pieces of information used to assess the effects of energy infrastructure on wildlife populations and habitat. A digital database of oil and natural gas pad scars had previously been generated from 1-meter (m) National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery (NAIP) acquired in 2009 for a 7.7-million hectare (ha) (19,026,700 acres) region of southwest Wyoming. Scars included the pad area where wellheads, pumps, and storage facilities reside and the surrounding area that was scraped and denuded of vegetation during the establishment of the pad. Scars containing tanks, compressors, the storage of oil and gas related equipment, and produced-water ponds were also collected on occasion. This report updates the digital database for the five counties of southwest Wyoming (Carbon, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta) within the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) study area and for a limited portion of Fremont, Natrona, and Albany Counties using 2012 1-m NAIP imagery and 2012 oil and natural gas well permit information. This report adds pad scars created since 2009, and updates attributes of all pad scars using the 2012 well permit information. These attributes include the origination year of the pad scar, the number of active and inactive wells on or near each pad scar in 2012, and the overall status of the pad scar (active or inactive). The new 2012 database contains 17,404 pad scars of which 15,532 are attributed as oil and natural gas well pads. Digital data are stored as shapefiles projected to the Universal Transverse Mercator (zones 12 and 13) coordinate system. These data are available from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at http://dx.doi.org/10

Microhabitat Conditions in Wyoming's Sage-Grouse Core Areas: Effects on Nest Site Selection and Success.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan B Dinkins

Full Text Available The purpose of our study was to identify microhabitat characteristics of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus nest site selection and survival to determine the quality of sage-grouse habitat in 5 regions of central and southwest Wyoming associated with Wyoming's Core Area Policy. Wyoming's Core Area Policy was enacted in 2008 to reduce human disturbance near the greatest densities of sage-grouse. Our analyses aimed to assess sage-grouse nest selection and success at multiple micro-spatial scales. We obtained microhabitat data from 928 sage-grouse nest locations and 819 random microhabitat locations from 2008-2014. Nest success was estimated from 924 nests with survival data. Sage-grouse selected nests with greater sagebrush cover and height, visual obstruction, and number of small gaps between shrubs (gap size ≥0.5 m and <1.0 m, while selecting for less bare ground and rock. With the exception of more small gaps between shrubs, we did not find any differences in availability of these microhabitat characteristics between locations within and outside of Core Areas. In addition, we found little supporting evidence that sage-grouse were selecting different nest sites in Core Areas relative to areas outside of Core. The Kaplan-Meier nest success estimate for a 27-day incubation period was 42.0% (95% CI: 38.4-45.9%. Risk of nest failure was negatively associated with greater rock and more medium-sized gaps between shrubs (gap size ≥2.0 m and <3.0 m. Within our study areas, Wyoming's Core Areas did not have differing microhabitat quality compared to outside of Core Areas. The close proximity of our locations within and outside of Core Areas likely explained our lack of finding differences in microhabitat quality among locations within these landscapes. However, the Core Area Policy is most likely to conserve high quality habitat at larger spatial scales, which over decades may have cascading effects on microhabitat quality available

Short-term regeneration dynamics of Wyoming big sagebrush at two sites in northern Utah

Science.gov (United States)

The herbicide tebuthiuron has been used historically to control cover of Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis - complete taxonomic designation), a widespread shrub across the western United States, with the intent of increasing herbaceous plant cover. Although the tebuthiur...

Learning from Distance Faculty: A Faculty Needs Assessment at the University of Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Kvenild, Cassandra; Bowles-Terry, Melissa

2011-01-01

Distance educators have special library needs. This article discusses the results of a library needs assessment of distance instructors at the University of Wyoming. Access to resources, use of library instructional services, barriers to distance library use, and perceived gaps in service are all addressed. Follow-up actions, based on survey…

Spatial variability in cost and success of revegetation in a Wyoming big sagebrush community.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Chad S; Davies, Kirk W

2012-09-01

The ecological integrity of the Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle and A. Young) alliance is being severely interrupted by post-fire invasion of non-native annual grasses. To curtail this invasion, successful post-fire revegetation of perennial grasses is required. Environmental factors impacting post-fire restoration success vary across space within the Wyoming big sagebrush alliance; however, most restorative management practices are applied uniformly. Our objectives were to define probability of revegetation success over space using relevant soil-related environmental factors, use this information to model cost of successful revegetation and compare the importance of vegetation competition and soil factors to revegetation success. We studied a burned Wyoming big sagebrush landscape in southeast Oregon that was reseeded with perennial grasses. We collected soil and vegetation data at plots spaced at 30 m intervals along a 1.5 km transect in the first two years post-burn. Plots were classified as successful (>5 seedlings/m(2)) or unsuccessful based on density of seeded species. Using logistic regression we found that abundance of competing vegetation correctly predicted revegetation success on 51 % of plots, and soil-related variables correctly predicted revegetation performance on 82.4 % of plots. Revegetation estimates varied from $167.06 to $43,033.94/ha across the 1.5 km transect based on probability of success, but were more homogenous at larger scales. Our experimental protocol provides managers with a technique to identify important environmental drivers of restoration success and this process will be of value for spatially allocating logistical and capital expenditures in a variable restoration environment.

Checklist of copepods (Crustacea: Calanoida, Cyclopoida,Harpacticoida) from Wyoming, USA, with new state records

Science.gov (United States)

Presentation of a comprehensive checklist of the copepod fauna of Wyoming, USA with 41 species of copepods; based on museum specimens, literature reviews, and active surveillance. Of these species 19 were previously unknown from the state. This checklist includes species in the families Centropagida...

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data release for the Wyoming portions of the Driggs, Preston, and Ogden NTMS Quadrangles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broxton, D.E.; Nunes, H.P.

1978-04-01

This report describes work done in the Wyoming portions of the Driggs and Preston, Wyoming/Idaho, and the Ogden, Wyoming/Utah, National Topographic Map Series (NTMS) quadrangles (1 : 250,000 scale) by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) as part of the nationwide Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR). The HSSR is designed to identify areas having higher than normal concentrations of uranium in ground waters, surface waters, and water-transported sediments. During the fall of 1976, 1108 water samples and 1956 sediment samples were taken from 1999 locations by a private contractor within the Wyoming portion of Driggs, Preston, and Ogden quadrangles. An additional 108 water samples and 128 sediment samples were collected in the Grand Teton National Park during the fall of 1977 by staff members from the LASL. All of the samples were collected and treated according to standard specifications described in Appendix A. Uranium concentrations were determined at the LASL using standard analytical methods and procedures, also described briefly in Appendix A. Appendixes B-I through B-III and C-I through C-III are listings of all field and analytical data for the water and sediment samples, respectively. Appendixes D-I and D-II provide keys to codes used in the data listings. Statistical data describing the mean, range, and standard deviations of uranium concentrations are summarized by quadrangle and sample source-type in Tables I through III

78 FR 77644 - Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota; Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming; Teckla...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-24

...: Approximately 135 miles of transmission line Require a 125 foot right-of-way Construction of wood or steel H... lands, and state lands in Wyoming. The line would be constructed on wood or steel H-frame structures for...

Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Preston Quadrangle, Wyoming; Idaho

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Field and laboratory data are presented for 410 water samples and 702 sediment samples from the Preston Quadrangle, Wyoming; Idaho. Uranium values have been reported by Los Alamos National Laboratory in Report GJBX-70(78). The samples were collected by Los Alamos National Laboratory; laboratory analysis and data reporting were performed by the Uranium Resource Evaluation Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Overview of Energy Development Opportunities for Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larry Demick

2012-11-01

An important opportunity exists for the energy future of Wyoming that will • Maintain its coal industry • Add substantive value to its indigenous coal and natural gas resources • Improve dramatically the environmental impact of its energy production capability • Increase its Gross Domestic Product These can be achieved through development of a carbon conversion industry that transforms coal and natural gas to synthetic transportation fuels, chemical feedstocks, and chemicals that are the building blocks for the chemical industry. Over the longer term, environmentally clean nuclear energy can provide the substantial energy needs of a carbon conversion industry and be part of the mix of replacement technologies for the current fleet of aging coal-fired electric power generating stations.

78 FR 56650 - Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland; Wyoming; Thunder Basin...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-13

... consistent decision-making process. The 2009 Strategy further established control colonies to address human... 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. October 7: Douglas, Wyoming--Douglas National Guard Armory--315 Pearson Road...

Concurrent assessment of fish and habitat in warmwater streams in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Quist, M.C.; Hubert, W.A.; Rahel, F.J.

2006-01-01

Fisheries research and management in North America have focused largely on sport fishes, but native non-game fishes have attracted increased attention due to their declines. The Warmwater Stream Assessment (WSA) was developed to evaluate simultaneously both fish and habitat in Wyoming streams by a process that includes three major components: (1) stream-reach selection and accumulation of existing information, (2) fish and habitat sampling and (3) summarisation and evaluation of fish and habitat information. Fish are sampled by electric fishing or seining and habitat is measured at reach and channel-unit (i.e. pool, run, riffle, side channel, or backwater) scales. Fish and habitat data are subsequently summarised using a data-matrix approach. Hierarchical decision trees are used to assess critical habitat requirements for each fish species expected or found in the reach. Combined measurements of available habitat and the ecology of individual species contribute to the evaluation of the observed fish assemblage. The WSA incorporates knowledge of the fish assemblage and habitat features to enable inferences of factors likely influencing both the fish assemblage and their habitat. The WSA was developed for warmwater streams in Wyoming, but its philosophy, process and conceptual basis may be applied to environmental assessments in other geographical areas. ?? 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project: Engaging High School and Undergraduate Students in Watershed Research

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, E.; McCabe, D.; Sheldon, S.; Jankowski, K.; Haselton, L.; Luck, M.; van Houten, J.

2009-12-01

The Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project engages a diverse group of undergraduates, high school students, and their teachers in hands-on water quality research and exposes them to the process of science. The project aims to (1) recruit students to science careers and (2) create a water quality database comprised of high-quality data collected by undergraduates and high school groups. The project is the training and outreach mechanism of the Complex Systems Modeling for Environmental Problem Solving research program, an NSF-funded program at the University of Vermont (UVM) that provides computational strategies and fresh approaches for understanding how natural and built environments interact. The Streams Project trains participants to collect and analyze data from streams throughout Vermont and at limited sites in Connecticut, New York, and Puerto Rico. Participants contribute their data to an online database and use it to complete individual research projects that focus on the effect of land use and precipitation patterns on selected measures of stream water quality. All undergraduates and some high school groups are paired with a mentor, who is either a graduate student or a faculty member at UVM or other college. Each year, undergraduate students and high school groups are trained to (1) collect water and macroinvertebrate samples from streams, (2) analyze water samples for total phosphorus, bacteria, and total suspended solids in an analytical laboratory, and/or (3) use geographic information systems (GIS) to assess landscape-level data for their watersheds. After training, high school groups collect samples from stream sites on a twice-monthly basis while undergraduates conduct semi-autonomous field and laboratory research. High school groups monitor sites in two watersheds with contrasting land uses. Undergraduate projects are shaped by the interests of students and their mentors. Contribution to a common database provides students with the option to expand the

Predicting occupancy for pygmy rabbits in Wyoming: an independent evaluation of two species distribution models

Science.gov (United States)

Germaine, Stephen S.; Ignizio, Drew; Keinath, Doug; Copeland, Holly

2014-01-01

Species distribution models are an important component of natural-resource conservation planning efforts. Independent, external evaluation of their accuracy is important before they are used in management contexts. We evaluated the classification accuracy of two species distribution models designed to predict the distribution of pygmy rabbit Brachylagus idahoensis habitat in southwestern Wyoming, USA. The Nature Conservancy model was deductive and based on published information and expert opinion, whereas the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database model was statistically derived using historical observation data. We randomly selected 187 evaluation survey points throughout southwestern Wyoming in areas predicted to be habitat and areas predicted to be nonhabitat for each model. The Nature Conservancy model correctly classified 39 of 77 (50.6%) unoccupied evaluation plots and 65 of 88 (73.9%) occupied plots for an overall classification success of 63.3%. The Wyoming Natural Diversity Database model correctly classified 53 of 95 (55.8%) unoccupied plots and 59 of 88 (67.0%) occupied plots for an overall classification success of 61.2%. Based on 95% asymptotic confidence intervals, classification success of the two models did not differ. The models jointly classified 10.8% of the area as habitat and 47.4% of the area as nonhabitat, but were discordant in classifying the remaining 41.9% of the area. To evaluate how anthropogenic development affected model predictive success, we surveyed 120 additional plots among three density levels of gas-field road networks. Classification success declined sharply for both models as road-density level increased beyond 5 km of roads per km-squared area. Both models were more effective at predicting habitat than nonhabitat in relatively undeveloped areas, and neither was effective at accounting for the effects of gas-energy-development road networks. Resource managers who wish to know the amount of pygmy rabbit habitat present in an

Adapting to Mother Nature's changing climatic conditions: Flexible stocking for enhancing profitability of Wyoming ranchers

Science.gov (United States)

Ranching is a dynamic business in which profitability is impacted by changing weather and climatic conditions. A ranch-level model using a representative ranch in southeastern Wyoming was used to compare economic outcomes from growing season precipitation scenarios of: 1) historical precipitation da...

Effects of using winter grazing as a fuel treatment on Wyoming big sagebrush plant communities

Science.gov (United States)

More frequent wildfires and incidences of mega-fires have increased the pressure for fuel treatments in sagebrush (Artemisia) communities. Winter grazing has been one of many fuel treatments proposed for Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata Nutt. subsp. wyomingensis Beetle and A. Young) communitie...

Extraction of uranium low-grade ores from Great Divide Basin, Wyoming. National Uranium Resource Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Judd, J.C.; Nichols, I.L.; Huiatt, J.L.

1983-04-01

The US Bureau of Mines is investigating the leachability of carbonaceous uranium ore samples submitted by the DOE under an Interagency Agreement. Studies on eight samples from the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming, are the basis of this report. The uranium content of the eight ore samples ranged from 0.003 to 0.03% U 3 O 8 and contained 0.7 to 45% organic carbon. Experiments were performed to determine the feasibility of extracting uranium using acid leaching, roast-acid leaching and pressure leaching techniques. Acid leaching with 600 lb/ton H 2 SO 4 plus 10 lb/ton NaClO 3 for 18 h at 70 0 C extracted 65 to 83% of the uranium. One sample responded best to a roast-leach treatment. When roasting for 4 h at 500 0 C followed by acid leaching of the calcine using 600 lb/ton H 2 SO 4 , the uranium extraction was 82%. Two of the samples responded best to an oxidative pressure leach for 3 h at 200 0 C under a total pressure of 260 psig; uranium extractions were 78 and 82%

Interseasonal movements of greater sage-grouse, migratory behavior, and an assessment of the core regions concept in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Fedy, Bradley C.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Doherty, Kevin E.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Bedrosian, Bryan; Holloran, Matthew J.; Johnson, Gregory D.; Kaczor, Nicholas W.; Kirol, Christopher P.; Mandich, Cheryl A.; Marshall, David; McKee, Gwyn; Olson, Chad; Swanson, Christopher C.; Walker, Brett L.

2012-01-01

Animals can require different habitat types throughout their annual cycles. When considering habitat prioritization, we need to explicitly consider habitat requirements throughout the annual cycle, particularly for species of conservation concern. Understanding annual habitat requirements begins with quantifying how far individuals move across landscapes between key life stages to access required habitats. We quantified individual interseasonal movements for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) using radio-telemetry spanning the majority of the species distribution in Wyoming. Sage-grouse are currently a candidate for listing under the United States Endangered Species Act and Wyoming is predicted to remain a stronghold for the species. Sage-grouse use distinct seasonal habitats throughout their annual cycle for breeding, brood rearing, and wintering. Average movement distances in Wyoming from nest sites to summer-late brood-rearing locations were 8.1 km (SE = 0.3 km; n = 828 individuals) and the average subsequent distances moved from summer sites to winter locations were 17.3 km (SE = 0.5 km; n = 607 individuals). Average nest-to-winter movements were 14.4 km (SE = 0.6 km; n = 434 individuals). We documented remarkable variation in the extent of movement distances both within and among sites across Wyoming, with some individuals remaining year-round in the same vicinity and others moving over 50 km between life stages. Our results suggest defining any of our populations as migratory or non-migratory is innappropriate as individual strategies vary widely. We compared movement distances of birds marked using Global Positioning System (GPS) and very high frequency (VHF) radio marking techniques and found no evidence that the heavier GPS radios limited movement. Furthermore, we examined the capacity of the sage-grouse core regions concept to capture seasonal locations. As expected, we found the core regions approach, which was

Specific Conductance and Dissolved-Solids Characteristics for the Green River and Muddy Creek, Wyoming, Water Years 1999-2008

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Melanie L.; Davidson, Seth L.

2009-01-01

Southwestern Wyoming is an area of diverse scenery, wildlife, and natural resources that is actively undergoing energy development. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative is a long-term science-based effort to assess and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale, while facilitating responsible energy development through local collaboration and partnerships. Water-quality monitoring has been conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey on the Green River near Green River, Wyoming, and Muddy Creek near Baggs, Wyoming. This monitoring, which is being conducted in cooperation with State and other Federal agencies and as part of the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative, is in response to concerns about potentially increased dissolved solids in the Colorado River Basin as a result of energy development. Because of the need to provide real-time dissolved-solids concentrations for the Green River and Muddy Creek on the World Wide Web, the U.S. Geological Survey developed regression equations to estimate dissolved-solids concentrations on the basis of continuous specific conductance using relations between measured specific conductance and dissolved-solids concentrations. Specific conductance and dissolved-solids concentrations were less varied and generally lower for the Green River than for Muddy Creek. The median dissolved-solids concentration for the site on the Green River was 318 milligrams per liter, and the median concentration for the site on Muddy Creek was 943 milligrams per liter. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 187 to 594 milligrams per liter in samples collected from the Green River during water years 1999-2008. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 293 to 2,485 milligrams per liter in samples collected from Muddy Creek during water years 2006-08. The differences in dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected from the Green River compared to samples collected from Muddy

Wyoming bentonite trona and uranium: a wage and employment survey 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1985-01-01

The Wyoming Department of Labor and Statistics simultaneously initiated wage and employment surveys of the state's bentonite, trona, and uranium mining industries during February 1985. This data has been compiled in a directory which determines: (1) the number of workers in selected occupational categories, (2) the average straight-time hourly wage in each occupational category, (3) the number of workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement in each occupational category; and (4) employer paid fringe benefits

Class I cultural resource overview for oil shale and tar sands areas in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Rourke, D.; Kullen, D.; Gierek, L.; Wescott, K.; Greby, M.; Anast, G.; Nesta, M.; Walston, L.; Tate, R.; Azzarello, A.; Vinikour, B.; Van Lonkhuyzen, B.; Quinn, J.; Yuen, R.; Environmental Science Division

2007-11-01

In August 2005, the U.S. Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58. In Section 369 of this Act, also known as the 'Oil Shale, Tar Sands, and Other Strategic Unconventional Fuels Act of 2005', Congress declared that oil shale and tar sands (and other unconventional fuels) are strategically important domestic energy resources that should be developed to reduce the nation's growing dependence on oil from politically and economically unstable foreign sources. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is developing a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate alternatives for establishing commercial oil shale and tar sands leasing programs in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. This PEIS evaluates the potential impacts of alternatives identifying BLM-administered lands as available for application for commercial leasing of oil shale resources within the three states and of tar sands resources within Utah. The scope of the analysis of the PEIS also includes an assessment of the potential effects of future commercial leasing. This Class I cultural resources study is in support of the Draft Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resource Management Plan Amendments to Address Land Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and is an attempt to synthesize archaeological data covering the most geologically prospective lands for oil shale and tar sands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. This report is based solely on geographic information system (GIS) data held by the Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs). The GIS data include the information that the BLM has provided to the SHPOs. The primary purpose of the Class I cultural resources overview is to provide information on the affected environment for the PEIS. Furthermore, this report provides recommendations to support planning decisions and the management of cultural resources that could be impacted by future

Drill-hole data, drill-site geology, and geochemical data from the study of Precambrian uraniferous conglomerates of the Medicine Bow Mountains and Sierra Madre of southeastern Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karlstrom, K.E.; Houston, R.S.; Schmidt, T.G.; Inlow, D.; Flurkey, A.J.; Kratochvil, A.L.; Coolidge, C.M.; Sever, C.K.; Quimby, W.F.

1981-02-01

This volume is presented as a companion to Volume 1: The Geology and Uranium Potential of Precambrian Conglomerates in the Medicine Bow Mountains and Sierra Madre of Southeastern Wyoming; and to Volume 3: Uranium Assessment for Precambrian Pebble Conglomerates in Southeastern Wyoming. Volume 1 summarized the geologic setting and geologic and geochemical characteristics of uranium-bearing conglomerates in Precambrian metasedimentary rocks of southeastern Wyoming. Volume 3 is a geostatistical resource estimate of U and Th in quartz-pebble conglomerates. This volume contains supporting geochemical data, lithologic logs from 48 drill holes in Precambrian rocks of the Medicine Bow Mountains and Sierra Madre, and drill site geologic maps and cross-sections from most of the holes.

Drill-hole data, drill-site geology, and geochemical data from the study of Precambrian uraniferous conglomerates of the Medicine Bow Mountains and Sierra Madre of southeastern Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlstrom, K.E.; Houston, R.S.; Schmidt, T.G.; Inlow, D.; Flurkey, A.J.; Kratochvil, A.L.; Coolidge, C.M.; Sever, C.K.; Quimby, W.F.

1981-02-01

This volume is presented as a companion to Volume 1: The Geology and Uranium Potential of Precambrian Conglomerates in the Medicine Bow Mountains and Sierra Madre of Southeastern Wyoming; and to Volume 3: Uranium Assessment for Precambrian Pebble Conglomerates in Southeastern Wyoming. Volume 1 summarized the geologic setting and geologic and geochemical characteristics of uranium-bearing conglomerates in Precambrian metasedimentary rocks of southeastern Wyoming. Volume 3 is a geostatistical resource estimate of U and Th in quartz-pebble conglomerates. This volume contains supporting geochemical data, lithologic logs from 48 drill holes in Precambrian rocks of the Medicine Bow Mountains and Sierra Madre, and drill site geologic maps and cross-sections from most of the holes

Are We Having Fun Yet? Hitting the Moving Target of Program Choice, Wyoming, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinlein, Ken B.; Campbell, Edward M.; Fortune, Jon; Severance, Don; Fortune, Barbara

The changes in what people with developmental disabilities wanted and got for living and daytime settings in South Dakota and Wyoming during 1988 were compared to what they wanted and received in 2000. Although the percentage of people in their desired setting rose, there were substantial changes in the types of settings recommended over the…

Historic range of variability for upland vegetation in the Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory K. Dillon; Dennis H. Knight; Carolyn B. Meyer

2005-01-01

An approach for synthesizing the results of ecological research pertinent to land management is the analysis of the historic range of variability (HRV) for key ecosystem variables that are affected by management activities. This report provides an HRV analysis for the upland vegetation of the Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming. The variables include...

Final environmental statement related to the Wyoming Mineral Corporation Irigaray uranium solution mining project (Johnson County, Wyoming)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-09-01

The Irigaray project consists of solution mining (in situ leaching) operations involving uranium ore deposits in Johnson County, Wyoming. Solution mining activities will include a processing facility with an annual production of 500,000 lb of U 3 O 8 from up to 50 acres of well fields through the initial license authorization. The Irigaray project has an estimated lifetime of up to 10 to 20 years with known ore deposits and the current level of solution mining technology. The site is mostly used as grazing land for cattle and sheep. Initiation of the Irigaray project would result in the temporary removal from grazing and the disturbance of approximately 60 acres during operation as proposed by the staff. All disturbed surface areas will be reclaimed and returned to their original use. Approximately 1.2 x 10 6 m 3 of water will be withdrawn from the ore zone aquifer. 43 figs, 52 tables

Do container volume, site preparation, and field fertilization affect restoration potential of Wyoming big sagebrush?

Science.gov (United States)

Kayla R. Herriman; Anthony S. Davis; Kent G. Apostol; Olga. A. Kildisheva; Amy L. Ross-Davis; Kas Dumroese

2016-01-01

Land management practices, invasive species expansion, and changes in the fire regime greatly impact the distribution of native plants in natural areas. Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis), a keystone species in the Great Basin, has seen a 50% reduction in its distribution. For many dryland species, reestablishment efforts have...

Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—A case study in partnership development

Science.gov (United States)

D'Erchia, Frank

2016-10-21

The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) is a successful example of collaboration between science and natural resource management at the landscape scale. In southwestern Wyoming, expanding energy and mineral development, urban growth, and other changes in land use over recent decades, combined with landscape-scale drivers such as climate change and invasive species, have presented compelling challenges to resource managers and a diverse group of Federal, State, industry, and non-governmental organizations, as well as citizen stakeholders. To address these challenges, the WLCI was established as a collaborative forum and interagency partnership to develop and implement science-based conservation actions. About a decade after being established, this report documents the establishment and history of the WLCI, focusing on the path to success of the initiative and providing insights and details that may be useful in developing similar partnerships in other locations. Not merely retrospective, the elements of the WLCI that are presented herein are still in play, still evolving, and still contributing to the resolution of compelling conservation challenges in the Western United States.The U.S. Geological Survey has developed many successful longstanding partnerships, of which the WLCI is one example.“As the Nation’s largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, the U.S. Geological Survey collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. The diversity of our scientific expertise enables us to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers” (U.S. Geological Survey, 2016).

Application of near-surface geophysics as part of a hydrologic study of a subsurface drip irrigation system along the Powder River floodplain near Arvada, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Sams, James I.; Veloski, Garret; Smith, Bruce D.; Minsley, Burke J.; Engle, Mark A.; Lipinski, Brian A.; Hammack, Richard W.; Zupancic, John W.

2014-01-01

Rapid development of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) production in the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming has occurred since 1997. National attention related to CBNG development has focused on produced water management, which is the single largest cost for on-shore domestic producers. Low-cost treatment technologies allow operators to reduce their disposal costs, provide treated water for beneficial use, and stimulate oil and gas production by small operators. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems are one potential treatment option that allows for increased CBNG production by providing a beneficial use for the produced water in farmland irrigation.Water management practices in the development of CBNG in Wyoming have been aided by integrated geophysical, geochemical, and hydrologic studies of both the disposal and utilization of water. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have utilized multi-frequency airborne, ground, and borehole electromagnetic (EM) and ground resistivity methods to characterize the near-surface hydrogeology in areas of produced water disposal. These surveys provide near-surface EM data that can be compared with results of previous surveys to monitor changes in soils and local hydrology over time as the produced water is discharged through SDI.The focus of this investigation is the Headgate Draw SDI site, situated adjacent to the Powder River near the confluence of a major tributary, Crazy Woman Creek, in Johnson County, Wyoming. The SDI system was installed during the summer of 2008 and began operation in October of 2008. Ground, borehole, and helicopter electromagnetic (HEM) conductivity surveys were conducted at the site prior to the installation of the SDI system. After the installation of the subsurface drip irrigation system, ground EM surveys have been performed quarterly (weather permitting). The geophysical surveys map the heterogeneity of the near

78 FR 65609 - Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland; Wyoming; Thunder Basin...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

... National Grassland; Wyoming; Thunder Basin National Grassland Prairie Dog Amendment Environmental Impact... Cooperating Agencies. No changes to the Proposed Action or Purpose of and Need for Action have been made... alternatives will be analyzed in the Thunder Basin National Grassland Prairie Dog Amendment EIS. The EIS will...

DANCEMAKING IN UNEXPECTED PLACES: MOLDOVAN MUSIC AND VERTICAL DANCE IN WYOMING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GARNETT RODNEY

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Since 1998, vertical dance at the University of Wyoming has been an active catalyst for interactions among choreographers and dancers, composers and musical performers, audiences, rock climbers, and others. Outdoor performances at an impressive geologic formation have consistently drawn large audiences, and allowed choreographer and performer Margaret Wilson to consider the ways that vertical dancers come to embody widely varying environments through heightened sensitivity, improvisation, and other processes of “tuning in” (Hunter 2015: 181 to the world around them. In 2013, as I stood on a high ledge on the massive Vedauwoo rock formation in Wyoming, I found that the sound of Moldovan nai naturally became a part of our outdoor environment as it echoed off of the rocks and projected out into the forest. Our pianist had begun to embody an effective sense of how to collaborate with dancers and their movement having accompanied their classes for many years. Nai easily became an integral part of her musical compositions. Musicians who are more closely focused on devices such as instruments, sheet music, and microphones have been less able to improvise and interact spontaneously with the sensory world of vertical dance. Listening closely to create their best sound makes them less sensitive to distant aural, visual, and sensory phenomena that would allow them to embody their environment along with other performers and their audiences. In seeking to better adapt to variable vertical dance settings, I found that Moldovan nai is especially well-suited for collaborating with other instruments and dancers in vertical dance environments. Moldovan melodies and rhythms have also become an important element of both outdoor and indoor vertical dance performances in Wyoming. The broader movement, of playing panflute is more like dancing than the smaller movements required for playing transverse flutes. In addition, the social essence of learning and

Stratigraphy and structure of the northern and western flanks of the Black Hills Uplift, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, C.S.; Mapel, W.J.; Bergendahl, M.H.

1981-01-01

This report describes the stratigraphy and structure of an area of about 5000 square miles in northeastern Wyoming and adjacent parts of Montana and South Dakota. The area includes the northern end and part of the western side of the Black Hills Uplift and the adjoining part of the Powder River Basin. About 11,000 ft of sedimentary rocks ranging in age from Mississippian to Early Tertiary are exposed in the area, not including surficial deposits of Tertiary (.) and Quaternary age. Oil is produced from several fields on the wet side of the Black Hills Uplift in Wyoming. Bentonite is mined at many places. The Fort Union and Wasatch Formations contain large reserves of sub-bituminous coal, and Lakota Formation contains some bituminous coal

Site characterization of the highest-priority geologic formations for CO₂ storage in Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surdam, Ronald C. [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Bentley, Ramsey [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Campbell-Stone, Erin [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Dahl, Shanna [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Deiss, Allory [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Ganshin, Yuri [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Jiao, Zunsheng [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Kaszuba, John [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Mallick, Subhashis [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); McLaughlin, Fred [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Myers, James [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); Quillinan, Scott [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

2013-12-07

This study, funded by U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory award DE-FE0002142 along with the state of Wyoming, uses outcrop and core observations, a diverse electric log suite, a VSP survey, in-bore testing (DST, injection tests, and fluid sampling), a variety of rock/fluid analyses, and a wide range of seismic attributes derived from a 3-D seismic survey to thoroughly characterize the highest-potential storage reservoirs and confining layers at the premier CO₂ geological storage site in Wyoming. An accurate site characterization was essential to assessing the following critical aspects of the storage site: (1) more accurately estimate the CO₂ reservoir storage capacity (Madison Limestone and Weber Sandstone at the Rock Springs Uplift (RSU)), (2) evaluate the distribution, long-term integrity, and permanence of the confining layers, (3) manage CO₂ injection pressures by removing formation fluids (brine production/treatment), and (4) evaluate potential utilization of the stored CO₂

Endemic chronic wasting disease causes mule deer population decline in Wyoming.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melia T DeVivo

Full Text Available Chronic wasting disease (CWD is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus, Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni, and moose (Alces alces shirasi in North America. In southeastern Wyoming average annual CWD prevalence in mule deer exceeds 20% and appears to contribute to regional population declines. We determined the effect of CWD on mule deer demography using age-specific, female-only, CWD transition matrix models to estimate the population growth rate (λ. Mule deer were captured from 2010-2014 in southern Converse County Wyoming, USA. Captured adult (≥ 1.5 years old deer were tested ante-mortem for CWD using tonsil biopsies and monitored using radio telemetry. Mean annual survival rates of CWD-negative and CWD-positive deer were 0.76 and 0.32, respectively. Pregnancy and fawn recruitment were not observed to be influenced by CWD. We estimated λ = 0.79, indicating an annual population decline of 21% under current CWD prevalence levels. A model derived from the demography of only CWD-negative individuals yielded; λ = 1.00, indicating a stable population if CWD were absent. These findings support CWD as a significant contributor to mule deer population decline. Chronic wasting disease is difficult or impossible to eradicate with current tools, given significant environmental contamination, and at present our best recommendation for control of this disease is to minimize spread to new areas and naïve cervid populations.

Endemic chronic wasting disease causes mule deer population decline in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

DeVivo, Melia T.; Edmunds, David R.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Schumaker, Brant A.; Binfet, Justin; Kreeger, Terry J.; Richards, Bryan J.; Schatzl, Hermann M.; Cornish, Todd

2017-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), and moose (Alces alces shirasi) in North America. In southeastern Wyoming average annual CWD prevalence in mule deer exceeds 20% and appears to contribute to regional population declines. We determined the effect of CWD on mule deer demography using age-specific, female-only, CWD transition matrix models to estimate the population growth rate (λ). Mule deer were captured from 2010–2014 in southern Converse County Wyoming, USA. Captured adult (≥ 1.5 years old) deer were tested ante-mortem for CWD using tonsil biopsies and monitored using radio telemetry. Mean annual survival rates of CWD-negative and CWD-positive deer were 0.76 and 0.32, respectively. Pregnancy and fawn recruitment were not observed to be influenced by CWD. We estimated λ= 0.79, indicating an annual population decline of 21% under current CWD prevalence levels. A model derived from the demography of only CWD-negative individuals yielded; λ = 1.00, indicating a stable population if CWD were absent. These findings support CWD as a significant contributor to mule deer population decline. Chronic wasting disease is difficult or impossible to eradicate with current tools, given significant environmental contamination, and at present our best recommendation for control of this disease is to minimize spread to new areas and naïve cervid populations.

Field guide to Muddy Formation outcrops, Crook County, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rawn-Schatzinger, V.

1993-11-01

The objectives of this research program are to (1) determine the reservoir characteristics and production problems of shoreline barrier reservoirs; and (2) develop methods and methodologies to effectively characterize shoreline bamer reservoirs to predict flow patterns of injected and produced fluids. Two reservoirs were selected for detailed reservoir characterization studies -- Bell Creek field, Carter County, Montana that produces from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) Muddy Formation, and Patrick Draw field, Sweetwater County, Wyoming that produces from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Almond Formation of the Mesaverde Group. An important component of the research project was to use information from outcrop exposures of the producing formations to study the spatial variations of reservoir properties and the degree to which outcrop information can be used in the construction of reservoir models. This report contains the data and analyses collected from outcrop exposures of the Muddy Formation, located in Crook County, Wyoming, 40 miles south of Bell Creek oil field. The outcrop data set contains permeability, porosity, petrographic, grain size and geologic data from 1-inch-diameter core plugs chilled from the outcrop face, as well as geological descriptions and sedimentological interpretations of the outcrop exposures. The outcrop data set provides information about facies characteristics and geometries and the spatial distribution of permeability and porosity on interwell scales. Appendices within this report include a micropaleontological analyses of selected outcrop samples, an annotated bibliography of papers on the Muddy Formation in the Powder River Basin, and over 950 permeability and porosity values measured from 1-inch-diameter core plugs drilled from the outcrop. All data contained in this resort are available in electronic format upon request. The core plugs drilled from the outcrop are available for measurement.

Nichols Ranch In-Sutu Leach Uranium Mine Wyoming, USA – A Case History

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catchpole, G.; Thomas, Glenda

2014-01-01

Company Incorporated in 1999 under the name Carleton Ventures Corp. In 2005 Changed name to Uranerz Energy Corporation and adopted the following Business Model: acquire quality uranium properties with the potential of being mined using the ISL extraction method with the objective of achieving uranium production as soon as practical. Focus on production; not grass roots exploration. Primary target area for property acquisition - western U.S.A., specifically Texas and Wyoming

Wyoming greater sage-grouse habitat prioritization: A collection of multi-scale seasonal models and geographic information systems land management tools

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, Michael S.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Doherty, Kevin E.; Fedy, Bradley C.

2015-01-01

With rapidly changing landscape conditions within Wyoming and the potential effects of landscape changes on sage-grouse habitat, land managers and conservation planners, among others, need procedures to assess the location and juxtaposition of important habitats, land-cover, and land-use patterns to balance wildlife requirements with multiple human land uses. Biologists frequently develop habitat-selection studies to identify prioritization efforts for species of conservation concern to increase understanding and help guide habitat-conservation efforts. Recently, the authors undertook a large-scale collaborative effort that developed habitat-selection models for Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) across large landscapes in Wyoming, USA and for multiple life-stages (nesting, late brood-rearing, and winter). We developed these habitat models using resource selection functions, based upon sage-grouse telemetry data collected for localized studies and within each life-stage. The models allowed us to characterize and spatially predict seasonal sage-grouse habitat use in Wyoming. Due to the quantity of models, the diversity of model predictors (in the form of geographic information system data) produced by analyses, and the variety of potential applications for these data, we present here a resource that complements our published modeling effort, which will further support land managers.

The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Carswell, William J.

2015-01-01

Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Wyoming, elevation data are critical for geologic resource assessment and hazard mitigation, flood risk management, water supply an quality, natural resources conservation, agriculture and precision farming, and other business uses. Today, high-density light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the primary sources for deriving elevation models and other datasets. Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies work in partnership to (1) replace data that are older and of lower quality and (2) provide coverage where publicly accessible data do not exist. A joint goal of State and Federal partners is to acquire consistent, statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data.

Seasonal movement and spatial distribution of the sheep ked (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) on Wyoming lambs.

Science.gov (United States)

Legg, D E; Kumar, R; Watson, D W; Lloyd, J E

1991-10-01

When populations of adult sheep ked, Melophagus ovinus (L.), infesting unshorn lambs were monitored at the University of Wyoming Paradise Farm during 1986, we determined the body regions on which keds would be found at various times of the year and their seasonal population trends for optimal sampling. Results suggested that ked populations were consistently greater on the ribs than on any other area of the lamb. No significant differences were detected for ked populations between sides of a lamb. Distinct and similar ked population trends over time occurred only in the rib, thigh, shoulder, hind leg, belly, and hind flank areas of the lambs, suggesting that a significant seasonal migration did not occur. Analyses for seasonal population fluctuations indicated that ked populations increased in the winter and spring, decreased in summer and then increased again in the fall. Thus, sampling for keds in the rib area at shearing, which begins in March in Wyoming and runs through mid-April, would be an opportune time to detect keds. At other times of the year, the rib area should be inspected for presence of sheep ked.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance data release for the Rock Springs NTMS Quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, T.L.

1981-01-01

This report contains data collected by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) during a regional geochemical survey for uranium in the Rock Springs National Topographic Map Series (NTMS) quadrangle, southwestern Wyoming, as part of the nationwide hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance (HSSR). Totals of 397 water and 1794 sediment samples were collected from 1830 locations in the Rock Springs quadrangle of southern Wyoming during the summer of 1976. The average uranium concentration of all water samples is 6.57 ppb and the average sediment uranium concentration is 3.64 ppM. Elemental concentration, field measurement, weather, geologic, and geographic data for each sample location are listed for waters and for sediments in the appendices. Uranium/thorium ratios for sediment samples are also included. A sample location overlay (Plate I) at 1:250 000 scale for use in conjunction with the Rock Springs NTMS quadrangle sheet (US Geological Survey, 1954) is provided. All elemental analyses were performed at the LASL. Water samples were initially analyzed for uranium by fluorometry. All water samples containing more than 40 ppB uranium were reanalyzed by delayed-neutron counting. Sediments were analyzed for uranium and thorium as well as Al, Sb, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Ca, Ce, Cs, Cl, Cr, Co, Cu, Dy, Eu, Au, Hf, Fe, La, Pb, Li, Lu, Mg, Mn, Ni, Nb, K, Rb, Sm, Sc, Ag, Na, Sr, Ta, Tb, Sn, T, W, V, Yb, and Zn. All sediments were analyzed for uranium by delayed-neutron counting. Other elemental concentrations in sediments were determined by neutron-activation analysis for 30 elements, by x-ray fluorescence for 12 elements, and by arc-source emission spectrography for 2 elements. These analytical methods are described briefly in the appendix. This report is simply a data release and is intended to make the data available to the DOE and to the public as quickly as possible

76 FR 52377 - Colorado Wyoming Reserve Co., Grant Life Sciences, Inc., NOXSO Corp., Omni Medical Holdings, Inc...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-22

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [File No. 500-1] Colorado Wyoming Reserve Co., Grant Life Sciences, Inc., NOXSO Corp., Omni Medical Holdings, Inc., and TSI, Inc., Order of Suspension of Trading... Commission that there is a lack of current and accurate information concerning the securities of Grant Life...

Final Environmental Assessment for Stormwater Drainage Project on F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

2005-05-01

Taxidea taxus), raccoon (Procyon lotor hirtus), porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), coyote (Canus latrans), and Wyoming ground...squirrel (Spermophilus elegans). A relatively large herd of pronghorn antelope inhabits the base. Although the pronghorn on the installation are a...part of the larger Iron Mountain herd , most reside on the installation year-round. The Storm Water Drainage Project, Draft Environmental Assessment

78 FR 79004 - Notice of Availability of the Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Draft Land Use Plan Amendments and...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-27

...-rearing and winter concentration areas. General Habitat--Areas of seasonal or year-round habitat outside of priority habitat. Connectivity Habitat--Areas identified as broader regions of connectivity... habitat identified by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department: Core Habitat--Areas identified as having the...

Wyoming coal-conversion project. Final technical report, November 1980-February 1982. [Proposed WyCoalGas project, Converse County, Wyoming; contains list of appendices with title and identification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1982-01-01

This final technical report describes what WyCoalGas, Inc. and its subcontractors accomplished in resolving issues related to the resource, technology, economic, environmental, socioeconomic, and governmental requirements affecting a project located near Douglas, Wyoming for producing 150 Billion Btu per day by gasifying sub-bituminous coal. The report summarizes the results of the work on each task and includes the deliverables that WyCoalGas, Inc. and the subcontractors prepared. The co-venturers withdrew from the project for two reasons: federal financial assistance to the project was seen to be highly uncertain; and funds were being expended at an unacceptably high rate.

78 FR 65387 - Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Establish an Information Collection

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-31

... jurisdictions for discovery, innovation and overall knowledge-based prosperity. EPSCoR RII Track-1 projects... improvements in their Research & Development (R&D) capacity and competitiveness. EPSCoR RII Track-1 projects.... They are generally inter- (or multi-)disciplinary and involve effective jurisdictional and regional...

Wyoming Infrared Observatory's Summer Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program: 10 Years of REU

Science.gov (United States)

Canterna, R.; Beck, K.; Hickman, M. A.

1996-05-01

The Wyoming Infrared Observatory's Summer Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program (SURAP) will complete its tenth year as an NSF REU site. Using the theme, a tutorial in research, SURAP has provided research experience for over 90 students from all regions of the United States. We will present typical histories of past students to illustrate the impact an REU experience has on the scientific careers of these students. Demographic data will be presented to show the diverse backgrounds of our SURAP students. A short film describing our science ethics seminar will be available for later presentation.

Process-scale modeling of elevated wintertime ozone in Wyoming.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotamarthi, V. R.; Holdridge, D. J.; Environmental Science Division

2007-12-31

Measurements of meteorological variables and trace gas concentrations, provided by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for Daniel, Jonah, and Boulder Counties in the state of Wyoming, were analyzed for this project. The data indicate that highest ozone concentrations were observed at temperatures of -10 C to 0 C, at low wind speeds of about 5 mph. The median values for nitrogen oxides (NOx) during these episodes ranged between 10 ppbv and 20 ppbv (parts per billion by volume). Measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during these periods were insufficient for quantitative analysis. The few available VOCs measurements indicated unusually high levels of alkanes and aromatics and low levels of alkenes. In addition, the column ozone concentration during one of the high-ozone episodes was low, on the order of 250 DU (Dobson unit) as compared to a normal column ozone concentration of approximately 300-325 DU during spring for this region. Analysis of this observation was outside the scope of this project. The data analysis reported here was used to establish criteria for making a large number of sensitivity calculations through use of a box photochemical model. Two different VOCs lumping schemes, RACM and SAPRC-98, were used for the calculations. Calculations based on this data analysis indicated that the ozone mixing ratios are sensitive to (a) surface albedo, (b) column ozone, (c) NOx mixing ratios, and (d) available terminal olefins. The RACM model showed a large response to an increase in lumped species containing propane that was not reproduced by the SAPRC scheme, which models propane as a nearly independent species. The rest of the VOCs produced similar changes in ozone in both schemes. In general, if one assumes that measured VOCs are fairly representative of the conditions at these locations, sufficient precursors might be available to produce ozone in the range of 60-80 ppbv under the conditions modeled.

Analysis of Costs of Services/Supports for People with Developmental Disabilities for Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Edward M.; Fortune, Jon; Severance, Donald; Holderegger, John; Fortune, Barbara

A database was assembled from data collected on all people served by the Developmental Disabilities divisions of Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, including state institutions and state-funded programs (n=5,928). Information included provider expenditures associated with each individual, allocations made by individual reimbursement rates,…

California-Wyoming Grid Integration Study: Phase 1 -- Economic Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corbus, D.; Hurlbut, D.; Schwabe, P.; Ibanez, E.; Milligan, M.; Brinkman, G.; Paduru, A.; Diakov, V.; Hand, M.

2014-03-01

This study presents a comparative analysis of two different renewable energy options for the California energy market between 2017 and 2020: 12,000 GWh per year from new California in-state renewable energy resources; and 12,000 GWh per year from Wyoming wind delivered to the California marketplace. Either option would add to the California resources already existing or under construction, theoretically providing the last measure of power needed to meet (or to slightly exceed) the state's 33% renewable portfolio standard. Both options have discretely measurable differences in transmission costs, capital costs (due to the enabling of different generation portfolios), capacity values, and production costs. The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast the two different options to provide additional insight for future planning.

Geology of the Pumpkin Buttes Area of the Powder River Basin, Campbell and Johnson Counties, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, William Neil; White, Amos McNairy

1956-01-01

About 200 uranium occurrences have been examined in the Pumpkin Buttes area, Wyoming. Uranium minerals are visible at most of these places and occur in red and buff sandstone lenses in the Wasatch formation of Eocene age. The uranium minerals are disseminated in buff sandstone near red sandstone, and also occur in red sandstone in manganese oxide concretions and uraninite concretions.

76 FR 61781 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming From the...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-05

... gray wolf reintroductions in central Idaho and in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). The Yellowstone... Wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho (EIS) reviewed wolf recovery in the NRM region and... Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of the Gray Wolf in Wyoming...

Comparison of real-time BTEX flux measurements to reported emission inventories in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming.

Science.gov (United States)

Edie, R.; Robertson, A.; Murphy, S. M.; Soltis, J.; Field, R. A.; Zimmerle, D.; Bell, C.

2017-12-01

Other Test Method 33a (OTM-33a) is an EPA-developed near-source measurement technique that utilizes a Gaussian plume inversion to calculate the flux of a point source 20 to 200 meters away. In 2014, the University of Wyoming mobile laboratory—equipped with a Picarro methane analyzer and an Ionicon Proton Transfer Reaction Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer—measured methane and BTEX fluxes from oil and gas operations in the Upper Green River Basin (UGRB), Wyoming. In this study, OTM-33a BTEX flux measurements are compared to BTEX emissions reported by operators in the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WY-DEQ) emission inventory. On average, OTM-33a measured BTEX fluxes are almost twice as high as those reported in the emission inventory. To further constrain errors in the OTM-33a method, methane test releases were performed at the Colorado State University Methane Emissions Test and Evaluation Center (METEC) in June of 2017. The METEC facility contains decommissioned oil and gas equipment arranged in realistic well pad layouts. Each piece of equipment has a multitude of possible emission points. A Gaussian fit of measurement error from these 29 test releases indicate the median OTM-33a measurement quantified 55% of the metered flowrate. BTEX results from the UGRB campaign and inventory analysis will be presented, along with a discussion of errors associated with the OTM-33a measurement technique. Real-time BTEX and methane mixing ratios at the measurement locations (which show a lack of correlation between VOC and methane sources in 20% of sites sampled) will also be discussed.

Natural re-establishment of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae following stripmine reclamation in Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, E.B.; Allen, M.F. (University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (USA))

1980-01-01

The % root infection of {ital Agropyron smithii} and {ital A. intermedium} by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae was measured and spoil spores were counted in six reclaimed stripmine sites in Wyoming. On 2- and 3-yr old sites % infection and spore counts were c. 50% or less than native prairie levels. Spore counts of a 3-yr old disked prairie site were not different from the undisturbed prairie level, but infection was significantly lower. Spore counts of the reclimed sites were not highly correlated with % root infection. Five of seven annuals which colonized the reclaimed and disked sites were non-mycorrhizal. 43 refs., 3 tabs.

Geospatial data for coal beds in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

Science.gov (United States)

Kinney, Scott A.; Scott, David C.; Osmonson, Lee M.; Luppens, James A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide geospatial data for various layers and themes in a Geographic Information System (GIS) format for the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana. In 2015, as part of the U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of coal resources and reserves within the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana. This report is supplemental to USGS Professional Paper 1809 and contains GIS data that can be used to view digital layers or themes, including the Tertiary limit of the Powder River Basin boundary, locations of drill holes, clinker, mined coal, land use and technical restrictions, geology, mineral estate ownership, coal thickness, depth to the top of the coal bed (overburden), and coal reliability categories. Larger scale maps may be viewed using the GIS data provided in this report supplemental to the page-size maps provided in USGS Professional Paper 1809. Additionally, these GIS data can be exported to other digital applications as needed by the user. The database used for this report contains a total of 29,928 drill holes, of which 21,393 are in the public domain. The public domain database is linked to the geodatabase in this report so that the user can access the drill-hole data through GIS applications. Results of this report are available at the USGS Energy Resources Program Web site,http://energy.usgs.gov/RegionalStudies/PowderRiverBasin.aspx.

National uranium resource evaluation: Sheridan Quadrangle, Wyoming and Montana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damp, J.N.; Jennings, M.D.

1982-04-01

The Sheridan Quadrangle of north-central Wyoming was evaluated for uranium favorability according to specific criteria of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. Procedures consisted of geologic and radiometric surveys; rock, water, and sediment sampling; studying well logs; and reviewing the literature. Five favorable environments were identified. These include portions of Eocene Wasatch and Upper Cretaceous Lance sandstones of the Powder River Basin and Lower Cretaceous Pryor sandstones of the Bighorn Basin. Unfavorable environments include all Precambrian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Permian, Triassic, and Middle Jurassic rocks; the Cretaceous Thermopolis, Mowry, Cody, Meeteetse, and Bearpaw Formations; the Upper Jurassic Sundance and Morrison, the Cretaceous Frontier, Meseverde, Lance, and the Paleocene Fort Union and Eocene Willwood Formations of the Bighorn Basin; the Wasatch Formation of the Powder River Basin, excluding two favorable areas and all Oligocene and Miocene rocks. Remaining rocks are unevaluated

National uranium resource evaluation: Sheridan Quadrangle, Wyoming and Montana

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Damp, J N; Jennings, M D

1982-04-01

The Sheridan Quadrangle of north-central Wyoming was evaluated for uranium favorability according to specific criteria of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. Procedures consisted of geologic and radiometric surveys; rock, water, and sediment sampling; studying well logs; and reviewing the literature. Five favorable environments were identified. These include portions of Eocene Wasatch and Upper Cretaceous Lance sandstones of the Powder River Basin and Lower Cretaceous Pryor sandstones of the Bighorn Basin. Unfavorable environments include all Precambrian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Permian, Triassic, and Middle Jurassic rocks; the Cretaceous Thermopolis, Mowry, Cody, Meeteetse, and Bearpaw Formations; the Upper Jurassic Sundance and Morrison, the Cretaceous Frontier, Meseverde, Lance, and the Paleocene Fort Union and Eocene Willwood Formations of the Bighorn Basin; the Wasatch Formation of the Powder River Basin, excluding two favorable areas and all Oligocene and Miocene rocks. Remaining rocks are unevaluated.

Climate change on the Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming: a synthesis of past climate, climate projections, and ecosystem implications

Science.gov (United States)

Janine Rice; Andrew Tredennick; Linda A. Joyce

2012-01-01

The Shoshone National Forest (Shoshone) covers 2.4 million acres of mountainous topography in northwest Wyoming and is a vital ecosystem that provides clean water, wildlife habitat, timber, grazing, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic value. The Shoshone has experienced and adapted to changes in climate for many millennia, and is currently experiencing a warming...

Habitat prioritization across large landscapes, multiple seasons, and novel areas: an example using greater sage-grouse in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Fedy, Bradley C.; Doherty, Kevin E.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Bedrosian, Bryan; Gummer, David; Holloran, Matthew J.; Johnson, Gregory D.; Kaczor, Nicholas W.; Kirol, Christopher P.; Mandich, Cheryl A.; Marshall, David; McKee, Gwyn; Olson, Chad; Pratt, Aaron C.; Swanson, Christopher C.; Walker, Brett L.

2014-01-01

Animal habitat selection is an important and expansive area of research in ecology. In particular, the study of habitat selection is critical in habitat prioritization efforts for species of conservation concern. Landscape planning for species is happening at ever-increasing extents because of the appreciation for the role of landscape-scale patterns in species persistence coupled to improved datasets for species and habitats, and the expanding and intensifying footprint of human land uses on the landscape. We present a large-scale collaborative effort to develop habitat selection models across large landscapes and multiple seasons for prioritizing habitat for a species of conservation concern. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter sage-grouse) occur in western semi-arid landscapes in North America. Range-wide population declines of this species have been documented, and it is currently considered as “warranted but precluded” from listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. Wyoming is predicted to remain a stronghold for sage-grouse populations and contains approximately 37% of remaining birds. We compiled location data from 14 unique radiotelemetry studies (data collected 1994–2010) and habitat data from high-quality, biologically relevant, geographic information system (GIS) layers across Wyoming. We developed habitat selection models for greater sage-grouse across Wyoming for 3 distinct life stages: 1) nesting, 2) summer, and 3) winter. We developed patch and landscape models across 4 extents, producing statewide and regional (southwest, central, northeast) models for Wyoming. Habitat selection varied among regions and seasons, yet preferred habitat attributes generally matched the extensive literature on sage-grouse seasonal habitat requirements. Across seasons and regions, birds preferred areas with greater percentage sagebrush cover and avoided paved roads, agriculture, and forested areas. Birds consistently preferred

U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative - 2013 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Bern, Carleton R.; Biewick, Laura R; Boughton, Gregory K.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Dematatis, Marie K.; Fedy, Bradley C.; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Hethcoat, Matthew G.; Homer, Collin G.; Huber, Christopher; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Latysh, Natalie; Manier, Daniel; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Kirk A.; Potter, Christopher J.; Schell, Spencer; Sweat, Michael J.; Walters, Annika W.; Wilson, Anna B.

2014-01-01

This is the sixth report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual activities conducted by USGS for addressing specific management needs identified by WLCI partners. In FY2013, there were 25 ongoing and new projects conducted by the USGS. These projects fall into 8 major categories: (1) synthesizing and analyzing existing data to describe (model and map) current conditions on the landscape; (2) developing models for projecting past and future landscape conditions; (3) monitoring indicators of ecosystem conditions and the effectiveness of on-the-ground habitat projects; (4) conducting research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying wildlife and habitat responses to changing land uses; (5) managing and making accessible the large number of databases, maps, and other products being developed; (6) helping to integrate WLCI outcomes with future habitat enhancement and research projects; (7) coordinating efforts among WLCI partners; and (8) providing support to WLCI decision-makers and assisting with overall evaluation of the WLCI program. The two new projects initiated in FY2013 address (1) important agricultural lands in southwestern Wyoming, and (2) the influence of energy development on native fish communities. The remaining activities entailed our ongoing efforts to compile data, model landscape conditions, monitor trends in habitat conditions, conduct studies of wildlife responses to energy development, and upgrade Web-based products in support of both individual and overall WLCI efforts. Milestone FY2013 accomplishments included completing the development of a WLCI inventory and monitoring framework and the associated monitoring strategies, protocols, and analytics; and initial development of an Interagency Inventory and Monitoring Database, which will be accessible through the Monitoring page of the WLCI Web site at http://www.wlci.gov/monitoring. We also completed the initial phase of

Wyoming Basin Rapid Ecoregional Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Natasha B.; Melcher, Cynthia P.

2015-08-28

The Wyoming Basin Rapid Ecoregional Assessment was conducted in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The overall goals of the BLM Rapid Ecoregional Assessments (REAs) are to identify important ecosystems and wildlife habitats at broad spatial scales; identify where these resources are at risk from Change Agents, including development, wildfire, invasive species, disease and climate change; quantify cumulative effects of anthropogenic stressors; and assess current levels of risk to ecological resources across a range of spatial scales and jurisdictional boundaries by assessing all lands within an ecoregion. There are several components of the REAs. Management Questions, developed by the BLM and stakeholders for the ecoregion, identify the regionally significant information needed for addressing land-management responsibilities. Conservation Elements represent regionally significant species and ecological communities that are of management concern. Change Agents that currently affect or are likely to affect the condition of species and communities in the future are identified and assessed. REAs also identify areas that have high conservation potential that are referred to as “large intact areas.” At the ecoregion level, the ecological value of large intact areas is based on the assumption that because these areas have not been greatly altered by human activities (such as development), they are more likely to contain a variety of plant and animal communities and to be resilient and resistant to changes resulting from natural disturbances such as fire, insect outbreaks, and disease.

Two-dimensional coherence analysis of magnetic and gravity data from the Casper Quadrangle, Wyoming. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Volume II contains the following: gravity station location map; complete Bouguer gravity map; total magnetic map; gravity data copper area detrended continued 1 km; magnetic data Casper Wyoming continued 1 km; upward continued coherent gravity maps; magnetic field reduced to the pole/pseudo gravity map; geology map-Casper Quadrangle; magnetic interpretation map-Casper Quadrangle; gravity interpretation map; magnetic interpretation cross section; magnetic profiles; flight line map and uranium occurrences

Seminoe-Kortes transmission line/substation consolidation project, Carbon County, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-07-01

The existing switchyards at Western Area Power Administration's (WESTERN) Seminoe and Kortes facilities, located approximately 40 miles northeast of Rawlines, Carbon County, Wyoming, were constructed in 1939 and 1951, respectively. The circuit breakers at these facilities are beyond or approaching their service life and need to be replaced. In addition, the switchyards have poor access for maintenance and replacement of equipment, and their locations create potential for oil spills into the North Platte River. WESTERN is proposing to consolidate the switchyard facilities into one new substation to provide easier access, restore proper levels of system reliability, and decrease the potential for oil contamination of the river. This environmental assessment (EA) was prepared to evaluate the impacts of the proposed Seminoe-Kortes Consolidation Project. 57 refs., 12 figs., 8 tabs.

Optical Dating of Holocene Dune Sands in the Ferris Dune Field, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes, Stephen; Gaylord, David R.

1993-05-01

Optical dating of late Quaternary quartz dune sands from the Clear Creek portion of Ferris dune field, Wyoming, demonstrates the considerable potential of the technique as a chronostratigraphic tool. A sequence of radiocarbon-dated Holocene interdune strata permit optical dating of the intercalated dune sand to be tested; the concordance is good. The optical dates for the aeolian deposits not datable by radiocarbon suggest that aeolian sedimentation at Clear Creek peaked during two relatively short phases at ca. 8500 and 4000 yr B.P. The dates indicate that aeolian accumulation maxima (at least in the Clear Creek area) may not be synchronous with previously defined phases of marked aridity.

Evaluation of wetland creation and waterfowl use in conjunction with abandoned mine lands in northeast Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKistry, M C; Anderson, S H [University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

1994-12-01

During 1991 and 1992, we studied 92 wetlands, including open water (ponds) and emergent communities, created as a result of Wyoming Abandoned Mine Lands` (AML) reclamation efforts in northeast Wyoming. Through these activities, over 300 wetlands were filled, reclaimed, created, or otherwise modified. For mitigation purposes wetlands to be filled or modified were first evaluated using a Wetland Habitat Value (WHV) Model. Using the model, wetland losses were mitigated by increasing the WHV of some wetlands or by creating new wetlands elsewhere. We evaluated model performance in offsetting wetland loss and how well the model predicted waterfowl use. We also compared post-reclamation wetland sizes to those predicted by engineering plans and submitted for Section 404 permit approval. In our study, predicted WHVs were overestimated at 100% of the wetlands for which pre-reclamation WHVs were available (n8). The most commonly overestimated variables were size, fraction of emergent cover, adjacent upland cover, and the number of bays and peninsulas. We obtained preconstruction size estimates for 64 of the original 80 wetlands. Fifty five of 64 wetlands were smaller than pre-reclamation engineering goals. The WHV Model accurately predicted use of wetlands by migrating and breeding canada geese (Branta canadensis), migrating dabbling ducks, and migrating diving ducks.

Magnetostratigraphy of the Willwood Formation, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming: new constraints on the location of Paleocene/Eocene boundary

Science.gov (United States)

Tauxe, L.; Gee, J.; Gallet, Y.; Pick, T.; Bown, T.

1994-01-01

The lower Eocene Willwood Formation in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming preserves a rich and diverse mammalian and floral record. The paleomagnetic behavior of the sequence of floodplain paleosols of varying degrees of maturation ranges from excellent to poor. We present a magnetostratigraphic section for a composite section near Worland, Wyoming, by using a set of strict criteria for interpreting the step-wise alternating field and thermal demagnetization data of 266 samples from 90 sites throughout the composite section. Correlation to the geomagnetic reversal time scale was achieved by combining magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data from this section, from a section in the Clark's Fork Basin in northern Wyoming, and from DSDP Site 550, with the isotopic data determined on a tuff near the top of our section. Our correlation suggests that the Bighorn Basin composite section in the Worland area spans from within Chron C24r to near the top of Chron C24n, or from approximately 55 to 52 Ma. This correlation places the Paleocene/Eocene boundary within the vicinity of the base of the section. Cryptochron C24r.6 of Cande and Kent is tentatively identified some 100 m above the base of the section. The temporal framework provided here enables correlation of the mammalian biostratigraphy of the Bighorn Basin to other continental sequences as well as to marine records. It also provides independent chronological information for the calculation of sediment accumulation rates to constrain soil maturation rates. We exclude an age as young as 53 Ma for the Paleocene/Eocene boundary and support older ages, as recommended in recent time scales. The location of a tuff dated at 52.8 ?? 0.3 Ma at the older boundary C24n.1 is consistent with the age of 52.5 Ma estimated by Cande and Kent and inconsistent with that of 53.7 Ma, from Harland et al. ?? 1994.

Data Validation Package, July 2016 Groundwater Sampling at the Shirley Basin South, Wyoming, Disposal Site November 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frazier, William [USDOE Office of Legacy Management, Washington, DC (United States); Price, Jeffrey [Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-11-01

Sampling Period: July 14-15, 2016 The 2004 Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the Shirley Basin South (UMTRCA Title II) Disposal Site, Carbon County, Wyoming, requires annual monitoring to verify continued compliance with the pertinent alternate concentration limits (ACLs) and Wyoming Class III (livestock use) groundwater protection standards. Planned monitoring locations are shown in Attachment 1, Sampling and Analysis Work Order. Point-of-compliance (POC) wells 19-DC, 5-DC, and 5-SC, and monitoring wells 10-DC, 110-DC, 112-DC, 113-DC, 40-SC, 54-SC, 100-SC, 102-SC, and K.G.S.#3 were sampled. POC well 51-SC and downgradient well 101-SC were dry at the time of sampling. The water level was measured at each sampled well. See Attachment 2, Trip Report for additional details. Sampling and analyses were conducted in accordance with the Sampling and Analysis Plan for the U S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and­ analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). ACLs are approved for cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, radium-226, radium-228, selenium, thorium-230, and uranium in site groundwater. Time-concentration graphs of the contaminants of concern in POC wells are included in Attachment 3, Data Presentation. The only ACL exceedance in a POC well was radium-228 in well 5-DC where the concentration was 30.7 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), exceeding the ACL of 25.7 pCi/L. Concentrations of sulfate and total dissolved solids continue to exceed their respective Wyoming Class III groundwater protection standards for livestock use in wells 5-DC, 5-SC, and 54-SC as they have done throughout the sampling history; however, there is no livestock use of the water from these aquifers at the site, and no constituent concentrations exceed groundwater protection standards at the wells near the site boundary.

Radiological survey of the inactive uranium-mill tailings at Riverton, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haywood, F.F.; Lorenzo, D.; Christian, D.J.; Chou, K.D.; Ellis, B.S.; Shinpaugh, W.H.

1980-03-01

Results of a radiological survey performed at the Riverton, Wyoming site in July 1976, are presented. The average external gamma exposure rate at 1 m over the tailings pile was 56 μR/hr. The corresponding rate for the former mill area was 97 μR/hr. Movement of tailings particles in a dry wash is evident; but it appears that, in general, the earth cover over the tailings pile has been effective in limiting both wind and water erosion of the tailings. The calculated concentration of 226 Ra as a function of depth in 15 augered holes is presented graphically. A survey of the Teton Division Lumber Company property in Riverton showed a maximum external gamma exposure rate of 270 μR/hr

Big George to Carter Mountain 115-kV transmission line project, Park and Hot Springs Counties, Wyoming. Environmental Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-02-01

The Western Area Power Administration (Western) is proposing to rebuild, operate, and maintain a 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the Big George and Carter Mountain Substations in northwest Wyoming (Park and Hot Springs Counties). This environmental assessment (EA) was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Department of Energy (DOE). The existing Big George to Carter Mountain 69-kV transmission line was constructed in 1941 by the US Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, with 1/0 copper conductor on wood-pole H-frame structures without an overhead ground wire. The line should be replaced because of the deteriorated condition of the wood-pole H-frame structures. Because the line lacks an overhead ground wire, it is subject to numerous outages caused by lightning. The line will be 54 years old in 1995, which is the target date for line replacement. The normal service life of a wood-pole line is 45 years. Under the No Action Alternative, no new transmission lines would be built in the project area. The existing 69-kV transmission line would continue to operate with routine maintenance, with no provisions made for replacement.

Headcut Erosion in Wyoming's Sweetwater Subbasin.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Samuel E; Booth, D Terrance; Likins, John C

2016-02-01

Increasing human population and intensive land use combined with a warming climate and chronically diminished snowpacks are putting more strain on water resources in the western United States. Properly functioning riparian systems slow runoff and store water, thus regulating extreme flows; however, riparian areas across the west are in a degraded condition with a majority of riparian systems not in proper functioning condition, and with widespread catastrophic erosion of water-storing peat and organic soils. Headcuts are the leading edge of catastrophic channel erosion. We used aerial imagery (1.4-3.3-cm pixel) to locate 163 headcuts in riparian areas in the Sweetwater subbasin of central Wyoming. We found 1-m-the generally available standard resolution for land management-and 30-cm pixel imagery to be inadequate for headcut identification. We also used Structure-from-Motion models built from ground-acquired imagery to model 18 headcuts from which we measured soil loss of 425-720 m3. Normalized by channel length, this represents a loss of 1.1-1.8 m3 m(-1) channel. Monitoring headcuts, either from ground or aerial imagery, provides an objective indicator of sustainable riparian land management and identifies priority disturbance-mitigation areas. Image-based headcut monitoring must use data on the order of 3.3 cm ground sample distance, or greater resolution, to effectively capture the information needed for accurate assessments of riparian conditions.

Draft environmental statement. Wyoming Mineral Corporation, Irigaray solution mining project (Johnson County, Wyoming)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-04-01

The Irigaray project consists of solution mining (in situ leaching) operations involving uranium ore deposits in Johnson County, Wyoming. Solution mining activities will include a processing facility with an annual production of 500,000 lb of U 3 O 8 from up to 50 acres of well fields through the initial license authorization. The Irigaray project has an estimated lifetime of 10 to 20 years with known ore deposits and the current level of solution mining technology. Environmental impacts and adverse effects are summarized. The site is mostly used as grazing land for cattle and sheep. Initiation of the Irigaray project would result in the temporary removal from grazing and the disturbance of approximately 60 acres during operation. All disturbed surface areas will be reclaimed and returned to their original use. Approximately 1.2 x 10 6 m 3 (1000 acre-ft) of water will be withdrawn from the ore zone aquifer. This water will be conveyed to the onsite waste ponds for evaporation. An estimated 4.2 x 10 5 m 3 (340 acre-ft) of groundwater is expected to temporarily contain increased concentrations of radioactive and toxic elements during the operation of each 4-ha (10-acre) well field. Restoration should return this water to a condition that is consistent with its premining use (or potential use). There will be no discharge of liquid effluents from the Irigaray project. Atmospheric effluents will be within acceptable limits. The dose rates of radionuclides in the air at the nearest ranches from the plant site are tabulated. The Irigaray project proposes the production and utilization of 500,000 lb per year of uranium resources. The Irigaray project will not produce any significant socioeconomic impact on the local area because of the small number of employees that will be employed at the project

78 FR 29379 - BLM Director's Response to the Appeal by the Governors of Utah and Wyoming of the BLM Assistant...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-20

... Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Colorado... Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands Administered by the BLM in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, which..., Lakewood, CO 80215 or Mitchell Leverette, BLM Division Chief, Solid Minerals, 202-912-7113, ( [email protected

Unconventional Coal in Wyoming: IGCC and Gasification of Direct Coal Liquefaction Residue

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffers, William Clemens

Two unconventional uses for Wyoming Powder River Basin coal were investigated in this study. The first was the use of coal fired integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants to generate electricity. Twenty-eight different scenarios were modeled using AspenPlusRTM software. These included slurry, mechanical and dried fed gasifiers; Wyodak and Green River coals, 0%, 70%, and 90% CO2 capture; and conventional evaporative vs air cooling. All of the models were constructed on a feed basis of 6,900 tons of coal per day on an "as received basis". The AspenPlus RTM results were then used to create economic models using Microsoft RTM Excel for each configuration. These models assumed a 3 year construction period and a 30 year plant life. Results for capital and operating costs, yearly income, and internal rates of return (IRR) were compared. In addition, the scenarios were evaluated to compare electricity sales prices required to obtain a 12% IRR and to determine the effects of a carbon emissions tax on the sales price. The second part of the study investigated the gasification potential of residue remaining from solvent extraction or liquefaction of Powder River Basin Coal. Coal samples from the Decker mine on the Wyoming-Montana border were extracted with tetralin at a temperature of 360°C and pressure of 250 psi. Residue from the extraction was gasified with CO2 or steam at 833°C, 900°C and 975°C at pressures of 0.1 and 0.4 MPa. Product gases were analyzed with a mass spectrometer. Results were used to determine activation energies, reaction order, reaction rates and diffusion effects. Surface area and electron microscopic analyses were also performed on char produced from the solvent extraction residue.

Relationships between gas field development and the presence and abundance of pygmy rabbits in southwestern Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Germaine, Stephen; Carter, Sarah; Ignizio, Drew A.; Freeman, Aaron T.

2017-01-01

More than 5957 km2 in southwestern Wyoming is currently covered by operational gas fields, and further development is projected through 2030. Gas fields fragment landscapes through conversion of native vegetation to roads, well pads, pipeline corridors, and other infrastructure elements. The sagebrush steppe landscape where most of this development is occurring harbors 24 sagebrush-associated species of greatest conservation need, but the effects of gas energy development on most of these species are unknown. Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) are one such species. In 2011, we began collecting three years of survey data to examine the relationship between gas field development density and pygmy rabbit site occupancy patterns on four major Wyoming gas fields (Continental Divide–Creston–Blue Gap, Jonah, Moxa Arch, Pinedale Anticline Project Area). We surveyed 120 plots across four gas fields, with plots distributed across the density gradient of gas well pads on each field. In a 1 km radius around the center of each plot, we measured the area covered by each of 10 gas field infrastructure elements and by shrub cover using 2012 National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery. We then modeled the relationship between gas field elements, pygmy rabbit presence, and two indices of pygmy rabbit abundance. Gas field infrastructure elements—specifically buried utility corridors and a complex of gas well pads, adjacent disturbed areas, and well pad access roads—were negatively correlated with pygmy rabbit presence and abundance indices, with sharp declines apparent after approximately 2% of the area consisted of gas field infrastructure. We conclude that pygmy rabbits in southwestern Wyoming may be sensitive to gas field development at levels similar to those observed for greater sage-grouse, and may suffer local population declines at lower levels of development than are allowed in existing plans and policies designed to conserve greater sage-grouse by limiting

Copper Mountain, Wyoming, intermediate-grade uranium resource assessment project. Final report. National Uranium Resource Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madson, M.E.; Ludlam, J.R.; Fukui, L.M.

1982-11-01

Intermediate-grade uranium resources were delineated and estimated for Eocene and Precambrian host rock environments in the 39.64 mi 2 Copper Mountain, Wyoming, assessment area. Geologic reconnaissance and geochemical, geophysical, petrologic, borehole, and structural data were interpreted and used to develop a genetic model for uranium mineralization in these environments. Development of a structural scoring system and application of computer graphics in a high-confidence control area established the basis for estimations of uranium resources in the total assessment area. 8 figures, 5 tables

Multiscale sagebrush rangeland habitat modeling in southwest Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Homer, Collin G.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Meyer, Debra K.; Coan, Michael J.; Bowen, Zachary H.

2009-01-01

Sagebrush-steppe ecosystems in North America have experienced dramatic elimination and degradation since European settlement. As a result, sagebrush-steppe dependent species have experienced drastic range contractions and population declines. Coordinated ecosystem-wide research, integrated with monitoring and management activities, would improve the ability to maintain existing sagebrush habitats. However, current data only identify resource availability locally, with rigorous spatial tools and models that accurately model and map sagebrush habitats over large areas still unavailable. Here we report on an effort to produce a rigorous large-area sagebrush-habitat classification and inventory with statistically validated products and estimates of precision in the State of Wyoming. This research employs a combination of significant new tools, including (1) modeling sagebrush rangeland as a series of independent continuous field components that can be combined and customized by any user at multiple spatial scales; (2) collecting ground-measured plot data on 2.4-meter imagery in the same season the satellite imagery is acquired; (3) effective modeling of ground-measured data on 2.4-meter imagery to maximize subsequent extrapolation; (4) acquiring multiple seasons (spring, summer, and fall) of an additional two spatial scales of imagery (30 meter and 56 meter) for optimal large-area modeling; (5) using regression tree classification technology that optimizes data mining of multiple image dates, ratios, and bands with ancillary data to extrapolate ground training data to coarser resolution sensors; and (6) employing rigorous accuracy assessment of model predictions to enable users to understand the inherent uncertainties. First-phase results modeled eight rangeland components (four primary targets and four secondary targets) as continuous field predictions. The primary targets included percent bare ground, percent herbaceousness, percent shrub, and percent litter. The

Reclamation after oil and gas development does not speed up succession or plant community recovery in big sagebrush ecosystems in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Rottler, Caitlin M.; Burke, Ingrid C.; Palmquist, Kyle A.; Bradford, John B.; Lauenroth, William K.

2018-01-01

Article for intended outlet: Restoration Ecology. Abstract: Reclamation is an application of treatment(s) following a disturbance to promote succession and accelerate the return of target conditions. Previous studies have framed reclamation in the context of succession by studying its effectiveness in re-establishing late-successional plant communities. Re-establishment of these plant communities is especially important and potentially challenging in regions such as drylands and shrub steppe ecosystems where succession proceeds slowly. Dryland shrub steppe ecosystems are frequently associated with areas rich in fossil-fuel energy sources, and as such the need for effective reclamation after disturbance from fossil-fuel-related energy development is great. Past research in this field has focused primarily on coal mines; few researchers have studied reclamation after oil and gas development. To address this research gap and to better understand the effect of reclamation on rates of succession in dryland shrub steppe ecosystems, we sampled oil and gas wellpads and adjacent undisturbed big sagebrush plant communities in Wyoming, USA and quantified the extent of recovery for major functional groups on reclaimed and unreclaimed (recovered via natural succession) wellpads relative to the undisturbed plant community. Reclamation increased the rate of recovery for all forb and grass species as a group and for perennial grasses, but did not affect other functional groups. Rather, analyses comparing recovery to environmental variables and time since wellpad abandonment showed that recovery of other groups were affected primarily by soil texture and time since wellpad abandonment. This is consistent with studies in other ecosystems where reclamation has been implemented, suggesting that reclamation may not help re-establish late-successional plant communities more quickly than they would re-establish naturally.

Land use and habitat conditions across the southwestern Wyoming sagebrush steppe: development impacts, management effectiveness and the distribution of invasive plants

Science.gov (United States)

Manier, Daniel J.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick; Chong, Geneva; Homer, Collin G.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Schell, Spencer

2011-01-01

For the past several years, USGS has taken a multi-faceted approach to investigating the condition and trends in sagebrush steppe ecosystems. This recent effort builds upon decades of work in semi-arid ecosystems providing a specific, applied focus on the cumulative impacts of expanding human activities across these landscapes. Here, we discuss several on-going projects contributing to these efforts: (1) mapping and monitoring the distribution and condition of shrub steppe communities with local detail at a regional scale, (2) assessing the relationships between specific, land-use features (for example, roads, transmission lines, industrial pads) and invasive plants, including their potential (environmentally defined) distribution across the region, and (3) monitoring the effects of habitat treatments on the ecosystem, including wildlife use and invasive plant abundance. This research is focused on the northern sagebrush steppe, primarily in Wyoming, but also extending into Montana, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. The study area includes a range of sagebrush types (including, Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata, Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana, Artemisia nova) and other semi-arid shrubland types (for example, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex gardneri), impacted by extensive interface between steppe ecosystems and industrial energy activities resulting in a revealing multiple-variable analysis. We use a combination of remote sensing (AWiFS (1 Any reference to platforms, data sources, equipment, software, patented or trade-marked methods is for information purposes only. It does not represent endorsement of the U.S.D.I., U.S.G.S. or the authors), Landsat and Quickbird platforms), Geographic Information System (GIS) design and data management, and field-based, replicated sampling to generate multiple scales of data representing the distribution of shrub communities for the habitat inventory. Invasive plant

EPSCoR Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holdmann, Gwen [Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK (United States)

2016-12-20

Alaska is considered a world leader in renewable energy and microgrid technologies. Our workplan started as an analysis of existing wind-diesel systems, many of which were not performing as designed. We aimed to analyze and understand the performance of existing wind-diesel systems, to establish a knowledge baseline from which to work towards improvement and maximizing renewable energy utilization. To accomplish this, we worked with the Alaska Energy Authority to develop a comprehensive database of wind system experience, including underlying climatic and socioeconomic characteristics, actual operating data, projected vs. actual capital and O&M costs, and a catalogue of catastrophic anomalies. This database formed the foundation for the rest of the research program, with the overarching goal of delivering low-cost, reliable, and sustainable energy to diesel microgrids.

Snowmelt-induced subsurface and overland flows in a hillslope in Noname Watershed, Laramie River Basin, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, T.; Ohara, N.

2015-12-01

Only few field observations have been implemented using surface and sub-surface trenches to investigate snowmelt-induced hillslope runoffs in mountainous regions. Hillslope trenches may be one of the most direct ways to measure subsurface and overland flow during winter and spring seasons. In July 2014, a 10 meter long trench was constructed with hand tools through glacial till on a south facing hillslope in the Noname Watershed, Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming, where heavy equipment and motorized vehicles were restricted. This trench measures subsurface and overland flow for a 610 square meters catchment which has an average slope of 25 degrees. This water-collecting trench is equipped with 4 soil-moisture and temperature sensors to detect the presence of unsaturated flow. Field observations from the trench showed that diurnal oscillation of snowmelt seemed to control the overland flow between the snow and soil surface. The water inputs to the hillslope, including rainfall, evaporation, and snowmelt rates, were estimated from the energy balance computations using the observed meteorological data at the site. Using the water input data, the lateral flow component through the deeper soil or weathered bedrock layer was also quantified by the mass balance in the catchment. This study provides one of key field activities for Wyoming Center for Environmental Hydrology and Geophysics (WyCEHG) project.

Depth of the base of the Jackson aquifer, based on geophysical exploration, southern Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Nolan, Bernard T.; Campbell, David L.; Senterfit, Robert M.

A geophysical survey was conducted to determine the depth of the base of the water-table aquifer in the southern part of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA. Audio-magnetotellurics (AMT) measurements at 77 sites in the study area yielded electrical-resistivity logs of the subsurface, and these were used to infer lithologic changes with depth. A 100-600ohm-m geoelectric layer, designated the Jackson aquifer, was used to represent surficial saturated, unconsolidated deposits of Quaternary age. The median depth of the base of the Jackson aquifer is estimated to be 200ft (61m), based on 62 sites that had sufficient resistivity data. AMT-measured values were kriged to predict the depth to the base of the aquifer throughout the southern part of Jackson Hole. Contour maps of the kriging predictions indicate that the depth of the base of the Jackson aquifer is shallow in the central part of the study area near the East and West Gros Ventre Buttes, deeper in the west near the Teton fault system, and shallow at the southern edge of Jackson Hole. Predicted, contoured depths range from 100ft (30m) in the south, near the confluences of Spring Creek and Flat Creek with the Snake River, to 700ft (210m) in the west, near the town of Wilson, Wyoming. Résumé Une campagne géophysique a été entreprise pour préciser la profondeur du mur de l'aquifère dans le secteur sud de Jackson Hole (Wyoming, États-Unis). Des mesures audio-magnétotelluriques (audio MT) sur 77 sites de ce secteur ont fourni des logs de résistivitéélectrique du sous-sol ; les variations de la lithologie en fonction de la profondeur en ont été déduites. Un niveau géoélectrique à 100-600ohm.m, dénommé "aquifère de Jackson", a servi à définir des dépôts superficiels quaternaires saturés en eau et non consolidés. La profondeur médiane de la base de l'aquifère de Jackson est de l'ordre de 61m, à partir des 62 sites ayant fourni suffisamment de données de résistivité. Les valeurs audio MT mesur

Changing Snow Cover and Stream Discharge in the Western United States - Wind River Range, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Dorothy K.; Foster, James L.; DiGirolamo, Nicolo E.; Barton, Jonathan S.; Riggs, George A.

2011-01-01

Earlier onset of springtime weather has been documented in the western United States over at least the last 50 years. Because the majority (>70%) of the water supply in the western U.S. comes from snowmelt, analysis of the declining spring snowpack has important implications for the management of water resources. We studied ten years of Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow-cover products, 40 years of stream discharge and meteorological station data and 30 years of snow-water equivalent (SWE) SNOw Telemetry (SNOTEL) data in the Wind River Range (WRR), Wyoming. Results show increasing air temperatures for.the 40-year study period. Discharge from streams in WRR drainage basins show lower annual discharge and earlier snowmelt in the decade of the 2000s than in the previous three decades. Changes in streamflow may be related to increasing air temperatures which are probably contributing to a reduction in snow cover, although no trend of either increasingly lower streamflow or earlier snowmelt was observed within the decade of the 2000s. And SWE on 1 April does not show an expected downward trend from 1980 to 2009. The extent of snow cover derived from the lowest-elevation zone of the WRR study area is strongly correlated (r=0.91) with stream discharge on 1 May during the decade of the 2000s. The strong relationship between snow cover and streamflow indicates that MODIS snow-cover maps can be used to improve management of water resources in the drought-prone western U.S.

Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, in domestic sheep flocks from Wyoming, United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Loftis, Amanda D; Reeves, Will K; Miller, Myrna M; Massung, Robert F

2012-03-01

Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, is an intracellular bacterial pathogen. It has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. We conducted a serological survey of domestic sheep herds for infections with C. burnetii in Wyoming following reports of abortion and open ewes. Based on the serologic evidence, there was no link between reproductive problems and exposure to C. burnetii. However, the overall prevalence of C. burnetii in WY sheep was 7%, which indicates that the agent is present in the environment and could pose a threat to public health.

Summary of the engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Riverton Site, Riverton, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-08-01

Ford, Bacon, and Davis Utah Inc. has reevaluated the Riverton site in order to revise the December 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at Riverton, Wyoming. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 900,000 tons of tailings materials at the Riverton site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The nine alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover material (Option I), to removal of the tailings to remote disposal sites and decontaminations of the tailings site (Options II through IX). Cost estimates for the nine options range from about $16,600,000 for stabilization in-place, to about $23,200,000 for disposal at a distance of 18 to 25 mi. Three principal alternatives for the reprocessing of the Riverton tailings were examined: (a) heap leaching; (b) treatment at an existing mill; and (c) reprocessing at a new conventional mill constructed for tailings reprocessing. The cost of the uranium recovered would be about $260 and $230/lb of U 3 O 8 by heap leach and conventional plant processes respectively. The spot market price for uranium was $25/lb early in 1981. Therefore, reprocessing the tailings for uranium recovery does not appear to be economically attractive

Measuring the effectiveness of conservation: a novel framework to quantify the benefits of sage-grouse conservation policy and easements in Wyoming.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holly E Copeland

Full Text Available Increasing energy and housing demands are impacting wildlife populations throughout western North America. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, a species known for its sensitivity to landscape-scale disturbance, inhabits the same low elevation sage-steppe in which much of this development is occurring. Wyoming has committed to maintain sage-grouse populations through conservation easements and policy changes that conserves high bird abundance "core" habitat and encourages development in less sensitive landscapes. In this study, we built new predictive models of oil and gas, wind, and residential development and applied build-out scenarios to simulate future development and measure the efficacy of conservation actions for maintaining sage-grouse populations. Our approach predicts sage-grouse population losses averted through conservation action and quantifies return on investment for different conservation strategies. We estimate that without conservation, sage-grouse populations in Wyoming will decrease under our long-term scenario by 14-29% (95% CI: 4-46%. However, a conservation strategy that includes the "core area" policy and $250 million in targeted easements could reduce these losses to 9-15% (95% CI: 3-32%, cutting anticipated losses by roughly half statewide and nearly two-thirds within sage-grouse core breeding areas. Core area policy is the single most important component, and targeted easements are complementary to the overall strategy. There is considerable uncertainty around the magnitude of our estimates; however, the relative benefit of different conservation scenarios remains comparable because potential biases and assumptions are consistently applied regardless of the strategy. There is early evidence based on a 40% reduction in leased hectares inside core areas that Wyoming policy is reducing potential for future fragmentation inside core areas. Our framework using build-out scenarios to anticipate species declines

Coalbed Methane Extraction and Soil Suitability Concerns in the Powder River Basin, Montana and Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

,

2006-01-01

The Powder River Basin is located in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. It is an area of approximately 55,000 square kilometers. Extraction of methane gas from the coal seams that underlie the Powder River Basin began in Wyoming in the late 1980s and in Montana in the late 1990s. About 100-200 barrels of co-produced water per day are being extracted from each active well in the Powder River Basin, which comes to over 1.5 million barrels of water per day for all the active coalbed methane wells in the Basin. Lab testing indicates that Powder River Basin co-produced water is potable but is high in sodium and other salts, especially in the western and northern parts of the Powder River Basin. Common water management strategies include discharge of co-produced water into drainages, stock ponds, evaporation ponds, or infiltration ponds; treatment to remove sodium; or application of the water directly on the land surface via irrigation equipment or atomizers. Problems may arise because much of the Powder River Basin contains soils with high amounts of swelling clays. As part of the USGS Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center's hyperspectral research program, researchers are investigating whether hyperspectral remote sensing data can be beneficial in locating areas of swelling clays. Using detailed hyperspectral data collected over parts of the Powder River Basin and applying our knowledge of how the clays of interest reflect energy, we will attempt to identify and map areas of swelling clays. If successful, such information will be useful to resource and land managers.

Sampling and analyses report for December 1992 semiannual postburn sampling at the RMI UCG Site, Hanna, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindblom, S.R.

1993-03-01

During December 1992, groundwater was sampled at the site of the November 1987--February 1988 Rocky Mountain 1 underground coal gasification test near Hanna, Wyoming. The groundwater in near baseline condition. Data from the field measurements and analyzes of samples are presented. Benzene concentrations in the groundwater are below analytical detection limits (<0.01 mg/L) for all wells, except concentrations of 0.016 mg/L and 0.013 mg/L in coal seam wells EMW-3 and EMW-1, respectively

Study of carbonate concretions using imaging spectroscopy in the Frontier Formation, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

de Linaje, Virginia Alonso; Khan, Shuhab D.; Bhattacharya, Janok

2018-04-01

Imaging spectroscopy is applied to study diagenetic processes of the Wall Creek Member of the Cretaceous Frontier Formation, Wyoming. Visible Near-Infrared and Shortwave-Infrared hyperspectral cameras were used to scan near vertical and well-exposed outcrop walls to analyze lateral and vertical geochemical variations. Reflectance spectra were analyzed and compared with high-resolution laboratory spectral and hyperspectral imaging data. Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) classification algorithms were applied to quantify facies and mineral abundances in the Frontier Formation. MTMF is the most effective and reliable technique when studying spectrally similar materials. Classification results show that calcite cement in concretions associated with the channel facies is homogeneously distributed, whereas the bar facies was shown to be interbedded with layers of non-calcite-cemented sandstone.

Profiling Radar Observations and Numerical Simulations of a Downslope Wind Storm and Rotor on the Lee of the Medicine Bow Mountains in Wyoming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Binod Pokharel

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study describes a downslope wind storm event observed over the Medicine Bow range (Wyoming, USA on 11 January 2013. The University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA made four along-wind passes over a five-hour period over the mountain of interest. These passes were recognized as among the most turbulent ones encountered in many years by crew members. The MacCready turbulence meter aboard the UWKA measured moderate to severe turbulence conditions on each pass in the lee of the mountain range, with eddy dissipation rate values over 0.5 m2/3 s−1. Three rawinsondes were released from an upstream location at different times. This event is simulated using the non-hydrostatic Weather Research and Forecast (WRF model at an inner- domain resolution of 1 km. The model produces a downslope wind storm, notwithstanding some discrepancies between model and rawinsonde data in terms of upstream atmospheric conditions. Airborne Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR vertical-plane Doppler velocity data from two beams, one pointing to the nadir and one pointing slant forward, are synthesized to obtain a two-dimensional velocity field in the vertical plane below flight level. This synthesis reveals the fine-scale details of an orographic wave breaking event, including strong, persistent downslope acceleration, a strong leeside updraft (up to 10 m·s−1 flanked by counter-rotating vortices, and deep turbulence, extending well above flight level. The analysis of WCR-derived cross-mountain flow in 19 winter storms over the same mountain reveals that cross-mountain flow acceleration and downslope wind formation are difficult to predict from upstream wind and stability profiles.

Typical aqueous rare earth element behavior in co-produced Brines, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nye, Charles; Quillinan, Scott [UNIVERSIty of Wyoming; McLing, Travis [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Neupane, Ghanashyam [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2017-10-24

Normalization of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) is important to remove the distracting effects of the Oddo–Harkins rule and provide a meaningful baseline. Normalizations for rocks are well developed and include chondritic meteorites, UCC, PM, PAAS, and NASC. However normalizations for aqueous REEs are limited to oceanic regions such as the North Pacific Deep Water or North Atlantic Surface Water. This leaves water in contact with continental lithologies without a suitable normalization. We present a preliminary continental aqueous REE normalization derived from 38 deep basin hydrocarbon brines in Wyoming. The REEs in these waters are seven orders of magnitude more dilute than NASC but with significant europium enrichment. Gromet 1984 reports NASC Eu/Eu* is 0.2179, whereas in the normalization offered here, Eu/Eu* is 3.868. These waters also are free from the distracting reduction-oxidation cerium behavior found in ocean normalizations. Because these samples exhibit both the uniform behavior of NASC and the absolute concentration of seawater, a normalization based upon them offers a unique combination of the advantages of both. We used single-peak gaussian analysis to quantify the mean values for each REE and estimate the distribution variability. Additional sample collection during the last year revealed that the Powder River Basin (PRB) is atypical relative to the other sampled basins of Wyoming. Those other basins are the Wind River Basin (WRB) Green River Basin (GRB) and Wamsutter Area (WA). A pre-normalization gadolinium anomaly (Gd/Gd*) of between 4 and 23 with a mean of 11.5, defines the PRB samples. Other basins in this study range from 1 to 7 with a mean of 2.8. Finally, we present a preliminary model for ligand-based behavior of REEs in these samples. This model identifies bicarbonate, bromide, and chloride as forming significant complexes with REEs contributing to REE solubility. The ligand model explains observed REEs in the sampled Cretaceous and

Overview: Small Aircraft Transportation System Airborne Remote Sensing Fuel Droplet Evaporation

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Brent (Editor); Holmes, Bruce; Gogos, George; Narayanan, Ram; Smith, Russell; Woods, Sara

2004-01-01

The NASA Nebraska Preparation Grant was designed to solidify relationships, intensify communication, and launch collaborative initiatives among Nebraska researchers and key contacts at NASA research centers and enterprises. In doing so, Nebraska was successful in laying the groundwork for the foundation for numerous long-term, mutually beneficial collaborations that were subsequently proposed and awarded in the NASA EPSCoR 2000 competition. The NASA Nebraska EPSCoR Preparation Grant was managed by the same administrative team that oversees Nebraska's NASA Space Grant and EPSCoR programs. An advisory board (later Technical Advisory Committee) made up of voting representatives from all affiliate and partner organizations regularly reviewed grant progress and direction. The University of Nebraska at Omaha's Aviation Institute, the host institution for all three programs, provided additional administrative oversight and program evaluation through established review mechanisms. This structure has served NASA well and has been cited as a model program. The second year of preparation grant funding served as a significant opportunity for Nebraska to lay the groundwork for the continued elevation and success of its NASA EPSCoR program. In anticipation of the NASA EPSCoR 2000 grant competition, Year 2 funding enabled funded researchers to further broaden and enhance the quality and quantity of collaborations with NASA Field Centers, Codes, and Enterprises. The plan set the stage for long-term research and outreach endeavors that have contributed significantly to the achievement of NASA's strategic objectives; the state of Nebraska's economic and aerospace development efforts; and have advanced Nebraska s aeronautics research efforts to a national leadership level. The overarching goal of the NASA Nebraska EPSCoR Preparation grant was met by facilitating research endeavors among Nebraska faculty that addressed research and technology priorities of the NASA Field Centers

Airborne geophysical survey, Wind River Basin area, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1974-01-01

Results are reported of AEC-sponsored, high sensitivity, reconnaisance airborne gamma-ray survey of the Wind River Basin area, Wyoming. The objective of the survey was to define those areas showing surface indications of a generally higher uranium content (uraniferous provinces) and where detailed exploration for uranium would most likely be successful. For the data collection tasks, a TI high sensitivity gamma-ray system consisting of seven large-volume NaI detectors, two 400-channel analyzers, and ancillary geophysical and electronic equipment was used. Gamma-ray spectrometric data were processed to correct for variations in atmospheric and flight conditions and statistically evaluated to remove the effect of surface geologic variations. Data were then compared to regional geomorphic lineaments derived from ERTS-1 imagery. Aeromagnetic data were collected simultaneously with the airborne gamma-ray survey and interpreted in terms of regional structure. Ten major anomalous uranium areas and ten less strong anomalous areas were defined within the region surveyed. These anomalies and the known mining districts and uranium occurrences demonstrated good correlation with the ERTS lineaments. The basins were defined by the aeromagnetic data. It is suggested that gamma-ray spectrometer data be supplemented by both the ERTS and aeromagnetic data to best define the targets of greatest potential for further exploration. (U.S.)

Estimating traffic volume on Wyoming low volume roads using linear and logistic regression methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dick Apronti

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Traffic volume is an important parameter in most transportation planning applications. Low volume roads make up about 69% of road miles in the United States. Estimating traffic on the low volume roads is a cost-effective alternative to taking traffic counts. This is because traditional traffic counts are expensive and impractical for low priority roads. The purpose of this paper is to present the development of two alternative means of cost-effectively estimating traffic volumes for low volume roads in Wyoming and to make recommendations for their implementation. The study methodology involves reviewing existing studies, identifying data sources, and carrying out the model development. The utility of the models developed were then verified by comparing actual traffic volumes to those predicted by the model. The study resulted in two regression models that are inexpensive and easy to implement. The first regression model was a linear regression model that utilized pavement type, access to highways, predominant land use types, and population to estimate traffic volume. In verifying the model, an R2 value of 0.64 and a root mean square error of 73.4% were obtained. The second model was a logistic regression model that identified the level of traffic on roads using five thresholds or levels. The logistic regression model was verified by estimating traffic volume thresholds and determining the percentage of roads that were accurately classified as belonging to the given thresholds. For the five thresholds, the percentage of roads classified correctly ranged from 79% to 88%. In conclusion, the verification of the models indicated both model types to be useful for accurate and cost-effective estimation of traffic volumes for low volume Wyoming roads. The models developed were recommended for use in traffic volume estimations for low volume roads in pavement management and environmental impact assessment studies.

Transfer and Transition: Interagency Coordination for Managing Public Lands at UMTRCA Title II Sites in Wyoming – 16614

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shafer, David S. [U.S. Dpartment of Energy, Office of Legacy Management; Vanek, Tim [U.S.Department of Energy, Office of Legacy Management; Ribeiro, Tracy [U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Legacy Management; Bahrke, Cheri [Navarro Research and Engineering

2016-03-06

By the end of fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) is anticipating adding 17 sites remediated under Title II of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) to the current inventory of 90 sites that it manages. Among the new sites are ones where federal public lands occur within the proposed long-term care boundary, the boundary determined by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and LM as necessary to maintain site protectiveness for the entombed uranium mill tailings and residual groundwater contamination. For these sites, public land withdrawals for land and minerals will need to be established. LM’s primary mission at UMTRCA sites is to protect the public and the environment from exposure to contamination at the sites. For the sites with public lands or federally controlled minerals that will be transferring to LM, the Office will apply to the Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for new, public land and mineral withdrawals. At most current LM UMTRCA sites that involved public lands and minerals, DOI granted DOE “full administrative jurisdiction” and permanent withdrawals. Hence, these withdrawals are, permanently, no longer subject to public land, mining, and mineral-leasing laws and regulations. LM is coordinating with DOI/BLM in Wyoming to permanently withdraw full and partial jurisdiction at future UMTRCA Title II sites in that state. This approach would allow LM to fully administer surface lands and minerals, where necessary, and DOI and LM to administer surface lands and leasable minerals where it would not jeopardize sites’ radiological safety and long-term public and environmental protection. This “shared-jurisdiction approach” will meet LM’s strategic goal of protecting human health and the environment but also allow BLM to fulfill their mission to “manage and conserve the lands under the mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield.” In addition, LM

Study of airborne gamma-ray spectrometer data procedures: Wind River Basin, Wyoming, Thermopolis Quadrangle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

This volume contains the following data from the Thermopolis Quadrangle, Wind River Basin, Wyoming: statistical summary tables; flight-line averages; geologic map units; geologic map with record locations; uranium mines and occurrences, uranium location map; eU symbol anomaly map; eU/eTh symbol anomaly map; eU/K symbol anomaly map; eTh symbol anomaly map; K symbol anomaly map; eU profile anomaly map; eU/eTh profile anomaly map; eU/K profile anomaly map; eTh profile anomaly map; K profile anomaly map; eTh/K profile anomaly map; preferred anomaly maps (4- and 7-point), combined 4- and 7-point preferred anomaly map; and stacked significance factor profiles

U-Th-Pb systematics of precambrian rocks in the Laramie Mountains, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nkomo, I.T.; Rosholt, J.N.; Dooley, J.R. Jr.

1979-01-01

Uranium, thorium and lead concentrations and the isotopic composition of whole-rock samples of granite from the Laramie Mountains, Wyoming, suggest intrusion of the granite no later than 2530 +- 80 m.y. ago. The uranium in surface samples is present in amounts that are insufficient to account for the observed lead isotopic composition. However, some core samples of heavily fractured rock show an extreme isotopic disequilibrium between 238 U and 206 Pb. Their uranium concentrations are generally far in excess (up to 60%) of average amounts required to support the measured lead-206. Radioactive disequilibrium measurements indicate that large amounts of uranium were gained by these fractured rocks during the last 150,000 years. Lead data on K-feldspar separated from the rocks analyzed suggest that lead has been assimilated by these minerals since time of crystallization. 8 figures, 6 tables

Serological survey for diseases in free-ranging coyotes (Canis latrans) in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Science.gov (United States)

Gese, E M; Schultz, R D; Johnson, M R; Williams, E S; Crabtree, R L; Ruff, R L

1997-01-01

From October 1989 to June 1993, we captured and sampled 110 coyotes (Canis latrans) for various diseases in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (USA). Prevalence of antibodies against canine parvovirus (CPV) was 100% for adults (> 24 months old), 100% for yearlings (12 to 24 months old), and 100% for old pups (4 to 12 months old); 0% of the young pups (Yellowstone National Park, with CPV influencing coyote pup survival during the first 3 months of life; eight of 21 transmitted pups died of CPV infection in 1992. The potential impact of these canine pathogens on wolves (C. lupus) reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park remains to be documented.

Outplanting Wyoming big sagebrush following wldfire: stock performance and economics

Science.gov (United States)

Dettweiler-Robinson, Eva; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Evans, James R.; Newsome, Heidi; Davies, G. Matt; Wirth, Troy A.; Pyke, David A.; Easterly, Richard T.; Salstrom, Debra; Dunwiddle, Peter W.

2013-01-01

Finding ecologically and economically effective ways to establish matrix species is often critical for restoration success. Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata subsp. wyomingensis) historically dominated large areas of western North America, but has been extirpated from many areas by large wildfires; its re-establishment in these areas often requires active management. We evaluated the performance (survival, health) and economic costs of container and bare-root stock based on operational plantings of more than 1.5 million seedlings across 2 200 ha, and compared our plantings with 30 other plantings in which sagebrush survival was tracked for up to 5 yr. Plantings occurred between 2001 and 2007, and included 12 combinations of stock type, planting amendment, and planting year.We monitored 10 500 plants for up to 8 yr after planting. Survival to Year 3 averaged 21% and was higher for container stock (30%) than bare-root stock (17%). Survival did not differ among container stock plantings, whereas survival of bare-root stock was sometimes enhanced by a hydrogel dip before planting, but not by

Pesticides in Wyoming Groundwater, 2008-10

Science.gov (United States)

Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Bartos, Timothy T.; Taylor, Michelle L.

2013-01-01

Groundwater samples were collected from 296 wells during 1995-2006 as part of a baseline study of pesticides in Wyoming groundwater. In 2009, a previous report summarized the results of the baseline sampling and the statistical evaluation of the occurrence of pesticides in relation to selected natural and anthropogenic (human-related) characteristics. During 2008-10, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, resampled a subset (52) of the 296 wells sampled during 1995-2006 baseline study in order to compare detected compounds and respective concentrations between the two sampling periods and to evaluate the detections of new compounds. The 52 wells were distributed similarly to sites used in the 1995-2006 baseline study with respect to geographic area and land use within the geographic area of interest. Because of the use of different types of reporting levels and variability in reporting-level values during both the 1995-2006 baseline study and the 2008-10 resampling study, analytical results received from the laboratory were recensored. Two levels of recensoring were used to compare pesticides—a compound-specific assessment level (CSAL) that differed by compound and a common assessment level (CAL) of 0.07 microgram per liter. The recensoring techniques and values used for both studies, with the exception of the pesticide 2,4-D methyl ester, were the same. Twenty-eight different pesticides were detected in samples from the 52 wells during the 2008-10 resampling study. Pesticide concentrations were compared with several U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards or health advisories for finished (treated) water established under the Safe Drinking Water Act. All detected pesticides were measured at concentrations smaller than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards or health advisories where applicable (many pesticides did not have standards or advisories). One or more pesticides

Consequences of pre-inoculation with native arbuscular mycorrhizae on root colonization and survival of Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) seedlings after transplanting

Science.gov (United States)

Bill Eugene Davidson

2015-01-01

Inoculation of seedlings with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a common practice aimed at improving seedling establishment. The success of this practice largely depends on the ability of the inoculum to multiply and colonize the growing root system after transplanting. These events were investigated in Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush...

Black-footed ferret areas of activity during late summer and fall at Meeteetse, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Fagerstone, K.A.; Biggins, D.E.

2011-01-01

Radiotelemetry was used during 1983 and 1984 to collect information on short-term areas of activity for black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) near Meeteetse, Wyoming. This population ultimately provided ferrets for the captive-breeding program that bred and released offspring into the wild since 1991. We fitted 5 adult ferrets and 13 juveniles with radiotransmitters and followed their movements during late summer and fall. Adult males had 7-day areas of activity that were >6 times as large as those of adult females. Activity areas of adult males varied little in coverage or location on a weekly basis, but females sequentially shifted their areas. Unlike juvenile females, juvenile males tended to leave their natal colonies. ?? 2011 American Society of Mammalogists.

Measurement of quantitative species diversity on reclaimed coal mine lands: A brief overview of the Wyoming regulatory proposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vincent, R.B.

1998-01-01

The Wyoming Land Quality Division (LQD) Coal Rules and Regulations require mine operators to specify quantitative procedures for evaluating postmining species diversity and composition. Currently, permit commitments range from deferring to commit to a quantitative procedure until some future date to applying various similarity/diversity indices for comparison of reclaimed lands to native vegetation communities. Therefore, the LQD began trying to develop a standardized procedure to evaluate species diversity and composition, while providing operator flexibility. Review of several technical publications on the use of similarity and diversity indices, and other measurement techniques indicate that a consensus has not been reached on which procedure is most appropriate for use on reclaimed mine lands. In addition, implementation of many of the recommended procedures are not practical with regards to staff and data limitations. As a result, the LQD has developed an interim procedure, based on site-specific baseline data, to evaluate postmining species diversity and composition success with respect to bond release requests. This paper reviews many of the recommended procedures, outlines some of the pros and cons, and provides a specific example of how the proposed interim procedure was applied to an actual coal mine permit. Implementation of this or a similar procedure would allow for site-specific standardization of permits and regulatory requirements, thus reducing review time and reducing some of the subjectivity surrounding a component of the Wyoming bond release requirements

3-D Reservoir and Stochastic Fracture Network Modeling for Enhanced Oil Recovery, Circle Ridge Phosphoria/Tensleep Reservoir, and River Reservation, Arapaho and Shoshone Tribes, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

La Pointe, Paul R.; Hermanson, Jan

2002-09-09

The goal of this project is to improve the recovery of oil from the Circle Ridge Oilfield, located on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, through an innovative integration of matrix characterization, structural reconstruction, and the characterization of the fracturing in the reservoir through the use of discrete fracture network models.

Thermodynamic of hydration of a Wyoming montmorillonite saturated with Ca, Mg, Na and K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieillard, P.; Blanc, P.; Gailhanou, H.; Gaboreau, S.; Giffaut, E.

2010-01-01

enthalpy of immersion, and isotherms of adsorption - desorption has been done for Wyoming montmorillonite saturated by Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Na + and K + . Smectite water-vapor pressure isotherms represent the total concentration of H 2 O taken up the sample which is distributed among the interlayers, the outer surfaces of particles and the open pore space in the sample. In order to retrieve standard state thermodynamic properties for smectite hydration and dehydration from such data, the amount of H 2 O in excess of that in the interlayer must be assessed and subtracted from the total amount taken up by the clay sample. Berend et al. (1995), Cases et al. (1992, 1997) provide careful measurements of recovering waters in both processes (hydration and dehydration) on Wyoming saturated by monovalent and divalent cations. Despite the fact that neither the hydration, nor the dehydration isotherm necessarily represents the equilibrium state of the system, the two isotherms together can be considered to bracket the equilibrium values of Xhs and the activity of H 2 O. Paired hydration and dehydration isotherm in the one hand and enthalpy of immersion in the other hand, which constitute the limits of these brackets can be regressed to assess standard state thermodynamic parameters (enthalpy and entropy) for the hydration- dehydration process. Experimental enthalpies of hydration are used in the determination of ΔH deg. hyd. W H1 and W H2 by the minimization technique. For the adsorption-desorption isotherms, the determination of parameters ΔS deg. hyd. W S1 and W S2 are obtained by minimizing the difference between measured sets of data (relative humidity and number of adsorbed interlayer water) and calculated ones. For each Wyoming saturated with one cation, six parameters are requested and characterize the standard state thermodynamic properties of hydration between smectite and interlayer H 2 O. Relations between hydration parameters ΔH deg. hyd. and ΔS deg. hyd. in the one hand

Preliminary report on the geology of uranium deposits in the Browns Park Formation in Moffat County, Colorado, and Carbon County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ormond, A.

1957-06-01

Uranium was first discovered in the Browns Park Formation in 1951 in the Miller Hill area of south-central Wyoming. Since that time economically important deposits in this formation have been discovered and developed in the Poison Basin of south-central Wyoming and in the Maybell area of northwest Colorado. The Browns Park is the youngest formation (Miocene) in the region and overlies older rocks with angular unconformity. The formation consists of a basal conglomerate, fluviatile, lacustrine, and eolian sandstones, and locally a few thin beds of clay, tuff, and algal limestone. The sandstones are predominantly fine- to medium-grained and consist of quartz grains, scattered black chert grains, and interstitial clay. The uranium deposits are of the sandstone-impregnation type and are not confined to specific stratigraphic horizons. The important ore minerals are autunite and uranophane in oxidized sandstones, and uraninite and coffinite in unoxidized sandstones. Uranium is often associated with limonite and calcium carbonate in concretionary forms. Woody material, thought to play an important part in the deposition of uranium in many sandstone-type deposits, is not present in the deposits of the Browns Park Formation. However, organic carbon in the form of petroleum and petroleum residues has been observed in association with uranium in both the Poison Basin and the Maybell areas

Geochemical maps of stream sediments in central Colorado, from New Mexico to Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Eppinger, Robert G.; Giles, Stuart A.; Klein, Terry L.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has completed a series of geologic, mineral resource, and environmental assessment studies in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado, from Leadville eastward to the range front and from New Mexico to the Wyoming border. Regional stream-sediment geochemical maps, useful for assessing mineral resources and environmental effects of historical mining activities, were produced as part of the study. The data portrayed in this 56-parameter portfolio of landscape geochemical maps serve as a geochemical baseline for the region, indicate element abundances characteristic of various lithologic terranes, and identify gross anthropogenic effects of historical mining. However, although reanalyzed in this study by modern, sensitive methods, the majority of the stream-sediment samples were collected in the 1970s. Thus, metal concentrations portrayed in these maps represent stream-sediment geochemistry at the time of collection.

Paleontological overview of oil shale and tar sands areas in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murphey, P. C.; Daitch, D.; Environmental Science Division

2009-02-11

In August 2005, the U.S. Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58. In Section 369 of this Act, also known as the ''Oil Shale, Tar Sands, and Other Strategic Unconventional Fuels Act of 2005,'' Congress declared that oil shale and tar sands (and other unconventional fuels) are strategically important domestic energy resources that should be developed to reduce the nation's growing dependence on oil from politically and economically unstable foreign sources. In addition, Congress declared that both research- and commercial-scale development of oil shale and tar sands should (1) be conducted in an environmentally sound manner using management practices that will minimize potential impacts, (2) occur with an emphasis on sustainability, and (3) benefit the United States while taking into account concerns of the affected states and communities. To support this declaration of policy, Congress directed the Secretary of the Interior to undertake a series of steps, several of which are directly related to the development of a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands. One of these steps was the completion of a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to analyze the impacts of a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands resources on public lands, with an emphasis on the most geologically prospective lands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. For oil shale, the scope of the PEIS analysis includes public lands within the Green River, Washakie, Uinta, and Piceance Creek Basins. For tar sands, the scope includes Special Tar Sand Areas (STSAs) located in Utah. This paleontological resources overview report was prepared in support of the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resource Management Plan Amendments to Address Land Use Allocations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and PEIS, and it is intended to be used by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regional paleontologists and field office staff to support future

Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project site at Spook, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-05-01

The Spook, Wyoming, site observational work plan proposes site-specific activities to achieve compliance with Subpart B of 40 CFR Part 192 (1994) of the final US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water protection standards 60 FR 2854 (1995) at this Uranium Mill Tailing Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site. This draft SOWP presents a comprehensive summary of existing site characterization data, a conceptual site model of the nature and extent of ground water contamination, exposure pathways, and potential impact to human health and the environment. Section 2.0 describes the requirements for meeting ground water standards at UMTRA Project sites. Section 3.0 defines past and current conditions, describes potential environmental and human health risks, and provides site-specific data that supports the selection of a proposed ground water compliance strategy. Section 4.0 provides the justification for selecting the proposed ground water compliance strategy based on the framework defined in the ground water programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS)

Engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has reevaluated the Spook site in order to revise the December 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings 48 mi northeast of Casper, in Converse County, Wyoming. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 187,000 tons of tailings at the Spook site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The four alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover makes and gamma densitometers for measuring cross-sectionally averaged mass velocity in steady steam-water flow are presented. The results are interpreted ntation

Engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-10-01

Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah Inc. has reevaluated the Spook site in order to revise the December 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings 48 mi northeast of Casper, in Converse County, Wyoming. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 187,000 tons of tailings at the Spook site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The four alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover makes and gamma densitometers for measuring cross-sectionally averaged mass velocity in steady steam-water flow are presented. The results are interpreted ntation.

High resolution seismic survey (of the) Rawlins, Wyoming underground coal gasification area. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Youngberg, A.D.; Berkman, E.; Orange, A.S.

1983-01-01

In October 1982, a high resolution seismic survey was conducted at the Gulf Research and Development Company's underground coal gasification test site near Rawlins, Wyoming. The objectives of the survey were to utilize high resolution seismic technology to locate and characterize two underground coal burn zones. Seismic data acquisition and processing parameters were specifically designed to emphasize reflections at the shallow depths of interest. A three-dimensional grid of data was obtained over the Rawlins burn zones. Processing included time varying filters, trace composition, and two-dimensional areal stacking of the data in order to identify burn zone anomalies. An anomaly was discernable resulting from the rubble-collapse cavity associated with the burn zone which was studied in detail at the Rawlins 1 and 2 test sites. 21 refs., 20 figs.

Groundwater-quality characteristics for the Wyoming Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Network, November 2009 through September 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Boughton, Gregory K.

2014-01-01

Groundwater samples were collected from 146 shallow (less than or equal to 500 feet deep) wells for the Wyoming Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Network, from November 2009 through September 2012. Groundwater samples were analyzed for physical characteristics, major ions and dissolved solids, trace elements, nutrients and dissolved organic carbon, uranium, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, volatile organic compounds, and coliform bacteria. Selected samples also were analyzed for gross alpha radioactivity, gross beta radioactivity, radon, tritium, gasoline range organics, diesel range organics, dissolved hydrocarbon gases (methane, ethene, and ethane), and wastewater compounds. Water-quality measurements and concentrations in some samples exceeded numerous U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards. Physical characteristics and constituents that exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in some samples were arsenic, selenium, nitrite, nitrate, gross alpha activity, and uranium. Total coliforms and Escherichia coli in some samples exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Level Goals. Measurements of pH and turbidity and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, fluoride, dissolved solids, aluminum, iron, and manganese exceeded EPA Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels in some samples. Radon concentrations in some samples exceeded the alternative MCL proposed by the EPA. Molybdenum and boron concentrations in some samples exceeded EPA Health Advisory Levels. Water-quality measurements and concentrations also exceeded numerous Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) groundwater standards. Physical characteristics and constituents that exceeded WDEQ Class I domestic groundwater standards in some samples were measurements of pH and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, dissolved solids, iron, manganese, boron, selenium, nitrite, and nitrate. Measurements of pH and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, dissolved solids, aluminum, iron

The thermal regime and species composition of fish and invertebrates in Kelly Warm Spring, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, David; Farag, Aida

2017-01-01

We evaluated the thermal regime and relative abundance of native and nonnative fish and invertebrates within Kelly Warm Spring and Savage Ditch, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Water temperatures within the system remained relatively warm year-round with mean temperatures >20 °C near the spring source and >5 °C approximately 2 km downstream of the source. A total of 7 nonnative species were collected: Convict/Zebra Cichlid (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum), Green Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii), Tadpole Madtom (Noturus gyrinus), Guppy (Poecilia reticulata), Goldfish (Carassius auratus), red-rimmed melania snail (Melanoides tuberculata), and American bullfrog tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus). Nonnative fish (Zebra Cichlids and Green Swordtails), red-rimmed melania snails, and bullfrog tadpoles dominated the upper 2 km of the system. Abundance estimates of the Zebra Cichlid exceeded 12,000 fish/km immediately downstream of the spring source. Relative abundance of native species increased movingdownstream as water temperatures attenuated with distance from the thermally warmed spring source; however, nonnative species were captured 4 km downstream from the spring. Fish diseases were prevalent in both native and nonnative fish from the Kelly Warm Spring pond. Clinostomum marginatum, a trematode parasite, was found in native species samples, and the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium dendriticum was present in samples from nonnative species. Diphyllobothrium dendriticum is rare in Wyoming. Salmonella spp. were also found in some samples of nonnative species. These bacteria are associated with aquarium fish and aquaculture and are generally not found in the wild.

Sampling and analyses report for June 1992 semiannual postburn sampling at the RM1 UCG site, Hanna, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindblom, S.R.

1992-08-01

The Rocky Mountain 1 (RMl) underground coal gasification (UCG) test was conducted from November 16, 1987 through February 26, 1988 (United Engineers and Constructors 1989) at a site approximately one mile south of Hanna, Wyoming. The test consisted of dual module operation to evaluate the controlled retracting injection point (CRIP) technology, the elongated linked well (ELW) technology, and the interaction of closely spaced modules operating simultaneously. The test caused two cavities to be formed in the Hanna No. 1 coal seam and associated overburden. The Hanna No. 1 coal seam is approximately 30 ft thick and lays at depths between 350 ft and 365 ft below the surface in the test area. The coal seam is overlain by sandstones, siltstones and claystones deposited by various fluvial environments. The groundwater monitoring was designed to satisfy the requirements of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) in addition to providing research data toward the development of UCG technology that minimizes environmental impacts. The June 1992 semiannual groundwater.sampling took place from June 10 through June 13, 1992. This event occurred nearly 34 months after the second groundwater restoration at the RM1 site and was the fifteenth sampling event since UCG operations ceased. Samples were collected for analyses of a limited suite set of parameters as listed in Table 1. With a few exceptions, the groundwater is near baseline conditions. Data from the field measurements and analysis of samples are presented. Benzene concentrations in the groundwater were below analytical detection limits

Immobilization of Wyoming bears using carfentanil and xylazine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreeger, Terry J; Bjornlie, Dan; Thompson, Dan; Clapp, Justin; Clark, Colby; Hansen, Cole; Huizenga, Matt; Lockwood, Sam

2013-07-01

Seven grizzly (Ursus arctos; four male, three female) and three black (Ursus americanus; two male, one female) bears caught in culvert traps or leg snares were immobilized in northwestern Wyoming with carfentanil and xylazine at doses, respectively, of 0.011 ± 0.001 and 0.12 ± 0.01 mg/kg for grizzly bears and 0.014 ± 0.002 and 0.15 ± 0.04 mg/kg for black bears. These drugs were antagonized with 1 mg/kg naltrexone and 2 mg/kg tolazoline. Induction and recovery times, respectively, were 4.3 ± 0.5 and 7.1 ± 0.8 min for grizzly bears and 5.2 ± 0.4 and 9.1 ± 2.2 min for black bears. Inductions were smooth and uneventful. Recoveries were characterized initially by increased respiration followed by raising of the head, which quickly led to a full recovery, with the bears recognizing and avoiding humans and moving away, maneuvering around obstacles. All bears experienced respiratory depression, which did not significantly improve with supplemental oxygen on the basis of pulse oximetry (P=0.56). Rectal temperatures were normothermic. Carfentanil-xylazine immobilization of bears provided significant advantages over other drug regimens, including small drug volumes, predictable inductions, quick and complete recoveries, and lower costs. On the basis of these data, both grizzly and black bears can be immobilized effectively with 0.01 mg/kg carfentanil and 0.1 mg/kg xylazine.

Multi-scale remote sensing sagebrush characterization with regression trees over Wyoming, USA: laying a foundation for monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Homer, Collin G.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Meyer, Debra K.; Schell, Spencer J.

2012-01-01

agebrush ecosystems in North America have experienced extensive degradation since European settlement. Further degradation continues from exotic invasive plants, altered fire frequency, intensive grazing practices, oil and gas development, and climate change – adding urgency to the need for ecosystem-wide understanding. Remote sensing is often identified as a key information source to facilitate ecosystem-wide characterization, monitoring, and analysis; however, approaches that characterize sagebrush with sufficient and accurate local detail across large enough areas to support this paradigm are unavailable. We describe the development of a new remote sensing sagebrush characterization approach for the state of Wyoming, U.S.A. This approach integrates 2.4 m QuickBird, 30 m Landsat TM, and 56 m AWiFS imagery into the characterization of four primary continuous field components including percent bare ground, percent herbaceous cover, percent litter, and percent shrub, and four secondary components including percent sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), percent big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), percent Wyoming sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Wyomingensis), and shrub height using a regression tree. According to an independent accuracy assessment, primary component root mean square error (RMSE) values ranged from 4.90 to 10.16 for 2.4 m QuickBird, 6.01 to 15.54 for 30 m Landsat, and 6.97 to 16.14 for 56 m AWiFS. Shrub and herbaceous components outperformed the current data standard called LANDFIRE, with a shrub RMSE value of 6.04 versus 12.64 and a herbaceous component RMSE value of 12.89 versus 14.63. This approach offers new advancements in sagebrush characterization from remote sensing and provides a foundation to quantitatively monitor these components into the future.

Final environmental statement related to the Minerals Exploration Company, Sweetwater Uranium Project (Sweetwater County, Wyoming). Docket No. 40-8584

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-12-01

The proposed action is the issuance of a Source Material License to Minerals Exploration Company (MEC) for the construction and operation of the proposed Sweetwater Uranium Mill in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, with a nominal capacity of 3000 tons (2.7 x 10 6 kg) per day of uranium ore. As part of this proposal, the applicant proposes also to construct a heap leaching and resin ion-exchange facility to extract uranium from low-grade ores and mine water. Conditions for the protection of the environment are set forth

Annotated bibliography of selected references on shoreline barrier island deposits with emphasis on Patrick Draw Field, Sweetwater County, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rawn-Schatzinger, V.; Schatzinger, R.A.

1993-07-01

This bibliography contains 290 annotated references on barrier island and associated depositional environments and reservoirs. It is not an exhaustive compilation of all references on the subject, but rather selected papers on barrier islands, and the depositional processes of formation. Papers that examine the morphology and internal architecture of barrier island deposits, exploration and development technologies are emphasized. Papers were selected that aid in understanding reservoir architecture and engineering technologies to help maximize recovery efficiency from barrier island oil reservoirs. Barrier islands from Wyoming, Montana and the Rocky Mountains basins are extensively covered.

Preliminary Geologic/spectral Analysis of LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper Data, Wind River/bighorn Basin Area, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, H. R.; Conel, J. E.; Paylor, E. D.

1984-01-01

A LIDQA evaluation for geologic applications of a LANDSAT TM scene covering the Wind River/Bighorn Basin area, Wyoming, is examined. This involves a quantitative assessment of data quality including spatial and spectral characteristics. Analysis is concentrated on the 6 visible, near infrared, and short wavelength infrared bands. Preliminary analysis demonstrates that: (1) principal component images derived from the correlation matrix provide the most useful geologic information. To extract surface spectral reflectance, the TM radiance data must be calibrated. Scatterplots demonstrate that TM data can be calibrated and sensor response is essentially linear. Low instrumental offset and gain settings result in spectral data that do not utilize the full dynamic range of the TM system.

Restoration of groundwater after solution mining at the Highland Uranium Project, Wyoming, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunter, J. [Waste Technology Group, British Nuclear Fuels PLC, Risley, Warrington (United Kingdom); Huffman, L. [Power Resources Inc., Highland Uranium Mine, Glenrock, Wyoming (United States)

2000-07-01

The Highland Project, located in Converse County, Wyoming, has had a successful 11 year history of in-situ leach mining of Tertiary roll-front uranium deposits. The uranium ore is oxidized and solubilized by circulating native groundwater, containing additional dissolved O{sub 2} and CO{sub 2}, within confined fluvial aquifers at depths of 200 - 250 m. The changing chemistry of this groundwater during leaching is discussed, as are the various treatment techniques that have been used to restore this fluid at the end of mining. Examples are provided which demonstrate the varying effectiveness of each technique for the reduction of elevated concentrations of different groundwater parameters. The complications arising from the proximity of the earliest wellfields to abandoned, conventional mine workings, as well as unexpected side effects from each restoration method, have combined to make an interesting case history from this long established mining operation. (author)

Health hazard evaluation determination report HE-80-71-703, Bear Creek Uranium Company, Douglas, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunter, B.J.

1980-06-01

An environmental survey was conducted in February 1980 to evaluate exposure to CRC, a cleaning solvent containing perchloroethylene (127184), (PCE) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (71556) (TCE) at Bear Creek Uranium Company (SIC-1094) in Wyoming. The survey was requested by the company safety engineer. Breathing zone and general room air samples were collected and analyzed. One mine electrician was exposed to 6,500 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/cu m) (PCE recommended OSHA limit is 690mg/cu m). Of the 7 samples of TCE, none exceeded the OSHA standard of 1900mg/cu m. Overexposure did occur when workers used the solvent in confined areas. The authors concluded that a health hazard existed when the solvent was used on confined spaces, and they recommend improved work practices

National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Newcastle Quadrangle, Wyoming and South Dakota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, E.S.; Robinson, K.; Geer, K.A.; Blattspieler, J.G.

1982-09-01

Uranium resources of the Newcastle 1 0 x2 0 Quadrangle, Wyoming and South Dakota were evaluated to a depth of 1500 m (5000 ft) using available surface and subsurface geologic information. Many of the uranium occurrences reported in the literature and in reports of the US Atomic Energy Commission were located, sampled and described. Areas of anomalous radioactivity, interpreted from an aerial radiometric survey, were outlined. Areas favorable for uranium deposits in the subsurface were evaluated using gamma-ray logs. Based on surface and subsurface data, two areas have been delineated which are underlain by rocks deemed favorable as hosts for uranium deposits. One of these is underlain by rocks that contain fluvial arkosic facies in the Wasatch and Fort Union Formations of Tertiary age; the other is underlain by rocks containing fluvial quartzose sandstone facies of the Inyan Kara Group of Early Cretaceous age. Unfavorable environments characterize all rock units of Tertiary age above the Wasatch Formation, all rock units of Cretaceous age above the Inyan Kara Group, and most rock units of Mesozoic and Paleozoic age below the Inyan Kara Group. Unfavorable environments characterize all rock units of Cretaceous age above the Inyan Kara Group, and all rock units of Mesozoic and Paleozoic age below the Inyan Kara Group

National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Newcastle Quadrangle, Wyoming and South Dakota

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, E S; Robinson, K; Geer, K A; Blattspieler, J G

1982-09-01

Uranium resources of the Newcastle 1/sup 0/x2/sup 0/ Quadrangle, Wyoming and South Dakota were evaluated to a depth of 1500 m (5000 ft) using available surface and subsurface geologic information. Many of the uranium occurrences reported in the literature and in reports of the US Atomic Energy Commission were located, sampled and described. Areas of anomalous radioactivity, interpreted from an aerial radiometric survey, were outlined. Areas favorable for uranium deposits in the subsurface were evaluated using gamma-ray logs. Based on surface and subsurface data, two areas have been delineated which are underlain by rocks deemed favorable as hosts for uranium deposits. One of these is underlain by rocks that contain fluvial arkosic facies in the Wasatch and Fort Union Formations of Tertiary age; the other is underlain by rocks containing fluvial quartzose sandstone facies of the Inyan Kara Group of Early Cretaceous age. Unfavorable environments characterize all rock units of Tertiary age above the Wasatch Formation, all rock units of Cretaceous age above the Inyan Kara Group, and most rock units of Mesozoic and Paleozoic age below the Inyan Kara Group. Unfavorable environments characterize all rock units of Cretaceous age above the Inyan Kara Group, and all rock units of Mesozoic and Paleozoic age below the Inyan Kara Group.

Cost Effectiveness of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 for the State of Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hart, Philip R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Athalye, Rahul A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Xie, YuLong [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhuge, Jing Wei [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Halverson, Mark A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Loper, Susan A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rosenberg, Michael I. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Richman, Eric E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-12-01

Moving to the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 (ASHRAE 2013) edition from Standard 90.1-2010 (ASHRAE 2010) is cost-effective for the State of Wyoming. The table below shows the state-wide economic impact of upgrading to Standard 90.1-2013 in terms of the annual energy cost savings in dollars per square foot, additional construction cost per square foot required by the upgrade, and life-cycle cost (LCC) per square foot. These results are weighted averages for all building types in all climate zones in the state, based on weightings shown in Table 4. The methodology used for this analysis is consistent with the methodology used in the national cost-effectiveness analysis. Additional results and details on the methodology are presented in the following sections. The report provides analysis of two LCC scenarios: Scenario 1, representing publicly-owned buildings, considers initial costs, energy costs, maintenance costs, and replacement costs—without borrowing or taxes. Scenario 2, representing privately-owned buildings, adds borrowing costs and tax impacts.

Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis neurona, and Toxoplasma gondii in wild horses from central Wyoming.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubey, J P; Mitchell, S M; Morrow, J K; Rhyan, J C; Stewart, L M; Granstrom, D E; Romand, S; Thulliez, P; Saville, W J; Lindsay, D S

2003-08-01

Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora caninum, N. hughesi, and Toxoplasma gondii are 4 related coccidians considered to be associated with encephalomyelitis in horses. The source of infection for N. hughesi is unknown, whereas opossums, dogs, and cats are the definitive hosts for S. neurona, N. caninum, and T. gondii, respectively. Seroprevalence of these coccidians in 276 wild horses from central Wyoming outside the known range of the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were found only in 1 of 276 horses tested with the modified agglutination test using 1:25, 1:50, and 1:500 dilutions. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 86 (31.1%) of the 276 horses tested with the Neospora agglutination test--the titers were 1:25 in 38 horses, 1:50 in 15, 1:100 in 9, 1:200 in 8, 1:400 in 4, 1:800 in 2, 1:1,600 in 2, 1:3,200 in 2, and 1:12,800 in 1. Antibodies to S. neurona were assessed with the serum immunoblot; of 276 horses tested, 18 had antibodies considered specific for S. neurona. Antibodies to S. neurona also were assessed with the S. neurona direct agglutination test (SAT). Thirty-nine of 265 horses tested had SAT antibodies--in titers of 1:50 in 26 horses and 1:100 in 13. The presence of S. neurona antibodies in horses in central Wyoming suggests that either there is cross-reactivity between S. neurona and some other infection or a definitive host other than opossum is the source of infection. In a retrospective study, S. neurona antibodies were not found by immunoblot in the sera of 243 horses from western Canada outside the range of D. virginiana.

Draft environmental statement related to the Union Carbide Corporation, Gas Hills Uranium Project (Natrona County, Wyoming)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The proposed action is the renewal of Source Material License SUA-648 issued for the operation of the Gas Hills Uranium Project in Wyoming, near Moneta. The project is an acid leach, ion-exchange, and solvent-extraction uranium ore processing mill at an increased capacity of 500,000 tons per year and the construction of two heap leach facilities in Natrona and Fremont Counties for initial processing of low-grade ore. After analysis of environmental impacts and adverse effects, it is the proposed position of NRC that the license be renewed subject to conditions relating to stabilization of the tailings, reclamation, environmental monitoring, evaluation of any future activity not evaluated by NRC, archeological survey, analysis of unexpected harmful effects, and decommissioning

Environmental Responses to Carbon Mitigation through Geological Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cunningham, Alfred [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States); Bromenshenk, Jerry [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States)

2013-08-30

In summary, this DOE EPSCoR project is contributing to the study of carbon mitigation through geological storage. Both deep and shallow subsurface research needs are being addressed through research directed at improved understanding of environmental responses associated with large scale injection of CO₂ into geologic formations. The research plan has two interrelated research objectives. Objective 1: Determine the influence of CO₂-related injection of fluids on pore structure, material properties, and microbial activity in rock cores from potential geological carbon sequestration sites. Objective 2: Determine the Effects of CO₂ leakage on shallow subsurface ecosystems (microbial and plant) using field experiments from an outdoor field testing facility.

Preliminary report on the geology and gold mineralization of the South Pass granite-greenstone terrain, Wind River Mountains, western Wyoming (US)

Science.gov (United States)

Hausel, W. D.

1986-01-01

The South Pass granite-greenstone terrain lies near the southern tip of the Wind River Mountains of western Wyoming. This Archean supracrustal pile has been Wyoming's most prolific source of gold and iron ore. From 1962 to 1983, more than 90 million tons of iron ore were recovered from oxide-facies banded iron formation, and an estimated 325,000 ounces of gold were mined from metagreywacke-hosted shears and associated placers. Precambrian rocks at South Pass are unconformably overlain by Paleozoic sediments along the northeast flank, and a Tertiary pediment buries Archean supracrustals on the west and south. To the northwest, the supracrustals terminate against granodiorite of the Louis Lake batholith; to the east, the supracrustals terminate against granite of the Granite Mountains batholith. The Louis Lake granodiorite is approximately 2,630 + or - 20 m.y. old, and the Granite Mountains granite averages 2,600 m.y. old. The geometry of the greenstone belt is best expressed as a synform that has been modified by complex faulting and folding. Metamorphism is amphibolite grade surrounding a small island of greenschist facies rocks. The younger of the Archean supracrustal successions is the Miners Delight Formation. This unit yielded a Rb-Sr isochron of 2,800 m.y. A sample of galena from the Snowbird Mine within the Miners Delight Formation yielded a model age averaging 2,750 m.y. The Snowbird mineralization appears to be syngenetic and is hosted by metavolcanics of calc-alkaline affinity. Discussion follows.

The ENCOAL Mild Coal Gasification Project, A DOE Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

National Energy Technology Laboratory

2002-03-15

This report is a post-project assessment of the ENCOAL{reg_sign} Mild Coal Gasification Project, which was selected under Round III of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Coal Technology (CCT) Demonstration Program. The CCT Demonstration Program is a government and industry cofunded technology development effort to demonstrate a new generation of innovative coal utilization processes in a series of commercial-scale facilities. The ENCOAL{reg_sign} Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bluegrass Coal Development Company (formerly SMC Mining Company), which is a subsidiary of Ziegler Coal Holding Company, submitted an application to the DOE in August 1989, soliciting joint funding of the project in the third round of the CCT Program. The project was selected by DOE in December 1989, and the Cooperative Agreement (CA) was approved in September 1990. Construction, commissioning, and start-up of the ENCOAL{reg_sign} mild coal gasification facility was completed in June 1992. In October 1994, ENCOAL{reg_sign} was granted a two-year extension of the CA with the DOE, that carried through to September 17, 1996. ENCOAL{reg_sign} was then granted a six-month, no-cost extension through March 17, 1997. Overall, DOE provided 50 percent of the total project cost of $90,664,000. ENCOAL{reg_sign} operated the 1,000-ton-per-day mild gasification demonstration plant at Triton Coal Company's Buckskin Mine near Gillette, Wyoming, for over four years. The process, using Liquids From Coal (LFC{trademark}) technology originally developed by SMC Mining Company and SGI International, utilizes low-sulfur Powder River Basin (PRB) coal to produce two new fuels, Process-Derived Fuel (PDF{trademark}) and Coal-Derived Liquids (CDL{trademark}). The products, as alternative fuel sources, are capable of significantly lowering current sulfur emissions at industrial and utility boiler sites throughout the nation thus reducing pollutants causing acid rain. In support of this overall

Spatial mapping and attribution of Wyoming wind turbines, 2012

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, Michael S.; Fancher, Tammy S.

2014-01-01

These data represent locations of wind turbines found within Wyoming as of August 2012. We assigned each wind turbine to a wind farm and, in these data, provide information about each turbine’s potential megawatt output, rotor diameter, hub height, rotor height, the status of the land ownership where the turbine exists, the county each turbine is located in, wind farm power capacity, the number of units currently associated with each wind farm, the wind turbine manufacturer and model, the wind farm developer, the owner of the wind farm, the current purchaser of power from the wind farm, the year the wind farm went online, and the status of its operation. Some of the attributes are estimates based on the information we found via the American Wind Energy Association and other on-line reports. The locations are derived from National Agriculture Imagery Program (2009 and 2012) true color aerial photographs and have a positional accuracy of approximately +/-5 meters. These data will provide a planning tool for wildlife- and habitat-related projects underway at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Fort Collins Science Center and other government and non-government organizations. Specifically, we will use these data to support quantifying disturbances of the landscape as related to wind energy as well as to quantify indirect disturbances to flora and fauna. This data set represents an update to a previous version by O’Donnell and Fancher (2010).

Development of Lower Mississippian cyclic carbonates, Montana and Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elrich, M.; Read, J.F.

1989-03-01

The Lower Mississippian Lodgepole/Madison formations of Wyoming and Montana consist of a 20 to 300-m upward-shallowing sequence of cyclic slope/basin, deep-ramp to shallow-ramp carbonate deposits. Shallow-ramp cycles (1-3 m) are composed of cross-bedded oolitic grainstone and pellet grainstone, overlain by rare algal laminite caps. Deep-ramp cycles (1-10 m) are characterized by thin-bedded, substorm-wave-base limestone/shale, nodular limestone/shale, and storm-deposited limestone overlain by hummocky cross-stratified grainstone caps. Average periods of the cycles range from 35,000 to 110,000 years. Slope/basin deposits are 10 to 20-cm thick couplets of even-bedded, micritic limestone and shale. Computer modeling of the cycles incorporates fluctuating sea level, subsidence, depth-dependent sedimentation, lag time, and platform slope. Data from spectral analysis (basin/slope couplets), Fischer plots (shallow-ramp cycles), computer modeling, and field data suggest (1) subsidence rates across the 700-km wide platform range from 0.01 m/k.y. to 0.12 m/k.y., (2) high-frequency (10/sup 4/-10/sup 5/ years) sea level fluctuations with 15 to 25-m amplitudes affected the platform, and (3) shallow-ramp slopes were less than 2 cm/km and deep-ramp slopes were greater than 10 cm/km. Computer models produce stratigraphic sections (one-dimensional models) that graphically illustrate how input parameters interact through time to produce the cyclic stratigraphic section.

Data resources for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) Integrated Assessment (IA)

Science.gov (United States)

Assal, Timothy J.; Garman, Steven L.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Manier, Daniel J.; McDougal, Robert R.

2012-01-01

The data contained in this report were compiled, modified, and analyzed for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) Integrated Assessment (IA). The WLCI is a long-term science based effort to assess and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale in southwest Wyoming while facilitating responsible energy development through local collaboration and partnerships. The IA is an integrated synthesis and analysis of WLCI resource values based on best available data and information collected from multiple agencies and organizations. It is a support tool for landscape-scale conservation planning and evaluation, and a data and analysis resource that can be used for addressing specific management questions. The IA analysis was conducted using a Geographic Information System in a raster (that is, a grid) environment using a cell size of 30 meters. To facilitate the interpretation of the data in a regional context, mean values were summarized and displayed at the subwatershed unit (WLCI subwatersheds were subset from the National Hydrography Dataset, Hydrologic Unit Code 12/Level 6). A dynamic mapping platform, accessed via the WLCI webpage at http://www.wlci.gov is used to display the mapped information, and to access underlying resource values that were combined to produce the final mapped results. The raster data used in the IA are provided here for use by interested parties to conduct additional analyses and can be accessed via the WLCI webpage. This series contains 74 spatial data sets: WLCI subwatersheds (vector) and 73 geotiffs (raster) that are segregated into the major categories of Multicriteria Index (including Resource Index and Condition), Change Agents, and Future Change. The Total Multicriteria Index is composed of the Aquatic Multicriteria Index and the Terrestrial Multicriteria Index. The Aquatic Multicriteria Index is composed of the Aquatic Resource Index and the Aquatic Condition. The Aquatic Resource Index is composed of the

Radiological survey of the inactive uranium-mill tailings at the Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haywood, F.F.; Christian, D.J.; Chou, K.D.; Ellis, B.S.; Lorenzo, D.; Shinpaugh, W.H.

1980-05-01

Results of a radiological survey performed at the Spook site in Converse County, Wyoming, in June 1976, are presented. The mill at this site was located a short distance from the open-pit mine where the ore was obtained and where part of the tailings was dumped into the mine. Several piles of overburden or low-grade ore in the vicinity were included in the measurements of above-ground gamma exposure rate. The average exposure rate over these piles varied from 14 μR/hr, the average background exposure rate for the area, to 140 μR/hr. The average exposure rate for the tailings and former mill area was 220 μR/hr. Movement of tailings particles down dry washes was evident. The calculated concentration of 226 Ra in ten holes as a function of depth is presented graphically

Susceptibility of ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa (Dougl. Ex Laws.), to mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, attack in uneven-aged stands in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming USA

Science.gov (United States)

Jose F. Negron; Kurt Allen; Blaine Cook; John R. Withrow

2008-01-01

Mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins can cause extensive tree mortality in ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws., forests in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. Most studies that have examined stand susceptibility to mountain pine beetle have been conducted in even-aged stands. Land managers...

Effects of low-density feeding on elk–fetus contact rates on Wyoming feedgrounds

Science.gov (United States)

Creech, Tyler G.; Cross, Paul C.; Scurlock, Brandon M.; Maichak, Eric J.; Rogerson, Jared D.; Henningsen, John C.; Creel, Scott

2012-01-01

High seroprevalance for Brucella abortus among elk on Wyoming feedgrounds suggests that supplemental feeding may influence parasite transmission and disease dynamics by altering the rate at which elk contact infectious materials in their environment. We used proximity loggers and video cameras to estimate rates of elk-to-fetus contact (the primary source of brucellosis transmission) during winter supplemental feeding. We compared contact rates during high-density and low-density (LD) feeding treatments that provided the same total amount of food distributed over different areas. Low-density feeding led to >70% reductions in total number of contacts and number of individuals contacting a fetus. Proximity loggers and video cameras provided similar estimates of elk–fetus contact rates. Elk contacted fetuses and random control points equally, suggesting that elk were not attracted to fetuses but encountered them incidentally while feeding. The modeled relationship between contact rate and disease prevalence is nonlinear and LD feeding may result in large reductions in brucellosis prevalence, but this depends on the amount of transmission that occurs on and off feedgrounds.

Community Energy Systems and the Law of Public Utilities. Volume Fifty-two. Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feurer, D.A.; Weaver, C.L.

1981-01-01

A detailed description is presented of the laws and programs of the State of Wyoming governing the regulation of public energy utilities, the siting of energy generating and transmission facilities, the municipal franchising of public energy utilities, and the prescription of rates to be charged by utilities including attendant problems of cost allocations, rate base and operating expense determinations, and rate of return allowances. These laws and programs are analyzed to identify impediments which they may present to the implementation of Integrated Community Energy Systems (ICES). This report is one of fifty-one separate volumes which describe such regulatory programs at the Federal level and in each state as background to the report entitled Community Energy Systems and the Law of Public Utilities - Volume One: An Overview. This report also contains a summary of a strategy described in Volume One - An Overview for overcoming these impediments by working within the existing regulatory framework and by making changes in the regulatory programs to enhance the likelihood of ICES implementation.

Phase II, Title I, engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Riverton Site, Riverton, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

An engineering assessment was performed of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at the Spook Site, Converse County, Wyoming. Services include the performance of core drillings, soil, water and other sample analyses, radiometric measurements to determine areas with radium-contaminated materials, the evaluation of resulting radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigation of site geology, hydrology, and meteorology and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas release from the 187,000 tons of tailings at the Spook Site constitutes the main environmental impact, which is negligible. The two alternative actions presented are better fencing of the site in its present state, and placing tailings and contaminated on-site materials and soil in the open-pit mine and covering the resulting pile with 2 ft of overburden materials. The cost estimates for the options are $81,000 and $142,000, respectively

The ENCOAL Mild Coal Gasification Project, A DOE Assessment; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

National Energy Technology Laboratory

2002-01-01

This report is a post-project assessment of the ENCOAL(reg s ign) Mild Coal Gasification Project, which was selected under Round III of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Coal Technology (CCT) Demonstration Program. The CCT Demonstration Program is a government and industry cofunded technology development effort to demonstrate a new generation of innovative coal utilization processes in a series of commercial-scale facilities. The ENCOAL(reg s ign) Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bluegrass Coal Development Company (formerly SMC Mining Company), which is a subsidiary of Ziegler Coal Holding Company, submitted an application to the DOE in August 1989, soliciting joint funding of the project in the third round of the CCT Program. The project was selected by DOE in December 1989, and the Cooperative Agreement (CA) was approved in September 1990. Construction, commissioning, and start-up of the ENCOAL(reg s ign) mild coal gasification facility was completed in June 1992. In October 1994, ENCOAL(reg s ign) was granted a two-year extension of the CA with the DOE, that carried through to September 17, 1996. ENCOAL(reg s ign) was then granted a six-month, no-cost extension through March 17, 1997. Overall, DOE provided 50 percent of the total project cost of$90,664,000. ENCOAL(reg s ign) operated the 1,000-ton-per-day mild gasification demonstration plant at Triton Coal Company's Buckskin Mine near Gillette, Wyoming, for over four years. The process, using Liquids From Coal (LFC(trademark)) technology originally developed by SMC Mining Company and SGI International, utilizes low-sulfur Powder River Basin (PRB) coal to produce two new fuels, Process-Derived Fuel (PDF(trademark)) and Coal-Derived Liquids (CDL(trademark)). The products, as alternative fuel sources, are capable of significantly lowering current sulfur emissions at industrial and utility boiler sites throughout the nation thus reducing pollutants causing acid rain. In support of this overall

Western Research Institute: Annual technical progress report, October 1987--September 1988

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-12-01

This report describes the technical progress made by the Western Research Institute of the University of Wyoming Research Institute of the University of Wyoming Research Corporation on work performed for the period October 1, 1987 through September 30, 1988. This research involves five resource areas: oil shale, tar sand, underground coal gasification, advanced process technology, and advanced fuels research. Under the terms of the cooperative agreement, an annual project plan has been approved by DOE. The work reported herein reflects the implementation of the research in the plan and follows the structure used therein. 49 refs., 32 figs., 87 tabs.

Exploration and discovery of the Pine Ridge uranium deposits, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doelger, M.

2014-01-01

The Pine Ridge uranium deposits are named for a newly identified area between the Pumpkin Buttes and Southern Powder River Basin (PRB) mining districts. This regional prospect, covering nine contiguous townships, is northwest of the Cameco Smith Ranch mine and west of the Uranium One Allemand-Ross project in Converse County, Wyoming. Surface mapping and 350+ measured sections of well exposed outcrops have identified 250 target sandstones and contributed to a model of the complex braided stream channel architecture within the Eocene Watsatch and Paleocene Fort Union Formations. The uranium-bearing sandstones occur in 3- D bundles of vertically aggrading river systems flowing into the PRB from distant uranium source areas of the Granite Mountains to the west and the northern Laramie Range to the south. Large volumes of mudstone overbank and swamp facies separate the individual river systems laterally, resulting in greater vertical reservoir continuity from sandstones stacking. At least five major paleo river systems have been identified and named. High organic content, within the host formations, and rising veils of hydrocarbon gases from underlying oil and gas deposits have resulted in classic roll front uranium deposits in individual sandstones and intervals. Mineralization in stacked sandstone bundles several hundred feet thick show a crescent-shaped distribution within the shallow mineralized interval “attic”, the “cellar” at the base of the alteration cell, and the furthest basin-ward “front door”. World-class uranium resource potential has been identified along 208 miles of redox boundary string length mapped from the 1522 control points consisting of outcrop data, pre-existing uranium drilling, oil and gas wells, and proprietary drilling in 2012 and 2013 by Stakeholder. All data is managed in ARC VIEW GIS with 3-D capability, which will be demonstrated. Very few restrictions apply to the project area. Uranium holes are permitted solely by the

U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative - 2008 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Baer, Lori Anne; Bristol, R. Sky; Carr, Natasha B.; Chong, Geneva W.; Diffendorfer, Jay E.; Fedy, Bradley C.; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Grauch, Richard I.; Homer, Collin G.; Manier, Daniel J.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Latysh, Natalie; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Kirk A.; Montag, Jessica; Nutt, Constance J.; Potter, Christopher; Sawyer, Hall; Smith, David B.; Sweat, Michael J.; Wilson, Anna B.

2009-01-01

The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) was launched in 2007 in response to concerns about threats to the State's world class wildlife resources, especially the threat posed by rapidly increasing energy development in southwest Wyoming. The overriding purpose of the WLCI is to assess and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale, while facilitating responsible energy and other types of development. The WLCI includes partners from Federal, State, and local agencies, with participation from public and private entities, industry, and landowners. As a principal WLCI partner, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides multidisciplinary scientific and technical support to inform decisionmaking in the WLCI. To address WLCI management needs, USGS has designed and implemented five integrated work activities: (1) Baseline Synthesis, (2) Targeted Monitoring and Research, (3) Integration and Coordination, (4) Data and Information Management, and (5) Decisionmaking and Evaluation. Ongoing information management of data and products acquired or generated through the integrated work activities will ensure that crucial scientific information is available to partners and stakeholders in a readily accessible and useable format for decisionmaking and evaluation. Significant progress towards WLCI goals has been achieved in many Science and Technical Assistance tasks of the work activities. Available data were identified, acquired, compiled, and integrated into a comprehensive database for use by WLCI partners and to support USGS science activities. A Web-based platform for sharing these data and products has been developed and is already in use. Numerous map products have been completed and made available to WLCI partners, and other products are in progress. Initial conceptual, habitat, and climate change models have been developed or refined. Monitoring designs for terrestrial and aquatic indicators have been completed, pilot data have been collected

Wild Horse 69-kV transmission line environmental assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-01

Hill County Electric Cooperative Inc. (Hill County) proposes to construct and operate a 69-kV transmission line from its North Gildford Substation in Montana north to the Canadian border. A vicinity project area map is enclosed as a figure. TransCanada Power Corporation (TCP), a Canadian power-marketing company, will own and construct the connecting 69-kV line from the international border to Express Pipeline`s pump station at Wild Horse, Alberta. This Environmental Assessment is prepared for the Department of Energy (DOE) as lead federal agency to comply with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as part of DOE`s review and approval process of the applications filed by Hill County for a DOE Presidential Permit and License to Export Electricity to a foreign country. The purpose of the proposed line is to supply electric energy to a crude oil pump station in Canada, owned by Express Pipeline Ltd. (Express). The pipeline would transport Canadian-produced oil from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada, to Caster, Wyoming. The Express Pipeline is scheduled to be constructed in 1996--97 and will supply crude oil to refineries in Wyoming and the midwest.

Groundwater well inventory and assessment in the area of the proposed Normally Pressured Lance natural gas development project, Green River Basin, Wyoming, 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Sweat, Michael J.

2013-01-01

During May through September 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, inventoried and assessed existing water wells in southwestern Wyoming for inclusion in a possible groundwater-monitor network. Records were located for 3,282 wells in the upper Green River Basin, which includes the U.S. Geological Survey study area and the proposed Normally Pressured Lance natural gas development project area. Records for 2,713 upper Green River Basin wells were determined to be unique (not duplicated) and to have a Wyoming State Engineers Office permit. Further, 376 of these wells were within the U.S. Geological Survey Normally Pressured Lance study area. Of the 376 wells in the U.S. Geological Survey Normally Pressured Lance study area, 141 well records had sufficient documentation, such as well depth, open interval, geologic log, and depth to water, to meet many, but not always all, established monitor well criteria. Efforts were made to locate each of the 141 wells and to document their current condition. Field crews were able to locate 121 of the wells, and the remaining 20 wells either were not located as described, or had been abandoned and the site reclaimed. Of the 121 wells located, 92 were found to meet established monitor well criteria. Results of the field efforts during May through September 2012, and specific physical characteristics of the 92 wells, are presented in this report.

Summary of the engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Spook Site, Converse County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-10-01

Ford, Bacon, Davis Utah Inc. has reevaluated the Spook site in order to revise the December 1977 engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings 48 mi northeast of Casper, in Converse County, Wyoming. This engineering assessment has included the preparation of topographic maps, the performance of core drillings and radiometric measurements sufficient to determine areas and volumes of tailings and radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigations of site hydrology and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas released from the 187,000 tons of tailings at the Spook site constitutes the most significant environmental impact, although windblown tailings and external gamma radiation also are factors. The four alternative actions presented in this engineering assessment range from millsite decontamination with the addition of 3 m of stabilization cover materI), to rema densitometers for measuring cross-sectionally averaged mass velocity in steady steam-water flow are presented. The results are interpreted ntation

Draft environmental statement related to the Western Nuclear, Inc. Split Rock Mill (Fremont County, Wyoming)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-11-01

The proposed action is the renewal of Source Material License SUA-56 (with amendments) issued to Western Nuclear, Inc. (WNI), for the operation of the Split Rock uranium mill near Jeffrey City and the Green Mountain ion-exchange facility, both in Fremont County, Wyoming. The license also permits possession of material from past operations at four ancillary facilities in the Gas Hills mining area--the Bullrush, Day-Loma, Frazier-Lamac, and Rox sites (Docket No. 40-1162). The Split Rock mill is an acid-leach, ion-exchange and solvent-extraction uranium-ore processing mill with a design capacity of 1540 MT (1700 tons) of ore per day. WNI has proposed by license amendment request to increase the storage capacity of the tailings ponds in order to permit the continuation of present production rates of U 3 O 8 through 1996 using lower-grade ores. Conditions for the protection of the environment include reclamation, tailings, stabilization, archeological survey, monitoring, etc

Hormonal priming, induction of ovulation and in-vitro fertilization of the endangered Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seratt Jessica

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract The endangered Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri is the subject of an extensive captive breeding and reintroduction program. Wyoming toads in captivity rarely ovulate spontaneously and hormonal induction is used to ovulate females or to stimulate spermiation in males. With hormonal induction, ovulation is unreliable and egg numbers are low. The sequential administration of anovulatory doses of hormones (priming has increased egg numbers and quality in both anurans and fish. Consequently, we tested the efficacy of a combination of human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG and Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone analogue (LHRHa administered as one dose, or two or three sequential doses to Bufo baxteri on egg numbers, fertilization and early embryo development. Spawning toads deposited eggs into Simplified Amphibian Ringers (SAR solution to enable controlled in-vitro fertilization (IVF with sperm from hormonally induced male toads. Unprimed females receiving a single mixed normally ovulatory dose of 500 IU hCG plus 4 micrograms of LHRHa produced no eggs. Whereas females primed with this dose and an anovulatory dose (100 IU hCG and 0.8 micrograms of LHRHa of the same hormones, or primed only with an anovulatory dose, spawned after then receiving an ovulatory dose. Higher total egg numbers were produced with two primings than with one priming. Moreover, two primings produced significantly more eggs from each individual female than one priming. The cleavage rate of eggs was not found to differ between one or two primings. Nevertheless, embryo development with eggs from two primings gave a significantly greater percentage neurulation and swim-up than those from one priming. Of the male toads receiving a single dose of 300 IU hCG, 80% produced spermic urine with the greatest sperm concentration 7 hours post-administration (PA. However, peak sperm motility (95% was achieved at 5 hours PA and remained relatively constant until declining 20 hours PA. In

South Carolina DOE/EPSCOR Research Implementation Proposal Cooperative Agreement. Final Report for October 15, 2000 - October 15, 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Zee, John W.

2003-01-15

The final report includes resumes of faculty hired under this cooperative agreement to illustrate the increase in infrastructure and the quality of research performed in the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at the University of South Carolina and the Department of Chemistry at Clemson University. In addition, this agreement initiated research that has resulted in the nation's first NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Fuel Cells and a summary of this Center is included.

75 FR 66167 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-27

... regional collaborations among academic, government and private sector stakeholders that advance scientific... their R&D capacity and competitiveness; and (2) advance science and engineering capabilities in EPSCoR...

Origin of uraniferous phosphate beds in Wilkins Peak member of Green River Formation, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mott, L.V.; Drever, J.I.

1983-01-01

The distribution of uranium and phosphorus was studied in four drill cores from the Wilkins Peak Member of the Green River Formation in Wyoming. Of the studied occurrences of anomalously high uranium concentrations, 13% were associated with localized organic matter, and the remainder were associated with stratiform phosphate-rich beds. The uranium probably substitutes for calcium in apatite in these beds. It is proposed that the apatite forms by replacement of calcite during times of flooding of the normally highly saline lake. The flood waters bring in phosphorus and cause a decrease in both pH and ratio of bicarbonate to phosphate, which favors the replacement. Uranium is incorporated in the apatite as the apatite forms or soon after. No special source, other than weathering of volcanic ash, is required for the phosphorus or the uranium. The uraniferous phosphatic beds do not appear to have any economic potential at the present time. Misleadingly high concentrations of both uranium and phosphorus are observed in outcrop samples as a result of selective leaching of other components

U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2014 annual report

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Bartos, Timothy T.; Biewick, Laura R; Boughton, Gregory K.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Dematatis, Marie K.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Homer, Collin G.; Huber, Christopher; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Latysh, Natalie; Manier, Daniel; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Alexander; Miller, Kirk A.; Olexa, Edward M.; Schell, Spencer; Walters, Annika W.; Wilson, Anna B.; Wyckoff, Teal B.

2015-01-01

This is the seventh report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual activities conducted by the USGS for addressing specific management needs identified by WLCI partners. In FY2014, there were 26 projects, including a new one that was completed, two others that were also completed, and several that entered new phases or directions. The 26 projects fall into several categories: (1) synthesizing and analyzing existing data to identify current conditions on the landscape and using the data to develop models for projecting past and future landscape conditions; (2) monitoring indicators of ecosystem conditions and the effectiveness of on-the-ground habitat projects; (3) conducting research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying wildlife and habitat responses to changing land uses; (4) managing and making accessible the large number of databases, maps, and other products being developed; and (5) coordinating efforts among WLCI partners, helping them use USGS-developed decision-support tools, and integrating WLCI outcomes with future habitat enhancement and research projects.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Cheyenne NTMS Quadrangle, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trexler, P.K.

1978-06-01

Between June 1976 and October 1977, 1138 water and 600 sediment samples were systematically collected from 1498 locations in the Cheyenne NTMS quadrangle of southeast Wyoming. The samples were analyzed for total uranium at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. The uranium concentration in waters ranged from 0.01 to 296.30 parts per billion (ppB), with a median of 3.19 ppB and a mean of 8.34 ppB. The uranium in sediments ranged from 0.8 to 83.0 parts per million (ppM) with a median of 3.4 ppM and a mean of 4.5 ppM. Arbitrary anomaly thresholds were selected to isolate those water and sediment samples containing uranium concentrations above those of 98% of the population sampled. Using this procedure, 23 water samples above 54.50 ppB and 12 sediment samples above 14.0 ppM were considered anomalous. Several areas appear favorable for further investigation for possible uranium mineralization. High uranium concentrations were detected in waters from the northeast corner of the Cheyenne quadrangle. High uranium concentrations were detected in sediments from locations in the southern and central Laramie Mountains and along the southeast and east-central edges of the study area

Field demonstration of an active reservoir pressure management through fluid injection and displaced fluid extractions at the Rock Springs Uplift, a priority geologic CO₂ storage site for Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiao, Zunsheng [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

2017-04-05

This report provides the results from the project entitled Field Demonstration of Reservoir Pressure Management through Fluid Injection and Displaced Fluid Extraction at the Rock Springs Uplift, a Priority Geologic CO2 Storage Site for Wyoming (DE-FE0026159 for both original performance period (September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016) and no-cost extension (September 1, 2016 to January 6, 2017)).

Advanced Design of a Novel Stellarator Using the Free Boundary VMEC Magnetic Equilibrium Code. Final Technical Report for period March 1, 1999 - February 28, 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knowlton, S. F.

2005-01-01

This report describes the goals and accomplishments of a 3-year EPSCoR Laboratory Partnership award to design an advanced stellarator device for magnetic confinement of toroidal plasmas for fusion research

Engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Spook site, Converse County, Wyoming. Phase II, Title I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

An engineering assessment of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings was performed at the Spook Site, Converse County, Wyoming. Data are presented from soil, water and other sample analyses, radiometric measurements to determine areas with radium-contaminated materials, the evaluation of resulting radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations, the investigation of site geology, hydrology, and meteorology, and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas release from the 187,000 tons of tailings at the Spook Site constitutes the main environmental impact, which is negligible. The two alternative actions presented are better fencing of the site in its present state and placing tailings and contaminated on-site materials and soil in the open-pit mine and covering the resulting pile with 2 ft of overburden material. The cost estimates for the options are $81,000 and $142,000, respectively. Reprocessing the tailings for uranium at a nearby operating uranium mill is worthy of economic consideration at this time

Two-dimensional coherence analysis of magnetic and gravity data from the Cascer Quadrangle, Wyoming. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

QEB, Inc. has completed a two-dimensional coherence analysis of gravity and magnetic data from the Casper, Wyoming NTMS quadrangle. Magnetic data from an airborne survey were reduced to produce a Residual Magnetic map, and gravity data obtained from several sources were reduced to produce a Complete Bouguer Gravity map. Both sets of data were upward continued to a plane one kilometer above the surface; and then, to make the magnetic and gravity data comparable, the magnetic data were transformed to pseudo-gravity data by the application of Poisson's relationship for rocks that are both dense and magnetic relative to the surrounding rocks. A pseudo-gravity map was then produced and an analysis made of the two-dimensional coherence between the upward continued Bouguer gravity and the pseudo-gravity data. Based on the results of the coherence analysis, digital filters were designed to either pass or reject wavelength bands with high coherence

Response of small glaciers to climate change: runoff from glaciers of the Wind River range, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Bliss, A. K.; Stamper, B.

2017-12-01

Runoff from glaciers affects downstream ecosystems by influencing the quantity, seasonality, and chemistry of the water. We describe the present state of glaciers in the Wind River range, Wyoming and consider how these glaciers will change in the future. Wind River glaciers have been losing mass in recent decades, as seen with geodetic techniques and by examining glacier morphology. Interestingly, the 2016/7 winter featured one of the largest snowfalls on record. Our primary focus is the Dinwoody Glacier ( 3 km^2, 3300-4000 m above sea level). We present data collected in mid-August 2017 including glacier ablation rates, snow line elevations, and streamflow. We compare measured glacier mass loss to streamflow at the glacier terminus and at a USGS stream gauge farther downstream. Using a hydrological model, we explore the fate of glacial runoff as it moves into downstream ecosystems and through ranchlands important to local people. The techniques used here can be applied to similar small-glacier systems in other parts of the world.

Hydrology and geochemistry of the uranium mill tailings pile at Riverton, Wyoming. Part II. History matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narasimhan, T.N.; White, A.F.; Tokunaga, T.

1985-02-01

In Part I of this series of two reports the observed fluid potential and geochemical characteristics in and around the inactive uranium mill tailings pile at Riverton, Wyoming were presented. The prupose of the present work is to attempt to simulate field observations using mathematical models. The results of the studies have not only helped identify the physicochemical mechanisms govering contaminant migration around the inactive mill tailings pile in Riverton, but also have indicated the feasibility of quantifying these mechanisms with the help of newly developed mathematical models. Much work needs to be done to validate and benchmark these models. The history-matching effort on hand involves the mathematical simulation of the observed fluid potentials within the tailings, and the observed distribution of various chemical species within and around the inactive uranium mill tailings. The simulation problem involves consideration of transient fluid flow and transient, reactive chemical transport in a variably saturated ground water system with time-dependent boundary conditions. 15 refs., 30 figs., 3 tabs

Final environmental statement related to the Western Nuclear, Inc., Split Rock Uranium Mill (Fremont County, Wyoming)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-02-01

The proposed action is the renewal of Source Material License SUA-56 (with amendments) issued to Western Nuclear, Inc. (WNI), for the operation of the Split Rock Uranium Mill near Jeffrey City and the Green Mountain Ion-Exchange Facility, both in Fremont County, Wyoming. The license also permits possession of material from past operations at four ancillary facilities in the Gas Hills mining area - the Bullrush, Day-Loma, Frazier-Lamac, and Rox sites (Docket No. 40-1162). However, although heap leaching operations were previously authorized at Frazier-Lamac, there has never been any processing of material at this site. The Split Rock mill is an acid-leach, ion-exchange and solvent-extraction uranium-ore processing mill with a design capacity of 1540 MT (1700 tons) of ore per day. WNI has proposed by license amendment request to increase the storage capacity of the tailings ponds in order to permit the continuation of present production rates of U 3 O 8 through 1996 using lower-grade ores

75 FR 6332 - Wyoming Regulatory Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-09

..., Telephone: (307) 261-6547. Internet: [email protected] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background on the... any and all comments, but those most useful and likely to influence decisions on the final regulations... Enforcement Fairness Act. This rule: a. Does not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million. b. Will...

Data from selected Almond Formation outcrops -- Sweetwater County, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jackson, S.R.; Rawn-Schatzinger, V.

1993-12-01

The objectives of this research program are to: (1) determine the reservoir characteristics and production problems of shoreline barrier reservoirs; and (2) develop methods and methodologies to effectively characterize shoreline barrier reservoirs to predict flow patterns of injected and produced fluids. Two reservoirs were selected for detailed reservoir characterization studies -- Bell Creek field, Carter County, Montana, that produces from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) Muddy Formation, and Patrick Draw field, Sweetwater County, Wyoming that produces from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Almond Formation of the Mesaverde Group. An important component of the research project was to use information from outcrop exposures of the producing formations to study the spatial variations of reservoir properties and the degree to which outcrop information can be used in the construction of reservoir models. A report similar to this one presents the Muddy Formation outcrop data and analyses performed in the course of this study (Rawn-Schatzinger, 1993). Two outcrop localities, RG and RH, previously described by Roehler (1988) provided good exposures of the Upper Almond shoreline barrier facies and were studied during 1990--1991. Core from core well No. 2 drilled approximately 0.3 miles downdip of outcrop RG was obtained for study. The results of the core study will be reported in a separate volume. Outcrops RH and RG, located about 2 miles apart were selected for detailed description and drilling of core plugs. One 257-ft-thick section was measured at outcrop RG, and three sections {approximately}145 ft thick located 490 and 655 feet apart were measured at the outcrop RH. Cross-sections of these described profiles were constructed to determine lateral facies continuity and changes. This report contains the data and analyses from the studied outcrops.

Geologic implications of large-scale trends in well-log response, northern Green River Basin, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prensky, S.E.

1986-01-01

Well-log response in lower Tertiary and Upper Cretaceous rocks in the northern Green River basin, Wyoming, is examined. Digitally recorded well-log data for selected wells located throughout the basin were processed by computer and displayed as highly compressed depth-scale plots for examining large-scale geologic trends. Stratigraphic units, formed under similar depositional conditions, are distinguishable by differing patterns on these plots. In particular, a strong lithologic contrast between Tertiary and underlying Upper Cretaceous non-marine clastic rocks is revealed and correlated through the study area. Laboratory analysis combined with gamma-ray spectrometry log data show that potassium feldspars in the arkosic Tertiary sandstones cause the contrast. The nature and extent of overpressuring has been examined. Data shift on shale conductivity and shale acoustic transit-time plots, previously ascribed to changes in pore pressure, correspond to stratigraphic changes and not necessarily with changes in pore pressure as indicated by drilling-mud weights. Gulf Coast well-log techniques for detecting overpressuring are unreliable and ineffectual in this basin, which has experienced significantly different geologic depositional and tectonic conditions

U.S. DOE Intermountain Clean Energy Application Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Case, Patti [Etc Group, LLC, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2013-09-30

The Intermountain Clean Energy Application Center helped promote, assist, and transform the market for combined heat and power (CHP), including waste heat to power and district energy with CHP, in the intermountain states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. We accomplished these objectives through a combination of the following methods, which proved in concert to be a technically and economically effective strategy: o Identifying and facilitating high-impact CHP projects o Helping industrial, commercial, institutional, federal, and other large energy users in evaluating the economic and technical viability of potential CHP systems o Disseminating essential information about CHP including benefits, technologies, applications, project development, project financing, electric and gas utility incentives, and state policies o Coordinating and collaborating on CHP advancement with regional stakeholders including electric utilities, gas utilities, state energy offices, municipal development and planning personnel, trade associations, industry groups, non-profits, energy users, and others Outcomes of the project included increased understanding of and deployment of efficient and well-designed CHP systems in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Increased CHP deployment helps the United States to enhance energy efficiency, strengthen the competitiveness of American industries, promote economic growth, foster a robust and resilient energy infrastructure, reduce emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, and increase the use of market-ready advanced technologies. Specific outcomes included direct assistance to energy-intensive industrial facilities and other businesses, workshops and CHP tours, communication materials, and state policy education, all contributing to implementation of CHP systems in the intermountain region.

Lapland longspur mortality at an oil well drilling rig site, Laramie County, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, Pedro; Dickerson, Kimberly K.; Lindstrom, Jim; Meteyer, Carol U.; Darrah, Scott

2015-01-01

Two hundred fifty-one Lapland longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) carcasses were recovered around an oil well drilling rig in Laramie County, Wyoming, USA, on December 13–14, 2010, apparent victims of a winter storm and “light entrapment” from the lights on the drilling rig during foggy conditions. We found Lapland longspur carcasses distributed around the drilling rig from 33 m to 171 m. Investigators did not find evidence of bird carcasses on the drilling rig deck or equipment immediately adjacent to the drilling rig. We ruled out chemical toxins and disease as a cause of mortality. Weather conditions, the circular depositional pattern of carcasses around the drilling rig, and bird necropsy results led investigators to conclude that the Lapland longspur mortality was the result of the migrating birds entering the area illuminated by the drilling rig lights in freezing fog and the birds repeatedly circling the drilling rig until they fell to the ground in exhaustion and dying from subsequent trauma. Further research is needed to understand how to most effectively adjust lighting of onshore drilling rigs to reduce the potential for avian light entrapment. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Wild Horse 69-kV transmission line environmental assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-12-01

Hill County Electric Cooperative Inc. (Hill County) proposes to construct and operate a 69-kV transmission line from its North Gildford Substation in Montana north to the Canadian border. A vicinity project area map is enclosed as a figure. TransCanada Power Corporation (TCP), a Canadian power-marketing company, will own and construct the connecting 69-kV line from the international border to Express Pipeline's pump station at Wild Horse, Alberta. This Environmental Assessment is prepared for the Department of Energy (DOE) as lead federal agency to comply with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as part of DOE's review and approval process of the applications filed by Hill County for a DOE Presidential Permit and License to Export Electricity to a foreign country. The purpose of the proposed line is to supply electric energy to a crude oil pump station in Canada, owned by Express Pipeline Ltd. (Express). The pipeline would transport Canadian-produced oil from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada, to Caster, Wyoming. The Express Pipeline is scheduled to be constructed in 1996--97 and will supply crude oil to refineries in Wyoming and the midwest

75 FR 11148 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-10

... instructions are also available on the Internet at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_gas/survey_forms/nat... production data for Texas (onshore and offshore) and Louisiana (onshore and offshore), New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming, the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico, Other States (onshore and offshore for the remaining gas...

76 FR 70123 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-10

... available on the Internet at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_gas/survey_forms/nat_survey_forms.html... production data for Texas (onshore and offshore) and Louisiana (onshore and offshore), New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming, the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico, Other States (onshore and offshore for the remaining gas...

Inhibition of Caused by Bacteria Isolated from the Skin of Boreal Toads, , from Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shawna T. Park

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a significant cause of the worldwide decline in amphibian populations; however, various amphibian species are capable of coexisting with B. dendrobatidis. Among them are boreal toads ( Anaxyrus ( Bufo boreas boreas located in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP in Wyoming, USA. The purpose of this study was to identify cultivable bacterial isolates from the skin microbiota of boreal toads from GTNP and determine if they were capable of inhibiting B. dendrobatidis in vitro, and therefore might be a factor in the toad's coexistence with this pathogen. Isolates from 6 of 21 genera tested were found to inhibit the growth of B. dendrobatidis. These bacteria represent diverse lineages such as the Gammaproteobacteria, the Betaproteobacteria, and the Bacteroidetes/Chlorobium groups. We propose that these bacteria compete via microbial antagonism with B. dendrobatidis.

Exploration-systems approach to the Copper Mountain area uranium deposits, central Wyoming. National Uranium Resource Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayala, D.; Lindgren, J.; Babcock, L.

1982-09-01

This report presents the results of multidisciplinary investigations of uranium deposits in the Copper Mountain District of central Wyoming. Although the studies on which the report is based began in 1977, work on the project has been discontinuous and was conducted partly by investigators no longer on the project. The project report represents an effort by the authors to compile and interpret the various data and to draw reasonable conclusions. Although an attempt is made to integrate, where possible, the results of different studies (or surveys), the report is organized into individual sections that present methods and results for each approach used. Investigations reported separately include geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and emanometry. These are aimed at characterizing and understanding the Copper Mountain uranium district and aiding in the detection of similar districts. A summary of overall project results, a comparison of the usefulness of individual approaches or combinations of approaches, and conclusions are presented in separate report sections for the project as a whole. All six sections in this report have been abstracted and indexed

Final environmental impact statement Kenetech/PacifiCorp Windpower Project Carbon County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-08-01

The Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS and FEIS) assess the environmental consequences of a proposed windpower energy development in Carbon County, Wyoming. This abbreviated FEIS revises and supplements the DEIS for the project and addresses comments expressed for the DEIS. The proposed project entails the erection of approximately 1,390 wind turbine generators and associated facilities (e.g., roads, substations, distribution and communications lines) by KENETECH Windpower, Inc. A 230-kV transmission line would be built by PacifiCorp, Inc. to connect a proposed substation on Foote Creek Rim near Arlington to the Miner's substation near Hanna. The proposed project would use standard procedures as currently employed by other right-of-way projects, plus additional project-specific and site-specific mitigation measures to ensure that project impacts are minimized on all important resources. Impacts to most resources would be negligible to moderate during the life-of-project. Potentially significant impacts from the project include avian mortality; declining avian populations; threatened, endangered, candidate, and/or state sensitive species mortality and/or habitat loss; disturbance to nearby residents due to noise; changes in visual resources; disturbance of important Native American traditional sites; changes in plant community species composition due to snow redistribution; displacement of big game due to windfarm operation; and loss of sage grouse nesting habitat. The proposed project could also have numerous beneficial impacts including increased revenues generated by taxes, increased employment, and benefits derived from using a nonpolluting resource for electric power generation

Draft environmental impact statement. Bison basin project, Fremont County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

Construction and operation of leach uranium mine and recovery plant designed to produce one million lb of U 3 O 8 per year at a rate not to exceed 400,000 lb/y in Fremont County, Wyoming are proposed. The project site would consist of 761 acres lying 50 miles south of Riverton and 30 miles southwest of Jeffery City. The in situ leach process, implemented to mine ore contained in the Laney member of the Green River formation, would involve use of sodium carbonate-bicarbonate solution and an oxidizing agent injected and recovered through a complex of well patterns. Each well pattern would consist of six injection wells surrounding a central production well. Only about 40 acres would be mined, while another 13.5 acres would be excavated for equipment foundations and evaporation ponds. Recycling of mined formation water through a reverse osmosis cleanup system and placing it back into the formation after mining was complete would restore the groundwater system to its former potential. Solid wastes produced by the mining process would be removed to a licensed disposal site. Positive Impacts: Uranium ore produced by the mine and refined by the plant would aid in meeting demand for this resource which is estimated to double to a level of 15,000 tons per year within the next 5 years and to reach 45,000-50,000 tons per year by 1990. Some monetary benefits would accrue to local communities due to local expenditures resulting from construction and operation. Negative Impacts: Project activities would result in displacement of livestock grazing practices from 57 acres of land. Some local deterioration of groundwater quality would be expected, and approximately 240 acre-feet of groundwater would be removed from the aquifer permanently. Radon-222 and other small radioactive emissions would result from the solution mining process

Oil and gas development influences big-game hunting in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Dorning, Monica; Garman, Steven L.; Diffendorfer, James E.; Semmens, Darius J.; Hawbaker, Todd J.; Bagstad, Kenneth J.

2017-01-01

Development from extracting oil and gas resources can have unintended effects on multiple ecosystem functions, with cascading effects on wildlife, ecosystem services, and local economies. Big-game hunting opportunities may be closely related to these effects, but empirical analyses of impacts of energy development on hunting are limited. We examined the influence of oil and gas development density on harvest efficiency, or harvest per unit of hunter effort, within all hunt areas in Wyoming, USA, from 2008 to 2014 for 3 big-game species: elk (Cervus canadensis), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Using harvest/hunter day as the response variable, we compared linear mixed-effects models for each species that included total well density (i.e., all wells constructed up to the year of record), active well density (i.e., only those wells currently producing oil or gas in that year), or neither as a predictor variable. We used well densities as indicators of development in the absence of data specifying the locations of other oil and gas infrastructure (e.g., roads, well pads). Models also accounted for the fixed effects of road density, hunter density, proportion of the area that is public land with unrestricted hunter access, proportion of the area that is forested, year of observation, and random effects of variation among hunt areas nested within associated game herd units. Presence of oil and gas wells had a positive influence on harvest efficiency for elk and mule deer. Although there was no overall effect to pronghorn, there was a negative influence of wells on juvenile pronghorn harvest efficiency. Changes in harvest efficiency due to expanding oil and gas development could alter the time spent hunting by hunters and their chances of harvesting an animal. This could have subsequent impacts on hunter satisfaction, game populations, and economic revenue generated from recreational hunters.

Retrospective Analysis of Low Flows at Headwater Watersheds in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Voutchkova, D. D.; Miller, S. N.

2016-12-01

Understanding summer low-flow variability and change in the mountainous West has important implications for water allocations downstream and for maintaining water availability for drinking water supply, reservoir storage, industrial, agricultural, and ecological needs. Wildfires and insect infestations are classical disturbance hydrology topics. It is unclear, however, what are their effects on streamflow and in particular low-flows, when vegetation disturbances are overlapping in time and combined with highly variable and potentially changing local climate. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to quantify changes in low-flows resulting from disturbance in headwater streams. Here we present a retrospective analysis based on: (1) 49-75 complete water years (wy) of daily streamflow data (USGS) for 14 high-elevation headwater watersheds with varying areas (60-1730 km2, 86-100% of watershed area >2000masl) and evergreen forest cover (15-82%), (2) 25-36 complete wy of daily snow-water equivalent accumulation (SWE) and precipitation data from Wyoming SNOTEL stations, (3) burned area boundaries for 20wy (MTBS project), (4) aerial surveys by R1, R2, R4 Forest Service Regions for 18wy (data on tree mortality). We quantify the change in various low-flow characteristics (e.g. post-snowmelt baseflow, Q90 and Q95, 3-,7-, 30- and 90-day annual minima etc.) while accounting for local inter- and multi-annual climate variability by using SWE accumulation data, as it integrates both temperature and precipitation changes. Our approach differs from typical before-after field-based investigation for paired watersheds, as it provides a synthesis over large temporal and spatial scales, resulting in spectrum of possible hydrologic responses due to varying disturbance severity. Quantifying the changes in low-flows and low-flow variability will improve our understanding and will facilitate water management and planning at local state-wide level.

Preliminary evaluation of uranium deposits. A geostatistical study of drilling density in Wyoming solution fronts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandefur, R.L.; Grant, D.C.

1976-01-01

Studies of a roll-front uranium deposit in Shirley Basin Wyoming indicate that preliminary evaluation of the reserve potential of an ore body is possible with less drilling than currently practiced in industry. Estimating ore reserves from sparse drilling is difficult because most reserve calculation techniques do not give the accuracy of the estimate. A study of several deposits with a variety of drilling densities shows that geostatistics consistently provides a method of assessing the accuracy of an ore reserve estimate. Geostatistics provides the geologist with an additional descriptive technique - one which is valuable in the economic assessment of a uranium deposit. Closely spaced drilling on past properties provides both geological and geometric insight into the occurrence of uranium in roll-front type deposits. Just as the geological insight assists in locating new ore bodies and siting preferential drill locations, the geometric insight can be applied mathematically to evaluate the accuracy of a new ore reserve estimate. By expressing the geometry in numerical terms, geostatistics extracts important geological characteristics and uses this information to aid in describing the unknown characteristics of a property. (author)

Tree-ring-based reconstruction of precipitation in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, since 1260 A.D

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, S.T.; Fastie, C.L.; Jackson, S.T.; Betancourt, J.L.

2004-01-01

Cores and cross sections from 79 Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) trees at four sites in the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming and south-central Montana were used to develop a proxy for annual (June-June) precipitation spanning 1260-1998 A.D. The reconstruction exhibits considerable nonstationarity, and the instrumental era (post-1900) in particular fails to capture the full range of precipitation variability experienced in the past ???750 years. Both single-year and decadal-scale dry events were more severe before 1900. Dry spells in the late thirteenth and sixteenth centuries surpass both magnitude and duration of any droughts in the Bighorn Basin after 1900. Precipitation variability appears to shift to a higher-frequency mode after 1750, with 15-20-yr droughts becoming rare. Comparisons between instrumental and reconstructed values of precipitation and indices of Pacific basin variability reveal that precipitation in the Bighorn Basin generally responds to Pacific forcing in a manner similar to that of the southwestern United States (drier during La Nin??a events), but high country precipitation in areas surrounding the basin displays the opposite response (drier during El Nin??o events). ?? 2004 American Meteorological Society.

Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project Site at Riverton, Wyoming. Revision 3/95

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-03-01

Ground water compliance for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project sites, including the Riverton, Wyoming, site, is governed by the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act and the US Environmental Protection Agency's Health and Environmental Protection Standards for Uranium and Thorium Mill Tailings. The compliance strategy proposed for this site is natural flushing in conjunction with institutional controls. The essential premise of natural flushing is that ground water movement and natural attenuation processes will reduce the detected contamination to background levels or alternate concentration limits that do not pose a risk to human health or the environment within 100 years. This document contains the following sections. Section 2.0 of this SOWP describes the requirements for meeting standards at UMTRA Project sites. Section 3.0 provides site-specific data and the related conceptual model. Section 4.0 provides the justification for the recommended ground water compliance strategy for the Riverton site. Section 5.0 provides the justification and process for collection and assessment of additional required data. Section 6.0 provides a list of the references cited. The appendixes include data on monitor wells and lithography, ground water, surface water, and sediment quality

Evaluating controls on fluvial sand-body clustering in the Ferris Formation (Cretaceous/Paleogene, Wyoming, USA)

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, E. A.; Heller, P.

2009-12-01

A primary goal of sedimentary geologists is to interpret past tectonic, climatic, and eustatic conditions from the stratigraphic record. Stratigraphic changes in alluvial-basin fills are routinely interpreted as the result of past tectonic movements or changes in climate or sea level. Recent physical and numerical models have shown that sedimentary systems can exhibit self-organization on basin-filling time scales, suggesting that structured stratigraphic patterns can form spontaneously rather than as the result of changing boundary conditions. The Ferris Formation (Upper Cretaceous/Paleogene, Hanna Basin, Wyoming) exhibits stratigraphic organization where clusters of closely-spaced channel deposits are separated from other clusters by intervals dominated by overbank material. In order to evaluate the role of basinal controls on deposition and ascertain the potential for self-organization in this ancient deposit, the spatial patterns of key channel properties (including sand-body dimensions, paleoflow depth, maximum clast size, paleocurrent direction, and sediment provenance) are analyzed. Overall the study area lacks strong trends sand-body properties through the stratigraphic succession and in cluster groups. Consequently there is no indication that the stratigraphic pattern observed in the Ferris Formation was driven by systematic changes in climate or tectonics.

Load Control System Reliability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trudnowski, Daniel [Montana Tech of the Univ. of Montana, Butte, MT (United States)

2015-04-03

This report summarizes the results of the Load Control System Reliability project (DOE Award DE-FC26-06NT42750). The original grant was awarded to Montana Tech April 2006. Follow-on DOE awards and expansions to the project scope occurred August 2007, January 2009, April 2011, and April 2013. In addition to the DOE monies, the project also consisted of matching funds from the states of Montana and Wyoming. Project participants included Montana Tech; the University of Wyoming; Montana State University; NorthWestern Energy, Inc., and MSE. Research focused on two areas: real-time power-system load control methodologies; and, power-system measurement-based stability-assessment operation and control tools. The majority of effort was focused on area 2. Results from the research includes: development of fundamental power-system dynamic concepts, control schemes, and signal-processing algorithms; many papers (including two prize papers) in leading journals and conferences and leadership of IEEE activities; one patent; participation in major actual-system testing in the western North American power system; prototype power-system operation and control software installed and tested at three major North American control centers; and, the incubation of a new commercial-grade operation and control software tool. Work under this grant certainly supported the DOE-OE goals in the area of “Real Time Grid Reliability Management.”

Influences on wood load in mountain streams of the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowakowski, Amy L; Wohl, Ellen

2008-10-01

We documented valley and channel characteristics and wood loads in 19 reaches of forested headwater mountain streams in the Bighorn National Forest of northern Wyoming. Ten of these reaches were in the Upper Tongue River watershed, which has a history of management including timber harvest, tie floating, and road construction. Nine reaches were in the North Rock Creek watershed, which has little history of management activities. We used these data to test hypotheses that (i) valley geometry correlates with wood load, (ii) stream gradient correlates with wood load, and (iii) wood loads are significantly lower in managed watersheds than in otherwise similar unmanaged watersheds. Statistical analyses of the data support the first and third hypotheses. Stream reaches with steeper valley side slopes tend to have higher wood loads, and reaches in managed watersheds tend to have lower wood loads than reaches in unmanaged watersheds. Results do not support the second hypothesis. Shear stress correlated more strongly with wood load than did stream gradient, but statistical models with valley-scale variables had greater explanatory power than statistical models with channel-scale variables. Wood loads in stream reaches within managed watersheds in the Bighorn National Forest tend to be two to three times lower than wood loads in unmanaged watersheds.

Summary of the Phase II, Title I engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailing, Riverton Site, Riverton, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

An engineering assessment was performed of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at the Riverton, Wyoming site. The soil, water and other sample analyses; radiometric measurements to determine areas with radium-contaminated materials; the evaluation of resulting radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations; the investigation of site geology, hydrology, and meteorology; and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas release from the 900,000 tons of tailings at the Riverton site constitutes the main environmental impact. The two alternative actions presented are fencing and maintenance of the site and off-site remedial action, and decontamination of the millsite and ore storage areas and additional stabilization cover to a minimum of 2 ft. The cost estimates for the options are $460,000 and $1,140,000, respectively. Estimated costs for moving the tailings and all contaminated materials to unspecified sites 5 and 10 mi from the present location are $6,000,000 and $6,400,000, respectively

Application of the ERTS system to the study of Wyoming resources with emphasis on the use of basic data products

Science.gov (United States)

Houston, R. S.; Marrs, R. W.; Breckenridge, R. M.; Blackstone, D. L., Jr.

1974-01-01

Many potential users of ERTS data products and other aircraft and satellite imagery are limited to visual methods of analyses of these products. Illustrations are presented from Wyoming studies that have employed these standard data products for a variety of geologic and related studies. Possible economic applications of these studies are summarized. Studies include regional geologic mapping for updating and correcting existing maps and to supplement incomplete regional mapping; illustrations of the value of seasonal images in geologic mapping; specialized mapping of such features as sand dunes, playa lakes, lineaments, glacial features, regional facies changes, and their possible economic value; and multilevel sensing as an aid in mineral exploration. Examples of cooperative studies involving botanists, plant scientists, and geologists for the preparation of maps of surface resources that can be used by planners and for environmental impact studies are given.

A new Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary locality in the western powder River basin, Wyoming: biological and geological implications

Science.gov (United States)

Nichols, D.J.; Brown, J.L.; Attrep, M.; Orth, C.J.

1992-01-01

A newly discovered Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary locality in the western Powder River basin, Wyoming, is characterized by a palynologically defined extinction horizon, a fern-spore abundance anomaly, a strong iridium anomaly, and shock-metamorphosed quartz grains. Detailed microstratigraphic analyses show that about one third of the palynoflora (mostly angiosperm pollen) disappeared abruptly, placing the K-T boundary within a distinctive, 1- to 2-cm-thick claystone layer. Shocked quartz grains are concentrated at the top of this layer, and although fern-spore and iridium concentrations are high in this layer, they reach their maximum concentrations in a 2-cm-thick carbonaceous claystone that overlies the boundary claystone layer. The evidence supports the theory that the K-T boundary event was associated with the impact of an extraterrestrial body or bodies. Palynological analyses of samples from the K-T boundary interval document extensive changes in the flora that resulted from the boundary event. The palynologically and geochemically defined K-T boundary provides a unique time-line of use in regional basin analysis. ?? 1992.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Rawlins NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weaver, T.A.; Morris, W.A.; Trexler, P.K.

1978-04-01

During the spring and winter of 1976 and January and June of 1977, 570 natural water and 1281 waterborne sediment samples were collected from 1369 locations in the Rawlins, Wyoming, NTMS quadrangle. The samples obtained from this 18 700-km 2 area were analyzed at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for total uranium. The uranium concentrations in waters ranged from less than the detectable limit of 0.2 parts per billion (ppB) to 448 ppB, with a mean value of 6 ppB. The concentrations in sediments ranged from 1.2 parts per million (ppM) to 60.4 ppM, with a mean value of 4.1 ppM. Based on simple statistical analyses of these data, arbitrary anomaly thresholds were set at 50 ppB for water samples and 9 ppM for sediment samples. Eleven water and 44 sediment samples were considered anomalous; 1 anomalous water and 25 anomalous sediments could be associated with four of the five major uranium occurrences in the quadrangle. Only the Ketchum Buttes area did not show up in the data. Twelve minor reported occurrences could not be identified by the data. Eleven anomalous samples (8 waters and 3 sediments) and 13 near-anomalous samples (10 waters and 3 sediments) outline a broad area in the northeast corner of the quadrangle (corresponding to the drainage area of the Medicine Bow River) where two airborne radiometric anomalies were discovered in an earlier study. This area, and perhaps others, may warrant further, more detailed geological, geophysical, and geochemical investigations

Anomalous shear wave delays and surface wave velocities at Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daniel, R.G.; Boore, D.M.

1982-01-01

To investigate the effects of a geothermal area on the propagation of intermediate-period (1--30 s) teleseismic body waves and surface waves, a specially designed portable seismograph system was operated in Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming. Travel time residuals, relative to a station outside the caldera, of up to 2 s for compressional phases are in agreement with short-period residuals for P phases measured by other investigators. Travel time delays for shear arrivals in the intermediate-period band range from 2 to 9 s and decrease with increasing dT/dΔ. Measured Rayleigh wave phase velocities are extremely low, ranging from 3.2 km/s at 27-s period to 2.0 km/s at 7-s period; the estimated uncertainty associated with these values is 15%. We propose a model for compressional and shear velocities and Poisson's ratio beneath the Yellowstone caldera which fits the teleseismic body and surface wave data: it consists of a highly anomalous crust with an average shear velocity of 3.0 km/s overlying an upper mantle with average velocity of 4.1 km/s. The high average value of Poisson's ratio in the crust (0.34) suggests the presence of fluids there; Poisson's ratio in the mantle between 40 and approximately 200 km is more nearly normal (0.29) than in the crust. A discrepancy between normal values of Poisson's ratio in the crust calculated from short-period data and high values calculated from teleseismic data can be resolved by postulating a viscoelastic crustal model with frequency-dependent shear velocity and attenuation

Analysis of stream quality in the Yampa River Basin, Colorado and Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Wentz, Dennis A.; Steele, Timothy Doak

1980-01-01

Historic data show no significant water-temperature changes since 1951 for the Little Snake or Yampa Rivers, the two major streams of the Yampa River basin in Colorado and Wyoming. Regional analyses indicate that harmonic-mean temperature is negatively correlated with altitude. No change in specific conductance since 1951 was noted for the Little Snake River; however, specific conductance in the Yampa River has increaed 14 % since that time and is attributed to increased agricultural and municipal use of water. Site-specific relationships between major inorganic constituents and specific conductance for the Little Snake and Yampa Rivers were similar to regional relationships developed from both historic and recent (1975) data. These relationships provide a means for estimating concentrations of major inorganic constituents from specific conductance, which is easily measured. Trace-element and nutrient data collected from August 1975 through September 1976 at 92 sites in the Yampa River basin indicate that water-quality degradation occurred upstream from 3 sites. The degradation resulted from underground drainage from pyritic materials that probably are associated with coal at one site, discharge from powerplant cooling-tower blowdown water at a second site, and runoff from a small watershed containing a gas field at the third site. Ambient concentrations of dissolved and total iron and manganese frequently exceeded proposed Colorado water-quality standards. The concentrations of many dissolved and total trace elements and nutrients were greatest during March 1976. These were associated with larger suspended-sediment concentrations and smaller pH values than at other times of the year. (USGS)

Draft environmental impact statement: KENETECH/PacifiCorp Windpower Project, Carbon County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

This Draft Environmental Impact Statement assesses the environmental consequences of a proposed windpower development project in Carbon County, between Arlington and Hanna, Wyoming. Public scoping commenced in January 1994. All issues raised during scoping and interdisciplinary team preparation of the analysis are addressed. The proposed project entails the erection of approximately 1,390 wind turbine generators and associated facilities (e.g., roads, substations, distribution and communications lines) by KENETECH Windpower, Inc. A 230-kV transmission line would be built by PacifiCorp, Inc. to connect a proposed substation on Foote Creek Rim near Arlington to the Miner's substation near Hanna. The proposed project would use standard procedures as currently employed by other right-of-way projects, plus additional project-specific and site-specific mitigation measures to ensure that project impacts are minimized on all important resources. Impacts to most resources would be negligible to moderate during the life-of-project. Potentially significant impacts resulting from the project include avian mortality; declining avian populations; threatened, endangered, candidate, and/or state sensitive species mortality and/or habitat loss; disturbance to nearby residents due to noise; changes in visual resources; disturbance of important Native American traditional sites; changes in plant community species composition due to snow redistribution; displacement of big game due to windfarm operation; and loss of sage grouse nesting habitat. The proposed project could also have numerous beneficial impacts including increased revenues generated by taxes, increased employment, and benefits derived from using a nonpolluting resource for electric power generation

Geochemical provenance of anomalous metal concentrations in stream sediments in the Ashton 1:250,000 quadrangle, Idaho/Montana/Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shannon, S.S. Jr.

1982-01-01

Stream-sediment samples from 1500 sites in the Ashton, Idaho/Montana/Wyoming 1:250,000 quadrangle were analyzed for 45 elements. Almost all samples containing anomalous concentrations (exceeding one standard deviation above the mean value of any element) were derived from drainage basins underlain by Quaternary rhyolite, Tertiary andesite or Precambrian gneiss and schist. Aluminum, barium, calcium, cobalt, iron, nickel, magnesium, scandium, sodium, strontium, and vanadium have no andesite provenance. Most anomalous manganese, europium, hafnium, and zirconium values were derived from Precambrian rocks. All other anomalous elemental concentrations are related to Quaternary rhyolite. This study demonstrates that multielemental stream-sediment analyses can be used to infer the provenance of stream sediments. Such data are available for many parts of the country as a result of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation. This study suggests that stream-sediment samples collected in the Rocky Mountains can be used either as pathfinders or as direct indicators to select targets for mineral exploration for a host of metals

Coordinated voltage control for multiple wind plants in Eastern Wyoming. Analysis, field experience and validation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, Nicholas; MacDowell, Jason; Chmiel, Gary; Konopinski, Ryan; Gautam, Durga [GE Energy, Schenectady, NY (United States); Laughter, Grant; Hagen, Dave [PacifiCorp., Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2012-07-01

At high levels of wind power penetration, multiple wind plants may be the predominant generation resource over large geographic areas. Thus, not only do wind plants need to provide a high level of functionality, they must coordinate properly with each other. This paper describes the analysis and field testing of wind plant voltage controllers designed to improve system voltage performance through passive coordination. The described wind power plant controls can coordinate the real and reactive power response of multiple wind turbines and thereby make the plant function as a single ''grid friendly'' power generation source. For this application, involving seven large wind plants with predominantly GE wind turbines in Eastern Wyoming, the voltage portion of the controllers were configured and tuned to allow the collective reactive power response of multiple wind plants in the region to work well together. This paper presents the results of the initial configuration and tuning study, and the results of the subsequent field tuning and testing of the modified controls. The paper also presents some comparisons of the measured field performance with the stability simulation models, which show that the available wind plant models provide accurate, high fidelity results for actual operating conditions of commercial wind power plants. (orig.)

Data report: resource ratings of the RARE II tracts in the Idaho-Wyoming-Utah and the central Appalachian thrust belts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voelker, A.H.; Wedow, H.; Oakes, E.; Scheffler, P.K.

1979-11-01

The assessment forms contained in this report constitute the data used in two resource assessments described in A Systematic Method for Resource Rating with Two Applications to Potential Wilderness Areas (Voelker et al. 1979). The assessments were performed for two geologic subprovinces containing proposed wilderness areas identified in the Forest Service Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE II) program. The subprovinces studied are the Idaho-Wyoming-Utah thrust belt and the central Appalachians thrust belt. Each assessment form contains location data, resource ratings, and supporting information for a single tract. A unique dual rating that reflects geologic favorability and certainty of resource occurrence is assigned to each resource category evaluated. Individual ratings are synthesized into an overall tract-importance rating. Ratings created by others are included for comparative purposes wherever available. Supporting information consists of commentary and references that explain and document the ratings listed

DOE enforcement program roles and responsibilities: DOE handbook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-08-01

The Price-Anderson Act provides indemnification to DOE contractors who manage and conduct nuclear activities in the DOE complex. The government acts as an insurer for these contractors against any findings of liability from the nuclear activities of the contractor within the scope of its contract. 10 CFR Part 820 establishes the legal framework for implementing DOE's Nuclear Safety Enforcement Program. Integration with other DOE organizations and programs would assure that the enforcement process properly considers the actual or potential safety significance of a violation when determining an appropriate enforcement sanction. Achieving a proactive contractor compliance assurance rather than a heavy enforcement hand, will require a foundation of cooperation and teamwork across DOE organizations. This handbook identifies the areas of interface for the DOE Enforcement Program and provides guidance on roles and responsibilities for the key DOE organizational areas. It complements DOE-HDBK-1087-95 and 1089-95

An evaluation of known remaining oil resources in the state of New Mexico and Wyoming. Volume 4, Project on Advanced Oil Recovery and the States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-11-01

The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) has conducted a series of studies to evaluate the known, remaining oil resource in twenty-three (23) states. The primary objective of the IOGCC's effort is to examine the potential impact of an aggressive and focused program of research, development, and demonstration (RD ampersand D) and technology transfer on future oil recovery in the United States. As part of a larger effort by the IOGCC, this report focuses on the potential economic benefits of improved oil recovery in the states of New Mexico and Wyoming. Individual reports for six other oil producing states and a national report have been separately published by the IOGCC. The analysis presented in this report is based on the databases and models available in the Tertiary Oil Recovery Information System (TORIS). Overall, well abandonments and more stringent environmental regulations could limit economic access to New Mexico's known, remaining oil resource. The high risk of near-term abandonment and the significant benefits of future application of improved oil recovery technology, clearly point to a need for more aggressive transfer of currently available technologies to domestic oil producers. Development and application of advanced oil recovery technologies could have even greater benefits to the state and the nation. A collaborative, focused RD ampersand D effort, integrating the resources and expertise of industry, state and local governments, and the Federal government, is clearly warranted. With effective RD ampersand D and a program of aggressive technology transfer to widely disseminate its results, oil production could be maximized. The resulting increase in production rates, employment, operator profits, state and Federal tax revenues, and energy security will benefit both the states of New Mexico and Wyoming and the nation as a whole

Evaluation of Mineral Deposits Along the Little Wind River, Riverton, WY, Processing Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campbell, Sam [Navarro Research and Engineering, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Dam, Wiliam [US Department of Energy, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Legacy Management

2014-12-01

In 2012, the U.S.Department of Energy (DOE) began reassessing the former Riverton, Wyoming, Processing Site area for potential contaminant sources impacting groundwater. A flood in 2010 along the Little Wind River resulted in increases in groundwater contamination (DOE 2013).This investigation is a small part of continued efforts by DOE and other stakeholders to update human health and ecological risk assessments, to make a comprehensive examination of all exposure pathways to ensure that the site remains protective through established institutional controls. During field inspections at the Riverton Site in 2013, a white evaporitic mineral deposit was identified along the bank of the Little Wind River within the discharge zone of the groundwater contamination plume. In December 2013, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) personnel collected a sample for analysis by X-ray fluorescence (Figure 1 shows the type of material sampled). The sample had a uranium concentration of approximately 64 to 73 parts per million. Although the uranium in this mineral deposit is within the expected range for evaporatic minerals in the western United States (SRNL 2014), DOE determined that additional assessment of the mineral deposit was warranted. In response to the initial collection and analysis of a sample of the mineral deposit, DOE developed a work plan (Work Plan to Sample Mineral Deposits Along the Little Wind River, Riverton, Wyoming, Processing Site [DOE 2014]) to further define the extent of these mineral deposits and the concentration of the associated contaminants (Appendix A). The work plan addressed field reconnaissance, mapping, sampling, and the assessment of risk associated with the mineral deposits adjacent to the Little Wind River.

Application of computer graphics to generate coal resources of the Cache coal bed, Recluse geologic model area, Campbell County, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, G.B.; Crowley, S.S.; Carey, M.A.

1982-01-01

Low-sulfur subbituminous coal resources have been calculated, using both manual and computer methods, for the Cache coal bed in the Recluse Model Area, which covers the White Tail Butte, Pitch Draw, Recluse, and Homestead Draw SW 7 1/2 minute quadrangles, Campbell County, Wyoming. Approximately 275 coal thickness measurements obtained from drill hole data are evenly distributed throughout the area. The Cache coal and associated beds are in the Paleocene Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation. The depth from the surface to the Cache bed ranges from 269 to 1,257 feet. The thickness of the coal is as much as 31 feet, but in places the Cache coal bed is absent. Comparisons between hand-drawn and computer-generated isopach maps show minimal differences. Total coal resources calculated by computer show the bed to contain 2,316 million short tons or about 6.7 percent more than the hand-calculated figure of 2,160 million short tons.

Radiation exposures for DOE and DOE contractor employees, 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, M.H.; Eschbach, P.A.; Harty, R.; Millet, W.H.; Scholes, V.A.

1992-12-01

All US Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE contractors, are required to submit occupational radiation exposure records to a central depository. In 1989, data were required to be submitted for all employees who were required to be monitored in accordance with DOE Order 5480.11 and for all visitors who had a positive exposure. The data required included the external penetrating whole-body dose equivalent, the shallow dose equivalent, and a summary of internal depositions of radioactive material above specified limits. Data regarding the exposed individuals included the individual's age, sex, and occupational category. This report is a summary of the external penetrating whole-body dose equivalents and shallow dose equivalents reported by DOE and DOE contractors for the calendar year 1989. A total of 90,882 DOE and DOE contractor employees were reported to have been monitored for whole-body ionizing radiation exposure during 1989. This represents 53.6% of all DOE and DOE contractor employees and is an increase (4.3 %) from the number of monitored employees for 1988. In addition to the employees, 12,643 visitors were monitored

Governance Challenges in Joint Inter-Jurisdictional Management: The Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, Elk Case

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Susan G.; Vernon, Marian E.

2015-08-01

The controversial elk reduction program (elk hunt) in Grand Teton National Park, WY, has been a source of conflict since it was legislated in 1950. The hunt is jointly managed by the National Park Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. This forced organizational partnership and the conflicting mandates of these two agencies have led to persistent conflict that seems irresolvable under the current decision-making process. To better understand the decision-making process and participant perspectives, we reviewed management documents, technical literature, and newspaper articles, and interviewed 35 key participants in this case. We used these data to analyze and appraise the adequacy of the decision-making process for the park elk hunt and to ask whether it reflects the common interest. We found deficiencies in all functions of the decision-making process. Neither the decisions made nor the process itself include diverse perspectives, nor do they attend to valid and appropriate participant concerns. Agency officials focus their attention on technical rather than procedural concerns, which largely obfuscates the underlying tension in the joint inter-jurisdictional management arrangement and ultimately contributes to the hunt's annual implementation to the detriment of the common interest. We offer specific yet widely applicable recommendations to better approximate an inclusive and democratic decision-making process that serves the community's common interests.

Environmental policies, politics, and community risk perception: case study of community contamination in Casper, Wyoming.

Science.gov (United States)

Tajik, Mansoureh; Gottlieb, Karen; Lowndes, Nita; Stewart, Gloria

2007-01-01

We identify and explain factors that affected a community's perception of risk due to extensive industrial contamination and people's distrust of government agencies regarding the environmental investigations. Intrinsic bounded case study methodology was used to conduct research about extensive environmental contaminations due to activities of an oil refinery in North Casper, Wyoming, and the citizens' response. Data were collected from multiple sources that included public testimonies, observations, public hearings and meetings minutes, newspaper articles, archived records obtained from federal and state environmental and health agencies, as well as industry records obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The overarching theme that emerged was lack of trust due to several critical events and factors such as no response or delay in response time to community concerns, lack of transparency, perceived cover up, vague and fragmented communication by government and state officials, perception of pro-industry stance, and perceived unfair treatment. People's perception of environmental risks and their willingness to accept official explanations and outcomes of environmental investigations are strongly affected by their direct experiences with government agencies and the evidence of influence the powerful industries exert over relevant investigations. The government cannot successfully address public and community concerns about environmental health impacts of contaminations and in turn the public perception of risk unless it adopts and implements policies, procedures, and protocols that are clear, timely, transparent, and free from industry influence.

Summary of the Phase II, Title I engineering assessment of inactive uranium mill tailings, Spook Site, Converse County, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

An engineering assessment was performed of the problems resulting from the existence of radioactive uranium mill tailings at the Riverton, Wyoming site. The services include: the performance of core drillings; soil, water and other sample analyses; radiometric measurements to determine areas with radium-contaminated materials; the evaluation of resulting radiation exposures of individuals and nearby populations; the investigation of site geology, hydrology, and meteorology; and the evaluation and costing of alternative corrective actions. Radon gas release from the 900,000 tons of tailings at the Riverton site constitutes the main environmental impact. The two alternative actions presented are fencing and maintenance of the site and off-site remedial action and decontamination of the millsite and ore storage areas and additional stabilization cover to a minimum of 2 ft. The cost estimates for the options are $460,000 and $1,140,000, respectively. Estimated costs for moving the tailings and all contaminated materials to unspecified sites 5 and 10 mi from the present location are $6,000,000 and $6,400,000, respectively

To Support Research Activities Under the NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, John C.

2003-01-01

The Alabama NASA EPSCoR Program is a collaborative venture of The Alabama Space Grant Consortium, The Alabama EPSCoR, and faculty and staff at 10 Alabama colleges and universities as well as the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile. There are two Research Clusters which include infrastructure-building and outreach elements embedded in their research activities. Each of the two Research Clusters is in an area of clear and demonstrable relevance to NASA's mission, to components of other Alabama EPSCoR projects, and to the State of Alabama's economic development. This Final Report summarizes and reports upon those additional activities occurring after the first report was submitted in March 2000 (included here as Appendix C). Since the nature of the activities and the manner in which they relate to one another differ by cluster, these clusters function independently and are summarized in parallel in this report. They do share a common administration by the Alabama Space Grant Consortium (ASGC) and by this means, good ideas from each group were communicated to the other, as appropriate. During the past year these research teams, involving 15 scientists, 16 graduate students, 16 undergraduates, and 7 high school students involving 10 Alabama universities had 14 peer reviewed scientific journal articles published, 21 others reviewed for publication or published in proceedings, gave 7 formal presentations and numerous informal presentations to well over 3000 people, received 3 patents and were awarded 14 research proposals for more than $213K dollars in additional research related to these investigations. Each cluster's activities are described and an Appendix summarizes these achievements.

Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project site at Riverton, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-09-01

The site observational work plan (SOWP) for the Riverton, Wyoming, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project Site is the first document for the UMTRA Ground Water Project to address site-specific activities to meet compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed ground water standards (52 FR 36000 (1987)). In support of the activities the regulatory framework and drivers are presented along with a discussion of the relationship of this SOWP to other UMTRA Ground Water Project programmatic documents. A combination of the two compliance strategies that will be recommended for this site are no remediation with the application of alternate concentration levels (ACL) and natural flushing in conjunction with institutional controls. ACLs are to be applied to constituents that occur at concentrations above background levels but which are essential nutrients and occur within nutritional ranges and/or have very low toxicity and high dietary intake rates compared to the levels detected in the ground water. The essential premise of natural flushing is that ground water movement and natural attenuation processes will reduce the detected contamination to background levels within 1 00 years. These two recommended compliance strategies were evaluated by applying Riverton site-specific data to the compliance framework developed in the UMTRA Ground Water programmatic environmental impact statement. There are three aquifers beneath the site: a surficial unconfined aquifer, a middle semiconfined aquifer, and a deeper confined aquifer. The milling-related contamination at the site has affected both the surficial and semiconfined aquifers, although the leaky shale aquifers separating these units limits the downward migration of contamination into the semiconfined aquifer. A shale aquitard separates the semiconfined aquifer from the underlying confined aquifer which has not been contaminated by milling-related constituents

Wyoming bentonites. Evidence from the geological record to evaluate the suitability of bentonite as a buffer material during the long-term underground containment of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smellie, J.

2001-12-01

In the Swedish programme for the deep, geological disposal of radioactive wastes, bentonite is planned to be used as a barrier material to reduce groundwater flow and minimise radionuclide migration into the geosphere. One of the possible threats to long-term bentonite stability is the gradual incursion of saline water into the repository confines which may reduce the swelling capacity of the bentonite, even to the extent of eliminating the positive effects of mixing bentonite into backfill materials. Important information may be obtained from the study of analogous processes in nature (i.e. natural analogue or natural system studies) where bentonite, during its formation, has been in long-term contact with reducing waters of brackish to saline character. Type bentonites include those mined from the Clay Spur bed at the top of the Cretaceous Mowry Formation in NE Wyoming and demarcated for potential use as a barrier material (e.g. MX-80 sodium bentonite) in the Swedish radioactive waste programme. This bentonite forms part of the Mowry Shale which was deposited in a southern embayment of the late Albian Western Interior Cretaceous sea (Mowry Sea). The question is whether these bentonite deposits show evidence of post-deposition alteration caused by the sea water in which they were deposited, and/or, have they been altered subsequently by contact with waters of increasing salinity? Bentonites are the product of pyroclastic fall deposits thought to be generated by the type of explosive, subaerial volcanic activity characteristic of Plinian eruptive systems. In Wyoming the overall composition of the original ash varied from dacite to rhyolite, or latite to trachyte. The ash clouds were carried to high altitudes and eastwards by the prevailing westerly winds before falling over the shallow Mowry Sea and forming thin but widespread and continuous horizons on sea floor muds and sands. Whilst bentonites were principally wind-transported, there is evidence of some water

Wyoming bentonites. Evidence from the geological record to evaluate the suitability of bentonite as a buffer material during the long-term underground containment of radioactive wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smellie, J [Conterra AB (Sweden)

2001-12-01

In the Swedish programme for the deep, geological disposal of radioactive wastes, bentonite is planned to be used as a barrier material to reduce groundwater flow and minimise radionuclide migration into the geosphere. One of the possible threats to long-term bentonite stability is the gradual incursion of saline water into the repository confines which may reduce the swelling capacity of the bentonite, even to the extent of eliminating the positive effects of mixing bentonite into backfill materials. Important information may be obtained from the study of analogous processes in nature (i.e. natural analogue or natural system studies) where bentonite, during its formation, has been in long-term contact with reducing waters of brackish to saline character. Type bentonites include those mined from the Clay Spur bed at the top of the Cretaceous Mowry Formation in NE Wyoming and demarcated for potential use as a barrier material (e.g. MX-80 sodium bentonite) in the Swedish radioactive waste programme. This bentonite forms part of the Mowry Shale which was deposited in a southern embayment of the late Albian Western Interior Cretaceous sea (Mowry Sea). The question is whether these bentonite deposits show evidence of post-deposition alteration caused by the sea water in which they were deposited, and/or, have they been altered subsequently by contact with waters of increasing salinity? Bentonites are the product of pyroclastic fall deposits thought to be generated by the type of explosive, subaerial volcanic activity characteristic of Plinian eruptive systems. In Wyoming the overall composition of the original ash varied from dacite to rhyolite, or latite to trachyte. The ash clouds were carried to high altitudes and eastwards by the prevailing westerly winds before falling over the shallow Mowry Sea and forming thin but widespread and continuous horizons on sea floor muds and sands. Whilst bentonites were principally wind-transported, there is evidence of some water

Ground-water temperature of the Wyoming quadrangle in central Delaware : with application to ground-water-source heat pumps

Science.gov (United States)

Hodges, Arthur L.

1982-01-01

Ground-water temperature was measured during a one-year period (1980-81) in 20 wells in the Wyoming Quadrangle in central Delaware. Data from thermistors set at fixed depths in two wells were collected twice each week, and vertical temperature profiles of the remaining 18 wells were made monthly. Ground-water temperature at 8 feet below land surface in well Jc55-1 ranged from 45.0 degrees F in February to 70.1 degrees F in September. Temperature at 35 feet below land surface in the same well reached a minimum of 56.0 degrees F in August, and a maximum of 57.8 degrees F in February. Average annual temperature of ground water at 25 feet below land surface in all wells ranged from 54.6 degrees F to 57.8 degrees F. Variations of average temperature probably reflect the presence or absence of forestation in the recharge areas of the wells. Ground-water-source heat pumps supplied with water from wells 30 or more feet below land surface will operate more efficiently in both heating and cooling modes than those supplied with water from shallower depths. (USGS)

Biogeochemistry of Produced Water from Unconventional Wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Drogos, D. L.; Nye, C.; Quillinan, S.; Urynowicz, M. A.; Wawrousek, K.

2017-12-01

Microbial activity in waters associated with unconventional oil and gas reservoirs is poorly described but can profoundly affect management strategies for produced water (PW), frac fluids, and biocides. Improved identification of microbial communities is required to develop targeted solutions for detrimental microbial activity such as biofouling and to exploit favorable activity such as microbial induced gas production. We quantified the microbial communities and inorganic chemistry in PW samples from cretaceous formations in six unconventional oil and gas wells in the Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming. The wells are horizontal completions in the Frontier, Niobrara, Shannon, and Turner formations at depths of 10,000 to 12,000 feet, with PW temperatures ranging from 93oF to 130oF. Biocides utilized in frac fluids primarily included glutaraldehyde and Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride (ADBAC), with first production occurring in 2013. Geochemical results for PW are: pH 6.5 to 6.9; alkalinity (as CaCO3) 219 to 519 ppm; salinity 13,200 to 22,300 ppm; and TDS 39,364 to 62,725 ppm. Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing identified the majority of communities in PW are related to anaerobic, thermophilic, halophilic, chemoheterotrophic, and chemoorganotrophic bacteria, including Thermotoga, Clostridiaceae, Thermoanaerobacter, Petrotoga, Anaerobaculum, Clostridiales, Desulfomicrobium, and Halanaerobiaceae. These findings are important for identification of biogeochemical reactions that affect the organic-inorganic-microbial interactions among reservoir rocks, formation waters, and frac fluids. Better understanding of these biogeochemical reactions would allow producers to formulate frac fluids and biocides to encourage beneficial microbial phenomena such as biogenic gas production while discouraging detrimental effects such as biofouling.

Characterization of water quality and biological communities, Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, 2007-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Peterson, David A.; Wheeler, Jerrod D.; Edmiston, C. Scott; Taylor, Michelle L.; Leemon, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

Fish Creek, an approximately 25-kilometer-long tributary to Snake River, is located in Teton County in western Wyoming near the town of Wilson. Fish Creek is an important water body because it is used for irrigation, fishing, and recreation and adds scenic value to the Jackson Hole properties it runs through. Public concern about nuisance growths of aquatic plants in Fish Creek has been increasing since the early 2000s. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study in cooperation with the Teton Conservation District to characterize the hydrology, water quality, and biologic communities of Fish Creek during 2007–11. The hydrology of Fish Creek is strongly affected by groundwater contributions from the area known as the Snake River west bank, which lies east of Fish Creek and west of Snake River. Because of this continuous groundwater discharge to the creek, land-use activities in the west bank area can affect the groundwater quality. Evaluation of nitrate isotopes and dissolved-nitrate concentrations in groundwater during the study indicated that nitrate was entering Fish Creek from groundwater, and that the source of nitrate was commonly a septic/sewage effluent or manure source, or multiple sources, potentially including artificial nitrogen fertilizers, natural soil organic matter, and mixtures of sources. Concentrations of dissolved nitrate and orthophosphate, which are key nutrients for growth of aquatic plants, generally were low in Fish Creek and occasionally were less than reporting levels (not detected). One potential reason for the low nutrient concentrations is that nutrients were being consumed by aquatic plant life that increases during the summer growing season, as a result of the seasonal increase in temperature and larger number of daylight hours. Several aspects of Fish Creek’s hydrology contribute to higher productivity and biovolume of aquatic plants in Fish Creek than typically observed in streams of its size in

A Little Help from My Friends: Testing the Utility of Facebook Groups as Online Communities in an Undergraduate Research Internship

Science.gov (United States)

Brobst, Joseph Arthur

2013-01-01

This Executive Position Paper describes the findings of a study investigating the utility of Facebook Groups in fostering community among participants in the Delaware INBRE and EPSCoR undergraduate research internship programs. In the first phase of the study, findings from the existing evaluation of the programs and themes from the literature…

Aerial gamma ray and magnetic survey: Powder River R and D Project. Portions of the: Forsyth and Hardin, Montana, and the Sheridan, Arminto, Newcastle, and Gillette, Wyoming Quadrangles. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-05-01

During the months of August through September, 1978, geoMetrics, Inc. flew approximately 1520 line miles of high sensitivity airborne radiometric and magnetic data in Wyoming and southern Montana within four 1 0 x 2 0 NTMS quadrangles (Arminto, Sheridan, Hardin and Forsyth), and 1390 lines miles in the detail area in eastern Wyoming, as part of the Department of Energy's National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. All radiometric and magnetic data were fully reduced and interpreted by geoMetrics, and are presented as three volumes (one Volume I and two Volume II's) in this report. The survey area lies largely within the northern Great Plains Physiographic Province. The deep Powder River Basin is the dominant structure in the area. Portions of the Casper Arch, Big Horn Uplift, and Porcupine Dome fall within the western limits of the area. The Basin is one of the largest and deepest in the northern Great Plains and contains over 17,000 feet of Phanerozoic sediments at its deepest point. Economic deposits of oil, coal, bentonite and uranium are found in the Tertiary and/or Cretaceous rocks of the Basin. Epigenetic uranium deposits lie primarily in the Pumpkin Buttes - Turnercrest districts within arkosic sandstones of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation. A total of 62 groups of statistical values for the R and D area and 127 for the Arminto Detail in the uranium window meet the criteria for valid anomalies and are discussed in their respective interpretation sections. Most anomalies lie in the Tertiary sediments of the Powder River Basin. Some of the anomalies in the Arminto Detail are clearly related to mines or prospects

U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2015 annual report

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Zachary H.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Bartos, Timothy T.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Dematatis, Marie K.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Homer, Collin G.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Huber, Christopher C.; Manier, Daniel J.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Kirk A.; Norkin, Tamar; Sanders, Lindsey E.; Walters, Annika W.; Wilson, Anna B.; Wyckoff, Teal B.

2016-09-28

This is the eighth annual report highlighting U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science and decision-support activities conducted for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI). The activities address specific management needs identified by WLCI partner agencies. In 2015, USGS scientists continued 24 WLCI projects in 5 categories: (1) acquiring and analyzing resource-condition data to form a foundation for understanding and monitoring landscape conditions and projecting changes; (2) using new technologies to improve the scope and accuracy of landscape-scale monitoring and assessments, and applying them to monitor indicators of ecosystem conditions and the effectiveness of on-the-ground habitat projects; (3) conducting research to elucidate the mechanisms that drive wildlife and habitat responses to changing land uses; (4) managing and making accessible the large number of databases, maps, and other products being developed; and (5) coordinating efforts among WLCI partners, helping them to use USGS-developed decision-support tools, and integrating WLCI outcomes with future habitat enhancement and research projects. Of the 24 projects, 21 were ongoing, including those that entered new phases or more in-depth lines of inquiry, 2 were new, and 1 was completed.A highlight of 2015 was the WLCI science conference sponsored by the USGS, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service in coordination with the Wyoming chapter of The Wildlife Society. Of 260 participants, 41 were USGS professionals representing 13 USGS science centers, field offices, and Cooperative Wildlife Research Units. Major themes of USGS presentations included using new technologies for developing more efficient research protocols for modeling and monitoring natural resources, researching effects of energy development and other land uses on wildlife species and habitats of concern, and modeling species distributions, population trends, habitat use, and effects of land-use changes. There was

Stratigraphy and uranium potential of early proterozoic metasedimentary rocks in the Medicine Bow Mountains, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlstrom, K.E.; Houston, R.S.

1979-01-01

The Medicine Bow Mountains of southeastern Wyoming contain an eight mile (13 km) thick section of Early Proterozoic (2500 to 1700 My b.p.) metasedimentary rocks which is subdivided into three successions: the Phantom Lake Metamorphic Suite (oldest), Deep Lake Group, and Libby Creek Group. The most promising units are the basal conglomerate of the upper Phantom Lake Suite, which appears to unconformably overlie metavolcanics of the lower Phantom Lake Suite, and the Magnolia Formation, which unconformably overlies the upper Phantom Lake Suite. Outcrops of the former have yielded assays of up to 141 ppM U and 916 ppM Th, with no appreciable gold. Outcrops of the Magnolia Formation have yielded up to 8.4 ppM U and 38 ppM Th. Several factors indicate that these units deserve further study. First, the lithologies of the radioactive and nonradioactive units are remarkably similar to those found in known uranium fossil-placers. Second, the paleogeography was favorable for placer accumulation if the conglomerates are fluvial sediments in an epicontinental clastic succession which was deposited during several transgressive-regressive cycles, as interpreted to be, Third, the age of the conglomerates may be similar to the age of other known uranium placers-i.e., more than 2000 My b.p. And fourth, geological and geochemical studies indicate that both uranium and pyrite have been strongly leached from outcrops and that subsurface rocks contain more uranium than surface rocks do

Preliminary study of the oil shales of the Green River formation in the tri-state area of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming to investigate their utility for disposal of radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-05-01

Results are presented of a preliminary study of the oil shales of the Green River formation in the tri-state area of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming to investigate their utility for possible disposal of radioactive waste material. The objective of this study was to make a preliminary investigation and to obtain a broad overview of the physical and economic factors which would have an effect on the suitability of the oil shale formations for possible disposal of radioactive waste material. These physical and economic factors are discussed in sections on magnitude of the oil shales, waste disposal relations with oil mining, cavities requirements, hydrological aspects, and study requirements

DOE management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezendes, V.S.

1991-07-01

This paper reports that GAO, as well as the Department of Energy's Inspector General, have pointed out the need for major improvement in the University of California's management of the three DOE laboratories-Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, and Lawrence Berkeley- and DOE oversight of that management effort. GAO found problems with University of California controls over laboratory operations, such as managing property, protecting classified documents, and ensuring that subcontractors are not subject to foreign influence, which might lead to transfers of nuclear technology to foreign influence, which might lead to transfers of nuclear technology or materials to foreign countries. In addition, clauses in the University of California contracts hamper DOE's ability to effectively manage the laboratories. DOE has addressed many of the specific problems that GAO identified and has tried to improve overall contract management. Negotiations with the University of California to extend the laboratory contracts will present another opportunity for DOE to take a firm stance on the need for management improvements. Having appropriate procedures and resources in place would also help DOE carry out its administration of contracts

Aspen Code Development Collaboration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,; Cherry, Robert S. [INL; Richard, Boardman D. [INL

2013-10-03

Wyoming has a wealth of primary energy resources in the forms of coal, natural gas, wind, uranium, and oil shale. Most of Wyoming?s coal and gas resources are exported from the state in unprocessed form rather than as refined higher value products. Wyoming?s leadership recognizes the opportunity to broaden the state?s economic base energy resources to make value-added products such as synthetic vehicle fuels and commodity chemicals. Producing these higher value products in an environmentally responsible manner can benefit from the use of clean energy technologies including Wyoming?s abundant wind energy and nuclear energy such as new generation small modular reactors including the high temperature gas-cooled reactors.

Hydrology of area 53, Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain coal provinces, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah

Science.gov (United States)

Driver, N.E.; Norris, J.M.; Kuhn, Gerhard; ,

1984-01-01

Hydrologic information and analysis are needed to aid in decisions to lease Federally owned coal and for the preparation of the necessary Environmental Assessments and Impact Study Reports. This need has become even more critical with the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-87). This report, one in a series of nationwide coal province reports, presents information thematically by describing single hydrologic topics through the use of brief texts and accompanying maps, graphs, or other illustrations. The report broadly characterizes the hydrology of Area 53 in northwestern Colorado, south-central Wyoming, and northeastern Utah. The report area, located primarily in the Wyoming Basin and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces, consists of 14,650 square miles of diverse geology, topography, and climate. This diversity results in contrasting hydrologic characteristics. The two major rivers, the Yampa and the White Rivers, originate in humid granitic and basaltic mountains, then flow over sedimentary rocks underlying semiarid basins to their respective confluences with the Green River. Altitudes range from 4,800 to greater than 12,000 feet above sea level. Annual precipitation in the mountains, as much as 60 inches, is generally in the form of snow. Snowmelt produces most streamflow. Precipitation in the lower altitude sedimentary basins, ranging from 8 to 16 inches, is generally insufficient to sustain streamflow; therefore, most streams originating in the basins (where most of the streams in coal-mining areas originate) are ephemeral. Streamflow quality is best in the mountains where dissolved-solids concentrations generally are small. As streams flow across the sedimentary basins, mineral dissolution from the sedimentary rocks and irrigation water with high mineral content increase the dissolved-solids concentrations in a downstream direction. Due to the semiarid climate of the basins, soils are not adequately leached

Persistent U(IV) and U(VI) following in-situ recovery (ISR) mining of a sandstone uranium deposit, Wyoming, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Gallegos, Tanya J.; Campbell, Kate M.; Zielinski, Robert A.; Reimus, P.W.; J.T. Clay,; N. Janot,; J. J. Bargar,; Benzel, William M.

2015-01-01

Drill-core samples from a sandstone-hosted uranium (U) deposit in Wyoming were characterized to determine the abundance and distribution of uranium following in-situ recovery (ISR) mining with oxygen- and carbon dioxide-enriched water. Concentrations of uranium, collected from ten depth intervals, ranged from 5 to 1920 ppm. A composite sample contained 750 ppm uranium with an average oxidation state of 54% U(VI) and 46% U(IV). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated rare high uranium (∼1000 ppm U) in spatial association with P/Ca and Si/O attributed to relict uranium minerals, possibly coffinite, uraninite, and autunite, trapped within low permeability layers bypassed during ISR mining. Fission track analysis revealed lower but still elevated concentrations of U in the clay/silica matrix and organic matter (several 10 s ppm) and yet higher concentrations associated with Fe-rich/S-poor sites, likely iron oxides, on altered chlorite or euhedral pyrite surfaces (but not on framboidal pyrite). Organic C (mining, the likely sequestration of uranium within labile iron oxides following mining and sensitivity to changes in redox conditions requires careful attention during groundwater restoration.

Whirling disease among snake river cutthroat trout in two spring streams in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Hubert, W.A.; Joyce, M.P.; Gipson, R.; Zafft, D.; Money, D.; Hawk, D.; Taro, B.

2002-01-01

We assessed endemic age-0 cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki for evidence of pathology associated with Myxobolus cerebralis in two streams formed by springs in western Wyoming. We hypothesized that the location of spawning sites in spring streams would affect the extent of exposure of cutthroat trout fry to M. cerebralis triactinomyxons (tams), occurrence of the parasite in their bodies, and clinical signs of whirling disease. The spring streams were warm relative to nearby streams flowing from the mountains or spawning and emergence of fry was early compared with fish in mountain streams. Tams were abundant early in the summer and clinical signs of whirling disease among age-0 fish were seen as early as mid-June in one stream. There were high densities of tams in one stream, and densities declined with upstream progression from May through July, whereas in the other stream, low densities of tams were observed in the downstream portion early in the summer, and they were not detected in July and August. Age-0 cutthroat trout were abundant; clinical signs of whirling disease were evident, and histological evidence of whirling disease was common in the stream where tams were abundant. Low densities of age-0 cutthroat trout and no clinical signs of whirling disease were observed in the stream where tams were not abundant. Among sentinel fish in the stream with abundant tams, we found extensive occurrence of M. cerebralis, with many fish showing clinical signs and histological evidence of pathology associated with M. cerebralis. The proportion of sentinel fish with clinical and histological signs of whirling disease decreased with upstream progression. In the stream with low tam, densities sentinel fish became infected with M. cerebralis, but there were essentially no clinical signs or histological indications of whirling disease. ?? 2002 by the American Fisheries Society.

Bear Creek Project (Converse County, Wyoming). Draft environmental statement. Docket No. 40-8452

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

The Bear Creek Project consists of certain mining and milling operations involving uranium ore deposits located in Converse County, Wyoming. Mining of uranium from six known ore bodies will take place over a period of ten years (estimated); a mill with a nominal capacity of 1000 tons per day of ore will be constructed and operated as long as ore is available. The waste material (tailings) from the mill, also produced at a rate of about 1000 tons per day, will be stored onsite in an impoundment. The project would convert about 2700 acres from grazing use to mining and milling activities for a period of about ten years. Mining activities would disturb (and remove vegetation from) a total of about 1600 acres but, because of ongoing reclamation efforts, max acreage disturbed at any one time would be about 1000 acres, with the average about 650 acres. An estimated 185 acres of highwalls and water remaining after reclamation would be lost to agricultural production. The milling activities would disturb about 430 acres; 330 of these would be reclaimed after operations cease, but the 100-acre tailings area must be considered unavailable for further productive use. Water will be removed from aquifers at about 1000 gpm (range 600 to 2000 gpm) by mine dewatering and mill operations. Long-term effects on groundwater are expected to be minor. Surface water will not be affected by normal operations. There will be no discharge of liquid or solid effluents from the mill. Discharges to air will be small and the effects negligible. The total dose rate to the bone is 1.1 mrem/y, and the whole-body-dose rate is computed to be 0.04 mrem/y

Radiation exposures for DOE and DOE contractor employees, 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-10-01

This report is one of series of annual reports provided by the US Department of Energy (DOE) summarizing occupational radiation exposures received by DOE and DOE contractor employees. These reports provide an overview of radiation exposures received each year, as well as identification of trends in exposures being experienced over the years. 5 figs., 30 tabs

Baseline risk assessment of ground water contamination at the uranium mill tailings site near Riverton, Wyoming. Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-01

The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project consists of two phases: the Surface Project and the Ground Water Project. At the UMTRA Project site near Riverton, Wyoming, Surface Project cleanup occurred from 1988 to 1990. Tailings and radioactively contaminated soils and materials were taken from the Riverton site to a disposal cell in the Gas Hills area, about 60 road miles (100 kilometers) to the east. The surface cleanup reduces radon and other radiation emissions and minimizes further ground water contamination. The UMTRA Project`s second phase, the Ground Water Project, will evaluate the nature and extent of ground water contamination at the Riverton site that has resulted from the uranium ore processing activities. Such evaluations are used at each site to determine a strategy for complying with UMTRA ground water standards established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and if human health risks could result from exposure to ground water contaminated by uranium ore processing. Exposure could hypothetically occur if drinking water were pumped from a well drilled in an area where ground water contamination might have occurred. Human health and environmental risks may also result if people, plants, or animals are exposed to surface water that has mixed with contaminated ground water.

Baseline risk assessment of ground water contamination at the uranium mill tailings site near Riverton, Wyoming. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project consists of two phases: the Surface Project and the Ground Water Project. At the UMTRA Project site near Riverton, Wyoming, Surface Project cleanup occurred from 1988 to 1990. Tailings and radioactively contaminated soils and materials were taken from the Riverton site to a disposal cell in the Gas Hills area, about 60 road miles (100 kilometers) to the east. The surface cleanup reduces radon and other radiation emissions and minimizes further ground water contamination. The UMTRA Project's second phase, the Ground Water Project, will evaluate the nature and extent of ground water contamination at the Riverton site that has resulted from the uranium ore processing activities. Such evaluations are used at each site to determine a strategy for complying with UMTRA ground water standards established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and if human health risks could result from exposure to ground water contaminated by uranium ore processing. Exposure could hypothetically occur if drinking water were pumped from a well drilled in an area where ground water contamination might have occurred. Human health and environmental risks may also result if people, plants, or animals are exposed to surface water that has mixed with contaminated ground water

Adipokinetic hormone exerts its anti-oxidative effects using a conserved signal-transduction mechanism involving both PKC and cAMP by mobilizing extra- and intracellular Ca2+ stores

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bednářová, Andrea; Kodrík, Dalibor; Krishnan, N.

2013-01-01

Roč. 158, č. 3 (2013), s. 142-149 ISSN 1532-0456 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP501/10/1215 Grant - others:Mississippi State Univeristy(US) 062/2011/P; NSF, EPSCOR(US) MSU No. 269110-151250 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : adipokinetic hormone * calcium channel * cell signaling Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 2.829, year: 2013

Coal geology and assessment of coal resources and reserves in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

Science.gov (United States)

Luppens, James A.; Scott, David C.

2015-01-01

This report presents the final results of the first assessment of both coal resources and reserves for all significant coal beds in the entire Powder River Basin, northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana. The basin covers about 19,500 square miles, exclusive of the part of the basin within the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations in Montana. The Powder River Basin, which contains the largest resources of low-sulfur, low-ash, subbituminous coal in the United States, is the single most important coal basin in the United States. The U.S. Geological Survey used a geology-based assessment methodology to estimate an original coal resource of about 1.16 trillion short tons for 47 coal beds in the Powder River Basin; in-place (remaining) resources are about 1.15 trillion short tons. This is the first time that all beds were mapped individually over the entire basin. A total of 162 billion short tons of recoverable coal resources (coal reserve base) are estimated at a 10:1 stripping ratio or less. An estimated 25 billion short tons of that coal reserve base met the definition of reserves, which are resources that can be economically produced at or below the current sales price at the time of the evaluation. The total underground coal resource in coal beds 10–20 feet thick is estimated at 304 billion short tons.

Regional modeling of large wildfires under current and potential future climates in Colorado and Wyoming, USA

Science.gov (United States)

West, Amanda; Kumar, Sunil; Jarnevich, Catherine S.

2016-01-01

Regional analysis of large wildfire potential given climate change scenarios is crucial to understanding areas most at risk in the future, yet wildfire models are not often developed and tested at this spatial scale. We fit three historical climate suitability models for large wildfires (i.e. ≥ 400 ha) in Colorado andWyoming using topography and decadal climate averages corresponding to wildfire occurrence at the same temporal scale. The historical models classified points of known large wildfire occurrence with high accuracies. Using a novel approach in wildfire modeling, we applied the historical models to independent climate and wildfire datasets, and the resulting sensitivities were 0.75, 0.81, and 0.83 for Maxent, Generalized Linear, and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines, respectively. We projected the historic models into future climate space using data from 15 global circulation models and two representative concentration pathway scenarios. Maps from these geospatial analyses can be used to evaluate the changing spatial distribution of climate suitability of large wildfires in these states. April relative humidity was the most important covariate in all models, providing insight to the climate space of large wildfires in this region. These methods incorporate monthly and seasonal climate averages at a spatial resolution relevant to land management (i.e. 1 km2) and provide a tool that can be modified for other regions of North America, or adapted for other parts of the world.

Preliminary study of uranium favorability of upper cretaceous, paleocene, and lower eocene rocks of the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming and Montana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesse, S.L.; Dunagan, J.F. Jr.

1978-02-01

This report presents an evaluation of the uranium favorability of continental sediments of the Upper Cretaceous Lance, Paleocene Polecat Bench, and lower Eocene Willwood Formations in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming and Montana, an intermontane structural basin of Laramide age. Previous work dealing with the Bighorn Basin was reviewed, and field investigations were carried out in the spring and summer of 1976. Subsurface data were collected and results of surface and subsurface investigations were evaluated with respect to uranium favorability. Precambrian plutonic and metamorphic rocks and Tertiary tuffaceous rocks in the Bighorn Basin and bordering uplifts are considered insignificant as source rocks, although the Wiggins Formation (White River equivalent) cannot be evaluated as a possible source because of a lack of data. Potential host rocks locally show only limited favorability. Lithology of strata exposed along the western and southern basin margins is more favorable than that of rocks in the central and eastern parts of the basin, but there is little organic material, pyrite, or other reducing agents in these rocks. Strata of the Lance, Polecat Bench, and Willwood Formations in the Bighorn Basin are considered generally unfavorable for sandstone uranium deposits

Fourteenth annual report radiation exposures for DOE and DOE contractor employees - 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-03-01

All Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE contractors are required by DOE Order 5484.1, Chapter IV, to submit occupational exposure records to a central repository. The data required includes a summary of whole-body exposures to ionizing radiation, a summary of internal depositions of radioactive materials above specified limits, and occupational exposure reports for terminating employees. This report is a summary of the data submitted by DOE and DOE contractors for 1981. A total of 82,873 DOE and DOE contractor employees were monitored for whole-body ionizing radiation exposures in 1981. In addition to the employees, 84,343 visitors were monitored. Of all employees monitored, 54.43% received a dose equivalent that was less than measurable, 44.04% a measurable exposure less than 1 rem, and 1.53% an exposure granter than 1 rem. the exposure received by 88.14% of the visitors to DOE facilities was less than measurable. Only 11.85% of the visitors received a measurable exposure less than 1 rem, and 0.0% of the visitors received an exposure greater than 1 rem. No employees or visitors received a dose equivalent greater than 5 rem. The collective dose equivalent for DOE and DOE contractors employees was 6,902 person-rem. The collective dose equivalent for visitors was 579 person-rem. The total dose equivalent for employees and visitors combined was 7,481 person-rem. The average dose equivalent for all individuals (employees and visitors) monitored was 45 mrem and the average dose equivalent for all individuals who received a measurable exposure was 157 mrem. The highest average dose equivalent was observed for employees monitored at fuel processing facilities (342 mrem) and the lowest among visitors (7 mrem) to DOE facilities. These averages are significantly less than the DOE 5-rem/year radiation protection standard for whole-body exposures

Precipitation Reconstructions and Periods of Drought in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Follum, M.; Barnett, A.; Bellamy, J.; Gray, S.; Tootle, G.

2008-12-01

Due to recent drought and stress on water supplies in the Colorado River Compact States, more emphasis has been placed on the study of water resources in the Upper Green River Basin (UGRB) of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The research described here focuses on the creation of long-duration precipitation records for the UGRB using tree-ring chronologies. When combined with existing proxy streamflow reconstructions and drought frequency analysis, these records offer a detailed look at hydrologic variability in the UGRB. Approximately thirty-three existing tree ring chronologies were analyzed for the UGRB area. Several new tree ring chronologies were also developed to enhance the accuracy and the geographical diversity of the resulting tree-ring reconstructions. In total, three new Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and four new limber pine (Pinus flexilis) sites were added to the available tree-ring chronologies in this area. Tree-ring based reconstructions of annual (previous July through current June) precipitation were then created for each of the seventeen sub-watersheds in the UGRB. Reconstructed precipitation records extend back to at least 1654 AD, with reconstructions for some sub-basins beginning pre-1500. Variance explained (i.e. adjusted R2) ranged from 0.41 to 0.74, and the reconstructions performed well in a variety of verification tests. Additional analyses focused on stochastic estimation of drought frequency and return period, and detailed comparisons between reconstructed records and instrumental observations. Overall, this work points to the prevalence of severe, widespread drought in the UGRB. These analyses also highlight the relative wetness and lack of sustained dry periods during the instrumental period (1895-Present). Such long- term assessments are, in turn, vital tools as the Compact States contemplate the "Law of the River" in the face of climate change and ever-growing water demands.

Geology of the Carnegie museum dinosaur quarry site of Diplodocus carnegii, Sheep Creek, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Brezinski, D.K.; Kollar, A.D.

2008-01-01

The holotype of Diplodocus carnegii Hatcher, 1901, consists of a partial skeleton (CM 84) that was recovered, along with a second partial skeleton of the same species (CM 94), from the upper 10 m of the Talking Rock facies of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation exposed along Bone Quarry Draw, a tributary of Sheep Creek in Albany County, Wyoming. A composite measured section of the stratigraphic interval exposed adjacent to the quarry indicates that the Brushy Basin Member in this area is a stacked succession of lithofacies consisting of hackly, greenish gray, calcareous mudstone and greenish brown, dense, fine-grained limestone. The more erosion resistant limestone layers can be traced over many hundreds of meters. Thus, these strata do not appear to represent a highly localized deposit such as a stream channel, oxbow lake, or backwater pond. The Sheep Creek succession is interpreted as representing a clastic-dominated lake where high turbidity and sediment influx produced deposition of calcareous mudstone. During drier periods the lake's turbidity decreased and limestone and dolomite precipitation replaced mud deposition. Microkarsting at the top of some limestone/ dolomite layers suggests subaerial deposition may have prevailed during these dry episodes. The quarry of D. carnegii was excavated within the top strata of one of the numerous intervals of hackly, greenish gray, calcareous mudstone that represent an ephemeral freshwater lake. The quarry strata are directly overlain by 0.3 m of dolomite-capped limestone that was deposited shortly after interment of D. carnegii in the lake mudstones. The close vertical proximity of the overlying limestone to the skeleton's stratigraphic: level suggests that the animal's carcass may have been buried beneath the drying lake deposits during a period of decreased rainfall.

A "high severity" spruce beetle outbreak in Wyoming causes moderate-severity carbon cycle perturbations

Science.gov (United States)

Berryman, E.; Frank, J. M.; Speckman, H. N.; Bradford, J. B.; Ryan, M. G.; Massman, W. J.; Hawbaker, T. J.

2017-12-01

Bark beetle outbreaks in Western North American forests are often considered a high-severity disturbance from a carbon (C) cycling perspective, but field measurements that quantify impacts on C dynamics are very limited. Often, factors out of the researcher's control complicate the separation of beetle impacts from other drivers of C cycling variability and restrict statistical inference. Fortuitously, we had four years of pre-spruce beetle outbreak C cycle measurements in a subalpine forest in southeastern Wyoming (Glacier Lakes Ecosystem Experiments Site, or GLEES) and sustained intermittent monitoring for nearly a decade after the outbreak. Here, we synthesize published and unpublished pre- and post-outbreak measurements of key C cycle stocks and fluxes at GLEES. Multiple lines of evidence, including chamber measurements, eddy covariance measurements, and tracking of soil and forest floor C pools over time, point to the GLEES outbreak as a moderate-severity disturbance for C loss to the atmosphere, despite 70% to 80% of overstory tree death. Reductions in NEE were short-lived and the forest quickly returned to a carbon-neutral state, likely driven by an uptick in understory growth. Effect of mortality on the C cycle was asymmetrical, with a 50% reduction in net carbon uptake (NEE) two years into the outbreak, yet no measureable change in either ecosystem or growing season soil respiration. A small pulse in soil respiration occurred but was only detectable during the winter and amounted to < 10% of NEE. Possible reasons for the lack of measureable respiration response are discussed with emphasis on lessons learned for monitoring and modeling future outbreaks. We suggest a comprehensive assessment and definition of "moderate-severity" disturbances for Western forests and suggest that all tree mortality events may not be high-severity when it comes to C fluxes.

Noncovalent interactions in biochemistry

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Riley, Kevin Eugene; Hobza, Pavel

2011-01-01

Roč. 1, č. 1 (2011), s. 3-17 ISSN 1759-0876 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC512 Grant - others:NSF EPSCORE(US) EPS-0701525; Korea Science and Engineering Foundation(KR) R32-2008-000-10180-0 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : noncovalent interactions * WFT calculations * DFT calculations * applications Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry

The DOE/DHHS memorandum of understanding: The DOE perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldsmith, R.

1991-01-01

On March 27, 1990, Secretary James D. Watkins established an Office of Health under the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health. All epidemiologic activities throughout the department were consolidated into this office as part of an Office of Epidemiology and Health Surveillance (OEHS) with specific responsibilities for occupational and community health surveillance. The mission and functions of the OEHS include the conduct of epidemiologic studies at US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities, nearby communities, and other populations. These studies comprise retrospective mortality studies of DOE contractor workers, hypothesis-generating studies related to the potential health effects of energy production and use, ecologic studies of off-site populations, quick-response investigations of suspected disease clusters, and others as needed. In addition, OEHS is responsible for providing procedures, technical support, and other resources for the conduct of DOE-sponsored epidemiologic research studies to be managed outside of DOE, including analytic studies to be managed by the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) under a memorandum of understanding (MOU), dose-reconstruction studies, and studies related to DOE facilities to be conducted through state health departments

Mathematical simulation of contaminant distribution in and around the uranium mill tailing piles, Riverton, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narasimhan, T.N.; Tokunaga, T.; White, A.F.; Smith, A.R.

1984-01-01

The ultimate objective of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project (UMTRAP) is to minimize the potential environmental hazards due to the existing inactive uranium mill tailing piles. One of these sites, at Riverton, Wyoming, is located on the flood plain of the Wind River, with the water table lying within a few meters of the bottom of the tailings. Field data clearly indicates that contaminants, both radioactive and non-radioactive, are mobile within the tailings as well as in the adjacent ground water system. From the point of view of remedial action, the following important questions arise: At what rates and quantities will the contaminants continue to migrate in the ground water system over the next several hundred years. What will be the soil-water regime in the upper part of the tailings which controls the migration of radon gas to the atmosphere. In view of the projected system behavior, what are the economically viable and environmentally acceptable engineering solutions for remedy. The purpose of the mathematical modeling efforts at the Riverton site is to address the question of prediction; the transport of contaminants in the ground water system as well as the dynamic soil-water regime near the upper boundary. The use of mathematical models for the above purpose is dictated by the following questions: Do adequate computational models exist that can simulate the physico-chemical processes that characterize the mill tailings. Can these models reasonably explain the chemical evolution of the system since the beginning of the tailings emplacement. If so, can the historical behavior be used as the basis for predicting the behavior over the next several hundred years

Application of the CO2-PENS risk analysis tool to the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Stauffer, P.H.; Pawar, R.J.; Surdam, R.C.; Jiao, Z.; Deng, H.; Lettelier, B.C.; Viswanathan, H.S.; Sanzo, D.L.; Keating, G.N.

2011-01-01

We describe preliminary application of the CO2-PENS performance and risk analysis tool to a planned geologic CO2 sequestration demonstration project in the Rock Springs Uplift (RSU), located in south western Wyoming. We use data from the RSU to populate CO2-PENS, an evolving system-level modeling tool developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This tool has been designed to generate performance and risk assessment calculations for the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. Our approach follows Systems Analysis logic and includes estimates of uncertainty in model parameters and Monte-Carlo simulations that lead to probabilistic results. Probabilistic results provide decision makers with a range in the likelihood of different outcomes. Herein we present results from a newly implemented approach in CO 2-PENS that captures site-specific spatially coherent details such as topography on the reservoir/cap-rock interface, changes in saturation and pressure during injection, and dip on overlying aquifers that may be impacted by leakage upward through wellbores and faults. We present simulations of CO 2 injection under different uncertainty distributions for hypothetical leaking wells and faults. Although results are preliminary and to be used only for demonstration of the approach, future results of the risk analysis will form the basis for a discussion on methods to reduce uncertainty in the risk calculations. Additionally, we present ideas on using the model to help locate monitoring equipment to detect potential leaks. By maintaining site-specific details in the CO2-PENS analysis we provide a tool that allows more logical presentations to stakeholders in the region. ?? 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Geochemical analysis of atlantic rim water, carbon county, wyoming: New applications for characterizing coalbed natural gas reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, J.F.; Frost, C.D.; Sharma, Shruti

2011-01-01

Coalbed natural gas (CBNG) production typically requires the extraction of large volumes of water from target formations, thereby influencing any associated reservoir systems. We describe isotopic tracers that provide immediate data on the presence or absence of biogenic natural gas and the identify methane-containing reservoirs are hydrologically confined. Isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon and strontium, along with water quality data, were used to characterize the CBNG reservoirs and hydrogeologic systems of Wyoming's Atlantic Rim. Water was analyzed from a stream, springs, and CBNG wells. Strontium isotopic composition and major ion geochemistry identify two groups of surface water samples. Muddy Creek and Mesaverde Group spring samples are Ca-Mg-S04-type water with higher 87Sr/86Sr, reflecting relatively young groundwater recharged from precipitation in the Sierra Madre. Groundwaters emitted from the Lewis Shale springs are Na-HCO3-type waters with lower 87Sr/86Sr, reflecting sulfate reduction and more extensive water-rock interaction. To distinguish coalbed waters, methanogenically enriched ??13CDIC wasused from other natural waters. Enriched ??13CDIC, between -3.6 and +13.3???, identified spring water that likely originates from Mesaverde coalbed reservoirs. Strongly positive ??13CDIC, between +12.6 and +22.8???, identified those coalbed reservoirs that are confined, whereas lower ??13CDIC, between +0.0 and +9.9???, identified wells within unconfined reservoir systems. Copyright ?? 2011. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

Inferring Groundwater Age in an Alluvial Aquifer from Tracer Concentrations in the Stream - Little Wind River, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Goble, D.; Gardner, W. P.; Naftz, D. L.; Solder, J. E.

2017-12-01

We use environmental tracers: CFC's, SF6, and 222Rn measured in stream water to determine volume and mean age of groundwater discharging to the Little Wind River, near Riverton, Wyoming. Samples of 222Rn were collected every 200 m along a 2 km reach, surrounding a known groundwater discharge zone. Nearby groundwater wells, in-stream piezometers and seepage meters were sampled for 222Rn, CFC's and SF6. Tracer concentrations measured in groundwater and in-stream piezometers were used to estimate the mean age of the subsurface system. High resolution 222Rn samples were used to determine the location and volume of groundwater inflow using a model of instream transport that includes radioactive decay and gas exchange with the atmosphere. The age of groundwater entering the stream was then estimated from in-stream measured CFC and SF6 concentrations using a new coupled stream transport and lumped-parameter groundwater age model. Ages derived from in-stream measurements were then compared to the age of subsurface water measured in piezometers, seepage meters, and groundwater wells. We then asses the ability of groundwater age inferred from in-stream samples to provide constraint on the age of the subsurface discharge to the stream. The ability to asses groundwater age from in-stream samples can provide a convenient method to constrain the regional distribution of groundwater circulation rates when groundwater sampling is challenging or wells are not in place.

Energy development and avian nest survival in Wyoming, USA: A test of a common disturbance index

Science.gov (United States)

Hethcoat, Matthew G.; Chalfoun, Anna D.

2015-01-01

Global energy demands continue to result in new and emerging sources of anthropogenic disturbance to populations and systems. Here, we assessed the influence of natural gas development on a critical component of fitness (nest survival) for Brewer’s sparrow (Spizella breweri), sagebrush sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis), and sage thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus), three species of sagebrush-obligate songbirds that are of conservation concern, and assessed the efficacy of a commonly used index of oil and gas development intensity (well density) for estimating habitat transformation and predicting species’ responses. During 2008–2009 and 2011–2012 we monitored 926 nests within two natural gas fields in western Wyoming, USA. We calculated landscape metrics (habitat loss, amount of edge, patch shape complexity, and mean patch size) to identify the aspect of landscape transformation most captured by well density. Well density was most positively associated with the amount of sagebrush habitat loss within 1 square kilometer. Nest survival was relatively invariant with respect to well density for all three species. In contrast, nest survival rates of all three species generally decreased with surrounding habitat loss due to energy development. Thus, although well density and habitat loss were strongly correlated, well density resulted in overly conservative estimates of nest survival probability. Our results emphasize the importance of careful evaluation of the appropriateness of particular indices for quantifying the effects of human-induced habitat change. For managers concerned about the effects of natural gas development or similar forms of human land use to co-occurring breeding birds, we recommend minimizing the amount of associated habitat conversion.

Geohydrology and potential effects of coal mining in 12 coal-lease areas, Powder River structural basin, northeastern Wyoming. Water Resources Investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fogg, J.L.; Martin, M.W.; Daddow, P.B.

1991-01-01

The purpose of the report is to describe the geohydrology of 12 coal-lease areas in the Powder River structural basin in relation to the mining proposed for each area. The description of the geohydrology of each of the lease areas focuses on the shallow ground-water system and includes identification of recharge and discharge areas, directions of ground-water movement, and potential effects of mining. The shallow ground-water system in the Powder River structural basin is not well defined because of the discontinuous nature of the aquifers in the basin. Understanding the ground-water hydrology of these 12 coal-lease areas will improve understanding of the shallow ground-water system in the basin. The first part of the report is a description of the general geohydrology of the Wyoming part of the Powder River structural basin. The second part of the report is a general discussion of the effects of coal mining on ground-water hydrology. The third part of the report contains site-specific discussions of the ground-water hydrology and potential effects of mining for each of the 12 coal-lease areas

DOE standard: Radiological control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-07-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed this Standard to assist line managers in meeting their responsibilities for implementing occupational radiological control programs. DOE has established regulatory requirements for occupational radiation protection in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 835 (10 CFR 835), ''Occupational Radiation Protection''. Failure to comply with these requirements may lead to appropriate enforcement actions as authorized under the Price Anderson Act Amendments (PAAA). While this Standard does not establish requirements, it does restate, paraphrase, or cite many (but not all) of the requirements of 10 CFR 835 and related documents (e.g., occupational safety and health, hazardous materials transportation, and environmental protection standards). Because of the wide range of activities undertaken by DOE and the varying requirements affecting these activities, DOE does not believe that it would be practical or useful to identify and reproduce the entire range of health and safety requirements in this Standard and therefore has not done so. In all cases, DOE cautions the user to review any underlying regulatory and contractual requirements and the primary guidance documents in their original context to ensure that the site program is adequate to ensure continuing compliance with the applicable requirements. To assist its operating entities in achieving and maintaining compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 835, DOE has established its primary regulatory guidance in the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides. This Standard supplements the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides and serves as a secondary source of guidance for achieving compliance with 10 CFR 835

DOE standard: Radiological control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1999-07-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed this Standard to assist line managers in meeting their responsibilities for implementing occupational radiological control programs. DOE has established regulatory requirements for occupational radiation protection in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 835 (10 CFR 835), ``Occupational Radiation Protection``. Failure to comply with these requirements may lead to appropriate enforcement actions as authorized under the Price Anderson Act Amendments (PAAA). While this Standard does not establish requirements, it does restate, paraphrase, or cite many (but not all) of the requirements of 10 CFR 835 and related documents (e.g., occupational safety and health, hazardous materials transportation, and environmental protection standards). Because of the wide range of activities undertaken by DOE and the varying requirements affecting these activities, DOE does not believe that it would be practical or useful to identify and reproduce the entire range of health and safety requirements in this Standard and therefore has not done so. In all cases, DOE cautions the user to review any underlying regulatory and contractual requirements and the primary guidance documents in their original context to ensure that the site program is adequate to ensure continuing compliance with the applicable requirements. To assist its operating entities in achieving and maintaining compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 835, DOE has established its primary regulatory guidance in the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides. This Standard supplements the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides and serves as a secondary source of guidance for achieving compliance with 10 CFR 835.

Ecological risks of DOE`s programmatic environmental restoration alternatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-06-01

This report assesses the ecological risks of the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Environmental Restoration Program. The assessment is programmatic in that it is directed at evaluation of the broad programmatic alternatives outlined in the DOE Implementation Plan. It attempts to (1) characterize the ecological resources present on DOE facilities, (2) describe the occurrence and importance of ecologically significant contamination at major DOE facilities, (3) evaluate the adverse ecological impacts of habitat disturbance caused by remedial activities, and (4) determine whether one or another of the programmatic alternatives is clearly ecologically superior to the others. The assessment focuses on six representative facilities: the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL); the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP); the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), including the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Y-12 plant, and K-25 plant; the Rocky Flats Plant; the Hanford Reservation; and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Land Management Cooperative Coalbed Methane Project in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

,

2006-01-01

Introduction: Evidence that earthquakes threaten the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash River valleys of the Central United States abounds. In fact, several of the largest historical earthquakes to strike the continental United States occurred in the winter of 1811-1812 along the New Madrid seismic zone, which stretches from just west of Memphis, Tenn., into southern Illinois (fig. 1). Several times in the past century, moderate earthquakes have been widely felt in the Wabash Valley seismic zone along the southern border of Illinois and Indiana (fig. 1). Throughout the region, between 150 and 200 earthquakes are recorded annually by a network of monitoring instruments, although most are too small to be felt by people. Geologic evidence for prehistoric earthquakes throughout the region has been mounting since the late 1970s. But how significant is the threat? How likely are large earthquakes and, more importantly, what is the chance that the shaking they cause will be damaging?The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming Reservoir Management Group and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a cooperative project in 1999 to collect technical and analytical data on coalbed methane (CBM) resources and quality of the water produced from coalbeds in the Wyoming part of the Powder River Basin. The agencies have complementary but divergent goals and these kinds of data are essential to accomplish their respective resource evaluation and management tasks. The project also addresses the general public need for information pertaining to Powder River Basin CBM resources and development. BLM needs, which relate primarily to the management of CBM resources, include improved gas content and gas in-place estimates for reservoir characterization and resource/reserve assessment, evaluation, and utilization. USGS goals include a basinwide assessment of CBM resources, an improved understanding of the nature and origin of coalbed gases and formation waters, and the development of predictive

Radiation exposures for DOE and DOE contractor employees Eighteenth annual report, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-12-01

All US Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE contractors are required to submit occupational radiation exposure records to a central repository. The data required include a summary of whole-body exposures to ionizing radiation, a summary of internal depositions of radioactive materials above specified limits, and occupational exposure reports for terminating employees. This report is a summary of the data submitted by DOE and DOE contractors for 1985. A total of 95,806 DOE and DOE contractor employees were monitored for whole-body ionizing radiation exposures in 1985. In addition to the employees, 96,665 visitors were monitored. Of all employees monitored, 58.4% received a dose equivalent that was less than measurable, 39.8% a measurable exposure less than 1 rem, and 1.9% an exposure greater than 1 rem. One employee received a dose equivalent greater than 5 rem (8.66 rem). The exposure received by 91.9% of the visitors to DOE facilities was less than measurable. No visitors received a dose equivalent greater than 2 rem. The collective dose equivalent for DOE and DOE contractor employees was 8223 person-rem. The collective dose equivalent for visitors was 461 person-rem. These averages are significantly less than the DOE 5-rem/year radiation protection standard for whole-body exposures. Ten new cases of internal depositions were reported in 1985 that exceeded 50% of the pertinent annual dose-equivalent standard. Of these ten cases, eight occurred in a previous year and are reported now because recent revisions in the dose calculations established these cases as reportable depositions. Twenty-six cases reported during 1985 were considered to be the continued tracking of previous depositions. 5 figs., 32 tabs

Radiation exposures for DOE and DOE contractor employees, 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, M.H.; Hui, T.E.; Millet, W.H.; Scholes, V.A.

1994-03-01

This is the 23rd in a series of annual radiation exposure reports published by the Department of Energy (DOE) or its predecessors. This report summarizes the radiation exposures received by both employees and visitors at DOE and DOE contractor facilities during 1990. Trends in radiation exposures are evaluated by comparing the doses received in 1990 to those received in previous years. The significance of the doses is addressed by comparing them to the DOE limits and by correlating the doses to health risks based on risk estimated from expert groups. This report is the third that is based on detailed exposure data for each individual monitored at a DOE facility. Prior to 1988, only summarized data from each facility were available. This report contains information on different types of radiation doses, including total effective, internal, penetrating, shallow, neutron, and extremity doses. It also contains analysis of exposures by age, sex, and occupation of the exposed individuals. This report also continues the precedent established in the Twenty-First (1988) Annual Report by conducting a detailed, one-time review and analysis of a particular topic of interest. The special topic for this report is a comparison of total effective, internal, and extremity dose equivalent values against penetrating dose equivalent values

DOE-2 basics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-08-01

DOE-2 provides the building design and research communities with an up-to-date, unbiased, well-documented public-domain computer program for building energy analysis. DOE-2 predicts the hourly energy use and energy cost of a building given hourly weather information and a description of the building and its HVAC equipment and utility rate structure. DOE-2 is a portable FORTRAN program that can be used on a large variety of computers, including PC's. Using DOE-2, designers can determine the choice of building parameters that improve energy efficiency while maintaining thermal comfort. The purpose of DOE-2 is to aid in the analysis of energy usage in buildings; it is not intended to be the sole source of information relied upon for the design of buildings. The judgment and experience of the architect/engineer still remain the most important elements of building design.

DOE-2 basics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-08-01

DOE-2 provides the building design and research communities with an up-to-date, unbiased, well-documented public-domain computer program for building energy analysis. DOE-2 predicts the hourly energy use and energy cost of a building given hourly weather information and a description of the building and its HVAC equipment and utility rate structure. DOE-2 is a portable FORTRAN program that can be used on a large variety of computers, including PC`s. Using DOE-2, designers can determine the choice of building parameters that improve energy efficiency while maintaining thermal comfort. The purpose of DOE-2 is to aid in the analysis of energy usage in buildings; it is not intended to be the sole source of information relied upon for the design of buildings. The judgment and experience of the architect/engineer still remain the most important elements of building design.

Radiation exposures for DOE [Department of Energy] and DOE contractor employees, 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merwin, S.E.; Traub, R.J.; Millet, W.H.

1990-12-01

This is the 21st in a series of annual radiation exposure reports published by the Department of Energy (DOE) or its predecessors. This report summarizes the radiation exposures received at DOE and DOE contractor facilities in 1988. Radiation exposures to both employees and visitors are included. Trends in radiation exposures are evaluated by comparing the doses received in 1988 to those received in previous years. The significance of the doses is addressed by comparing them to the DOE limits and by correlating the doses to health risks based on risk estimates from expert groups. This report represents a significant advancement from previous reports because it is the first for which detailed exposure data are available for each individual monitored at a DOE facility. This reports contains information on different types of radiation doses, such as penetrating, shallow, and neutron doses. It also contains analysis of exposures by age, sex, and occupation of the exposed individuals. This report is the first of any federal organization that presents such detailed exposure data. The purpose of this report is to disseminate information regarding radiation exposures received at US Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE contractor facilities. The primary purpose of this practice is to ensure that the DOE occupational dose limits are not exceeded and that as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) goals are met. A secondary purpose, however, is to provide information that can be used by other organizations and individuals who wish to collect and analyze such information. This information may be useful for estimating the effect of changing dose limits on operations at DOE facilities, determining the progress of DOE with respect to the ALARA principle, or, in combination with epidemiological information, assisting researchers in determining whether or not low doses of ionizing radiation are harmful. 23 refs., 20 figs., 23 tabs

NRC regulation of DOE facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buhl, A.R.; Edgar, G.; Silverman, D.; Murley, T.

1997-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE), its contractors, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are in for major changes if the DOE follows through on its intentions announced December 20, 1996. The DOE is seeking legislation to establish the NRC as the regulatory agency with jurisdiction over nuclear health, safety, and security at a wide range of DOE facilities. At this stage, it appears that as many as 200 (though not all) DOE facilities would be affected. On March 28, 1997, the NRC officially endorsed taking over the responsibility for regulatory oversight of DOE nuclear facilities as the DOE had proposed, contingent upon adequate funding, staffing resources, and a clear delineation of NRC authority. This article first contrasts the ways in which the NRC and the DOE carry out their basic regulatory functions. Next, it describes the NRC's current authority over DOE facilities and the status of the DOE's initiative to expand that authority. Then, it discusses the basic changes and impacts that can be expected in the regulation of DOE facilities. The article next describes key lessons learned from the recent transition of the GDPs from DOE oversight to NRC regulation and the major regulatory issues that arose in that transition. Finally, some general strategies are suggested for resolving issues likely to arise as the NRC assumes regulatory authority over DOE facilities

Research and Development Concerning Coalbed Natural Gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William Ruckelshaus

2008-09-30

quality, most of it is discharged to surface drainages or to soil (for irrigation). CBNG water quality generally declines when moving from the Cheyenne River drainage northwestward to the Belle Fourche, Little Powder, and Powder River drainages and in the central and western part of the PRB, most CBNG water goes to evaporation-infiltration ponds or is discharged directly to surface drainages. Concerns center on the salinity of the water, usually measured as total dissolved solids (TDS), or electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). Other management options currently in use include injection, managed irrigation (with additives to mitigate the effects of high salinity), atomization, and treatment by reverse osmosis or ion exchange. A key water quality issue is the cumulative effect of numerous CBNG water discharges on the overall water quality of basin streams. This leads to one of the most contentious issues in CBNG development in Wyoming's PRB: Montana's concern about the potential downstream effects of water quality degradation on rivers flowing north into Montana. Many of the benefits and costs associated with CBNG development have been debated, but dealing with CBNG water quantity and quality arguably has been the most difficult of all the issues. Given the importance of these issues for continued development of CBNG resources in Wyoming and elsewhere, the DOE-NETL funded project presented here focuses on CBNG co-produced water management. The research was organized around nine separate, but interrelated, technical project tasks and one administrative task (Task 1). The nine technical project tasks were pursued by separate research teams at the University of Wyoming, but all nine tasks were coordinated to the extent possible in order to maximize information gained about CBNG co-produced waters. In addition to project management in Task 1, the key research tasks included: (2) estimating groundwater recharge rates in the PRB; (3

The effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and southern Wyoming, USA-a critical review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, Douglas A.

2004-01-01

The Rocky Mountains of Colorado and southern Wyoming receive atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition that ranges from 2 to 7 kg ha -1 yr -1 , and some previous research indicates pronounced ecosystem effects at the highest rates of deposition. This paper provides a critical review of previously published studies on the effects of atmospheric N deposition in the region. Plant community changes have been demonstrated through N fertilization studies, however, N limitation is still widely reported in alpine tundra and subalpine forests of the Front Range, and sensitivity to changes in snow cover alone indicate the importance of climate sensitivity in these ecosystems. Retention of N in atmospheric wet deposition is 3 - concentrations have not been demonstrated, and future trend analyses must consider the role of climate as well as N deposition. Relatively high rates of atmospheric N deposition east of the Divide may have altered nutrient limitation of phytoplankton, species composition of diatoms, and amphibian populations, but most of these effects have been inconclusive to date, and additional studies are needed to confirm hypothesized cause and effect relations. Projected future population growth and energy use in Colorado and the west increase the likelihood that the subtle effects of atmospheric N deposition now evident in the Front Range will become more pronounced and widespread in the future. - The effects of nitrogen deposition will become more evident as growth increases

Hydro-geochemical studies of uranium mill tailing piles at Riverton, Wyoming and Maybell, Colorado. Annual report for FY 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narasimhan, T.N.; Galbraith, R.M.; White, A.; Smith, A.; Schmidt, H.; Moed, B.; Tokunaga, T.

1982-05-01

The present study is the beginning phase of an effort to develop an understanding of the physico-chemical interactions that occur within two typical inactive uranium mill tailing piles under the jurisdiction of the UMTRA Program. These sites are located at Riverton, Wyoming and at Maybell, Colorado. The understanding is to be gained through integrated hydrological-geochemical-radiometric studies. Investigated are: (a) the release of contaminants to the interstitial fluid; and (b) the vertical transport of the contaminants either upward to the surface or downward to the water table. This investigation would determine the important contaminants, ascertain the influence of chemical/osmotic potentials (if any) on fluid movement, and investigate the possibility of temporal cycles in the upward/downward movement of fluids with seasonal changes in the moisture content of the piles. The field work carried out during fiscal 1981 extended from June to September. During this period, exploratory drilling was completed at six locations on the Riverton and Maybell piles. Over 141 Shelby tube samples were collected, which represent relatively undisturbed core samples of the tailings material. In order to gain a maximum advantage of the short time available before the onset of the winter, it was decided to concentrate the rest of the data collection at the Riverton site, where the water table is shallow

Investigation of uranyl sorbed to Wyoming montmorillonite at amphoteric and exchange sites by optical spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, D.E.; Chisholm-Brause, C.J.; Berg, J.M.; McKinley, J.P.; Zachara, J.M.; Smith, S.C.

1993-01-01

Using optical spectroscopy, the authors have characterized aqueous uranyl (UO 2 2+ ) sorption complexes on a sodium-saturated Wyoming montmorillonite (SWy-1) at low and high ionic strength (IS, as NaClO 4 . McKinley et al. (1193), ACS Spring Meeting) have shown that uranyl uptake is suppressed at high IS at these pH values, reflecting increased cation competition for exchange sites, and an increase in the ratio of uranyl species sorbed on amphoteric edge sites to those in exchange sites. At higher pH, sorption is less dependent on IS, with complexation by amphoteric edge sites becoming dominant as pH increases. At low pH, emission spectra for uranyl sorbed to SWy-1 from solutions with high IS ([Na]/[U] > 1000) are distinct from those at low IS ([Na]/[U] < 10). The low IS spectra are dominanted by a short lifetime component (τ∼0.5μs), and have low integrated intensities (normalized for uranium concentration). However, gated detection clearly resolves an additional, longer-loved component. The high IS spectra have significant contributions form 2-3 longer-lived components (5<τ120μs), and have much stronger intensities. Based on comparison to solution data, these results suggest that the uranyl moiety in the exchange sites is strikingly similar to the fully aquated uranyl monomer in solution, whereas the uranyl species occupying the edge sites are structurally more similar to hydrolyzed uranyl species in solution. At higher pH values, the emission spectra represent composites of at least the two distinct spectra identified at lower pH. However, the ratios of the different components and thus the overall emission spectra vary as a function of ionic strength. These results demonstrate that several spectroscopically (and therefore structurally) distinct sorption complexes exist in exchange and edges of SWy-1

Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Sullivan and Wyoming Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004–2010

Science.gov (United States)

Slonecker, Terry E.; Milheim, Lesley E.; Roig-Silva, Coral M.; Malizia, Alexander R.

2013-01-01

Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing extensive drilling and production. The technology used to extract gas in the Marcellus Shale is known as hydraulic fracturing and has garnered much attention because of its use of large amounts of fresh water, its use of proprietary fluids for the hydraulic-fracturing process, its potential to release contaminants into the environment, and its potential effect on water resources. Nonetheless, development of natural gas extraction wells in the Marcellus Shale is only part of the overall natural gas story in this area of Pennsylvania. Conventional natural gas wells, which sometimes use the same technique, are commonly located in the same general area as the Marcellus Shale and are frequently developed in clusters across the landscape. The combined effects of these two natural gas extraction methods create potentially serious patterns of disturbance on the landscape. This document quantifies the landscape changes and consequences of natural gas extraction for Sullivan County and Wyoming County in Pennsylvania between 2004 and 2010. Patterns of landscape disturbance related to natural gas extraction activities were collected and digitized using National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery for 2004, 2005/2006, 2008, and 2010. The disturbance patterns were then used to measure changes in land cover and land use using the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) of 2001. A series of landscape metrics is also used to quantify these changes and is included in this publication.

Aerial gamma ray and magnetic survey: Powder River II Project, Gillette Quadrangle, Wyoming. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-04-01

The Gillette quadrangle in northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota contains approximately equal portions of the Powder River Basin and the Black Hills Uplift. In these two structures, a relatively thick sequence of Paleozoic and Mesozoic strata represent nearly continuous deposition over the Precambrian basement complex. The Powder River Basin also contains a thick sequence of early Tertiary rocks which cover about 50% of the surface. A stratigraphic sequence from Upper Cretaceous to Precambrian is exposed in the Black Hills Uplift to the east. Magnetic data apparently illustrate the relative depth to the Precambrian crystalline rocks, but only weakly define the boundary between the Powder River Basin and the Black Hills Uplift. The positions of some small isolated Tertiary intrusive bodies in the Black Hills Uplift are relatively well expressed. The Gillette quadrangle has been productive in terms of uranium mining, but its current status is uncertain. The producing uranium deposits occur within the Lower Cretaceous Inyan Kara Group and the Jurassic Morrison Formation in the Black Hills Uplift. Other prospects occur within the Tertiary Wasatch and Fort Union Formations in the Pumpkin Buttes - Turnercrest district, where it extends into the quadrangle from the Newcastle quadrangle to the south. These four formations, all predominantly nonmarine, contain all known uranium deposits in the Gillette quadrangle. A total of 108 groups of sample responses in the uranium window constitute anomalies as defined in Volume I. The anomalies are most frequently found in the Inyan Kara-Morrison, Wasatch and Fort Union Formations. Many anomalies occur over known mines or prospects. Others may result from unmapped uranium mines or areas where material other than uranium is mined. The remainder may relate to natural geologic features

DOE 2010 occupational radiation exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2011-11-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Analysis within the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE.* The DOE 2010 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with DOE Part 835 dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protection of individuals from the effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. The occupational radiation exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site over the past 5 years.

DOE Patents Available for Licensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stuber, C.

1981-01-01

DOE Patents Available for Licensing (DOE PAL) provides abstracting and indexing coverage of the DOE patent literature, including patent applications, that concerns any apsect of energy production, conservation, and utilization. The citations are arranged by subject category. DOE is prepared to grant exclusive or nonexclusive, revocable licenses under DOE-owned US patents and patent applications in accordance with the provisions of 10CFR781

Integrated treatment process using a natural Wyoming clinoptilolite for remediating produced waters from coalbed natural gas operations

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, H.; Vance, G.F.; Urynowicz, M.A.; Gregory, R.W.

2009-01-01

Coalbed natural gas (CBNG) development in western U.S. states has resulted in an increase in an essential energy resource, but has also resulted in environmental impacts and additional regulatory needs. A concern associated with CBNG development relates to the production of the copious quantities of potentially saline-sodic groundwater required to recover the natural gas, hereafter referred to as CBNG water. Management of CBNG water is a major environmental challenge because of its quantity and quality. In this study, a locally available Na-rich natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) from Wyoming (WY) was examined for its potential to treat CBNG water to remove Na+ and lower the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR, mmol1/2 L- 1/2). The zeolite material was Ca-modified before being used in column experiments. Column breakthrough studies indicated that a metric tonne (1000??kg) of Ca-WY-zeolite could be used to treat 60,000??L of CBNG water in order to lower SAR of the CBNG water from 30 to an acceptable level of 10??mmol1/2 L- 1/2. An integrated treatment process using Na-WY-zeolite for alternately treating hard water and CBNG water was also examined for its potential to treat problematic waters in the region. Based on the results of this study, use of WY-zeolite appears to be a cost-effective water treatment technology for maximizing the beneficial use of poor-quality CBNG water. Ongoing studies are evaluating water treatment techniques involving infiltration ponds lined with zeolite. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detailed measured sections, cross sections, and paleogeographic reconstructions of the upper cretaceous and lower tertiary nonmarine interval, Wind River Basin, Wyoming: Chapter 10 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas resources in the Wind River Basin Province, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Ronald C.

2007-01-01

Detailed measured sections and regional stratigraphic cross sections are used to reconstruct facies maps and interpret paleogeographic settings for the interval from the base of Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Formation to top of lower member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming. The Mesaverde Formation spans the time during which the Upper Cretaceous seaway retreated eastward out of central Wyoming in Campanian time and the initial stages of the Lewis transgression in earliest Maastrichtian time. This retreat stalled for a considerable period of time during deposition of the lower part of the Mesaverde, creating a thick buildup of marginal marine sandstones and coaly coastal plain deposits across the western part of the basin. The Lewis sea transgressed into the northeast part of Wind River Basin, beginning in early Maastrichtian time during deposition of the Teapot Sandstone Member of the Mesaverde Formation. The Meeteetse Formation, which overlies the Teapot, was deposited in a poorly-drained coastal plain setting southwest of the Lewis seaway. The Lewis seaway, at maximum transgression, covered much of the northeast half of the Wind River Basin area but was clearly deflected around the present site of the Wind River Range, southwest of the basin, providing the first direct evidence of Laramide uplift on that range. Uplift of the Wind River Range continued during deposition of the overlying Maastrichtian Lance Formation. The Granite Mountains south of the basin also became a positive feature during this time. A rapidly subsiding trough during the Maastrichtian time formed near the presentday trough of the Wind River Basin in which more than 6,000 feet of Lance was deposited. The development of this trough appears to have begun before the adjacent Owl Creek Mountains to the north started to rise; however, a muddy facies in the upper part of Lance in the deep subsurface, just to the south, might be interpreted to indicate that the

DOE Hazardous Waste Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eyman, L.D.; Craig, R.B.

1985-01-01

The goal of the DOE Hazardous Waste Program is to support the implementation and improvement of hazardous-chemical and mixed-radioactive-waste management such that public health, safety, and the environment are protected and DOE missions are effectively accomplished. The strategy for accomplishing this goal is to define the character and magnitude of hazardous wastes emanating from DOE facilities, determine what DOE resources are available to address these problems, define the regulatory and operational constraints, and develop programs and plans to resolve hazardous waste issues. Over the longer term the program will support the adaptation and application of technologies to meet hazardous waste management needs and to implement an integrated, DOE-wide hazardous waste management strategy. 1 reference, 1 figure

A CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF COAL LIQUEFACTION PROCESS STREAMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

G.A. Robbins; R.A. Winschel; S.D. Brandes

1999-01-01

This is the first Annual Technical Report of activities under DOE Contract No. DE-AC22-94PC93054. Activities from the first three quarters of the fiscal 1998 year were reported previously as Quarterly Technical Progress Reports (DOE/PC93054-57, DOE/PC93054-61, and DOE/PC93054-66). Activities for the period July 1 through September 30, 1998, are reported here. This report describes CONSOL's characterization of process-derived samples obtained from HTI Run PB-08. These samples were derived from operations with Black Thunder Mine Wyoming subbituminous coal, simulated mixed waste plastics, and pyrolysis oils derived from waste plastics and waste tires. Comparison of characteristics among the PB-08 samples was made to ascertain the effects of feed composition changes. A comparison also was made to samples from a previous test (Run PB-06) made in the same processing unit, with Black Thunder Mine coal, and in one run condition with co-fed mixed plastics

Supplement to the UMTRA Project water sampling and analysis plan, Monument Valley, Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

This water sampling and analysis plan (WSAP) supplement supports the regulatory and technical basis for water sampling at the Riverton, Wyoming, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site, as defined in the 1994 WSAP document for Riverton (DOE, 1994). Further, the supplement serves to confirm the Project's present understanding of the site relative to the hydrogeology and contaminant distribution as well as the intent to continue to use the sampling strategy as presented in the 1994 WSAP document for Riverton. Ground water and surface water monitoring activities are derived from the US Environmental Protection Agency regulations in 40 CFR Part 192 and 60 FR 2854. Sampling procedures are guided by the UMTRA Project standard operating procedures (JEG, n.d.), the Technical Approach Document (DOE, 1989), and the most effective technical approach for the site. Additional site-specific documents relevant to the Riverton site are the Riverton Baseline Risk Assessment (BLRA) (DOE, 1995a) and the Riverton Site Observational Work Plan (SOWP) (DOE, 1995b)

Uranium update: geo-socio-political factors of U.S. production, or you wonder where the yellow went

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odell, R.D.

1986-01-01

Industry developments of 1986 indicate a steady but modest confidence for recovery of the domestic nuclear raw materials business. Concerns of oversupply and foreign inroads into utility contracts were somewhat alleviated with long-overdue recognition by the US Department of Energy in November 1985 that the industry in 1984 failed to meet viability tests, as required of government by public law. However, by February of this year, the government had initiated no perceptive corrective help for the domestic industry, and the DOE was accused of enhancing its competitive position as a provider of enrichment services. New Mexico, once the leader in production of domestic uranium, is compared with Wyoming for remaining and potential reserves. The monopoly by south Texas of low-production-cost uranium in the in-situ-leach (ISL) extractive industry is threatened by oncoming ISL operations in Wyoming and the Crawford, Nebraska, area. Arizona breccia-pipe occurrence of high-grade uranium, domestically speaking, bodes well for mining operators there to compete in what is left of the domestic market

A DOE Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Kristin

2004-03-01

As one of the lead agencies for nanotechnology research and development, the Department of Energy (DOE) is revolutionizing the way we understand and manipulate materials at the nanoscale. As the Federal government's single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and overseeing the Nation's cross-cutting research programs in high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences, the DOE guides the grand challenges in nanomaterials research that will have an impact on everything from medicine, to energy production, to manufacturing. Within the DOE's Office of Science, the Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) leads research and development at the nanoscale, which supports the Department's missions of national security, energy, science, and the environment. The cornerstone of the program in nanoscience is the establishment and operation of five new Nanoscale Science Research Centers (NSRCs), which are under development at six DOE Laboratories. Throughout its history, DOE's Office of Science has designed, constructed and operated many of the nation's most advanced, large-scale research and development user facilities, of importance to all areas of science. These state-of-the art facilities are shared with the science community worldwide and contain technologies and instruments that are available nowhere else. Like all DOE national user facilities, the new NSRCs are designed to make novel state-of-the-art research tools available to the world, and to accelerate a broad scale national effort in basic nanoscience and nanotechnology. The NSRCs will be sited adjacent to or near existing DOE/BES major user facilities, and are designed to enable national user access to world-class capabilities for the synthesis, processing, fabrication, and analysis of materials at the nanoscale, and to transform the nation's approach to nanomaterials.

DOE groundwater protection strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lichtman, S.

1988-01-01

EH is developing a DOE-wide Groundwater Quality Protection Strategy to express DOE's commitment to the protection of groundwater quality at or near its facilities. This strategy responds to a September 1986 recommendation of the General Accounting Office. It builds on EPA's August 1984 Ground-Water Protection Strategy, which establishes a classification system designed to protect groundwater according to its value and vulnerability. The purposes of DOE's strategy are to highlight groundwater protection as part of current DOE programs and future Departmental planning, to guide DOE managers in developing site-specific groundwater protection practices where DOE has discretion, and to guide DOE's approach to negotiations with EPA/states where regulatory processes apply to groundwater protection at Departmental facilities. The strategy calls for the prevention of groundwater contamination and the cleanup of groundwater commensurate with its usefulness. It would require long-term groundwater protection with reliance on physical rather than institutional control methods. The strategy provides guidance on providing long-term protection of groundwater resources; standards for new remedial actions;guidance on establishing points of compliance; requirements for establishing classification review area; and general guidance on obtaining variances, where applicable, from regulatory requirements. It also outlines management tools to implement this strategy

A DOE manual: DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Riley, R.G.

1994-01-01

Waste Management inherently requires knowledge of the waste's chemical composition. The waste can often be analyzed by established methods; however, if the samples are radioactive, or are plagued by other complications, established methods may not be feasible. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has been faced with managing some waste types that are not amenable to standard or available methods, so new or modified sampling and analysis methods are required. These methods are incorporated into DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods), which is a guidance/methods document for sampling and analysis activities in support of DOE sites. It is a document generated by consensus of the DOE laboratory staff and is intended to fill the gap within existing guidance documents (e. g., the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, SW-846), which apply to low-level or non-radioactive samples. DOE Methods fills the gap by including methods that take into account the complexities of DOE site matrices. The most recent update, distributed in October 1993, contained quality assurance (QA), quality control (QC), safety, sampling, organic analysis, inorganic analysis, and radioanalytical guidance as well as 29 methods. The next update, which will be distributed in April 1994, will contain 40 methods and will therefore have greater applicability. All new methods are either peer reviewed or labeled ''draft'' methods. Draft methods were added to speed the release of methods to field personnel

Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Particulate and CDOM in the Mississippi River Bight (MRB) from Optical Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

D'Sa, Eurico; Miller, Richard; DelCastillo, Carlos

2004-01-01

NASA's projects for the Mississippi River Coastal Margin Study include Mississippi River Interdisciplinary Research (MiRIR) and NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). These projects, undertaken with the help of Tulane University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) sampled water in the Gulf of Mexico to measure colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). This viewgraph presentation contains images of each program's sampling strategy and equipment.

Revision to DOE Order 450.1 [1] and How it affects DOE Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birchfield, J.W.

2009-01-01

On June 4, 2008, DOE finalized the latest technical revision of DOE Order 450.1A. The latest revision of the order contains many new EMS requirements that can have a dramatic effect on what and how activities are conducted at the various DOE sites. The latest revision of the order contains many new Environmental Management System (EMS) requirements that can have a dramatic effect on what and how activities are conducted at the various DOE sites. DOE Order 450.1 contains some major technical revisions that will directly affect each DOE site. The exact extent of the changes to the order will vary at each site depending on the status of EMS implementation utilizing the ISO 14001:2004 (2004 denotes the latest version in effect) Standard and Executive Order 13423. ISO 14001:2004 contains a total of 17 elements (i.e., requirements) that are required for EMS programs. Because the original DOE Order 450.1 did not require conformance to the original ISO 14001:1996 Standard, this is a significant addition to EMS program management. Some EMS program elements will require effort, some significant, depending upon the complexity of the operations conducted at the various DOE sites. Significant EMS elements added include audit programs (e.g., internal and external), operational controls (e.g., procedures, personnel and equipment), monitoring and measurement (e.g., key environmental metrics tracking and equipment calibration), document controls, communication and preventive actions. DOE has also drastically altered its approach to sustainable development and environmental stewardship by specifying departmental goals through: - Reduction or elimination of the toxicity of waste through pollution prevention; - Reduction or elimination of the acquisition, use and release of toxic/hazardous materials and chemicals; - Maximizing the purchase of environmental friendly chemicals and materials in the conduct of operations; - Reduction or elimination of environmental impacts from electronic

DOE methods compendium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leasure, C.S.

1992-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has established an analytical methods compendium development program to integrate its environmental analytical methods. This program is administered through DOE's Laboratory Management Division (EM-563). The primary objective of this program is to assemble a compendium of analytical chemistry methods of known performance for use by all DOE Environmental Restoration and Waste Management program. This compendium will include methods for sampling, field screening, fixed analytical laboratory and mobile analytical laboratory analyses. It will also include specific guidance on the proper selection of appropriate sampling and analytical methods in using specific analytical requirements

DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure, 2001 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2001-12-31

The goal of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is to conduct its operations, including radiological, to ensure the safety and health of all DOE employees, contractors, and subcontractors. The DOE strives to maintain radiation exposures to its workers below administrative control levels and DOE limits and to further reduce these exposures to levels that are “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA). The 2001 DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides a summary and analysis of the occupational radiation exposure received by individuals associated with DOE activities. The DOE mission includes stewardship of the nuclear weapons stockpile and the associated facilities, environmental restoration of DOE, and energy research.

DOE 2012 occupational radiation exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2013-10-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Analysis within the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2012 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protection of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. Over the past 5-year period, the occupational radiation exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site.

DOE 2011 occupational radiation exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2012-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Analysis within the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2011 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protection of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. The occupational radiation exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site over the past five years.

DOE 2013 occupational radiation exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2014-11-01

The Office of Analysis within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (EHSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2013 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protection of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. Over the past five-year period, the occupational radiation exposure information has been analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site.

Quality assurance grading guidelines for research and development at DOE facilities. DOE Order 5700.6C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Powell, T.B.; Morris, R.N.

1992-10-01

The quality assurance (QA) requirements for the US Department of Energy (DOE) are established in DOE Order 5700.6C. This order is applicable for all DOE departmental elements, management, and maintenance and operating contractors and requires that documented Quality Assurance Programs (QAPS) are prepared at all levels; it has one attachment. The DOE Office of Energy Research (DOE-ER) has issued a standard to ensure implementation of the full intent of this order in the ER community. This report discusses order 5700.6C in relation to research with DOE.

Ground water conditions and the relation to uranium deposits in the Gas Hills area, Fremont and Natrona Counties, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marks, L.Y.

1978-03-01

As ground water apparently leaches, transports, and deposits uranium in the Gas Hills area, central Wyoming, it is important to understand its distribution, movement, and relation to geology and ore bodies. Water table maps were prepared of the Wind River Basin; the most detailed work was in the Gas Hills area. The water table in the Gas Hills area slopes downward to the northwest, ranges in depth from near the ground surface to more than 200 feet, and has seasonal fluctuation of about five feet. Perched water tables and artesian conditions occur locally. The oxidized-unoxidized rock contact is probably roughly parallel to the water table, and averages about 25 feet above it; although locally the two surfaces are considerably farther apart and the oxidized-unoxidized contact may be below the water table. In many places the gradient of the water table changes near the contact between rocks of different permeability. It is conformable with the structure at some anticlines and its gradient changes abruptly near some faults. Most above-normal concentrations of uranium occur at local water table depressions or at water table terraces where the gradient of the water table flattens. At these places, the uraniferous ground water is slowed and is in contact with the reducing agents in the rocks for a relatively long time. This may allow reduction of soluble transported uranium (U +6 ) to insoluble U +4 ) so that uranium is precipitated

DOE Standard: Fire protection design criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-07-01

The development of this Standard reflects the fact that national consensus standards and other design criteria do not comprehensively or, in some cases, adequately address fire protection issues at DOE facilities. This Standard provides supplemental fire protection guidance applicable to the design and construction of DOE facilities and site features (such as water distribution systems) that are also provided for fire protection. It is intended to be used in conjunction with the applicable building code, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Codes and Standards, and any other applicable DOE construction criteria. This Standard replaces certain mandatory fire protection requirements that were formerly in DOE 5480.7A, ''Fire Protection'', and DOE 6430.1A, ''General Design Criteria''. It also contains the fire protection guidelines from two (now canceled) draft standards: ''Glove Box Fire Protection'' and ''Filter Plenum Fire Protection''. (Note: This Standard does not supersede the requirements of DOE 5480.7A and DOE 6430.1A where these DOE Orders are currently applicable under existing contracts.) This Standard, along with the criteria delineated in Section 3, constitutes the basic criteria for satisfying DOE fire and life safety objectives for the design and construction or renovation of DOE facilities

Stress and strain patterns, kinematics and deformation mechanisms in a basement-cored anticline: Sheep Mountain Anticline, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Amrouch, Khalid; Lacombe, Olivier; Bellahsen, Nicolas; Daniel, Jean-Marc; Callot, Jean-Paul

2010-02-01

In order to characterize and compare the stress-strain record prior to, during, and just after folding at the macroscopic and the microscopic scales and to provide insights into stress levels sustained by folded rocks, we investigate the relationship between the stress-strain distribution in folded strata derived from fractures, striated microfaults, and calcite twins and the development of the Laramide, basement-cored Sheep Mountain Anticline, Wyoming. Tectonic data were mainly collected in Lower Carboniferous to Permian carbonates and sandstones. In both rock matrix and veins, calcite twins recorded three different tectonic stages: the first stage is a pre-Laramide (Sevier) layer-parallel shortening (LPS) parallel to fold axis, the second one is a Laramide LPS perpendicular to the fold axis, and the third stage corresponds to Laramide late fold tightening with compression also perpendicular to the fold axis. Stress and strain orientations and regimes at the microscale agree with the polyphase stress evolution revealed by populations of fractures and striated microfaults, testifying for the homogeneity of stress record at different scales through time. Calcite twin analysis additionally reveals significant variations of differential stress magnitudes between fold limbs. Our results especially point to an increase of differential stress magnitudes related to Laramide LPS from the backlimb to the forelimb of the fold possibly in relation with motion of an underlying basement thrust fault that likely induced stress concentrations at its upper tip. This result is confirmed by a simple numerical model. Beyond regional implications, this study highlights the potential of calcite twin analyses to yield a representative quantitative picture of stress and strain patterns related to folding.

10 CFR 1021.200 - DOE planning.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false DOE planning. 1021.200 Section 1021.200 Energy DEPARTMENT... Decisionmaking § 1021.200 DOE planning. (a) DOE shall provide for adequate and timely NEPA review of DOE... accordance with 40 CFR 1501.2 and this section. In its planning for each proposal, DOE shall include adequate...

THE WYOMING SURVEY FOR Hα. III. A MULTI-WAVELENGTH LOOK AT ATTENUATION BY DUST IN GALAXIES OUT TO z ∼ 0.4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, Carolynn A.; Dale, Daniel A.; Barlow, Rebecca J.; Cohen, Seth A.; Cook, David O.; Johnson, L. C.; Kattner, ShiAnne M.; Staudaher, Shawn M.; Lee, Janice C.

2010-01-01

We report results from the Wyoming Survey for Hα (WySH), a comprehensive four-square degree survey to probe the evolution of star-forming galaxies over the latter half of the age of the universe. We have supplemented the Hα data from WySH with infrared data from the Spitzer Wide-area Infrared Extragalactic Survey and ultraviolet data from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer Deep Imaging Survey. This data set provides a multi-wavelength look at the evolution of the attenuation by dust, and here we compare a traditional measure of dust attenuation (L(TIR)/L(FUV)) to a diagnostic based on a recently developed robust star formation rate (SFR) indicator, [Ha obs +24μm]/Ha obs . With such data over multiple epochs, the evolution in the attenuation by dust with redshift can be assessed. We present results from the ELAIS-N1 and Lockman Hole regions at z ∼ 0.16, 0.24, 0.32, and 0.40. While the ensemble averages of both diagnostics are relatively constant from epoch to epoch, each epoch individually exhibits a larger attenuation by dust for higher SFRs. Hence, an epoch-to-epoch comparison at a fixed SFR suggests a mild decrease in dust attenuation with redshift.

DOE systems approach and integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logan, J.A.

1987-01-01

Six sites are now disposing of most of DOE's currently generated waste. These are: Hanford, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Nevada Test Site, Oak Ridge, and Savannah River. Within DOE, experience with disposal of solid LLW has been that arid site disposal facilities (first four) appear to have performed well, while humid site disposal facilities (last two) have experienced some waste migration. DOE's intent, of course, is to operate all its waste disposal facilities so that public health and safety are not adversely affected. To ensure that this continues to be the case, activities are underway to increase use of waste form stabilization and engineered barriers where appropriate. For the sake of overall economy, these measures are to be applied as and where needed, through use of the systems approach. In this paper the author discusses two topics: the system approach, which DOE has decided to use for resolving waste disposal problems in the management of DOE's low-level wastes; and DOE's intended integration of activities underway at the waste management systems throughout DOE facilities. 2 figures

DOE program guide for universities and other research groups. Part I. DOE Research and Development Programs; Part II. DOE Procurement and Assistance Policies/Procedures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-03-01

This guide addresses the DOE responsibility for fostering advanced research and development of all energy resources, both current and potential. It is intended to provide, in a single publication, all the fundamental information needed by an institution to develop a potential working relationship with DOE. Part I describes DOE research and development programs and facilities, and identifies areas of additional research needs and potential areas for new research opportunities. It also summarizes budget data and identifies the DOE program information contacts for each program. Part II provides researchers and research administrators with an introduction to the DOE administrative policies and procedures for submission and evaluation of proposals and the administration of resulting grants, cooperative agreements, and research contracts. (RWR)

Results of chemical decontamination of DOE`s uranium-enrichment scrap metal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levesque, R.G.

1997-02-01

The CORPEX{reg_sign} Nuclear Decontamination Processes were used to decontaminate representative scrap metal specimens obtained from the existing scrap metal piles located at the Department of Energy (DOE) Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS), Piketon, Ohio. In September 1995, under contract to Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, MELE Associates, Inc. performed the on-site decontamination demonstration. The decontamination demonstration proved that significant amounts of the existing DOE scrap metal can be decontaminated to levels where the scrap metal could be economically released by DOE for beneficial reuse. This simple and environmentally friendly process can be used as an alternative, or in addition to, smelting radiologically contaminated scrap metal.

Association of short-term exposure to ground-level ozone and respiratory outpatient clinic visits in a rural location – Sublette County, Wyoming, 2008–2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pride, Kerry R., E-mail: hgp3@cdc.gov [Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA (United States); Wyoming Department of Health, 6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 510, Cheyenne, WY 82002 (United States); Peel, Jennifer L. [Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 (United States); Robinson, Byron F. [Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office, Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, NE, E-92, Atlanta, GA 30333 (United States); Busacker, Ashley [Field Support Branch, Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wyoming Department of Health, 6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 510, Cheyenne, WY 82002 (United States); Grandpre, Joseph [Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, Wyoming Department of Health, 6101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 510, Cheyenne, WY 82002 (United States); Bisgard, Kristine M. [Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office, Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 600 Clifton Road, NE, E-92, Atlanta, GA 30333 (United States); Yip, Fuyuen Y. [Air Pollution and Respiratory Disease Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 600 Clifton Rd, NE, E-92, Atlanta, GA 30333 (United States); Murphy, Tracy D. [Wyoming Department of Health, 101 Yellowstone Road, Suite 510, Cheyenne, WY 82002 (United States)

2015-02-15

Objective: Short-term exposure to ground-level ozone has been linked to adverse respiratory and other health effects; previous studies typically have focused on summer ground-level ozone in urban areas. During 2008–2011, Sublette County, Wyoming (population: ~10,000 persons), experienced periods of elevated ground-level ozone concentrations during the winter. This study sought to evaluate the association of daily ground-level ozone concentrations and health clinic visits for respiratory disease in this rural county. Methods: Clinic visits for respiratory disease were ascertained from electronic billing records of the two clinics in Sublette County for January 1, 2008–December 31, 2011. A time-stratified case-crossover design, adjusted for temperature and humidity, was used to investigate associations between ground-level ozone concentrations measured at one station and clinic visits for a respiratory health concern by using an unconstrained distributed lag of 0–3 days and single-day lags of 0 day, 1 day, 2 days, and 3 days. Results: The data set included 12,742 case-days and 43,285 selected control-days. The mean ground-level ozone observed was 47±8 ppb. The unconstrained distributed lag of 0–3 days was consistent with a null association (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.001; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.990–1.012); results for lags 0, 2, and 3 days were consistent with the null. However, the results for lag 1 were indicative of a positive association; for every 10-ppb increase in the 8-h maximum average ground-level ozone, a 3.0% increase in respiratory clinic visits the following day was observed (aOR: 1.031; 95% CI: 0.994–1.069). Season modified the adverse respiratory effects: ground-level ozone was significantly associated with respiratory clinic visits during the winter months. The patterns of results from all sensitivity analyzes were consistent with the a priori model. Conclusions: The results demonstrate an association of increasing ground

Association of short-term exposure to ground-level ozone and respiratory outpatient clinic visits in a rural location – Sublette County, Wyoming, 2008–2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pride, Kerry R.; Peel, Jennifer L.; Robinson, Byron F.; Busacker, Ashley; Grandpre, Joseph; Bisgard, Kristine M.; Yip, Fuyuen Y.; Murphy, Tracy D.

2015-01-01

Objective: Short-term exposure to ground-level ozone has been linked to adverse respiratory and other health effects; previous studies typically have focused on summer ground-level ozone in urban areas. During 2008–2011, Sublette County, Wyoming (population: ~10,000 persons), experienced periods of elevated ground-level ozone concentrations during the winter. This study sought to evaluate the association of daily ground-level ozone concentrations and health clinic visits for respiratory disease in this rural county. Methods: Clinic visits for respiratory disease were ascertained from electronic billing records of the two clinics in Sublette County for January 1, 2008–December 31, 2011. A time-stratified case-crossover design, adjusted for temperature and humidity, was used to investigate associations between ground-level ozone concentrations measured at one station and clinic visits for a respiratory health concern by using an unconstrained distributed lag of 0–3 days and single-day lags of 0 day, 1 day, 2 days, and 3 days. Results: The data set included 12,742 case-days and 43,285 selected control-days. The mean ground-level ozone observed was 47±8 ppb. The unconstrained distributed lag of 0–3 days was consistent with a null association (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.001; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.990–1.012); results for lags 0, 2, and 3 days were consistent with the null. However, the results for lag 1 were indicative of a positive association; for every 10-ppb increase in the 8-h maximum average ground-level ozone, a 3.0% increase in respiratory clinic visits the following day was observed (aOR: 1.031; 95% CI: 0.994–1.069). Season modified the adverse respiratory effects: ground-level ozone was significantly associated with respiratory clinic visits during the winter months. The patterns of results from all sensitivity analyzes were consistent with the a priori model. Conclusions: The results demonstrate an association of increasing ground

Quality Assurance Grading Guidelines for Research and Development at DOE Facilities (DOE Order 5700.6C)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Powell, T.B.

1992-01-01

The quality assurance (QA) requirements for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are established in DOE Order 5700.6C. This order is applicable for all DOE departmental elements, management, and maintenance and operating contractors and requires that documented Quality Assurance Programs (QAPs) are prepared at all levels; it has one attachment. The DOE Office of Energy Research (DOE-ER) has issued a standard to ensure implementation of the full intent of this order in the ER community.

Combining genetic, isotopic, and field data to better describe the influence of dams and diversions on Burbot Movement in the Wind River Drainage, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Hooley-Underwood, Zachary; Mandeville, Elizabeth G.; Gerrity, Paul C.; Deromedi, J. W.; Johnson, Kevin; Walters, Annika W.

2018-01-01

Dams and water diversions fragment habitat, entrain fish, and alter fish movement. Many Burbot Lota lota populations are declining, with dams and water diversions thought to be a major threat. We used multiple methods to identify Burbot movement patterns and assess entrainment into an irrigation system in the Wind River, Wyoming. We assessed seasonal movement of Burbot with a mark–recapture (PIT tagging) study, natal origins of entrained fish with otolith microchemistry, and historic movement with genotyping by sequencing. We found limited evidence of entrainment in irrigation waters across all approaches. The mark–recapture study indicated that out‐migration from potential source populations could be influenced by flow regime but was generally low. Otolith and genomic results suggested the presence of a self‐sustaining population within the irrigation network. We conclude that emigration from natural tributary populations is not the current source of the majority of Burbot found in irrigation waters. Instead, reservoir and irrigation canal construction has created novel habitat in which Burbot have established a population. Using a multi‐scale approach increased our inferential abilities and mechanistic understanding of movement patterns between natural and managed systems.

DOE handbook electrical safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-01-01

Electrical Safety Handbook presents the Department of Energy (DOE) safety standards for DOE field offices or facilities involved in the use of electrical energy. It has been prepared to provide a uniform set of electrical safety guidance and information for DOE installations to effect a reduction or elimination of risks associated with the use of electrical energy. The objectives of this handbook are to enhance electrical safety awareness and mitigate electrical hazards to employees, the public, and the environment.

DOE occupational radiation exposure 1996 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-31

The goal of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is to conduct its radiological operations to ensure the health and safety of all DOE employees including contractors and subcontractors. The DOE strives to maintain radiation exposures to its workers below administrative control levels and DOE limits and to further reduce these exposures and releases to levels that are ``As Low As Reasonably Achievable`` (ALARA). The DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report, 1996 provides summary and analysis of the occupational radiation exposure received by individuals associated with DOE activities. The DOE mission includes stewardship of the nuclear weapons stockpile and the associated facilities, environmental restoration of DOE and precursor agency sites, and energy research. Collective exposure at DOE has declined by 80% over the past decade due to a cessation in opportunities for exposure during the transition in DOE mission from weapons production to cleanup, deactivation and decommissioning, and changes in reporting requirements and dose calculation methodology. In 1996, the collective dose decreased by 10% from the 1995 value due to decreased doses at five of the seven highest-dose DOE sites. For 1996, these sites attributed the reduction in collective dose to the completion of several decontamination and decommissioning projects, reduced spent fuel storage activities, and effective ALARA practices. This report is intended to be a valuable tool for managers in their management of radiological safety programs and commitment of resources.

DOE occupational radiation exposure 1996 report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The goal of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is to conduct its radiological operations to ensure the health and safety of all DOE employees including contractors and subcontractors. The DOE strives to maintain radiation exposures to its workers below administrative control levels and DOE limits and to further reduce these exposures and releases to levels that are ''As Low As Reasonably Achievable'' (ALARA). The DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report, 1996 provides summary and analysis of the occupational radiation exposure received by individuals associated with DOE activities. The DOE mission includes stewardship of the nuclear weapons stockpile and the associated facilities, environmental restoration of DOE and precursor agency sites, and energy research. Collective exposure at DOE has declined by 80% over the past decade due to a cessation in opportunities for exposure during the transition in DOE mission from weapons production to cleanup, deactivation and decommissioning, and changes in reporting requirements and dose calculation methodology. In 1996, the collective dose decreased by 10% from the 1995 value due to decreased doses at five of the seven highest-dose DOE sites. For 1996, these sites attributed the reduction in collective dose to the completion of several decontamination and decommissioning projects, reduced spent fuel storage activities, and effective ALARA practices. This report is intended to be a valuable tool for managers in their management of radiological safety programs and commitment of resources

Radiation exposures for DOE and DOE contractor employees - 1991. Twenty-fourth annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, M.H.; Hui, T.E.; Millet, W.H.; Scholes, V.A.

1994-11-01

This is the 24th annual radiation exposure report published by US DOE and its predecessor agencies. This report summarizes the radiation exposures received by both employees and visitors at DOE and COE contractor facilities during 1991. Trends in radiations exposures are evaluated. The significance of the doses is addressed by comparing them to the DOE limits and by correlating the doses to health risks based on risk estimates from expert groups

DOE occupational radiation exposure 2003 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2003-12-31

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Corporate Performance Assessment (EH-3) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report. This report is intended to be a valuable tool for DOE and DOE contractor managers and workers in managing radiological safety programs and to assist them in prioritizing resources. We appreciate the efforts and contributions from the various stakeholders within and outside DOE to make the report most useful. This report includes occupational radiation exposure information for all monitored DOE employees, contractors, subcontractors, and members of the public. DOE is defined to include the National Nuclear Security Administration sites. The exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site. For the purposes of examining trends, data for the past 5 years are included in the analysis.

DOE occupational radiation exposure 2004 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2004-12-31

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Corporate Performance Assessment (EH-3) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report. This report is intended to be a valuable tool for DOE and DOE contractor managers and workers in managing radiological safety programs and to assist them in prioritizing resources. We appreciate the efforts and contributions from the various stakeholders within and outside DOE to make the report most useful. This report includes occupational radiation exposure information for all monitored DOE employees, contractors, and subcontractors, as well as members of the public. DOE is defined to include the National Nuclear Security Administration sites. The exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site. For the purposes of examining trends, data for the past 5 years are included in the analysis.

National Uranium Resource Evaluation. Volume 1. Summary of the geology and uranium potential of Precambrian conglomerates in southeastern Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karlstrom, K.E.; Houston, R.S.; Flurkey, A.J.; Coolidge, C.M.; Kratochvil, A.L.; Sever, C.K.

1981-02-01

A series of uranium-, thorium-, and gold-bearing conglomerates in Late Archean and Early Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks have been discovered in southern Wyoming. The mineral deposits were found by applying the time and strata bound model for the origin of uranium-bearing quartz-pebble conglomerates to favorable rock types within a geologic terrane known from prior regional mapping. No mineral deposits have been discovered that are of current (1981) economic interest, but preliminary resource estimates indicate that over 3418 tons of uranium and over 1996 tons of thorium are present in the Medicine Bow Mountains and that over 440 tons of uranium and 6350 tons of thorium are present in Sierra Madre. Sampling has been inadequate to determine gold resources. High grade uranium deposits have not been detected by work to date but local beds of uranium-bearing conglomerate contain as much as 1380 ppM uranium over a thickness of 0.65 meters. This project has involved geologic mapping at scales from 1/6000 to 1/50,000 detailed sampling, and the evaluation of 48 diamond drill holes, but the area is too large to fully establish the economic potential with the present information. This first volume summarizes the geologic setting and geologic and geochemical characteristics of the uranium-bearing conglomerates. Volume 2 contains supporting geochemical data, lithologic logs from 48 drill holes in Precambrian rocks, and drill site geologic maps and cross-sections from most of the holes. Volume 3 is a geostatistical resource estimate of uranium and thorium in quartz-pebble conglomerates.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the thermopolis NTMS Quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maassen, L.W.

1980-08-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory conducted a hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance for uranium in the Thermopolis National Topographic Map Series quadrangle, Wyoming. Totals of 920 water and 1821 sediment samples were collected from 1977 locations at an average density of one sample location per 9 km 2 over an 18,000-km 2 area. Water samples were collected from streams, springs, and wells; sediment samples were collected from streams and springs. The uranium contents of water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 ppB to 307.98 ppB with a median of 0.56 ppB. Six clusters of anomalous water samples were delineated within the Wind River Basin and are associated predominantly with the Wind River formation. Two clusters of anomalous waters were collected on the southern margin of the Bighorn Basin and are associated with sandstone and shales of Permian through Cretaceous age. The uranium contents of sediment samples range from 0.43 to 94.65 ppM with a median of 2.90 ppM. Most sediment samples with uranium concentrations of greater than 12 ppM are underlain by Precambrian crystalline rocks of the Wind River Range; this area contains the highest uranium values found in sediments from the Thermopolis quadrangle. Other samples containing greater than 12 ppM uranium are found associated with the Wind River and Aycross formations along the northern margin of the Wind River Basin, and one sample was collected from Precambrian granitic terrain of the Owl Creek Mountains

Calculation of paleohydraulic parameters of a fluvial system under spatially variable subsidence, of the Ericson sandstone, South western Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, H.; Leva-Lopez, J.

2017-12-01

During the late Campanian age in North America fluvial systems drained the highlands of the Sevier orogenic belt and travelled east towards the Western Interior Seaway. One of such systems deposited the Canyon Creek Member (CCM) of the Ericson Formation in south-western Wyoming. At this time the fluvial system was being partially controlled by laterally variable subsidence caused by incipient Laramide uplifts. These uplifts rather than real topographic features were only areas of reduced subsidence at the time of deposition of the CCM. Surface expression at that time must have been minimum, only minute changes in slope and accommodation. Outcrops around these Laramide structures, in particular both flanks of the Rock Springs Uplift, the western side of the Rawlins uplift and the north flank of the Uinta Mountains, have been sampled to study the petrography, grain size, roundness and sorting of the CCM, which along with the cross-bed thickness and bar thickness allowed calculation of the hydraulic parameters of the rivers that deposited the CCM. This study reveals how the fluvial system evolved and responded to the very small changes in subsidence and slope. Furthermore, the petrography will shed light on the provenance of these sandstones and on the relative importance of Sevier sources versus Laramide sources. This work is framed in a larger study that shows how incipient Laramide structural highs modified the behavior, style and architecture of the fluvial system, affecting its thickness, facies characteristics and net-to-gross both down-dip and along strike across the basin.

National Uranium Resource Evaluation. Volume 1. Summary of the geology and uranium potential of Precambrian conglomerates in southeastern Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlstrom, K.E.; Houston, R.S.; Flurkey, A.J.; Coolidge, C.M.; Kratochvil, A.L.; Sever, C.K.

1981-02-01

A series of uranium-, thorium-, and gold-bearing conglomerates in Late Archean and Early Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks have been discovered in southern Wyoming. The mineral deposits were found by applying the time and strata bound model for the origin of uranium-bearing quartz-pebble conglomerates to favorable rock types within a geologic terrane known from prior regional mapping. No mineral deposits have been discovered that are of current (1981) economic interest, but preliminary resource estimates indicate that over 3418 tons of uranium and over 1996 tons of thorium are present in the Medicine Bow Mountains and that over 440 tons of uranium and 6350 tons of thorium are present in Sierra Madre. Sampling has been inadequate to determine gold resources. High grade uranium deposits have not been detected by work to date but local beds of uranium-bearing conglomerate contain as much as 1380 ppM uranium over a thickness of 0.65 meters. This project has involved geologic mapping at scales from 1/6000 to 1/50,000 detailed sampling, and the evaluation of 48 diamond drill holes, but the area is too large to fully establish the economic potential with the present information. This first volume summarizes the geologic setting and geologic and geochemical characteristics of the uranium-bearing conglomerates. Volume 2 contains supporting geochemical data, lithologic logs from 48 drill holes in Precambrian rocks, and drill site geologic maps and cross-sections from most of the holes. Volume 3 is a geostatistical resource estimate of uranium and thorium in quartz-pebble conglomerates

DOE`s integrated low-level waste management program and strategic planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duggan, G. [Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management; Hwang, J. [Science Applications International Corp., Germantown, MD (United States)

1993-03-01

To meet the DOE`s commitment to operate its facilities in a safe, economic, and environmentally sound manner, and to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local rules, regulations, and agreements, DOE created the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) in 1989 to focus efforts on controlling waste management and cleaning up contaminated sites. In the first few years of its existence, the Office of Waste Management (EM-30) has concentrated on operational and corrective activities at the sites. In 1992, the Office of Waste Management began to apply an integrated approach to managing its various waste types. Consequently, DOE established the Low-Level Waste Management Program (LLWMP) to properly manage its complex-wide LLW in a consistent manner. The objective of the LLWMP is to build and operate an integrated, safe, and cost-effective program to meet the needs of waste generators. The program will be based on acceptable risk and sound planning, resulting in public confidence and support. Strategic planning of the program is under way and is expected to take two to three years before implementation of the integrated waste management approach.

DOE occupational radiation exposure 2000 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2000-12-31

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Safety and Health publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report. This report is intended to be a valuable tool for DOE and DOE contractor managers in managing radiological safety programs and to assist them in prioritizing resources. We appreciate the efforts and contributions from the various stakeholders within and outside DOE in making this report most useful to them. This report includes occupational radiation exposure information for all monitored DOE employees, contractors, subcontractors, and visitors. The exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site. For the purposes of examining trends, data for the past 5 years are included in the analysis.

Snow Cover, Snowmelt Timing and Stream Power in the Wind River Range, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Dorothy K.; Foster, James L.; DiGirolamo, Nicolo E.; Riggs, George A.

2011-01-01

Earlier onset of springtime weather, including earlier snowmelt, has been documented in the western United States over at least the last 50 years. Because the majority (is greater than 70%) of the water supply in the western U.S. comes from snowmelt, analysis of the declining spring snowpack (and shrinking glaciers) has important implications for the management of streamflow. The amount of water in a snowpack influences stream discharge which can also influence erosion and sediment transport by changing stream power, or the rate at which a stream can do work, such as move sediment and erode the stream bed. The focus of this work is the Wind River Range (WRR) in west-central Wyoming. Ten years of Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow-cover, cloud-gap-filled (CGF) map products and 30 years of discharge and meteorological station data are studied. Streamflow data from streams in WRR drainage basins show lower annual discharge and earlier snowmelt in the decade of the 2000s than in the previous three decades, though no trend of either lower streamflow or earlier snowmelt was observed within the decade of the 2000s. Results show a statistically-significant trend at the 95% confidence level (or higher) of increasing weekly maximum air temperature (for three out of the five meteorological stations studied) in the decade of the 1970s, and also for the 40-year study period as a whole. The extent of snow-cover (percent of basin covered) derived from the lowest elevation zone (2500-3000 m) of the WRR, using MODIS CGF snow-cover maps, is strongly correlated with maximum monthly discharge on 30 April, where Spearman's Rank correlation, rs,=0.89 for the decade of the 2000s. We also investigated stream power for Bull Lake Creek above Bull Lake; and found a trend (significant at the 90% confidence level) toward reduced stream power from 1970 to 2009. Observed changes in streamflow and stream power may be related to increasing weekly maximum air temperature

DOE technical standards list: Directory of DOE and contractor personnel involved in non-government standards activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-08-01

The body of this document contains a listing of DOE employees and DOE contractors who have submitted form DOE F 1300.2, Record of Non-Government Standards Activity, which is attached to the end of this document and to DOE Order 1300.2A. Additional names were added from rosters supplied by non-Government standards bodies. The committees or governing bodies in which the person participates is listed after each name. An asterisk preceding the committee notation indicates that the person has identified himself or herself as the DOE representative on that committee. Appendices to this document are also provided to sort the information by the parent employment organization, by non-Government standards activity, and by the proper names of the non-Government standards organizations and committees. DOE employees and contractors listed in this TSL are those recorded as of July 1, 1996.

Adipokinetic hormone counteracts oxidative stress elicited in insects by hydrogen peroxide: in vivo and in vitro study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bednářová, Andrea; Krishnan, N.; Cheng, I. C.; Večeřa, Josef; Lee, H.-J.; Kodrík, Dalibor

2013-01-01

Roč. 38, č. 1 (2013), s. 54-62 ISSN 0307-6962 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP501/10/1215 Grant - others:NSF, EPSCOR(US) MSU 012156-014; National Science Council of Taiwan(TW) NSC 95-2313-B-002-084 MY3 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : adipokinetic hormone * catalase * ELISA Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 1.434, year: 2013 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phen.12008/pdf

DOE occupational radiation exposure 1996 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

1996-12-31

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environment, Safety and Health publishes the DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report. This report is intended to be a valuable tool for DOE/DOE contractor managers in their management of radiological safety programs and to assist them in the prioritization of resources. We appreciate the efforts and contributions from the various stakeholders within and outside the DOE and hope we have succeeded in making the report more useful. This report includes occupational radiation exposure information for all DOE employees, contractors, subcontractors, and visitors. The exposure information is analyzed in terms of collective data, dose to individuals, and dose by site. For the purposes of examining trends, data for the past 5 years are included in the analysis.

DOE occupational radiation exposure 1997 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

1997-12-31

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environment, Safety and Health publishes the DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report. This report is intended to be a valuable tool for DOE/DOE contractor managers in managing radiological safety programs and to assist them in prioritizing resources. We appreciate the efforts and contributions from the various stakeholders within and outside DOE and hope we have succeeded in making the report more useful. This report includes occupational radiation exposure information for all monitored DOE employees, contractors, subcontractors, and visitors. The exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site. For the purposes of examining trends, data for the past 5 years are included in the analysis.

DOE headquarters publications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-09-01

This bibliography provides listings of (mainly policy and programmatic) publications issued from the U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. The listings are arranged by the ''report code'' assigned to each of the major organizations at DOE Headquarters, followed by the three categories of environmental reports issued from DOE Headquarters. All of the publications listed, except for those shown as still ''in preparation,'' may be seen in the Energy Library. A title index arranged by title keywords follows the listings. Certain publications are omitted. They include such items as pamphlets, ''fact sheets,'' bulletins and weekly/monthly issuances of DOE's Energy Information Administration and Economic Regulatory Administration, and employee bulletins and newsletters. Omitted from the bibliography altogether are headquarters publications assigned other types of report codes--e.g., ''HCP'' (Headquarters Contractor Publication) and ''CONF'' (conference proceedings)

Seismic design and evaluation criteria for DOE facilities (DOE-STD-1020-XX)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Short, S.A.; Kennedy, R.P.; Murray, R.C.

1993-01-01

Seismic design and evaluation criteria for DOE facilities are provided in DOE-STD-1020-XX. The criteria include selection of design/evaluation seismic input from probabilistic seismic hazard curves combined with commonly practiced deterministic response evaluation methods and acceptance criteria with controlled levels of conservatism. Conservatism is intentionally introduced in specification of material strengths and capacities, in the allowance of limited inelastic behavior and by a seismic load factor. These criteria are based on the performance or risk goals specified in DOE 5480.28. Criteria have been developed following a graded approach for several performance goals ranging from that appropriate for normal-use facilities to that appropriate for facilities involving hazardous or critical operations. Performance goals are comprised of desired behavior and of the probability of not achieving that behavior. Following the seismic design/evaluation criteria of DOE-STD-1020-XX is sufficient to demonstrate that the probabilistic performance or risk goals are achieved. The criteria are simple procedures but with a sound, rigorous basis for the achievement of goals

Toxicity of Sodium Bicarbonate to Fish from Coal-Bed Natural Gas Production in the Tongue and Powder River Drainages, Montana and Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

,

2006-01-01

This study evaluates the sensitivity of aquatic life to sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), a major constituent of coal-bed natural gas-produced water. Excessive amounts of sodium bicarbonate in the wastewater from coal-bed methane natural gas production released to freshwater streams and rivers may adversely affect the ability of fish to regulate their ion uptake. The collaborative study focuses on the acute and chronic toxicity of sodium bicarbonate on select fish species in the Tongue and Powder River drainages in southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming. Sodium bicarbonate is not naturally present in appreciable concentrations within the surface waters of the Tongue and Powder River drainages; however, the coal-bed natural gas wastewater can reach levels over 1,000 milligrams per liter. Large concentrations have been shown to be acutely toxic to native fish (Mount and others, 1997). In 2003, with funding and guidance provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a collaborative study on the potential effects of coal-bed natural gas wastewater on aquatic life. A major goal of the study is to provide information to the State of Montana Water Quality Program needed to develop an aquatic life standard for sodium bicarbonate. The standard would allow the State, if necessary, to establish targets for sodium bicarbonate load reductions.

Selected DOE Headquarters Publications, October 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-09-01

This publication provides cumulative listings of and an index to DOE headquarters publications issued since October 1979. (Publications issued during October 1977-September 1979 are covered in DOE/AD-0010/6.) Three types of headquarters publications are included: publications dealing mainly with program and policy that are attributed to and issued by headquarters organizations, reports prepared by contractors (and published by DOE) to describe research and development work they have performed for the Department, and environmental development plans and impact statements. Certain publications have been omitted. They include such items as pamphlets, fact sheets, bulletins, newsletters, and telephone directories, headquarters publications issued under the DOE-tr and CONF codes, technical reports from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA issued under DOE/JPL and DOE/NASA codes, and weekly/monthly reports of the Energy Information Administration. (RWR)

Re-Occupancy of Breeding Territories by Ferruginous Hawks in Wyoming: Relationships to Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Zachary P; Kennedy, Patricia L; Squires, John R; Oakleaf, Robert J; Olson, Lucretia E; Dugger, Katie M

2016-01-01

Grassland and shrubland birds are declining globally due in part to anthropogenic habitat modification. Because population performance of these species is also influenced by non-anthropogenic factors, it is important to incorporate all relevant ecological drivers into demographic models. We used design-based sampling and occupancy models to test relationships of environmental factors that influence raptor demographics with re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) across Wyoming, USA, 2011-2013. We also tested correlations of territory re-occupancy with oil and gas infrastructure-a leading cause of habitat modification throughout the range of this species of conservation concern. Probability of re-occupancy was not related to any covariates we investigated in 2011, had a strong negative relationship with cover of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) in 2012, was slightly higher for territories with artificial platforms than other nest substrates in 2013, and had a positive relationship with abundance of ground squirrels (Urocitellus spp.) that was strong in 2012 and weak in 2013. Associations with roads were weak and varied by year, road-type, and scale: in 2012, re-occupancy probability had a weak positive correlation with density of roads not associated with oil and gas fields at the territory-scale; however, in 2013 re-occupancy had a very weak negative correlation with density of oil and gas field roads near nest sites (≤500 m). Although our results indicate re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks was compatible with densities of anthropogenic infrastructure in our study area, the lack of relationships between oil and gas well density and territory re-occupancy may have occurred because pre-treatment data were unavailable. We used probabilistic sampling at a broad spatial extent, methods to account for imperfect detection, and conducted extensive prey sampling; nonetheless, future research using before

Origin of leucite-rich and sanidine-rich flow layers in the Leucite Hills Volcanic Field, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Gunter, W. D.; Hoinkes, Georg; Ogden, Palmer; Pajari, G. E.

1990-09-01

Two types of orendite (sanidine-phlogopite lamproite) and wyomingite (leucite-phlogopite lamproite) intraflow layering are present in the ultrapotassic Leucite Hills Volcanic Field, Wyoming. In large-scale layering, wyomingites are confined to the base of the flow, while in centimeter-scale layering, orendite and wyomingite alternate throughout the flow. The mineralogy of the orendites and wyomingites are the same; only the relative amount of each mineral vary substantially. The chemical compositions of adjacent layers of wyomingite and orendite are almost identical except for water. The centimeter-scale flow layering probably represents fossil streamlines of the lava and therefore defines the path of circulation of the viscous melt. Toward the front of the flow, the layers are commonly folded. Structures present which are indicative that the flows may have possessed a yield strength are limb shears, boudinage, and slumping. Phlogopite phenocrysts are poorly aligned in the orendite layers, while they are often in subparallel alignment in the wyomingite layers; and they are used as a measure of shearing intensity during emplacement of the flow. Vesicle volumes are concentrated in the orendite layers. In the large-scale layering, a discontinuous base rubble zone of autobreccia is overlain by a thin platy zone followed by a massive zone which composes more than the upper 75% of the flow. Consequently, we feel that the origin of the layering may be related to shearing. Two extremes in the geometry of shearing are proposed: closely spaced, thin, densely sheared layers separated by discrete intervals throughout a lava flow as in the centimeter-scale layering and classical plug flow where all the shearing is confined to the base as in the large-scale layering. A mechanism is proposed which causes thixotropic behavior and localizes shearing: the driving force is the breakdown of molecular water to form T-OH bonds which establishes a chemical potential gradient for water in

DOE headquarters publications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1978-09-01

This bibliography provides listings of (mainly policy and programmatic) publications issued from the U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. The listings are arranged by the ''report code'' assigned to each of the major organizations at DOE Headquarters, followed by the three categories of environmental reports issued from DOE Headquarters. All of the publications listed, except for those shown as still ''in preparation,'' may be seen in the Energy Library. A title index arranged by title keywords follows the listings. Certain publications are omitted. They include such items as pamphlets, ''fact sheets,'' bulletins and weekly/monthly issuances of DOE's Energy Information Administration and Economic Regulatory Administration, and employee bulletins and newsletters. Omitted from the bibliography altogether are headquarters publications assigned other types of report codes--e.g., ''HCP'' (Headquarters Contractor Publication) and ''CONF'' (conference proceedings). (RWR)

Distributions of air pollutants associated with oil and natural gas development measured in the Upper Green River Basin of Wyoming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.A. Field

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Diffusive sampler monitoring techniques were employed during wintertime studies from 2009 to 2012 to assess the spatial distribution of air pollutants associated with the Pinedale Anticline and Jonah Field oil and natural gas (O&NG developments in the Upper Green River Basin, Wyoming. Diffusive sampling identified both the extent of wintertime ozone (O3 episodes and the distributions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx, and a suite of 13 C5+ volatile organic compounds (VOC, including BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers, allowing the influence of different O&NG emission sources to be determined. Concentration isopleth mapping of both diffusive sampler and continuous O3 measurements show the importance of localized production and advective transport. As for O3, BTEX and NOx mixing ratios within O&NG development areas were elevated compared to background levels, with localized hotspots also evident. One BTEX hotspot was related to an area with intensive production activities, while a second was located in an area influenced by emissions from a water treatment and recycling facility. Contrastingly, NOx hotspots were at major road intersections with relatively high traffic flows, indicating influence from vehicular emissions. Comparisons of observed selected VOC species ratios at a roadside site in the town of Pinedale with those measured in O&NG development areas show that traffic emissions contribute minimally to VOCs in these latter areas. The spatial distributions of pollutant concentrations identified by diffusive sampling techniques have potential utility for validation of emission inventories that are combined with air quality modeling.

DOE DISS/ET pilot system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strait, R.S.; Wagner, E.E.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Safeguards and Security initiated the DOE Integrated Security System/Electronic Transfer (DISS/ET) for the purpose of reducing the time required to process security clearance requests. DISS/ET will be an integrated system using electronic commerce technologies for the collection and processing of personnel security clearance data, and its transfer between DOE local security clearance offices, DOE Operations Offices, and the Office of Personnel Management. The system will use electronic forms to collect clearance applicant data. The forms data will be combined with electronic fingerprint images and packaged in a secure encrypted electronic mail envelope for transmission across the Internet. Information provided by the applicant will be authenticated using digital signatures. All processing will be done electronically

Commercialization of DOE isotope production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laflin, S.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the business structure and operations of MAC Isotopes (MACI) L.L.C., a newly created business resulting from the commercialization of a former U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) mission at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). MACI began its commercial operations on October 1, 1996, and is the first U.S. commercial isotope production business to result from the commercialization of DOE facilities or programs. The commercialization was the culmination of an -2-yr competitive procurement process by the DOE and Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company (LMITCO). MACI was selected from this competitive process as the commercial business of choice on the basis of providing the best value to the DOE/LMITCO and having the greatest potential for commercial success

Multiscale heterogeneity characterization of tidal channel, tidal delta and foreshore facies, Almond Formation outcrops, Rock Springs uplift, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schatzinger, R.A.; Tomutsa, L. [BDM Petroleum Technologies, Bartlesville, OK (United States)

1997-08-01

In order to accurately predict fluid flow within a reservoir, variability in the rock properties at all scales relevant to the specific depositional environment needs to be taken into account. The present work describes rock variability at scales from hundreds of meters (facies level) to millimeters (laminae) based on outcrop studies of the Almond Formation. Tidal channel, tidal delta and foreshore facies were sampled on the eastern flank of the Rock Springs uplift, southeast of Rock Springs, Wyoming. The Almond Fm. was deposited as part of a mesotidal Upper Cretaceous transgressive systems tract within the greater Green River Basin. Bedding style, lithology, lateral extent of beds of bedsets, bed thickness, amount and distribution of depositional clay matrix, bioturbation and grain sorting provide controls on sandstone properties that may vary more than an order of magnitude within and between depositional facies in outcrops of the Almond Formation. These features can be mapped on the scale of an outcrop. The products of diagenesis such as the relative timing of carbonate cement, scale of cemented zones, continuity of cemented zones, selectively leached framework grains, lateral variability of compaction of sedimentary rock fragments, and the resultant pore structure play an equally important, although less predictable role in determining rock property heterogeneity. A knowledge of the spatial distribution of the products of diagenesis such as calcite cement or compaction is critical to modeling variation even within a single facies in the Almond Fin. because diagenesis can enhance or reduce primary (depositional) rock property heterogeneity. Application of outcrop heterogeneity models to the subsurface is greatly hindered by differences in diagenesis between the two settings. The measurements upon which this study is based were performed both on drilled outcrop plugs and on blocks.

Competitive effects of introduced annual weeds on some native and reclamation species in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, E.B.; Knight, D.H.

1980-01-01

Four experiments were conducted to examine the competitive effects of introduced annual weeds on certain native and reclamation species. The first experiment was initiated by discing three sites in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, at three distances from introduced weed seed sources. Introduced weed colonization was greatest when a seed source was located nearby. Higher weed cover resulted in reductions of percent cover, density, and richness of the native species. The second experiment was conducted in the greenhouse and was designed to determine if there are changes in response of S. kali and the native grasses Agropyron smithii and Bouteloua gracilis to competition and water regime. Both grass species had lower biomass and higher stomatal resistance when growing in mixed culture with S. kali than in pure culture in the dry regime, but there were no significant differences in the wet regime. In general, the difference in plant response between mixed and pure cultures was more pronounced in the dry than in the wet regime. The third study was a greenhouse experiment on germination and competition of S. kali (a C/sub 4/ species) with native species Lepidium densiflorum (C/sub 3/), Chenopodium pratericola (C/sub 3/), A. smithii (C/sub 3/), and B. gracilis (C/sub 4/) under May, June, and July temperature regimes. Salsola kali germinated equally well in all three regimes, but the other C/sub 4/ species had highest germination in the July regime and the C/sub 3/ species in the May and June regimes. The fourth study was designed to examine the effect of weed colonization on the success of mine reclamation. Little effect was observed, but colonization by introduced annuals was very low. (ERB)

Eocene fluvial drainage patterns and their implications for uranium and hydrocarbon exploration in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seeland, D.A.

1978-01-01

Paleocurrent maps of the fluvial lower Eocene Wind River Formation in the Wind River Basin of central Wyoming define promising uranium- and hydrocarbon-exploration target areas. The Wind River Formation is thought to have the greatest potential for uranium mineralization in areas where it includes arkosic channel sandstones derived from the granitic core of the Granite Mountains, as in the channel-sandstone bodies deposited in Eocene time by a 40-kilometer segment of the eastward-flowing paleo-Wind River that exended westward from near the town of Powder River on the east edge of the basin. Channel-sandstone bodies with a Granite Mountains source occur south of this segment of the paleo-Wind River and north of the Granite Mountains. The southwestern part of this area includes the Gas Hills uranium district, but the channel-sandstone bodies between the Gas Hills district and the 40-kilometer segment of the paleo-Wind River may also be mineralized. This area includes the southeasternmost part of the Wind River Basin southeast of Powder River and contains northeasterly trending channel-sandstone bodies derived from the Granite Mountains. Limited paleocurrent information from the margins of the Wind River Basin suggests that the paleo-Wind River in Paleocene time flowed eastward and had approximately the same location as the eastward-flowing paleo-Wind River of Eocene time. The channel-sandstone bodies of the paleo-Wind Rivers are potential hydrocarbon reservoirs, particularly where they are underlain or overlain by the organic-rich shale and siltstone of the Waltman Shale Member of the Fort Union Formation. If leaks of sulfur-containing gas have created a reducing environment in the Eocene paleo-Wind River channel-sandstone bodies, then I speculate that the areas of overlap of the channel-sandstone bodies and natural-gas fields in the underlying rocks may be particularly favorable areas in which to search for uranium deposits

Eocene fluvial drainage patterns and their implications for uranium and hydrocarbon exploration in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seeland, D.A.

1975-01-01

Paleocurrent maps of the fluvial early Eocene Wind River Formation in the Wind River Basin of central Wyoming define promising uranium and hydrocarbon exploration target areas. The Wind River Formation is thought to have the greatest potential for uranium mineralization in areas where it includes arkosic channel sandstones derived from the granitic core of the Granite Mountains as in the channel sandstones deposited by the 25-mile segment of the Eocene Wind River extending westward from near the town of Powder River on the east edge of the basin. Channel sandstones with a Granite Mountain source occur south of this segment of the Eocene Wind River and north of the Granite Mountains. The southwestern part of this area includes the Gas Hills uranium district but channel sandstones between the Gas Hills district and the 25-mile segment of the Eocene Wind River are potentially mineralized. This area includes the entire southeasternmost part of the Wind River Basin southeast of Powder River and contains northeasterly trending channel sandstones derived from the Granite Mountains. Limited paleocurrent information from the margins of the Wind River Basin suggests that the Paleocene Wind River flowed eastward and had approximately the same location as the eastward-flowing Eocene Wind River. If leaks of sulfur-containing gas have created a reducing environment in the Eocene Wind River channel sandstones, then I speculate that the areas of overlap of the channel sandstones and natural gas fields in the underlying rocks may be particularly favorable areas in which to search for uranium deposits. The channel sandstones of the Paleocene and Eocene Wind Rivers are potential hydrocarbon reservoirs, particularly where underlain or overlain by the organic-rich shale and siltstone of the Waltman Shale Member of the Fort Union Formation

An evaluation of health risk to the public as a consequence of in situ uranium mining in Wyoming, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruedig, Elizabeth; Johnson, Thomas E

2015-12-01

In the United States there is considerable public concern regarding the health effects of in situ recovery uranium mining. These concerns focus principally on exposure to contaminants mobilized in groundwater by the mining process. However, the risk arising as a result of mining must be viewed in light of the presence of naturally occurring uranium ore and other constituents which comprise a latent hazard. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed new guidelines for successful restoration of an in situ uranium mine by limiting concentrations of thirteen groundwater constituents: arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, nitrate (as nitrogen), molybdenum, radium, total uranium, and gross α activity. We investigated the changes occurring to these constituents at an ISR uranium mine in Wyoming, USA by comparing groundwater quality at baseline measurement to that at stability (post-restoration) testing. Of the groundwater constituents considered, only uranium and radium-226 showed significant (p < 0.05) deviation from site-wide baseline conditions in matched-wells. Uranium concentrations increased by a factor of 5.6 (95% CI 3.6-8.9 times greater) while radium-226 decreased by a factor of about one half (95% CI 0.42-0.75 times less). Change in risk was calculated using the RESRAD (onsite) code for an individual exposed as a resident-farmer; total radiation dose to a resident farmer decreased from pre-to post-mining by about 5.2 mSv y(-1). Higher concentrations of uranium correspond to increased biomarkers of nephrotoxicity, however the clinical significance of this increase is unclear. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

DOE Waste Treatability Group Guidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirkpatrick, T.D.

1995-01-01

This guidance presents a method and definitions for aggregating U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) waste into streams and treatability groups based on characteristic parameters that influence waste management technology needs. Adaptable to all DOE waste types (i.e., radioactive waste, hazardous waste, mixed waste, sanitary waste), the guidance establishes categories and definitions that reflect variations within the radiological, matrix (e.g., bulk physical/chemical form), and regulated contaminant characteristics of DOE waste. Beginning at the waste container level, the guidance presents a logical approach to implementing the characteristic parameter categories as part of the basis for defining waste streams and as the sole basis for assigning streams to treatability groups. Implementation of this guidance at each DOE site will facilitate the development of technically defined, site-specific waste stream data sets to support waste management planning and reporting activities. Consistent implementation at all of the sites will enable aggregation of the site-specific waste stream data sets into comparable national data sets to support these activities at a DOE complex-wide level

DOE Waste Treatability Group Guidance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirkpatrick, T.D.

1995-01-01

This guidance presents a method and definitions for aggregating U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) waste into streams and treatability groups based on characteristic parameters that influence waste management technology needs. Adaptable to all DOE waste types (i.e., radioactive waste, hazardous waste, mixed waste, sanitary waste), the guidance establishes categories and definitions that reflect variations within the radiological, matrix (e.g., bulk physical/chemical form), and regulated contaminant characteristics of DOE waste. Beginning at the waste container level, the guidance presents a logical approach to implementing the characteristic parameter categories as part of the basis for defining waste streams and as the sole basis for assigning streams to treatability groups. Implementation of this guidance at each DOE site will facilitate the development of technically defined, site-specific waste stream data sets to support waste management planning and reporting activities. Consistent implementation at all of the sites will enable aggregation of the site-specific waste stream data sets into comparable national data sets to support these activities at a DOE complex-wide level.

DOE occupational radiation exposure. Report 1992--1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-05-01

The DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report, 1992-1994 reports occupational radiation exposures incurred by individuals at US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities from 1992 through 1994. This report includes occupational radiation exposure information for all DOE employees, contractors, subcontractors, and visitors. This information is analyzed and trended over time to provide a measure of the DOE`s performance in protecting its workers from radiation. Occupational radiation exposure at DOE has been decreasing over the past 5 years. In particular, doses in the higher dose ranges are decreasing, including the number of doses in excess of the DOE limits and doses in excess of the 2 rem Administrative Control Level (ACL). This is an indication of greater attention being given to protecting these individuals from radiation in the workplace.

DOE technical standards list: Directory of DOE and contractor personnel involved in non-government standards activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-05-01

The body of this document contains a listing of DOE employees and DOE contractors who have submitted form DOE F 1300.2, Record of Non-Government Standards Activity, which is attached to the end of this document. Additional names were added from rosters supplied by non-Government standards bodies. The committees or governing bodies in which the person participates is listed after each name. An asterisk preceding the committee notation indicates that the person has identified himself or herself as the DOE representative on that committee. Appendices to this document are also provided to sort the information by the parent employment organization, by non-Government standards activity, and by the proper names of the non-Government standards organizations and committees. DOE employees and contractors listed in this technical standards list are those recorded as of May 1, 1999.

Assessing DOE`s success in implementing the FFC Act: A federal and state partnership to develop treatment plans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Letourneau, M.J.; Bubar, P.M. [Dept. of Energy, Germantown, MD (United States)

1995-12-31

Implementation of the Federal Facility Compliance Act (FFCAct) required total cooperation among the Department of Energy (DOE), the involved States and interested stakeholders. Although the effort was time consuming, tedious and (at times) trying, the results obtained [Site Treatment Plans (STP)] were an unprecedented success. Through long-range planning, attention to details and organization of effort, a coordinated, cohesive, focused team was developed that included the DOE Headquarters, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 40 DOE sites, 20 states and multiple interested stakeholders. The efforts of the FFCAct team resulted in the preparation of 37 STPs which outline the methods, locations and schedules for the treatment and disposal of DOE`s mixed wastes. The Plans provided a strong foundation upon which consent orders were prepared and approved. The FFCAct approach also resulted in the development of working relationships that will prove not only useful but vital to the planning and implementation necessary to the successful clean-up and disposal DOE`s mixed wastes.

Assessment of Coal Geology, Resources, and Reserves in the Gillette Coalfield, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Luppens, James A.; Scott, David C.; Haacke, Jon E.; Osmonson, Lee M.; Rohrbacher, Timothy J.; Ellis, Margaret S.

2008-01-01

The Gillette coalfield, within the Powder River Basin in east-central Wyoming, is the most prolific coalfield in the United States. In 2006, production from the coalfield totaled over 431 million short tons of coal, which represented over 37 percent of the Nation's total yearly production. The Anderson and Canyon coal beds in the Gillette coalfield contain some of the largest deposits of low-sulfur subbituminous coal in the world. By utilizing the abundance of new data from recent coalbed methane development in the Powder River Basin, this study represents the most comprehensive evaluation of coal resources and reserves in the Gillette coalfield to date. Eleven coal beds were evaluated to determine the in-place coal resources. Six of the eleven coal beds were evaluated for reserve potential given current technology, economic factors, and restrictions to mining. These restrictions included the presence of railroads, a Federal interstate highway, cities, a gas plant, and alluvial valley floors. Other restrictions, such as thickness of overburden, thickness of coal beds, and areas of burned coal were also considered. The total original coal resource in the Gillette coalfield for all eleven coal beds assessed, and no restrictions applied, was calculated to be 201 billion short tons. Available coal resources, which are part of the original coal resource that is accessible for potential mine development after subtracting all restrictions, are about 164 billion short tons (81 percent of the original coal resource). Recoverable coal, which is the portion of available coal remaining after subtracting mining and processing losses, was determined for a stripping ratio of 10:1 or less. After mining and processing losses were subtracted, a total of 77 billion short tons of coal were calculated (48 percent of the original coal resource). Coal reserves are the portion of the recoverable coal that can be mined, processed, and marketed at a profit at the time of the economic

Property description and fact-finding report for NPR-3 Natrona County, Wyoming. Addendum to 22 August 1996 study of alternatives for future operations of the naval petroleum and oil shale reserves NPR-3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-05-01

The U.S. Department of Energy has asked Gustavson Associates, Inc. to serve as an Independent Petroleum Consultant under contract DE-AC01-96FE64202. This authorizes a study and recommendations regarding future development of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 3 (NPR-3) in Natrona County, Wyoming. The report that follows is the Phase I fact-finding and property description for that study. The United States of America owns 100 percent of the mineral rights and surface rights in 9,321-acre NPR-3. This property comprises the Teapot Dome oil field and related production, processing and other facilities. Discovered in 1914, this field has 632 wells producing 1,807 barrels of oil per day. Production revenues are about $9.5 million per year. Remaining recoverable reserves are approximately 1.3 million barrels of oil. Significant plugging and abandonment (P&A) and environmental liabilities are present.

Optimizing accuracy of determinations of CO₂ storage capacity and permanence, and designing more efficient storage operations: An example from the Rock Springs Uplift, Wyoming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bentley, Ramsey [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Dahl, Shanna [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Deiss, Allory [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Duguid, Andrew [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Ganshin, Yuri [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Jiao, Zunsheng [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry; Quillinan, Scott [Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

2015-12-01

At a potential injection site on the Rock Springs Uplift in southwest Wyoming, an investigation of confining layers was undertaken to develop and test methodology, identify key data requirements, assess previous injection scenarios relative to detailed confining layer properties, and integrate all findings in order to reduce the uncertainty of CO₂ storage permanence. The assurance of safe and permanent storage of CO₂ at a storage site involves a detailed evaluation of the confining layers. Four suites of field data were recognized as crucial for determining storage permanence relative to the confining layers; seismic, core and petrophysical data from a wellbore, formation fluid samples, and in-situ formation tests. Core and petrophysical data were used to create a vertical heterogenic property model that defined porosity, permeability, displacement pressure, geomechanical strengths, and diagenetic history. These analyses identified four primary confining layers and multiple redundant confining layers. In-situ formation tests were used to evaluate fracture gradients, regional stress fields, baseline microseismic data, step-rate injection tests, and formation perforation responses. Seismic attributes, correlated with the vertical heterogenic property models, were calculated and used to create a 3-D volume model over the entire site. The seismic data provided the vehicle to transform the vertical heterogenic property model into a horizontal heterogenic property model, which allowed for the evaluation of confining layers across the entire study site without risking additional wellbore perforations. Lastly, formation fluids were collected and analyzed for geochemical and isotopic compositions from stacked reservoir systems. These data further tested primary confining layers, by evaluating the evidence of mixing between target reservoirs (mixing would imply an existing breach of primary confining layers). All data were propagated into a dynamic, heterogenic geologic

Mapping surface disturbance of energy-related infrastructure in southwest Wyoming--An assessment of methods

Science.gov (United States)

Germaine, Stephen S.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Baer, Lori; Fancher, Tammy; McBeth, Jamie; McDougal, Robert R.; Waltermire, Robert; Bowen, Zachary H.; Diffendorfer, James; Garman, Steven; Hanson, Leanne

2012-01-01

We evaluated how well three leading information-extraction software programs (eCognition, Feature Analyst, Feature Extraction) and manual hand digitization interpreted information from remotely sensed imagery of a visually complex gas field in Wyoming. Specifically, we compared how each mapped the area of and classified the disturbance features present on each of three remotely sensed images, including 30-meter-resolution Landsat, 10-meter-resolution SPOT (Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre), and 0.6-meter resolution pan-sharpened QuickBird scenes. Feature Extraction mapped the spatial area of disturbance features most accurately on the Landsat and QuickBird imagery, while hand digitization was most accurate on the SPOT imagery. Footprint non-overlap error was smallest on the Feature Analyst map of the Landsat imagery, the hand digitization map of the SPOT imagery, and the Feature Extraction map of the QuickBird imagery. When evaluating feature classification success against a set of ground-truthed control points, Feature Analyst, Feature Extraction, and hand digitization classified features with similar success on the QuickBird and SPOT imagery, while eCognition classified features poorly relative to the other methods. All maps derived from Landsat imagery classified disturbance features poorly. Using the hand digitized QuickBird data as a reference and making pixel-by-pixel comparisons, Feature Extraction classified features best overall on the QuickBird imagery, and Feature Analyst classified features best overall on the SPOT and Landsat imagery. Based on the entire suite of tasks we evaluated, Feature Extraction performed best overall on the Landsat and QuickBird imagery, while hand digitization performed best overall on the SPOT imagery, and eCognition performed worst overall on all three images. Error rates for both area measurements and feature classification were prohibitively high on Landsat imagery, while QuickBird was time and cost prohibitive for

DOE tries new approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramer, D.; Barber, J.

1995-01-01

The US Department of Energy has finally unveiled details of its plan to have a private sector vendor treat and process liquid nuclear wastes at the Hanford weapons site in Washington state. While the document is not the official request for proposals that potential bidders had hoped for, DOE says it is planning a two-phase program under which one or more companies would build and operate a privately financed pretreatment and vitrification facility. In the first phase, a proof-of-concept to begin this year and end in 2002, one or two vendors would be selected to vitrify about 2 million gal of the wastes. DOE says the first-phase waste would be representative of 80% of the total wastes in Hanford's 177 underground tanks. In the second phase, to run through 2028, DOE would choose a vendor to scale up its operations to treat the rest of the 57 million gal at Hanford. a DOE official says facilities that have been built for the initial phase could be used in the subsequent stage, although it is not clear yet technically whether pretreatment and vitrification plants could be built in a modular fashion

The Postcranial Skeleton of an Exceptionally Complete Individual of the Plated Dinosaur Stegosaurus stenops (Dinosauria: Thyreophora from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Wyoming, U.S.A.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susannah Catherine Rose Maidment

Full Text Available Although Stegosaurus is one of the most iconic dinosaurs, well-preserved fossils are rare and as a consequence there is still much that remains unknown about the taxon. A new, exceptionally complete individual affords the opportunity to describe the anatomy of Stegosaurus in detail for the first time in over a century, and enables additional comparisons with other stegosaurian dinosaurs. The new specimen is from the Red Canyon Ranch Quarry, near Shell Wyoming, and appears to have been so well preserved because it was buried rapidly in a pond or body of standing water immediately after death. The quarry is probably located in the middle part of the Morrison Formation, which is believed to be Tithonian in age in this area. The specimen is referable to Stegosaurus stenops based on the possession of an edentulous anterior portion of the dentary and elevated postzygapophyses on the cervical vertebrae. New information provided by the specimen concerns the morphology of the vertebrae, the iliosacral block and dermal armor. Several aspects of its morphology indicate the individual was not fully skeletally mature at the time of death, corroborating a previous histological study.

The Postcranial Skeleton of an Exceptionally Complete Individual of the Plated Dinosaur Stegosaurus stenops (Dinosauria: Thyreophora) from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Wyoming, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

Maidment, Susannah Catherine Rose; Brassey, Charlotte; Barrett, Paul Michael

2015-01-01

Although Stegosaurus is one of the most iconic dinosaurs, well-preserved fossils are rare and as a consequence there is still much that remains unknown about the taxon. A new, exceptionally complete individual affords the opportunity to describe the anatomy of Stegosaurus in detail for the first time in over a century, and enables additional comparisons with other stegosaurian dinosaurs. The new specimen is from the Red Canyon Ranch Quarry, near Shell Wyoming, and appears to have been so well preserved because it was buried rapidly in a pond or body of standing water immediately after death. The quarry is probably located in the middle part of the Morrison Formation, which is believed to be Tithonian in age in this area. The specimen is referable to Stegosaurus stenops based on the possession of an edentulous anterior portion of the dentary and elevated postzygapophyses on the cervical vertebrae. New information provided by the specimen concerns the morphology of the vertebrae, the iliosacral block and dermal armor. Several aspects of its morphology indicate the individual was not fully skeletally mature at the time of death, corroborating a previous histological study.

Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) Implementation Plan for DOE Order 435.1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

FRITZ, D.W.

2000-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy issued U.S. Department of Energy Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management, and U.S. Department of Energy Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual, on July 9, 1999, to replace U.S. Department of Energy Order 5820.2A. Compliance is required by July 9, 2000, where compliance is defined as ''implementing the requirements, or an approved implementation, or corrective action plan'' (refer to Manual, Introduction, paragraph four). This implementation plan identifies the status of each requirement for U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office Site contractors, and provides the plan, cost, and length of time required for achieving full implementation. The U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office contractors (Fluor Hanford, Incorporated, DynCorp Tri-Cities Services, Bechtel Hanford, Inc., and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) conducted a line-by-line review of DOE Order 435.1 and associated manuals to determine which requirements were new, and which requirements already are used for compliance with the previous DOE Order 5820.2A or other requirements. The Gap Analysis for DOE Order 435.1 (HNF-5465) identified compliance gaps, along with other issues that would impact efforts for achieving compliance. The gap analysis also contained a series of assumptions made by the various projects in determining compliance status. The details and section-by-section analysis are contained in Appendix A. Some of the DOE Order 435.1 requirements invoke sections of other DOE Orders not incorporated in various U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office contracts (refer to Section 2.0, Table 2-1). Those additional DOE Orders are identified by contractor and will be left for evaluation in accordance with each contractor's requirements. No attempt was made to evaluate all of those orders at this time, although in many cases, contractors follow a similar older DOE Order, which is cited in the Appendix. In some areas

DOE occupational radiation exposure. Report 1992--1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report, 1992-1994 reports occupational radiation exposures incurred by individuals at US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities from 1992 through 1994. This report includes occupational radiation exposure information for all DOE employees, contractors, subcontractors, and visitors. This information is analyzed and trended over time to provide a measure of the DOE's performance in protecting its workers from radiation. Occupational radiation exposure at DOE has been decreasing over the past 5 years. In particular, doses in the higher dose ranges are decreasing, including the number of doses in excess of the DOE limits and doses in excess of the 2 rem Administrative Control Level (ACL). This is an indication of greater attention being given to protecting these individuals from radiation in the workplace

Estimating and understanding DOE waste management costs'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, J.S.; Sherick, M.J.

1995-01-01

This paper examines costs associated with cleaning up the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) nuclear facilities, with particular emphasis on the waste management program. Life-cycle waste management costs have been compiled and reported in the DOE Baseline Environmental Management Report (BEMR). Waste management costs are a critical issue for DOE because of the current budget constraints. The DOE sites are struggling to accomplish their environmental management objectives given funding scenarios that are well below anticipated waste management costs. Through the BEMR process, DOE has compiled complex-wide cleanup cost estimates and has begun analysis of these costs with respect to alternative waste management scenarios and policy strategies. From this analysis, DOE is attempting to identify the major cost drivers and prioritize environmental management activities to achieve maximum utilization of existing funding. This paper provides an overview of the methodology DOE has used to estimate and analyze some waste management costs, including the key data requirements and uncertainties

DOE Technical Standards List. Directory of DOE and contractor personnel involved in non-government standards activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

This is a periodic report on the level of agency participation in non-Government standards activities. This technical standards list is intended to assist US Department of Energy (DOE) management and other personnel involved in the DOE technical Standards Program by identifying those participating individuals. The body of this document contains a listing of DOE employees and DOE contractors who have submitted a Record of Non-Government Standards Activity. Additional names were added from rosters supplied by non-Government standards bodies. Appendices to this document are provided to list the information by parent employment organization, by non-Government standards activity, and by the proper names of the non-Government standards organizations and committees.

DOE goals: Excellence, openness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaacs, T.H.

1989-01-01

The author feels that the benefit of the experience and programmatic resources it has developed since passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act in 1982 and of the sound and flexible policy framework provided by the amendments, DOE is confident that program objectives can be met on a schedule that balances the needs for technical excellence, institutional openness, and timely acceptance. As the program evolves, DOE will continue to assess how effectively policies are serving program objectives. The need for flexibility in developing a first-of-a-kind system is essential. But flexibility does not alter the need for program stability, which, in turn, requires a commonly shared commitment to realizing the program's goals. This commitment must rest upon a pragmatic understanding of the realities of waste-management system development

Clean uses of fossil fuels. Progress performance report, September 29, 1991--January 25, 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stencel, J.M.

1994-01-25

Science and engineering doctoral students performing energy related research were supported by a USDOE/ESPCoR Traineeship grant awarded to the Kentucky EPSCoR Committee. The grant, administered by the KY DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee, focused on research having the general description of {open_quotes}Clean Uses of Fossil Fuels{close_quotes}. The value of the grant was $500,000 for three years duration, beginning September 30, 1991 and ending September 29, 1994. Ten PhD students were selected for support during the first year of the Traineeship. Upon reviewing coursework and research progress of the students at the end of the first year, the KY DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee awarded a second year of support at the same $25,000/year funding level. A total of 12 students will have been supported during the duration of the grant as a consequence of one student completing his degree during the support period and of one student deciding that she wanted to complete only a Masters rather than a PhD degree. The students supported were at either the University of Kentucky or the University of Louisville - the two PhD, science and engineering granting universities within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The disciplines of these students included Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Geological Sciences, and Physics. The methods used for the initial statewide solicitation for student support, the annual review of the students progress for support renewal, and a summary of progress and impact of the awards after two years are presented. It is shown that the Traineeships presented opportunities to: perform high quality research; initiate interactions between different scientific disciplines and departments; develop collaborations at national DOE laboratories, universities outside of Kentucky and industries; and establish research ideas for submittal to funding agencies.

Department of Energy (DOE) summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

An overview was provided of the Generation IV Initiative to evaluate candidate technology concepts for a new generation of nuclear power plants. DOE presented the Generation IV goals, road map effort, and concept evaluation. The formation was discussed of a Near-Term Deployment Working Group (NTDG) formed to identify actions and evaluate options necessary for DOE to support new plants. DOE has established a Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC) to provide independent evaluation and feedback on the establishment of goals and objectives and progress in evaluating candidate nuclear energy concepts. DOE has also established a Generation IV Road map NERAC Subcommittee (GRNS) to serve as an advisory group in establishing the road map along with a Road map integration Team (RIT). Candidate technologies must be deployable by 2030. Nuclear systems are expected to meet sustainability goals (resource inputs, waste outputs, and nonproliferation), safety and reliability goals (operating maintainability excellence, limiting core damage risk, and reduced need for emergency response), and economic goals (reduced life-cycle costs and risk to capital). Criteria and metrics for each goal are being developed by an Evaluation Methodology Group (EMG), RIT, and the GRNS. DOE plans to evaluate ail candidate concepts equally without prejudice toward existing technologies (e.g., light-water reactors) but recognizes that most primary energy generators are likely to be fission based. DOE is presently considering 94 concepts. The output of the Generation IV Program is expected to be a research and development plan to support future commercialization of the best concepts

Overview of the DOE packaging certification process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Y.Y.; Carlson, R.D. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Carlson, R.W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); Kapoor, A. [USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)

1995-12-31

This paper gives an overview of the DOE packaging certification process, which is implemented by the Office of Facility Safety Analysis, under the Assistance Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health, for packagings that are not used for weapons and weapons components, nor for naval nuclear propulsion. The overview will emphasize Type B packagings and the Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) review that parallels the NRC packaging review. Other important elements in the DOE packaging certification program, such as training, methods development, data bases, and technical assistance, are also emphasized, because they have contributed significantly to the improvement of the certification process since DOE consolidated its packaging certification function in 1985. The paper finishes with a discussion of the roles and functions of the DOE Packaging Safety Review Steering Committee, which is chartered to address issues and concerns of interest to the DOE packaging and transportation safety community. Two articles related to DOE packaging certification were published earlier on the SARP review procedures and the DOE Packaging Review Guide. These articles may be consulted for additional information.

Geochemistry of inorganic nitrogen in waters released from coal-bed natural gas production wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Richard L.; Repert, Deborah A.; Hart, Charles P.

2009-01-01

Water originating from coal-bed natural gas (CBNG) production wells typically contains ammonium and is often disposed via discharge to ephemeral channels. A study conducted in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, documented downstream changes in CBNG water composition, emphasizing nitrogen-cycling processes and the fate of ammonium. Dissolved ammonium concentrations from 19 CBNG discharge points ranged from 95 to 527 μM. Within specific channels, ammonium concentrations decreased with transport distance, with subsequent increases in nitrite and nitrate concentrations. Removal efficiency, or uptake, of total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) varied between channel types. DIN uptake was greater in the gentle-sloped, vegetated channel as compared to the incised, steep, and sparsely vegetated channel and was highly correlated with diel patterns of incident light and dissolved oxygen concentration. In a larger main channel with multiple discharge inputs (n = 13), DIN concentrations were >300 μM, with pH > 8.5, after 5 km of transport. Ammonium represented 25−30% of the large-channel DIN, and ammonium concentrations remained relatively constant with time, with only a weak diel pattern evident. In July 2003, the average daily large-channel DIN load was 23 kg N day−1entering the Powder River, an amount which substantially increased the total Powder River DIN load after the channel confluence. These results suggest that CBNG discharge may be an important source of DIN to western watersheds, at least at certain times of the year, and that net oxidation and/or removal is dependent upon the extent of contact with sediment and biomass, type of drainage channel, and time of day.

THE WYOMING SURVEY FOR Hα. II. Hα LUMINOSITY FUNCTIONS AT z∼ 0.16, 0.24, 0.32, AND 0.40

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dale, Daniel A.; Cook, David O.; Moore, Carolynn A.; Staudaher, Shawn M.; Barlow, Rebecca J.; Cohen, Seth A.; Johnson, L. Clifton; Kattner, ShiAnne M.; Schuster, Micah D.

2010-01-01

The Wyoming Survey for Hα, or WySH, is a large-area, ground-based imaging survey for Hα-emitting galaxies at redshifts of z ∼ 0.16, 0.24, 0.32, and 0.40. The survey spans up to 4 deg 2 in a set of fields of low Galactic cirrus emission, using twin narrowband filters at each epoch for improved stellar continuum subtraction. Hα luminosity functions are presented for each Δz ∼ 0.02 epoch based on a total of nearly 1200 galaxies. These data clearly show an evolution with look-back time in the volume-averaged cosmic star formation rate. Integrals of Schechter fits to the incompleteness- and extinction-corrected Hα luminosity functions indicate star formation rates per comoving volume of 0.010, 0.013, 0.020, 0.022 h 70 M sun yr -1 Mpc -3 at z ∼ 0.16, 0.24, 0.32, and 0.40, respectively. Combined statistical and systematic measurement uncertainties are on the order of 25%, while the effects of cosmic variance are at the 20% level. The bulk of this evolution is driven by changes in the characteristic luminosity L * of the Hα luminosity functions, with L * for the earlier two epochs being a factor of 2 larger than L * at the latter two epochs; it is more difficult with this data set to decipher systematic evolutionary differences in the luminosity function amplitude and faint-end slope. Coupling these results with a comprehensive compilation of results from the literature on emission line surveys, the evolution in the cosmic star formation rate density over 0 ∼< z ∼< 1.5 is measured.

Environmental Conditions Constrain the Distribution and Diversity of Archaeal merA in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y.; Boyd, E.; Crane, S.; Lu-Irving, P.; Krabbenhoft, D.; King, S.; Dighton, J.; Geesey, G.; Barkay, T.

2011-01-01

The distribution and phylogeny of extant protein-encoding genes recovered from geochemically diverse environments can provide insight into the physical and chemical parameters that led to the origin and which constrained the evolution of a functional process. Mercuric reductase (MerA) plays an integral role in mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry by catalyzing the transformation of Hg(II) to Hg(0). Putative merA sequences were amplified from DNA extracts of microbial communities associated with mats and sulfur precipitates from physicochemically diverse Hg-containing springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, using four PCR primer sets that were designed to capture the known diversity of merA. The recovery of novel and deeply rooted MerA lineages from these habitats supports previous evidence that indicates merA originated in a thermophilic environment. Generalized linear models indicate that the distribution of putative archaeal merA lineages was constrained by a combination of pH, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved total mercury and sulfide. The models failed to identify statistically well supported trends for the distribution of putative bacterial merA lineages as a function of these or other measured environmental variables, suggesting that these lineages were either influenced by environmental parameters not considered in the present study, or the bacterial primer sets were designed to target too broad of a class of genes which may have responded differently to environmental stimuli. The widespread occurrence of merA in the geothermal environments implies a prominent role for Hg detoxification in these environments. Moreover, the differences in the distribution of the merA genes amplified with the four merA primer sets suggests that the organisms putatively engaged in this activity have evolved to occupy different ecological niches within the geothermal gradient. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Gillette NTMS quadrangle, Wyoming, including concentrations of forty-two additional elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, R.G.; George, W.E.; Minor, M.M.; Simi, O.R.; Talcott, C.L.; Hensley, W.K.; Cheadle, J.M. III.

1980-08-01

During 1976 and 1977, 752 water and 843 sediment samples were collected from 1419 locations within the 17 700-km 2 area of the Gillette quadrangle, Wyoming. Water samples were collected primarily from wells, and also from springs, ponds, and streams; sediment samples were collected primarily from stream channels, and also from springs and ponds. Each water sample was analyzed for uranium and each sediment sample was analyzed for 43 elements, including uranium and thorium. Uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 to 212.20 ppB and have a median of 1.10 ppB. The highest background uranium concentrations, as well as the highest individual uranium values, are in areas where favorable host units for uranium mineralization crop out. These units are the Wasatch and Fort Union formations in the Powder River Basin and the Inyan Kara group in the Black Hills. Uranium concentrations in sediment samples range from 0.64 to 29.83 ppM and have a median of 3.24 ppM. Background uranium concentrations are strongly controlled by the exposed geologic unit, and range from 4 to 8 ppM for the Cretaceous Colorado group to 1 to 3 ppM for the Triassic and Paleozoic units exposed in the Black Hills. Several areas where the Wasatch and Fort Union formations are exposed exhibit uranium concentrations in sediment samples that are slightly, but distinctly, above background values for these units. All of these areas are also associated with notably high uranium concentrations in water samples. Because epigenetic uranium mineralization in economically important areas can exhibit a similar geochemical signature, these areas within the Gillette quadrangle should be further examined for the possible presence of uranium mineralization

Environmental conditions constrain the distribution and diversity of archaeal merA in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yanping; Boyd, Eric; Crane, Sharron; Lu-Irving, Patricia; Krabbenhoft, David; King, Susan; Dighton, John; Geesey, Gill; Barkay, Tamar

2011-11-01

The distribution and phylogeny of extant protein-encoding genes recovered from geochemically diverse environments can provide insight into the physical and chemical parameters that led to the origin and which constrained the evolution of a functional process. Mercuric reductase (MerA) plays an integral role in mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry by catalyzing the transformation of Hg(II) to Hg(0). Putative merA sequences were amplified from DNA extracts of microbial communities associated with mats and sulfur precipitates from physicochemically diverse Hg-containing springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, using four PCR primer sets that were designed to capture the known diversity of merA. The recovery of novel and deeply rooted MerA lineages from these habitats supports previous evidence that indicates merA originated in a thermophilic environment. Generalized linear models indicate that the distribution of putative archaeal merA lineages was constrained by a combination of pH, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved total mercury and sulfide. The models failed to identify statistically well supported trends for the distribution of putative bacterial merA lineages as a function of these or other measured environmental variables, suggesting that these lineages were either influenced by environmental parameters not considered in the present study, or the bacterial primer sets were designed to target too broad of a class of genes which may have responded differently to environmental stimuli. The widespread occurrence of merA in the geothermal environments implies a prominent role for Hg detoxification in these environments. Moreover, the differences in the distribution of the merA genes amplified with the four merA primer sets suggests that the organisms putatively engaged in this activity have evolved to occupy different ecological niches within the geothermal gradient.

Northern Cheyenne Reservation Coal Bed Natural Resource Assessment and Analysis of Produced Water Disposal Options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaochang Wo; David A. Lopez; Jason Whiteman Sr.; Bruce A. Reynolds

2004-07-01

Coalbed methane (CBM) development in the Powder River Basin (PRB) is currently one of the most active gas plays in the United States. Monthly production in 2002 reached about 26 BCF in the Wyoming portion of the basin. Coalbed methane reserves for the Wyoming portion of the basin are approximately 25 trillion cubic feet (TCF). Although coal beds in the Powder River Basin extend well into Montana, including the area of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, the only CBM development in Montana is the CX Field, operated by the Fidelity Exploration, near the Wyoming border. The Northern Cheyenne Reservation is located on the northwest flank of the PRB in Montana with a total land of 445,000 acres. The Reservation consists of five districts, Lame Deer, Busby, Ashland, Birney, and Muddy Cluster and has a population of 4,470 according to the 2000 Census. The CBM resource represents a significant potential asset to the Northern Cheyenne Indian Tribe. Methane gas in coal beds is trapped by hydrodynamic pressure. Because the production of CBM involves the dewatering of coalbed to allow the release of methane gas from the coal matrix, the relatively large volume of the co-produced water and its potential environmental impacts are the primary concerns for the Tribe. Presented in this report is a study conducted by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) in partnership with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe to assess the Tribe’s CBM resources and evaluate applicable water handling options. The project was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Native American Initiative of the National Petroleum Technology Office, under contract DEAC07- 99ID13727. Matching funds were granted by the MBMG in supporting the work of geologic study and mapping conducted at MBMG.

DOE technical standards list. Department of Energy standards index

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-08-01

This document was prepared for use by personnel involved in the selection and use of DOE technical standards and other Government and non-Government standards. This TSL provides listing of current DOE technical standards, non-Government standards that have been adopted by DOE, other Government documents in which DOE has a recorded interest, and canceled DOE technical standards. Information on new DOE technical standards projects, technical standards released for coordination, recently published DOE technical standards, and activities of non-Government standards bodies that may be of interest to DOE is published monthly in Standards Actions.

Selected DOE Headquarters publications, October 1977-September 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-11-01

This sixth issue of cumulative listings of DOE Headquarters publications covers the first two years of the Department's operation (October 1, 1977 - September 30, 1979). It lists two groups of publications issued by then-existing Headquarters organizations and provides an index to their title keywords. The two groups of publications are publications assigned a DOE/XXX-type report number code and Headquarters contractor reports prepared by contractors (and published by DOE) to describe research and development work they have performed for the Department. Certain publications are omitted. They include such items as pamphlets, fact sheets, bulletins, newsletters, and telephone directories, as well as headquarters publications issued under the DOE-tr (DOE translation) and CONF (conference proceedings) codes, and technical reports from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA issued under DOE/JPL and DOE/NASA codes. The contents of this issue will not be repeated in subsequent issues of DOE/AD-0010

Selected DOE Headquarters publications, October 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-07-01

This publication provides cumulative listings of and an index to DOE headquarters publications issued since October 1979. Three types of headquarters publications are included: publications dealing mainly with program and policy that are attributed to and issued by headquarters organizations, reports prepared by contractors to describe research and development work they have performed for the Department, and environmental development plans and impact statements. Such items as pamphlets, fact sheets, bulletins, newsletters, telephone directories, headquarters publications issued under the DOE-tr and CONF codes, technical reports from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA issued under DOE/JPL and DOE/NASA codes, and weekly/monthly reports of the Energy Information Administration are not included. (RWR)

Analysis of DOE international environmental management activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ragaini, R.C.

1995-09-01

The Department of Energy`s (DOE) Strategic Plan (April 1994) states that DOE`s long-term vision includes world leadership in environmental restoration and waste management activities. The activities of the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) can play a key role in DOE`s goals of maintaining U.S. global competitiveness and ensuring the continuation of a world class science and technology community. DOE`s interest in attaining these goals stems partly from its participation in organizations like the Trade Policy Coordinating Committee (TPCC), with its National Environmental Export Promotion Strategy, which seeks to strengthen U.S. competitiveness and the building of public-private partnerships as part of U.S. industrial policy. The International Interactions Field Office task will build a communication network which will facilitate the efficient and effective communication between DOE Headquarters, Field Offices, and contractors. Under this network, Headquarters will provide the Field Offices with information on the Administration`s policies and activities (such as the DOE Strategic Plan), interagency activities, as well as relevant information from other field offices. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will, in turn, provide Headquarters with information on various international activities which, when appropriate, will be included in reports to groups like the TPCC and the EM Focus Areas. This task provides for the collection, review, and analysis of information on the more significant international environmental restoration and waste management initiatives and activities which have been used or are being considered at LLNL. Information gathering will focus on efforts and accomplishments in meeting the challenges of providing timely and cost effective cleanup of its environmentally damaged sites and facilities, especially through international technical exchanges and/or the implementation of foreign-development technologies.

1996 DOE technical standards program workshop: Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-07-01

The workshop theme is `The Strategic Standardization Initiative - A Technology Exchange and Global Competitiveness Challenge for DOE.` The workshop goal is to inform the DOE technical standards community of strategic standardization activities taking place in the Department, other Government agencies, standards developing organizations, and industry. Individuals working on technical standards will be challenged to improve cooperation and communications with the involved organizations in response to the initiative. Workshop sessions include presentations by representatives from various Government agencies that focus on coordination among and participation of Government personnel in the voluntary standards process; reports by standards organizations, industry, and DOE representatives on current technology exchange programs; and how the road ahead appears for `information superhighway` standardization. Another session highlights successful standardization case studies selected from several sites across the DOE complex. The workshop concludes with a panel discussion on the goals and objectives of the DOE Technical Standards Program as envisioned by senior DOE management. The annual workshop on technical standards has proven to be an effective medium for communicating information related to standards throughout the DOE community. Technical standards are used to transfer technology and standardize work processes to produce consistent, acceptable results. They provide a practical solution to the Department`s challenge to protect the environment and the health and safety of the public and workers during all facility operations. Through standards, the technologies of industries and governments worldwide are available to DOE. The DOE Technical Standards Program, a Department-wide effort that crosscuts all organizations and disciplines, links the Department to those technologies.

The coal deposits of the Alkali Butte, the Big Sand Draw, and the Beaver Creek fields, Fremont County, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Raymond M.; White, Vincent L.

1952-01-01

Large coal reserves are present in three areas located between 12 and 20 miles southeast of Riverton, Fremont County, central Wyoming. Coal in two of these areas, the Alkali Butte coal field and the Big Sand Draw coal field, is exposed on the surface and has been developed to some extent by underground mining. The Beaver Creek coal field is known only from drill cuttings and cores from wells drilled for oil and gas in the Beaver Creek oil and gas field.These three coal areas can be reached most readily from Riverton, Wyo. State Route 320 crosses Wind River about 1 mile south of Riverton. A few hundred yards south of the river a graveled road branches off the highway and extends south across the Popo Agie River toward Sand Draw oil and gas field. About 8 miles south of the highway along the Sand Draw road, a dirt road bears east and along this road it is about 12 miles to the Bell coal mine in the Alkali Butte coal field. Three miles southeast of the Alkali Butte turn-off, 3 miles of oiled road extends southwest into the Beaver Creek oil and gas field. About 6 miles southeast of the Beaver Creek turn-off, in the valley of Little Sand Draw Creek, a dirt road extends east 1. mile and then southeast 1 mile to the Downey mine in the Big Sand Draw coal field. Location of these coal fields is shown on figure 1 with their relationship to the Wind River basin and other coal fields, place localities, and wells mentioned in this report. The coal in the Alkali Butte coal field is exposed partly on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Tps. 1 and 2 S., R. 6 E., and partly on public land. Coal in the Beaver Creek and Big Sand Draw coal fields is mainly on public land. The region has a semiarid climate with rainfall averaging less than 10 in. per year. When rain does fall the sandy-bottomed stream channels fill rapidly and are frequently impassable for a few hours. Beaver Creek, Big Sand Draw, Little Sand Draw, and Kirby Draw and their smaller tributaries drain the area and flow

Potential climatic mechanisms associated with the mega drought at 4200 cal yr BP: linking proxy data with modern climate analogues

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, V.; Shinker, J. J.

2017-12-01

Roughly 4200 years ago, a 150-year long mega drought occurred in the central Rocky Mountains, as indicated by pollen evidence from lake sediments from Long Lake, south-eastern Wyoming. However, pollen evidence does not record the climate mechanisms that caused the drought; they only provide evidence that the drought occurred. A modern climate analogue technique using North American Regional Reanalysis data was applied to the sedimentary data in order to identify possible synoptic and dynamic patterns that may have caused the mega drought at 4200 cal yr BP. Our results suggest warm and dry conditions were a result of anomalously higher-than-normal geopotential heights that were centred over the Great Plains beginning in the spring and persisting through the fall. Drought conditions during the growing seasons was the result of the anomalous high-pressure ridge, which suppressed moisture transport via the low level jet from the Gulf of Mexico, as well as brought in dry continental air from in the interior region of North America. The conditions associated with modern analogues offer a potential climate mechanism that caused the mega drought 4200 years ago, and likely led to the changes in vegetation composition as evidenced by the pollen record from Long Lake, Wyoming.

National logging program for the National Uranium Resource Evaluation. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Mineral Engineering Division (MED) of High Life Helicopters, Inc., operated from May, 1979, through August, 1981, as a subcontractor to the Department of Energy (DOE) to acquire downhole geophysical log information in support of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program (NURE). MED acquired downhole geophysical log information in 26 1 0 x 2 0 NTMS quadrangles in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. MED obtained the log information by gaining permission to log oil and gas wells, water wells, and coal exploration holes. Actual geophysical logging was subcontracted to Century Geophysical Corporation. After logging of each well and completed, MED submitted the log information and other pertinent data to Bendix Field Engineering Corporation (BFEC) for evaluation. MED collected over 700,000 feet of geophysical logs. Additionally, MED conducted a search of log libraries for existing log data for twelve of the quadrangles included in the program. It should be noted that ERTEC, Inc. conducted geophysical logging and a log library search to five quadrangles in Wyoming. These areas were later assigned to MED. The location of all wells logged by MED and ERTEC and the location of other log data is shown on the enclosed maps. Detailed information that pertains to each well is provided following each map

Resistivity Image from 2D Inversion of Magnetotelluric Data in the Northern Cascadia Subduction Zone (United States)

Science.gov (United States)

Gultom, F. B.; Niasari, S. W.; Hartantyo, E.

2018-04-01

Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) lies between Pacific margin and North America plate. The purpose of this research is to identify the CSZ along Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming from conductivity (σ) contrast in the subsurface by using the magnetotelluric (MT) method. MT is an electromagnetic method that use frequency between 10-4 Hz and 104 Hz. We obtained the MT data from the EarthScope USArray in the form of EDI-File (five components of the electromagnetic field). We analyzed the MT data using phase tensor and modeled the data using 2D inversion. From the phase tensor analysis, the 3D data dominated the eastern regions. Global data misfit is 6,88, where WYI18 (close to Yellowstone) contributes misfit of 29,3. This means that the model response does not fit the data, which implies the data is not fully 2D. The 2D inversion results are found high resistivity anomalies (more than 500 ohm.m) at shallow depth beneath Oregon and Wyoming, which coresspond to high density anomalies. This high resistivity anomalies might correspond to the north American plate. Thus, it can be concluded that 2D inversion model can be used for most 3D MT data to illustrate the resistivity distribution in the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Selected DOE Headquarters publications, October 1977-September 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-11-01

This sixth issue of cumulative listings of DOE Headquarters publications covers the first two years of the Department's operation (October 1, 1977 - September 30, 1979). It lists two groups of publications issued by then-existing Headquarters organizations and provides an index to their title keywords. The two groups of publications are publications assigned a DOE/XXX-type report number code and Headquarters contractor reports prepared by contractors (and published by DOE) to describe research and development work they have performed for the Department. Certain publications are omitted. They include such items as pamphlets, fact sheets, bulletins, newsletters, and telephone directories, as well as headquarters publications issued under the DOE-tr (DOE translation) and CONF (conference proceedings) codes, and technical reports from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA issued under DOE/JPL and DOE/NASA codes. The contents of this issue will not be repeated in subsequent issues of DOE/AD-0010. (RWR)

Comparing crash trends and severity in the northern Rocky Mountain region.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

Safety Management Systems are federally mandated in an effort to encourage states to develop strategic programs in order to : mitigate severe crashes. In 2006, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) published the Wyoming Strategic Highway S...

77 FR 27769 - Greybull Valley Irrigation District; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-11

...-hours. Applicant Contacts: Mr. Lee Allen, 989 Highway 20 West, P.O. Box 44, Emblem, Wyoming 82422; phone: (307) 762-3555. Mr. William Schlenker, 989 Highway 20 West, P.O. Box 44, Emblem, Wyoming 82422; phone...

Hydrologic and Isotopic Sensitivity of Alpine Lakes to Climate Change in the Medicine Bow Mountains, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Liefert, D. T.; Shuman, B. N.; Mercer, J.; Parsekian, A.; Williams, D. G.

2017-12-01

Climate reconstructions show that global average temperatures were 0.5°C higher than today during the mid-Holocene, falling well within projections for increases in global average temperature presented in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. Despite the consensus for the prediction of a warmer climate, however, it is unclear how snowmelt from high-elevation watersheds will be affected by such a change. Snowmelt contributes substantially to major rivers in the western United States, and much of the water flows through lakes in the highest-elevation watersheds. Our water balance models show that modern alpine lakes with seasonably unstable water levels can desiccate primarily through groundwater outflow, resulting in increased groundwater storage that likely sustains baseflow in mountain streams once snowmelt has subsided in late summer. However, contribution of freshwater from alpine lakes to streams may vary over time as changes in climate alters snowpack, rates of evaporation, and the abundance of snowmelt-fed lakes. As such, alpine lakes with seasonally unstable water levels today may have dried out entirely during the mid-Holocene warm period and may dry out in the future as temperatures increase. To investigate the response of alpine lakes to temperatures of the mid-Holocene, we collected 9 sediment cores from closed-basin alpine lakes in the Medicine Bow Mountains of southern Wyoming that lose most their volumes each summer. We use radiocarbon-dating of charcoal in basal sediments to determine lake formation age, abundance of conifer needles to infer relative forest cover, and a δ18O carbonate record to determine changes in the ratio of evaporation to precipitation in an alpine lake that existed throughout the Holocene. Warming likely changed watershed hydrology through a) decreased snowpack and earlier snowmelt, b) increased evaporation, and c) increased transpiration associated with expanded forest cover and longer growing seasons

What does the Minister do?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm Pedersen, Lene; Bhatti, Yosef; Hjelmar, Ulf

If management matters to performance, then it is also likely to be of importance how managers spend their time. Hence, ‘what does the manager do’ has been a classical research question, which this paper applies to leaders at the ultimate top asking, what does the minister do? The research is based...

DOE technical standards list: Department of Energy standards index

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-05-01

This Department of Energy (DOE) technical standards list (TSL) has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Safety Policy and Standards (EH-31) on the basis of currently available technical information. Periodic updates of this TSL will be issued as additional information is received on standardization documents being issued, adopted, or canceled by DOE. This document was prepared for use by personnel involved in the selection and use of DOE technical standards and other Government and non-Government standards. This TSL provides listings of current DOE technical standards, non-Government standards that have been adopted by DOE, other standards-related documents in which DOE has a recorded interest, and canceled DOE technical standards. Information on new DOE technical standards projects, technical standards released for coordination, recently published DOE technical standards, and activities of non-Government standards bodies that may be of interest to DOE is published monthly in Standards Actions.

A Safety Case Approach for Deep Geologic Disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in Bedded Salt - 13350

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sevougian, S. David [Advanced Nuclear Energy Programs Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); MacKinnon, Robert J. [Advanced Nuclear Energy Programs Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); Leigh, Christi D. [Defense Waste Management Programs Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); Hansen, Frank D. [Geoscience Research and Applications Group, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States)

2013-07-01

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility and utility of developing a defensible safety case for disposal of United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) high-level waste (HLW) and DOE spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in a conceptual deep geologic repository that is assumed to be located in a bedded salt formation of the Delaware Basin [1]. A safety case is a formal compilation of evidence, analyses, and arguments that substantiate and demonstrate the safety of a proposed or conceptual repository. We conclude that a strong initial safety case for potential licensing can be readily compiled by capitalizing on the extensive technical basis that exists from prior work on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), other U.S. repository development programs, and the work published through international efforts in salt repository programs such as in Germany. The potential benefits of developing a safety case include leveraging previous investments in WIPP to reduce future new repository costs, enhancing the ability to effectively plan for a repository and its licensing, and possibly expediting a schedule for a repository. A safety case will provide the necessary structure for organizing and synthesizing existing salt repository science and identifying any issues and gaps pertaining to safe disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in bedded salt. The safety case synthesis will help DOE to plan its future R and D activities for investigating salt disposal using a risk-informed approach that prioritizes test activities that include laboratory, field, and underground investigations. It should be emphasized that the DOE has not made any decisions regarding the disposition of DOE HLW and DOE SNF. Furthermore, the safety case discussed herein is not intended to either site a repository in the Delaware Basin or preclude siting in other media at other locations. Rather, this study simply presents an approach for accelerated development of a safety case for a potential

A Safety Case Approach for Deep Geologic Disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in Bedded Salt - 13350

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sevougian, S. David; MacKinnon, Robert J.; Leigh, Christi D.; Hansen, Frank D.

2013-01-01

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility and utility of developing a defensible safety case for disposal of United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) high-level waste (HLW) and DOE spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in a conceptual deep geologic repository that is assumed to be located in a bedded salt formation of the Delaware Basin [1]. A safety case is a formal compilation of evidence, analyses, and arguments that substantiate and demonstrate the safety of a proposed or conceptual repository. We conclude that a strong initial safety case for potential licensing can be readily compiled by capitalizing on the extensive technical basis that exists from prior work on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), other U.S. repository development programs, and the work published through international efforts in salt repository programs such as in Germany. The potential benefits of developing a safety case include leveraging previous investments in WIPP to reduce future new repository costs, enhancing the ability to effectively plan for a repository and its licensing, and possibly expediting a schedule for a repository. A safety case will provide the necessary structure for organizing and synthesizing existing salt repository science and identifying any issues and gaps pertaining to safe disposal of DOE HLW and DOE SNF in bedded salt. The safety case synthesis will help DOE to plan its future R and D activities for investigating salt disposal using a risk-informed approach that prioritizes test activities that include laboratory, field, and underground investigations. It should be emphasized that the DOE has not made any decisions regarding the disposition of DOE HLW and DOE SNF. Furthermore, the safety case discussed herein is not intended to either site a repository in the Delaware Basin or preclude siting in other media at other locations. Rather, this study simply presents an approach for accelerated development of a safety case for a potential

Comparison of selected DOE and non-DOE requirements, standards, and practices for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cole, L.; Kudera, D.; Newberry, W.

1995-12-01

This document results from the Secretary of Energy's response to Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 94--2. The Secretary stated that the US Department of Energy (DOE) would ''address such issues as...the need for additional requirements, standards, and guidance on low-level radioactive waste management. '' The authors gathered information and compared DOE requirements and standards for the safety aspects Of low-level disposal with similar requirements and standards of non-DOE entities

Alcohol: Does It Affect Blood Pressure?

Science.gov (United States)

Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure? Does drinking alcohol affect your blood pressure? Answers from Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Having ...

Accident analysis and DOE criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graf, J.M.; Elder, J.C.

1982-01-01

In analyzing the radiological consequences of major accidents at DOE facilities one finds that many facilities fall so far below the limits of DOE Order 6430 that compliance is easily demonstrated by simple analysis. For those cases where the amount of radioactive material and the dispersive energy available are enough for accident consequences to approach the limits, the models and assumptions used become critical. In some cases the models themselves are the difference between meeting the criteria or not meeting them. Further, in one case, we found that not only did the selection of models determine compliance but the selection of applicable criteria from different chapters of Order 6430 also made the difference. DOE has recognized the problem of different criteria in different chapters applying to one facility, and has proceeded to make changes for the sake of consistency. We have proposed to outline the specific steps needed in an accident analysis and suggest appropriate models, parameters, and assumptions. As a result we feed DOE siting and design criteria will be more fairly and consistently applied

Eleventh annual report of radiation exposures for DOE and DOE contractor employees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

In 1968, the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) established a program for reporting certain occupationa radiation exposure information to a central radiation records repository maintained at the Union Carbide Computing Technology Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Annual summaries (WASH-1350-R1 through WASH-1350-R6) were reported for the years 1968-1973 and included data on AEC contracter employees as well as employees of companies in the private sector licensed by the AEC. In January 1975, the operational functions of the AEC, including the maintenance of records on the occupational radiation exposure on contractor employees, were transferred to the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) and the AEC's regulatory functions, including the reporting of information on the occupational radiation exposure of licenses, were transferred to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Previous AEC licenses then reported to NRC while the contractors reported to ERDA. On October 1, 1977, the Department of Energy (DOE) was formed and assumed the responsibilities of ERDA. This report contains the 1978 radiation exposure data for DOE and DOE contractors

DOE/Industry Matching Grant Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, John C.

2003-01-01

For the academic year 2001-2002, the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences received $50,000 of industrial contributions, matched by a DOE grant of $35,000. We used the combined DOE/Industry Matching Grant of $85,000 toward (a) undergraduate merit scholarships and research support, (b) graduate student support, and (c) partial support of a research scientist

The Conference Proceedings of the 2003 Air Transport Research Society (ATRS) World Conference, Volume 2

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Brent (Editor); Gudmundsson, Sveinn (Editor); Oum, Tae (Editor)

2003-01-01

The UNO Aviation Institute Monograph Series began in 1994 as a key component of the education outreach and information transfer missions of the Aviation Institute and the NASA Nebraska Space Grant & EPSCoR Programs. The series is an outlet for aviation materials to be indexed and disseminated through an efficient medium. Publications are welcome in all aspects of aviation. Publication formats may include, but are not limited to, conference proceedings, bibliographies, research reports, manuals, technical reports, and other documents that should be archived and indexed for future reference by the aviation and world wide communities.

Selected DOE Headquarters publications, October 1979-

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-11-01

This publication provides a cumulative listing of and an index to DOE headquarters publications issued since October 1979. (Publications issued during October 1977 to September 1979 are covered in DOE/AD-0010/6.) Three types of headquarters publications are included: publications dealing mainly with program and policy that are attributed to and issued by headquarters organizations, reports prepared by contractors (and published by DOE) to describe research and development work they have performed for the Department, and environmental development plans, environmental impact statements, and environmental readiness documents. Certain publications have been omitted. They include such items as pamphlets, fact sheets, bulletins, newsletters, and telephone directories. Also omitted are weekly/monthly reports of the Energy Information Administration and headquarters publications issued under the DOE-tr and CONF codes. (RWR)

Negotiating equity for management of DOE wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carnes, S.A.

1994-01-01

One important factor frustrating optimal management of Department of Energy (DOE)-complex wastes is the inability to use licensed and permitted facilities systematically. Achieving the goal of optimal use of DOE's waste management facilities is politically problematic for two reasons. First, no locale wants to bear a disproportionate burden from DOE wastes. Second, the burden imposed by additional wastes transported from one site to another is difficult to characterize. To develop a viable framework for equitably distributing these burdens while achieving efficient use of all DOE waste management facilities, several implementation and equity issues must be addressed and resolved. This paper discusses stakeholder and equity issues and proposes a framework for joint research and action that could facilitate equity negotiations among stakeholder and move toward a more optimal use of DOE's waste management capabilities

Negotiating equity for management of DOE wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carnes, S.A.

1993-01-01

One important factor frustrating optimal management of DOE-complex wastes is inability to use licensed and permitted facilities systematically. Achieving the goal of optimal use of DOE's waste management facilities is politically problematic for two reasons. First, no locale wants to bear a disproportionate burden from DOE wastes. Second, the burden imposed by additional wastes transported from one site to another is difficult to characterize. To develop a viable framework for equitably distributing these burdens while achieving efficient use of all DOE waste management facilities, several implementation and equity issues must be addressed and resolved. This paper discusses stakeholders and equity issues and proposes a framework for joint research and action that could facilitate equity negotiations among stakeholders and move toward a more optimal use of DOE's waste management capabilities

Negotiating equity for management of DOE wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carnes, S.A.

1994-01-01

One important factor frustrating optimal management of Department of Energy (DOE)-complex wastes is the inability to use licensed and permitted facilities systematically. Achieving the goal of optimal use of DOE's waste management facilities is politically problematic for two reasons. First, no locale wants to bear a disproportionate burden from DOE wastes. Second, the burden imposed by additional wastes transported from one site to another is difficult to characterize. To develop a viable framework for equitably distributing these burdens while achieving efficient use of all DOE waste management facilities, several implementation and equity issues must be addressed and resolved. This paper discusses stakeholders and equity issues and proposes a framework for joint research and action that could facilitate equity negotiations among stakeholders and move toward a more optimal use of DOE's waste management capabilities

DOE natural phenomena hazards mitigation conference: proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-10-01

The conference includes sessions which present an overview of DOE programs, available codes, standards and criteria, examples of designs and upgrades from the DOE complex, lessons learned from past natural phenomena, ground motion, seismic evaluation of equipment, and applications of probabilistic risk assessment techniques to DOE facilities. Separate abstracts have been prepared for individual papers

DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Thomas, B.L.; Riley, R.G.; Sklarew, D.S.; Mong, G.M.; Fadeff, S.K.

1993-03-01

DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) provides applicable methods in use by. the US Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories for sampling and analyzing constituents of waste and environmental samples. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Laboratory Management Division (LMD) of the DOE. This document contains chapters and methods that are proposed for use in evaluating components of DOE environmental and waste management samples. DOE Methods is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities that will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or others

DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goheen, S C; McCulloch, M; Thomas, B L; Riley, R G; Sklarew, D S; Mong, G M; Fadeff, S K [eds.; Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

1994-04-01

DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) provides applicable methods in use by. the US Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories for sampling and analyzing constituents of waste and environmental samples. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Laboratory Management Division (LMD) of the DOE. This document contains chapters and methods that are proposed for use in evaluating components of DOE environmental and waste management samples. DOE Methods is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities that will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or others.

DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Thomas, B.L.; Riley, R.G.; Sklarew, D.S.; Mong, G.M.; Fadeff, S.K.

1994-04-01

DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities for the evaluation of environmental and waste management samples from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites. DOE Methods is the result of extensive cooperation from all DOE analytical laboratories. All of these laboratories have contributed key information and provided technical reviews as well as significant moral support leading to the success of this document. DOE Methods is designed to encompass methods for collecting representative samples and for determining the radioisotope activity and organic and inorganic composition of a sample. These determinations will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or others. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Laboratory Management Division of the DOE. Methods are prepared for entry into DOE Methods as chapter editors, together with DOE and other participants in this program, identify analytical and sampling method needs. Unique methods or methods consolidated from similar procedures in the DOE Procedures Database are selected for potential inclusion in this document. Initial selection is based largely on DOE needs and procedure applicability and completeness. Methods appearing in this document are one of two types. open-quotes Draftclose quotes or open-quotes Verified.close quotes. open-quotes Draftclose quotes methods that have been reviewed internally and show potential for eventual verification are included in this document, but they have not been reviewed externally, and their precision and bias may not be known. open-quotes Verifiedclose quotes methods in DOE Methods have been reviewed by volunteers from various DOE sites and private corporations

78 FR 2313 - Actions Taken at December 14, 2012, Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-10

... & Gas Corporation (Meshoppen Creek), Lemon Township, Wyoming County, Pa. Renewal of surface water... settlement involving a water resources project; (2) approved or tabled the applications of certain water... & Gas Corporation (Bowman Creek), Eaton Township, Wyoming County, Pa. Renewal of surface water...

78 FR 11138 - Annual List of Newspapers Used for Publication of Legal Notice of Decisions for the Rocky...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-15

... Daily Boomerang, published daily in Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming. Notice by District Rangers of... Wyoming Notice by Forest Supervisor of Availability for Comment and Decisions Laramie Daily Boomerang... and Decisions Laramie District: Laramie Daily Boomerang, published daily in Laramie, Albany County...

An application of Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) to three national forests in Colorado and Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Sherrouse, Benson C.; Semmens, Darius J.; Clement, Jessica M.

2014-01-01

Despite widespread recognition that social-value information is needed to inform stakeholders and decision makers regarding trade-offs in environmental management, it too often remains absent from ecosystem service assessments. Although quantitative indicators of social values need to be explicitly accounted for in the decision-making process, they need not be monetary. Ongoing efforts to map such values demonstrate how they can also be made spatially explicit and relatable to underlying ecological information. We originally developed Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) as a tool to assess, map, and quantify nonmarket values perceived by various groups of ecosystem stakeholders. With SolVES 2.0 we have extended the functionality by integrating SolVES with Maxent maximum entropy modeling software to generate more complete social-value maps from available value and preference survey data and to produce more robust models describing the relationship between social values and ecosystems. The current study has two objectives: (1) evaluate how effectively the value index, a quantitative, nonmonetary social-value indicator calculated by SolVES, reproduces results from more common statistical methods of social-survey data analysis and (2) examine how the spatial results produced by SolVES provide additional information that could be used by managers and stakeholders to better understand more complex relationships among stakeholder values, attitudes, and preferences. To achieve these objectives, we applied SolVES to value and preference survey data collected for three national forests, the Pike and San Isabel in Colorado and the Bridger–Teton and the Shoshone in Wyoming. Value index results were generally consistent with results found through more common statistical analyses of the survey data such as frequency, discriminant function, and correlation analyses. In addition, spatial analysis of the social-value maps produced by SolVES provided information that was