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Development Impact Assessment (DIA) Case Study. South Africa
Cox, Sadie; Nawaz, Kathleen; Sandor, Debra
This case study reviews South AfricaŌĆÖs experience in considering the impacts of climate change action on development goals, focusing on the South African energy sector and development impact assessments (DIAs) that have and could be used to influence energy policy or inform the selection of energy activities. It includes a review of assessmentsŌĆöconducted by government ministries, technical partners, and academic institutes and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)ŌĆöthat consider employment, health, and water implications of possible energy sector actions, as well as multi-criteria impact assessments.
Assessing human rights impacts in corporate development projects
Salcito, Kendyl; University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel; NomoGaia, 1900 Wazee Street, Suite 303, Denver, CO 80202; NewFields, LLC, Denver, CO 80202 ; Utzinger, J³rg; University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel ; Weiss, Mitchell G.; M³nch, Anna K.; Singer, Burton H.; Krieger, Gary R.; Wielga, Mark; NewFields, LLC, Denver, CO 80202
Human rights impact assessment (HRIA) is a process for systematically identifying, predicting and responding to the potential impact on human rights of a business operation, capital project, government policy or trade agreement. Traditionally, it has been conducted as a desktop exercise to predict the effects of trade agreements and government policies on individuals and communities. In line with a growing call for multinational corporations to ensure they do not violate human rights in their activities, HRIA is increasingly incorporated into the standard suite of corporate development project impact assessments. In this context, the policy world's non-structured, desk-based approaches to HRIA are insufficient. Although a number of corporations have commissioned and conducted HRIA, no broadly accepted and validated assessment tool is currently available. The lack of standardisation has complicated efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of HRIA as a risk mitigation tool, and has caused confusion in the corporate world regarding company duties. Hence, clarification is needed. The objectives of this paper are (i) to describe an HRIA methodology, (ii) to provide a rationale for its components and design, and (iii) to illustrate implementation of HRIA using the methodology in two selected corporate development projectsŚa uranium mine in Malawi and a tree farm in Tanzania. We found that as a prognostic tool, HRIA could examine potential positive and negative human rights impacts and provide effective recommendations for mitigation. However, longer-term monitoring revealed that recommendations were unevenly implemented, dependent on market conditions and personnel movements. This instability in the approach to human rights suggests a need for on-going monitoring and surveillance. -- Highlights: Ģ We developed a novel methodology for corporate human rights impact assessment. Ģ We piloted the methodology on two corporate projectsŚa mine and a plantation. Ģ Human rights
Development Impact Assessment (DIA) Case Study: South Africa
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
... Social impacts may include health (mortality and morbidity), poverty reduction, education, ... impacts and certain development impacts including GDP, employment, and povertywelfare. ...
LEDSGP/analysis/impacts/DIAWebinar on Development Impact Assessment...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
for Low Emissions Development AgencyCompany Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), Joint Implementation...
Strategic environmental assessment can help solve environmental impact assessment failures in developing countries
Alshuwaikhat, Habib M. . E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
The current trend of industrialization and urbanization in developing nations has a huge impact on anthropogenic and natural ecosystems. Pollution sources increase with the expansion of cities and cause contamination of water, air and soil. The absence of urban environmental planning and management strategies has resulted in greater concern for future urban development. This paper advocates the adoption of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) as a means to achieve sustainable development in developing countries. It investigates project-level environmental impact assessment (EIA) and its limitations. The exploration of SEA and its features are addressed. The effective implementation of SEA can create a roadmap for sustainable development. In many developing countries, the lack of transparency and accountability and ineffective public participation in the development of the policy, plan and program (PPP) would be mitigated by the SEA process. Moreover, the proactive and broadly based characteristics of SEA would benefit the institutional development of the PPP process, which is rarely experienced in many developing countries. The paper also explores the prospects for SEA and its guiding principles in developing countries. Finally, the paper calls for a coordinated effort between all government, nongovernment and international organizations involved with PPPs to enable developing countries to pursue a path of sustainable development through the development and application of strategic environmental assessment.
Category:LEDSGP Development Impacts Assessment Toolkits | Open...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Model S SEAGA Intermediate Level Handbook SimCLIM Simple Interactive Models for better air quality (SIM-air) Simplified Approach for Estimating Impacts of Electricity Generation...
Cumulative impact assessments and bird/wind farm interactions: Developing a conceptual framework
Masden, Elizabeth A.; Fox, Anthony D.; Furness, Robert W.; Bullman, Rhys; Haydon, Daniel T.
The wind power industry has grown rapidly in the UK to meet EU targets of sourcing 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020. Although wind power is a renewable energy source, there are environmental concerns over increasing numbers of wind farm proposals and associated cumulative impacts. Individually, a wind farm, or indeed any action, may have minor effects on the environment, but collectively these may be significant, potentially greater than the sum of the individual parts acting alone. EU and UK legislation requires a cumulative impact assessment (CIA) as part of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). However, in the absence of detailed guidance and definitions, such assessments within EIA are rarely adequate, restricting the acquisition of basic knowledge about the cumulative impacts of wind farms on bird populations. Here we propose a conceptual framework to promote transparency in CIA through the explicit definition of impacts, actions and scales within an assessment. Our framework requires improved legislative guidance on the actions to include in assessments, and advice on the appropriate baselines against which to assess impacts. Cumulative impacts are currently considered on restricted scales (spatial and temporal) relating to individual development EIAs. We propose that benefits would be gained from elevating CIA to a strategic level, as a component of spatially explicit planning.
Assessing Development Impacts Associated with Low Emission Development Strategies: Lessons Learned from Pilot Efforts in Kenya and Montenegro
Cox, S.; Katz, J.; Wurtenberger, L.
Low emission development strategies (LEDS) articulate economy-wide policies and implementation plans designed to enable a country to meet its long-term development objectives while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A development impact assessment tool was developed to inform an analytically robust and transparent prioritization of LEDS actions based on their economic, social, and environmental impacts. The graphical tool helps policymakers communicate the development impacts of LEDS options and identify actions that help meet both emissions reduction and development goals. This paper summarizes the adaptation and piloting of the tool in Kenya and Montenegro. The paper highlights strengths of the tool and discusses key needs for improving it.
Health impact assessment in planning: Development of the design for health HIA tools
Forsyth, Ann; Slotterback, Carissa Schively; Krizek, Kevin J.
How can planners more systematically incorporate health concerns into practical planning processes? This paper describes a suite of health impact assessment tools (HIAs) developed specifically for planning practice. Taking an evidence-based approach the tools are designed to fit into existing planning activities. The tools include: a short audit tool, the Preliminary Checklist; a structured participatory workshop, the Rapid HIA; an intermediate health impact assessment, the Threshold Analysis; and a set of Plan Review Checklists. This description provides a basis for future work including assessing tool validity, refining specific tools, and creating alternatives.
Assessment of the Value, Impact, and Validity of the Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Suite of Models
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Assessment of the Value, Impact, and Validity of the Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Suite of Models L. Billman and D. Keyser National Renewable Energy Laboratory Technical Report NREL/TP-6A20-56390 August 2013 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at
Assessment of the Value, Impact, and Validity of the Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Suite of Models
Billman, L.; Keyser, D.
The Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) models, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), use input-output methodology to estimate gross (not net) jobs and economic impacts of building and operating selected types of renewable electricity generation and fuel plants. This analysis provides the DOE with an assessment of the value, impact, and validity of the JEDI suite of models. While the models produce estimates of jobs, earnings, and economic output, this analysis focuses only on jobs estimates. This validation report includes an introduction to JEDI models, an analysis of the value and impact of the JEDI models, and an analysis of the validity of job estimates generated by JEDI model through comparison to other modeled estimates and comparison to empirical, observed jobs data as reported or estimated for a commercial project, a state, or a region.
The role of the international professional organization in the growth and development of environmental impact assessment
Voland, M.E. ); Page, J.M. )
Environmental impact assessment is an international phenomenon. A concept begun by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 in the US is becoming an important component of development planning throughout the world. In the summer of 1992, professionals from 44 countries attended the annual meeting of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA). The impact studies can go beyond the project focus of the US to encompass regional and country planning. Through active involvement in the meetings of the international professional organization, the environmental professional has the opportunity to hear formal presentations by those who have differing experiences based upon what is possible within their political and cultural systems. Further, informal interaction at these meetings provides the opportunity to share information, and learn from one another. This presentation will address the role of the professional organization in supporting environmental impact assessment internationally, particularly in developing nations; ways the professional organization can fulfill that role; and how a particular organization, the International Association for Impact Assessment, addresses these challenges.
Assessing Development Impacts Associated with Low Emission Development Strategies: Lessons Learned from Pilot Efforts in Kenya and Montenegro
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Assessing Development Impacts Associated with Low Emission Development Strategies: Lessons Learned from Pilot Efforts in Kenya and Montenegro S. Cox and J. Katz National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Laura W├╝rtenberger Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) Technical Report NREL/TP-6A20-58391 January 2014 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC This report
Effective use of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for geothermal development projects
Goff, S.J.
Both the developed and developing nations of the world would like to move toward a position of sustainable development while paying attention to the restoration of natural resources, improving the environment, and improving the quality of life. The impacts of geothermal development projects are generally positive. It is important, however, that the environmental issues associated with development be addressed in a systematic fashion. Drafted early in the project planning stage, a well-prepared Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) can significantly add to the quality of the overall project. An EIA customarily ends with the decision to proceed with the project. The environmental analysis process could be more effective if regular monitoring, detailed in the EIA, continues during project implementation. Geothermal development EIAs should be analytic rather than encyclopedic, emphasizing the impacts most closely associated with energy sector development. Air quality, water resources and quality, geologic factors, and socioeconomic issues will invariably be the most important factors. The purpose of an EIA should not be to generate paperwork, but to enable superb response. The EIA should be intended to help public officials make decisions that are based on an understanding of environmental consequences and take proper actions. The EIA process has been defined in different ways throughout the world. In fact, it appears that no two countries have defined it in exactly the same way. Going hand in hand with the different approaches to the process is the wide variety of formats available. It is recommended that the world geothermal community work towards the adoption of a standard. The Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)(OLADE, 1993) prepared a guide that presents a comprehensive discussion of the environmental impacts and suggested mitigation alternatives associated with geothermal development projects. The OLADE guide
Role of slope stability in cumulative impact assessment of hydropower development: North Cascades, Washington
Lee, R.R.; Staub, W.P.
Two environmental assessments considered the potential cumulative environmental impacts resulting from the development of eight proposed hydropower projects in the Nooksack River Basin and 11 proposed projects in the Skagit River Basin, North Cascades, Washington, respectively. While not identified as a target resource, slope stability and the alteration of sediment supply to creeks and river mainstems significantly affect other resources. The slope stability assessment emphasized the potential for cumulative impacts under disturbed conditions (e.g., road construction and timber harvesting) and a landslide-induced pipeline rupture scenario. In the case of small-scale slides, the sluicing action of ruptured pipeline water on the fresh landslide scarp was found to be capable of eroding significantly more material than the original landslide. For large-scale landslides, sluiced material was found to be a small increment of the original landslide. These results predicted that hypothetical accidental pipeline rupture by small-scale landslides may result in potential cumulative impacts for 12 of the 19 projects with pending license applications in both river basins. 5 refs., 2 tabs.
NWCC Guidelines for Assessing the Economic Development Impacts of Wind Power
Michael Taylor, Northwest Economic Associates Alan Fox, Northwest Economic Associates Jill Chilton, Northwest Economic Associates NWCC Economic Development Work Group Contributors Steve Clemmer, Lisa Daniels, Ed DeMeo, Rick Halet, Ron Lehr, Michael Milligan Vince Robinson
OAK-B135 The primary objective of this study is to provide examples of thorough and consistent analysis and documentation of economic impacts from wind power development.
Participatory health impact assessment for the development of local government regulation on hazard control
Inmuong, Uraiwan; Rithmak, Panee; Srisookwatana, Soomol; Traithin, Nathathai; Maisuporn, Pornpun
The Thai Public Health Act 1992 required the Thai local governments to issue respective regulations to take control of any possible health-hazard related activities, both from commercial and noncommercial sources. Since 1999, there has been centrally decentralized of power to a new form of local government establishment, namely Sub-district Administrative Organization (SAO). The SAO is asmall-scale local governing structure while its legitimate function is for community services, including control of health impact related activities. Most elected SAO administrators and officers are new and less experience with any of public health code of practice, particularly on health-hazard control. This action research attempted to introduce and apply a participatory health impact assessment (HIA) tool for the development of SAO health-hazard control regulation. The study sites were at Ban Meang and Kok See SAOs, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, while all intervention activities conducted during May 2005-April 2006. A set of cooperative activities between researchers and community representatives were planned and organized by; surveying and identifying place and service base locally causing local environmental health problems, organizing community participatory workshops for drafting and proposing the health-hazard control regulation, and appropriate practices for health-hazard controlling measures. This action research eventually could successfully enable the SAO administrators and officers understanding of local environmental-related health problem, as well as development of imposed health-hazard control regulation for local community.
Using biodiversity methods to assess the impacts of oil and gas development in tropical rain forests
Reagan, D.P.; Silva del Poso, X. |
Oil and gas development in tropical rain forests has attracted international attention because of the potentially adverse effects on the forest ecosystems. Biodiversity is a topic of particular concern, but is difficult to assess for small areas of disturbance. In July 1992 we used light traps to compare insect diversity at canopy and ground level as a means of detecting the impacts of an exploratory well site and related facilities within mature Amazonian rain forest in the Oriente Province of Ecuador. Replicate samples were collected at the well site, in a nearby area of agricultural development, and in a reference site within mature forest. Species richness was determined, and diversity indices were calculated for each set of samples. Results indicated that changes in diversity could be detected in the canopy and at ground level at the well site, but that the reduction in diversity was small. Biological diversity was substantially reduced in the area of agricultural development. Limitations and possible applications of this approach are discussed.
Framing effectiveness in impact assessment: Discourse accommodation in controversial infrastructure development
Rozema, Jaap G.; Bond, Alan J.
There is ongoing debate about the effectiveness of impact assessment tools, which matters both because of the threat to future practice of the tools which are frequently perceived to be ineffective, and because of the disillusionment that can ensue, and controversy generated, amongst stakeholders in a decision context where opportunities for meaningful debate have not been provided. In this article we regard debate about the meaning of effectiveness in impact assessment as an inevitable consequence of increased participation in environmental decision-making, and therefore frame effectiveness based on an inclusive democracy role to mean the extent to which impact assessment can accommodate civil society discourse. Our aim is to investigate effectiveness based on this framing by looking at one type of impact assessment ŌĆō environmental impact assessment (EIA) ŌĆō in two controversial project proposals: the HS2 rail network in England; and the A4DS motorway in the Netherlands. Documentary analysis and interviews held with key civil society stakeholders have been deployed to identify discourses that were mobilised in the cases. EIA was found to be able to accommodate only one out of four discourses that were identified; for the other three it did not provide the space for the arguments that characterised opposition. The conclusion in relation to debate on framings of effectiveness is that EIA will not be considered effective by the majority of stakeholders. EIA was established to support decision-making through a better understanding of impacts, so its ineffectiveness is unsurprising when its role is perceived to be broader. However, there remains a need to map discourses in different decision contexts and to analyse the extent to which the range of discourses are accommodated throughout the decision process, and the role of impact assessment in those processes, before recommendations can be made to either improve impact assessment effectiveness, or whether it is
Volume 9: A Review of Socioeconomic Impacts of Oil Shale Development WESTERN OIL SHALE DEVELOPMENT: A TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
Rotariu, G. J.
recognize that the rate of development, the magnitude of development, and the technology mix that will actually take place remain uncertain. Although we emphasize that other energy and mineral resources besides oil shale may be developed, the conclusions reached in this study reflect only those impacts that would be felt from the oil shale scenario. Socioeconomic impacts in the region reflect the uneven growth rate implied by the scenario and will be affected by the timing of industry developments, the length and magnitude of the construction phase of development, and the shift in employment profiles predicted in the scenario. The facilities in the southern portion of the oil shale region, those along the Colorado River and Parachute Creek, show a peak in the construction work force in the mid-1980s, whereas those f acil it i es in the Piceance Creek Bas into the north show a construction peak in the late 1980s. Together, the facilities will require a large construction work force throughout the decade, with a total of 4800 construction workers required in 1985. Construction at the northern sites and second phase construction in the south will require 6000 workers in 1988. By 1990, the operation work force will increase to 7950. Two important characteristics of oil shale development emerge from the work force estimates: (1) peak-year construction work forces will be 90-120% the size of the permanent operating work force; and (2) the yearly changes in total work force requirements will be large, as much as 900 in one year at one facility. To estimate population impacts on individual communities, we devised a population distribution method that is described in Sec. IV. Variables associated with the projection of population impacts are discussed and methodologies of previous assessments are compared. Scenario-induced population impacts estimated by the Los Alamos method are compared to projections of a model employed by the Colorado West Area Council of Governments. Oil shale
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Office
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Office of Information Resources - FOIAXpress Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetext/neword/206/02061.pdf Please complete electronically: no hand-written submissions will be accepted. This template may not be modified. MODULE 1- PRIVACY
Health impact assessment in Korea
Kang, Eunjeong; Lee, Youngsoo; Harris, Patrick; Koh, Kwangwook; Kim, Keonyeop
Recently, Health Impact Assessment has gained great attention in Korea. First, the Ministry of Environment introduced HIA within existing Environment Impact Assessment. Second, the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs began an HIA program in 2008 in alliance with Healthy Cities. In this short report, these two different efforts are introduced and their opportunities and challenges discussed. We believe these two approaches complement each other and both need to be strengthened. We also believe that both can contribute to the development of health in policy and project development and ultimately to improvements in the Korean population's health.
Local governments' efforts to implement environmental impact assessment requirements on development activities: Cause and effect in North Carolina
Spangler, J.A. )
Various government entities in North Carolina have seen the need to implement specific policy which requires organizations responsible for certain development activities to perform a detailed assessment of comprehensive environmental impacts. Some governments have enacted policy, and a number of others are evaluating the need for policy implementation. The consideration of environmental effects of the development action early in the project planning process is, in many cases, an effect of the implementation of such policies, rather than a purpose. This study evaluates the varying ideals and rationale upon which local leaders have based environmental policies. Also, this study assesses the effectiveness of a variety of policies currently enacted and compares the final results of projects which have had to comply with the policies. Through the use of a survey distributed to officials responsible for policy enactment, local government personnel responsible for implementation and others involved in both public and private development, a relative assessment of effectiveness of different policies is postulated.
Assessment of H-Coal process developments: impact on the performance and economics of a proposed commercial plant
Talib, A.; Gray, D.; Neuworth, M.
This report assesses the performance of the H-Coal process, a catalytic direct liquefaction process, at a process development and large pilot-plant scale of operation. The assessment focused on the evaluation of operating results from selected long-term successful process development unit (PDU) and pilot plant runs made on Illinois No. 6 coal. The pilot plant has largely duplicated the product yield structure obtained during the PDU runs. Also, the quality of products, particularly liquid products, produced during the pilot plant run is quite comparable to that produced during the PDU runs. This confirms the scalability of the H-Coal ebullated-bed reactor system from a PDU-scale, 3 tons of coal per day, to a large pilot scale, 220 tons of coal per day, plant. The minor product yield differences, such as higher yields of C/sub 3/, C/sub 4/, and naphtha fractions, and lower yields of distillate oils obtained during pilot plant runs as compared to the PDU runs, will not impact the projected technical and economic performance of a first-of-a-kind commercial H-Coal plant. Thus, the process yield and operating data collected during the PDU operations provided an adequate basis for projecting the technical and economic performance of the proposed H-Coal commercial plant. 18 references, 9 figures, 56 tables.
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: INL Communications
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Communications and Public Affairs Tour Tracker PIA Template Version 3 - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for reqUirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/o2061.pdf Please complete electronically: no hand-written submissions will be accepted. This template may
Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments Status Chart Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments Status Chart The Status Chart provides the ...
Road ecology in environmental impact assessment
Karlson, M├źrten M├Črtberg, Ulla Balfors, Berit
Transport infrastructure has a wide array of effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and road and railway networks are increasingly being associated with a loss of biodiversity worldwide. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) are two legal frameworks that concern physical planning, with the potential to identify, predict, mitigate and/or compensate transport infrastructure effects with negative impacts on biodiversity. The aim of this study was to review the treatment of ecological impacts in environmental assessment of transport infrastructure plans and projects. A literature review on the topic of EIA, SEA, biodiversity and transport infrastructure was conducted, and 17 problem categories on the treatment of biodiversity were formulated by means of a content analysis. A review of environmental impact statements and environmental reports (EIS/ER) produced between 2005 and 2013 in Sweden and the UK was then conducted using the list of problems as a checklist. The results show that the treatment of ecological impacts has improved substantially over the years, but that some impacts remain problematic; the treatment of fragmentation, the absence of quantitative analysis and that the impact assessment study area was in general delimited without consideration for the scales of ecological processes. Actions to improve the treatment of ecological impacts could include improved guidelines for spatial and temporal delimitation, and the establishment of a quantitative framework including tools, methods and threshold values. Additionally, capacity building and further method development of EIA and SEA friendly spatial ecological models can aid in clarifying the costs as well as the benefits in development/biodiversity tradeoffs. - Highlights: ŌĆó The treatment of ecological impacts in EIA and SEA has improved. ŌĆó Quantitative methods for ecological impact assessment were rarely used ŌĆó Fragmentation effects were recognized
JC3 High Impact Assessment Bulletins | Department of Energy
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
High Impact Assessment Bulletins JC3 High
JC3 Low Impact Assessment Bulletins | Department of Energy
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Low Impact Assessment Bulletins JC3 Low
JC3 Medium Impact Assessment Bulletins | Department of Energy
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Medium Impact Assessment Bulletins JC3 Medium
Assessing the health equity impacts of regional land-use plan making: An equity focussed health impact assessment of alternative patterns of development of the Whitsunday Hinterland and Mackay Regional Plan, Australia (Short report)
Gunning, Colleen; Harris, Patrick; Mallett, John
Health service and partners completed an equity focussed health impact assessment to influence the consideration of health and equity within regional land-use planning in Queensland, Australia. This project demonstrated how an equity oriented assessment matrix can assist in testing regional planning scenarios. It is hoped that this HIA will contribute to the emerging interest in ensuring that potential differential health impacts continue to be considered as part of land-use planning processes.
Assessing Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation: The Case of Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed Jump to: navigation, search Name Assessing Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability...
Final Systems Development Report for the Clark County Socioeconomic Impact Assessment of the Proposed High-Level Nuclear Waste Repository at Yucca Mountain, NV
The Systems Development Report represents the third major step in the Clark County Socioeconomic Impact Assessment of the Proposed High-Level Nuclear Waste Repository at Yucca Mound Nevada. The first of these steps was to forge a Research Design that would serve as a guide for the overall research process. The second step was the construction of the Base Case, the purpose of which was to describe existing conditions in Clark County in the specified analytic areas of Economic-Demographic/Fiscal, Emergency Planning and Management, Transportation and Sociocultural analysis. The base case description will serve as a basis for assessing changes in these topic areas that might result from the Yucca Mountain project. These changes will be assessed by analyzing conditions with and without repository development in the county. Prior to performing such assessments, however, the snapshot type of data found in the base case must be operationalized or systematized to allow for more dynamic data utilization. In other words, a data system that can be used to analyze the consequences of the introduction of different variables (or variable values) in the Clark County context must be constructed. Such a system must be capable of being updated through subsequent data collection and monitoring efforts to both provide a rolling base case and supply information necessary to construct trend analyses. For example, during the Impact Assessment phase of the study process, the without repository analysis is accomplished by analyzing growth for the county given existing conditions and likely trends. These data are then compared to the with Yucca Mountain project conditions anticipated for the county. Similarly, once the emergency planning management and response needs associated with the repository are described, these needs will be juxtaposed against existing (and various future) capacity(ies) in order to determine the nature and magnitude of impacts in this analytic area. Analogous tasks
A framework for combining social impact assessment and risk assessment
Mahmoudi, Hossein; Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C. ; Renn, Ortwin; Vanclay, Frank; Hoffmann, Volker; Karami, Ezatollah
An increasing focus on integrative approaches is one of the current trends in impact assessment. There is potential to combine impact assessment with various other forms of assessment, such as risk assessment, to make impact assessment and the management of social risks more effective. We identify the common features of social impact assessment (SIA) and social risk assessment (SRA), and discuss the merits of a combined approach. A hybrid model combining SIA and SRA to form a new approach called, ŌĆśrisk and social impact assessmentŌĆÖ (RSIA) is introduced. RSIA expands the capacity of SIA to evaluate and manage the social impacts of risky projects such as nuclear energy as well as natural hazards and disasters such as droughts and floods. We outline the three stages of RSIA, namely: impact identification, impact assessment, and impact management. -- Highlights: ŌĆó A hybrid model to combine SIA and SRA namely RSIA is proposed. ŌĆó RSIA can provide the proper mechanism to assess social impacts of natural hazards. ŌĆó RSIA can play the role of ex-post as well as ex-ante assessment. ŌĆó For some complicated and sensitive cases like nuclear energy, conducting a RSIA is necessary.
Assessing land take by urban development and its impact on carbon storage: Findings from two case studies in Italy
Sallustio, L.; Quatrini, V.; Geneletti, D.; Corona, P.; Marchetti, M.
Highlights: ŌĆó We tested a new methodology for monitoring land take and its effects on C storage. ŌĆó The ecological impact of urban growth derives from the previous land use. ŌĆó C loss increases with the naturalness of the territory. ŌĆó Different urban assets may imply different forms of land take containment. Land take due to urbanization triggers a series of negative environmental impacts with direct effects on quality of life for people living in cities. Changes in ecosystem services are associated with land take, among which is the immediate C loss due to land use conversion. Land use change monitoring represents the first step in quantifying land take and its drivers and impacts. To this end, we propose an innovative methodology for monitoring land take and its effects on ecosystem services (in particular, C loss) under multi-scale contexts. The devised approach was tested in two areas with similar sizes, but different land take levels during the time-span 1990ŌĆō2008 in Central Italy (the Province of Rome and the Molise Region). The estimates of total coverage of built up areas were calculated using point sampling. The area of the urban patches including each sampling point classified as built up areas in the year 1990 and/or in the year 2008 is used to estimate total abundance and average area of built up areas. Biophysical and economic values for carbon loss associated with land take were calculated using InVEST. Although land take was 7ŌĆō8 times higher in the Province of Rome (from 15.1% in 1990 to 20.4% in 2008) than in Molise region, our findings show that its relative impact on C storage is higher in the latter, where the urban growth consistently affects not only croplands but also semi-natural land uses such as grasslands and other wooded lands. The total C loss due to land take has been estimated in 1.6 million Mg C, corresponding to almost 355 million Ōé¼. Finally, the paper discusses the main characteristics of urban growth and their
Shale Gas Development Challenges: Surface Impacts | Department...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Surface Impacts Shale Gas Development Challenges: Surface Impacts Shale Gas Development Challenges: Surface Impacts (657.75 KB) More Documents & Publications Natural Gas from ...
Assessment of Tidal Energy Removal Impacts on Physical Systems: Development of MHK Module and Analysis of Effects on Hydrodynamics
Yang, Zhaoqing; Wang, Taiping
In this report we describe (1) the development, test, and validation of the marine hydrokinetic energy scheme in a three-dimensional coastal ocean model (FVCOM); and (2) the sensitivity analysis of effects of marine hydrokinetic energy configurations on power extraction and volume flux in a coastal bay. Submittal of this report completes the work on Task 2.1.2, Effects of Physical Systems, Subtask 220.127.116.11, Hydrodynamics and Subtask 22.214.171.124, Screening Analysis, for fiscal year 2011 of the Environmental Effects of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy project.
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: The Nevada Test Site Development Corporations's Desert Rock Sky Park at the Nevada Test Site
The United States Department of Energy has prepared an Environmental Assessment (DOE/EA-1300) (EA) which analyzes the potential environmental effects of developing operating and maintaining a commercial/industrial park in Area 22 of the Nevada Test Site, between Mercury Camp and U.S. Highway 95 and east of Desert Rock Airport. The EA evaluates the potential impacts of infrastructure improvements necessary to support fill build out of the 512-acre Desert Rock Sky Park. Two alternative actions were evaluated: (1) Develop, operate and maintain a commercial/industrial park in Area 22 of the Nevada Test Site, and (2) taking no action. The purpose and need for the commercial industrial park are addressed in Section 1.0 of the EA. A detailed description of the proposed action and alternatives is in section 2.0. Section 3.0 describes the affected environment. Section 4.0 the environmental consequences of the proposed action and alternative. Cumulative effects are addressed in Section 5.0. Mitigation measures are addressed in Section 6.0. The Department of Energy determined that the proposed action of developing, operating and maintaining a commercial/industrial park in Area 22 of the Nevada Test Site would best meet the needs of the agency.
Health and impact assessment: Are we seeing closer integration?
Morgan, Richard K.
Health has always had a place in wider impact assessment activities, from the earliest days of the National Environmental Policy Act in the United States. However, early thinking tended to focus on health protection and environmental health issues, especially in relation to the effects of pollution. The adoption of wider models of health was reflected in impact assessment circles from the early 1990s, with particular emphasis on an integrated approach to impact assessment, especially at the project level, which would see health impact assessment benefiting from working with other forms of impact assessment, such as social and ecological. Yet twenty years later, integration still seems a distant prospect in many countries. In this paper I examine the case for integrating health considerations within the wider IA process, discuss some of the problems that have historically restricted progress towards this end, and explore the degree to which impact assessment practitioners have been successful in seeking to improve the consideration of health in IA. In New Zealand, project-level impact assessment is based on an integrated model under the Resource Management Act. In addition, HIA was recognised in the early 1990s as a valuable addition to the toolkit for project assessment. Since then policy-level HIA has grown supported by extensive capacity building. If health is being integrated into wider impact assessment, it should be happening in New Zealand where so many enabling conditions are met. Three major project proposals from New Zealand are examined, to characterise the broad trends in HIA development in New Zealand in the last ten years and to assess the degree to which health concerns are being reflected in wider impact assessments. The findings are discussed in the context of the issues outlined in the early part of the paper.
Privacy Impact Assessment Template and Guidance
Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting an...
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Safety and Security Policy (SSP) SSP Home About Frequently Used Resources NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Continuity of Operations (COOP) Implementation Plan Contact Information Safety and Security Policy U.S. Department of Energy SC-31/Germantown Building 1000 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20585 P:
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE- INL OCCUPATIONAL MEDICAL SUVEILLANCE SYSTEM (OMSS) PIA Template Version 3 - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/o2061.pdf Please complete electronically: no hand-written submissions will be
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: OCIO HSPD-12 Physical
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
OCIO - HSPD-12 Physical and Logical System PIA Template Version 4- June, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/o2061.pdf Please complete electronically: no hand-written submissions will be accepted. This template may not
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Occupational Medicine Assistant PIA
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Medicine - Assistant PIA Template Version 3 - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Deparlment of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/o2061.pdf Please complete electronically: no hand-written submissions will be accepted. This template may not be modified. MODULE 1-
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Occupational Safety Health Occupational
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Occupational Safety & Health - Occupational Injury & Illness System PIA Template Version 3 - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1 J Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/o2061.pdf Please complete electronically: no hand-written submissions will be
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Argonne Site Office (ASO) ASO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Resources Contact Information Argonne Site Office U.S. Department of Energy 9800 South Cass Avenue Building 201 Argonne, IL 60439 P: (630) 252-8637 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Brookhaven Site Office (BHSO) BHSO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Resources Contact Information Brookhaven Site Office U.S. Department of Energy PO Box 5000 Upton, NY 11973 P: (631) 344-3425 E: Email Us National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents Environmental
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Berkeley Site Office (BSO) BSO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Resources Contact Information Berkeley Site Office U.S. Department of Energy One Cyclotron Road Berkeley, CA 94720 P: (510) 486-5784 E: Email Us National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Fermi Site Office (FSO) FSO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Resources Contact Information Fermi Site Office U.S. Department of Energy MS 118 P.O. Box 2000 Kirk Road and Pine Street Batavia, IL 60510 P: (630) 840-3281 F: (630) 840-3285 National Environmental Policy Act
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) NBL Program Office NBL PO Home About Programs Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements News Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for NBL Program Office Certified Reference Materials (CRM) Contact Information NBL Program Office U.S. Department of Energy Building 201 9800 South Cass Avenue
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory Site Office (OSO) OSO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Contact Information Oak Ridge National Laboratory Site Office U.S. Department of Energy Post Office Box 2008 Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6269 P: (865) 576-0710 National Environmental Policy Act
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Princeton Site Office (PSO) PSO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Contact Information Princeton Site Office U.S. Department of Energy P.O. Box 102 Princeton, NJ 08543 P: (609) 243-3700 F: (609) 243-2032 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents Environmental
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) SLAC Site Office (SSO) SSO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Contact Information SLAC Site Office U.S. Department of Energy Bldg 41, M/S 08A 2575 Sand Hill Road Menlo Park, CA 94025 P: (650) 926-2505 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents Environmental
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Thomas Jefferson Site Office (TJSO) TJSO Home About Projects Contract Management NEPA Documents Categorical Exclusion Determinations Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements Resources Contact Information Thomas Jefferson Site Office U.S. Department of Energy 12000 Jefferson Avenue Newport News, VA 23606 P: (757) 269-7140 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Environmental Impacts of Increased Hydroelectric Development at Existing
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Dams | Department of Energy Impacts of Increased Hydroelectric Development at Existing Dams Environmental Impacts of Increased Hydroelectric Development at Existing Dams This report describes the environmental impacts of a proposed U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to promote the development of hydropower resources at existing dams. enviro_impacts_hydroelectric_dev_existing_dams.pdf (2.77 MB) More Documents & Publications EA-2017: Final Environmental Assessment Hydropower Vision
MODARIA: Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessment...
Office of Environmental Management (EM)
MODARIA: Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessment Context and Overview MODARIA: Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessment Context and Overview Presentation...
Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of...
Office of Environmental Management (EM)
Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of Science Chicago Office Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of Science Chicago Office Manager's ...
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products PDF icon ...
Nepal-Sectoral Climate Impacts Economic Assessment | Open Energy...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Nepal-Sectoral Climate Impacts Economic Assessment (Redirected from Nepal Sectoral Climate impacts Economic Assessment) Jump to: navigation, search Name Nepal Sectoral Climate...
Nepal-Sectoral Climate Impacts Economic Assessment | Open Energy...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Nepal-Sectoral Climate Impacts Economic Assessment Jump to: navigation, search Name Nepal Sectoral Climate impacts Economic Assessment AgencyCompany Organization Climate and...
ITP Petroleum Refining: Impacts of Condition Assessment on Energy...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Impacts of Condition Assessment on Energy Use: Selected Applications in Chemicals Processing and Petroleum Refining ITP Petroleum Refining: Impacts of Condition Assessment on ...
Project Impact Assessments: Building America FY14 Field Test...
Project Impact Assessments: Building America FY14 Field Test Technical Support - 2014 BTO Peer Review Project Impact Assessments: Building America FY14 Field Test Technical Support ...
New Zealand-Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment | Open...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Zealand-Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment Jump to: navigation, search Name Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment: A Guidance Manual for Local Government in New...
WINDExchange: Jobs and Economic Development Impact Models
Deployment Activities Printable Version Bookmark and Share Regional Resource Centers Economic Development Jobs and Economic Development Impacts Model Resources & Tools Siting Jobs and Economic Development Impact Models JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts Model Fact Sheet PDF The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation at the local and state levels. Based on
Environmental Assessment Fact Sheet - Potential Impacts
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
DOE has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment for Conducting Astrophysics and Other Basic Science Experiments at the WIPP Site. It examines the potential environmental consequences from conducting particular types of scientific experiments in an area of the WIPP underground called the experiment gallery. The environmental assessment also looks at the potential cumulative impacts of conducting experiments and operating the WIPP as a transuranic waste repository. This fact sheet presents
Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
and Processing | National Nuclear Security Administration | (NNSA) Room Environmental Assessment for Gap Material Plutonium - Transport, Receipt, and Processing The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), has prepared this Environmental Assessment for Gap Material Plutonium - Transport, Receipt, and Processing to evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with transporting plutonium from foreign nations to the United States, storing the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process of V1 NPP Decommissioning
Matejovic, Igor; Polak, Vincent
Through the adoption of Governmental Resolution No. 801/99 the Slovak Republic undertook a commitment to shutdown units 1 and 2 of Jaslovske Bohunice V 1 NPP (WWER 230 reactor type) in 2006 and 2008 respectively. Therefore the more intensive preparation of a decommissioning documentation has been commenced. Namely, the VI NPP Conceptual Decommissioning Plan and subsequently the Environmental Impact Assessment Report of VI NPP Decommissioning were developed. Thus, the standard environmental impact assessment process was performed and the most suitable alternative of V1 NPP decommissioning was selected as a basis for development of further decommissioning documents. The status and main results of the environmental impact assessment process and EIA report are discussed in more detail in this paper. (authors)
Environmental impacts during geothermal development: Some examples from Central America
Goff, S.; Goff, F.
The impacts of geothermal development projects are usually positive. However, without appropriate monitoring plans and mitigation actions firmly incorporated into the project planning process, there exists the potential for significant negative environmental impacts. The authors present five examples from Central America of environmental impacts associated with geothermal development activities. These brief case studies describe landslide hazards, waste brine disposal, hydrothermal explosions, and air quality issues. Improved Environmental Impact Assessments are needed to assist the developing nations of the region to judiciously address the environmental consequences associated with geothermal development.
Development of a Kelp-type Structure Module in a Coastal Ocean Model to Assess the Hydrodynamic Impact of Seawater Uranium Extraction Technology
Wang, Taiping; Khangaonkar, Tarang; Long, Wen; Gill, Gary A.
In recent years, with the rapid growth of global energy demand, the interest in extracting uranium from seawater for nuclear energy has been renewed. While extracting seawater uranium is not yet commercially viable, it serves as a ŌĆ£backstopŌĆØ to the conventional uranium resources and provides an essentially unlimited supply of uranium resource. With recent advances in seawater uranium extraction technology, extracting uranium from seawater could be economically feasible when the extraction devices are deployed at a large scale (e.g., several hundred km2). There is concern however that the large scale deployment of adsorbent farms could result in potential impacts to the hydrodynamic flow field in an oceanic setting. In this study, a kelp-type structure module was incorporated into a coastal ocean model to simulate the blockage effect of uranium extraction devices on the flow field. The module was quantitatively validated against laboratory flume experiments for both velocity and turbulence profiles. The model-data comparison showed an overall good agreement and validated the approach of applying the model to assess the potential hydrodynamic impact of uranium extraction devices or other underwater structures in coastal oceans.
A state-impact-state methodology for assessing environmental impact in land use planning
Chen, Longgao; Yang, Xiaoyan; Chen, Longqian; Potter, Rebecca; Li, Yingkui
The implementation of land use planning (LUP) has a large impact on environmental quality. There lacks a widely accepted and consolidated approach to assess the LUP environmental impact using Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). In this paper, we developed a state-impact-state (SIS) model employed in the LUP environmental impact assessment (LUPEA). With the usage of Matter-element (ME) and Extenics method, the methodology based on the SIS model was established and applied in the LUPEA of Zoucheng County, China. The results show that: (1) this methodology provides an intuitive and easy understanding logical model for both the theoretical analysis and application of LUPEA; (2) the spatial multi-temporal assessment from base year, near-future year to planning target year suggests the positive impact on the environmental quality in the whole County despite certain environmental degradation in some towns; (3) besides the spatial assessment, other achievements including the environmental elements influenced by land use and their weights, the identification of key indicators in LUPEA, and the appropriate environmental mitigation measures were obtained; and (4) this methodology can be used to achieve multi-temporal assessment of LUP environmental impact of County or Town level in other areas. - Highlights: Ģ A State-Impact-State model for Land Use Planning Environmental Assessment (LUPEA). Ģ Matter-element (ME) and Extenics methods were embedded in the LUPEA. Ģ The model was applied to the LUPEA of Zoucheng County. Ģ The assessment shows improving environment quality since 2000 in Zoucheng County. Ģ The method provides a useful tool for the LUPEA in the county level.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of...
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products This March 28, ...
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population Biology
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
of Greater Prairie-Chickens | Department of Energy Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population Biology of Greater Prairie-Chickens Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population Biology of Greater Prairie-Chickens This report summarizes the results of a seven-year, DOE-funded research project, conducted by researchers from Kansas State University and the National Wind Coordinating Collaborative, to assess the effects of wind energy development in
Agenda: Preliminary Assessment Development Teleconference | Department of
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Energy Agenda: Preliminary Assessment Development Teleconference Agenda: Preliminary Assessment Development Teleconference Document serves as a standard agenda for the teleconference to discuss the in-progress preliminary assessment. Download the Preliminary Assessment Development Teleconference Agenda. (57.93 KB) More Documents & Publications FEMP ESPC Project Development Resource Guide Agenda: Preliminary Assessment Kickoff Meeting Agenda: Investment-Grade Audit Midpoint Review Meeting
Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of Science
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Chicago Office | Department of Energy Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of Science Chicago Office Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of Science Chicago Office Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of Science Chicago Office Manager's Signature Log Privacy Impact Assessment, Office of Science Chicago Office (110.12 KB) More Documents & Publications Integrated Safety Management Workshop Registration, PIA, Idaho National
Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Template and Guidance | Department of
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Template and Guidance Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Template and Guidance Privacy_Impact_Assessment_Template_May_2009_w_Guidance.docx (1.74 MB) More Documents & Publications Manchester Software 1099 Reporting PIA, Idaho National Laboratory Occupational Medicine - Assistant PIA, Idaho National Laboratory Integrated Safety Management Workshop Registration, PIA, Idaho National Laboratory
Impacts of climate change on human settlements: Guidelines for assessing impacts
Scott, M.J.
This paper presents guidelines for assessing impacts of climatic change on human populations. Topics discussed include types of settlements and assessment methodologies.
RIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: SPRO Business Operations General Support
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
RIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: SPRO - Business Operations General Support System PIA Template Version 3 - May, 2009 iiiiiiiiiiiiiii Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/02061.pdf MODULE I - PRIVACY NEEDS ASSESSMENT Date
Assessing the health risk of solar development on contaminated lands |
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Argonne National Laboratory Assessing the health risk of solar development on contaminated lands December 11, 2013 Tweet EmailPrint A recently published report from Argonne's Environmental Science (EVS) division presents a methodology for assessing potential human health risks of developing utility-scale solar facilities on contaminated, previously developed sites. Developing on these lands rather than pristine, undeveloped lands can avoid or minimize environmental impacts, reduce
Practitioners, professional cultures, and perceptions of impact assessment
Morgan, Richard K.; Hart, Andrew; Freeman, Claire; Coutts, Brian; Colwill, David; Hughes, Andrew
The very nature of impact assessment (IA) means that it often involves practitioners from a very wide range of disciplinary and professional backgrounds, which open the possibility that how IA is perceived and practised may vary according to the professional background of the practitioner. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which a practitioner's professional background influences their perceptions of the adequacy of impact assessment in New Zealand under the Resource Management Act (RMA). Information gathered concerned professional affiliations, training, understanding of impact assessment practise, and perceptions of adequacy in relation to impact assessment. The results showed a dominance of a legalistic, operational perspective of impact assessment under the Resource Management Act, across all the main professions represented in the study. However, among preparers of impact assessments there was clear evidence of differences between the four main professional groups - surveyors, planners, engineers and natural scientists - in the way they see the nature and purpose of impact assessment, the practical steps involved, and what constitutes adequacy. Similarly, impact assessment reviewers - predominantly planners and lawyers - showed variations in their expectations of impact assessment depending on their respective professional affiliation. Although in many cases the differences seem to be more of a matter of emphasis, rather than major disputes on what constitutes a good process, even those differences can add up to rather distinct professional cultures of impact assessment. The following factors are seen as leading to the emergence of such professional cultures: different professions often contribute in different ways to an impact assessment, affecting their perception of the nature and purpose of the process; impact assessment training will usually be a secondary concern, compared with the core professional training, which will be
National Laboratory Impacts and Developments
The Technology-to-Market program supports U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiatives that make access to laboratory-developed technologies and capabilities easier and increase partnerships with the clean energy private sector.
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
'" " * .1 * PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: OFFICE OF LEGACY MANAGEMENT: RECORDS HANDLING SYSTEM: FREEDOM OF INFORMAnON ACT/ PRIVACY ACT PIA Template Version - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/02061.pdf
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
.. ,. - -i * PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: OFFICE OF LEGACY MANAGEMENT: RECORDS HANDLING SYSTEM: FERNALD HISTORICAL RECORDS SYSTEM PIA Template Version - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/02061.pdf Please complete
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
:-. ., ,-- -.' * PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: OFFICE OF LEGACY MANAGEMENT: RECORDS HANDLING SYSTEM: ELECTRONIC RECORDS KEEPING SYSTEM PIA Template Version - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1. Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A. Privacy Impact Assessments. for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetext/neword/206/02061.pdf Please
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Shaw Areva MOX Services, LLC MOX
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
. ,-) ')7 73?┬źi5": )~"'f"YC-:;'~dt?f(~"'f9'FrrZ , . PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Shaw Areva MOX Services, LLC MOX Services Unclassified Information System Template - January 30, 2009, Version 2 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (pIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA:
Assessing the impacts of climate change on natural resource systems
Frederick, K.D.; Rosenberg, N.J. [eds.
This volume is a collection of papers addressing the theme of potential impacts of climatic change. Papers are entitled Integrated Assessments of the Impacts of Climatic Change on Natural Resources: An Introductory Editorial; Framework for Integrated Assessments of Global Warming Impacts; Modeling Land Use and Cover as Part of Global Environmental Change; Assessing Impacts of Climatic Change on Forests: The State of Biological Modeling; Integrating Climatic Change and Forests: Economic and Ecological Assessments; Environmental Change in Grasslands: Assessment using Models; Assessing the Socio-economic Impacts of Climatic Change on Grazinglands; Modeling the Effects of Climatic Change on Water Resources- A Review; Assessing the Socioeconomic Consequences of Climate Change on Water Resources; and Conclusions, Remaining Issues, and Next Steps.
Privacy Impact Assessment | OSTI, US Dept of Energy Office of...
Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
Privacy Impact Assessment Name of Project: Web Domains Maintained by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) Bureau: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science ...
Project Impact Assessments ┬ģ Building America FY14 Field Test...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Impact Assessments - Building America FY14 Field Test Technical Support 2014 Building ... 9302014 Key Milestones : 1. Launch Field Test Best Practices web- based facilitated ...
An Assessment Of The External Radiological Impact In Areas Of...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Assessment Of The External Radiological Impact In Areas Of Greece With Elevated Natural Radioactivity Jump to: navigation, search OpenEI Reference LibraryAdd to library Journal...
Determining Vulnerability Importance in Environmental Impact Assessment
Toro, Javier; Duarte, Oscar; Requena, Ignacio; Zamorano, Montserrat
The concept of vulnerability has been used to describe the susceptibility of physical, biotic, and social systems to harm or hazard. In this sense, it is a tool that reduces the uncertainties of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) since it does not depend exclusively on the value assessments of the evaluator, but rather is based on the environmental state indicators of the site where the projects or activities are being carried out. The concept of vulnerability thus reduces the possibility that evaluators will subjectively interpret results, and be influenced by outside interests and pressures during projects. However, up until now, EIA has been hindered by a lack of effective methods. This research study analyzes the concept of vulnerability, defines Vulnerability Importance and proposes its inclusion in qualitative EIA methodology. The method used to quantify Vulnerability Importance is based on a set of environmental factors and indicators that provide a comprehensive overview of the environmental state. The results obtained in Colombia highlight the usefulness and objectivity of this method since there is a direct relation between this value and the environmental state of the departments analyzed. - Research Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The concept of vulnerability could be considered defining Vulnerability Importance included in qualitative EIA methodology. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The use of the concept of environmental vulnerability could reduce the subjectivity of qualitative methods of EIA. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A method to quantify the Vulnerability Importance proposed provides a comprehensive overview of the environmental state. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Results in Colombia highlight the usefulness and objectivity of this method.
Screening assessment and requirements for a comprehensive assessment: Volume 1, Draft. Columbia River comprehensive impact assessment
To evaluate the impact to the Columbia River from the Hanford Site-derived contaminants, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology initiated a study referred to as the Columbia River Comprehensive Impact Assessment (CRCIA). To address concerns about the scope and direction of CRCIA as well as enhance regulator, tribal, stockholder, and public involvement, the CRCIA Management Team was formed in August 1995. The Team agreed to conduct CRCIA using a phased approach. The initial phase, includes two components: 1) a screening assessment to evaluate the potential impact to the river, resulting from current levels of Hanford-derived contaminants in order to support decisions on Interim Remedial Measures, and 2) a definition of the essential work remaining to provide an acceptable comprehensive river impact assessment. The screening assessment is described in Part I of this report. The essential work remaining is Part II of this report. The objective of the screening assessment is to identify areas where the greatest potential exists for adverse effects on humans or the environment. Part I of this report discusses the scope, technical approach, and results of the screening assessment. Part II defines a new paradigm for predecisional participation by those affected by Hanford cleanup decisions.
Geothermal Development Job Types and Impacts
Development of geothermal power plants and direct-use applications creates a variety of jobs. And the resulting job creation and economic activity within the geothermal industry positively impacts...
Impact Assessment Toolkit | Open Energy Information
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Opportunities 3b.1. Assess technical potential for sector technologies Renewable Energy Technical Potential Toolkit Building Energy Assessment Toolkit Power System Screening...
Impact Assessment Toolkit | Open Energy Information
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Modeling the Global Trade and Environmental Impacts of Biofuel Policies Modified Microgrid Concept for Rural Electrification in Africa NREL-How to Estimate the Economic...
Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Methodology | Department...
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, ...
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: SPRO Physical Security Major Application
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
SPRO - Physical Security Major Application PIA Template Version 3 - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Deparlment of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional gUidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetexUneword/206/o2061.pdf MODULE I - PRIVACY NEEDS ASSESSMENT Date Departmental Element & Site JUly 21, 2009 Office of
ISC-Chicago Office Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Statements (EIS) | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Office Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Integrated Support Center (ISC) ISC Home About Services Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Privacy Act NEPA Documents ISC-Chicago Office Categorical Exclusion Determinations ISC-Oak Ridge Office Categorical Exclusion Determinations ISC-Chicago Office Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements ISC-Oak Ridge Office Environmental Assessments and
ISC-Oak Ridge Office Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Statements (EIS) | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC) Environmental Assessments (EA) / Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) Integrated Support Center (ISC) ISC Home About Services Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Privacy Act NEPA Documents ISC-Chicago Office Categorical Exclusion Determinations ISC-Oak Ridge Office Categorical Exclusion Determinations ISC-Chicago Office Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements ISC-Oak Ridge Office Environmental Assessments and
A qualitative method proposal to improve environmental impact assessment
Toro, Javier; Requena, Ignacio; Duarte, Oscar; Zamorano, Montserrat
In environmental impact assessment, qualitative methods are used because they are versatile and easy to apply. This methodology is based on the evaluation of the strength of the impact by grading a series of qualitative attributes that can be manipulated by the evaluator. The results thus obtained are not objective, and all too often impacts are eliminated that should be mitigated with corrective measures. However, qualitative methodology can be improved if the calculation of Impact Importance is based on the characteristics of environmental factors and project activities instead on indicators assessed by evaluators. In this sense, this paper proposes the inclusion of the vulnerability of environmental factors and the potential environmental impact of project activities. For this purpose, the study described in this paper defined Total Impact Importance and specified a quantification procedure. The results obtained in the case study of oil drilling in Colombia reflect greater objectivity in the evaluation of impacts as well as a positive correlation between impact values, the environmental characteristics at and near the project location, and the technical characteristics of project activities. -- Highlights: ŌĆó Concept of vulnerability has been used to calculate the importance impact assessment. ŌĆó This paper defined Total Impact Importance and specified a quantification procedure. ŌĆó The method includes the characteristics of environmental and project activities. ŌĆó The application has shown greater objectivity in the evaluation of impacts. ŌĆó Better correlation between impact values, environment and the project has been shown.
Hybrid LCA model for assessing the embodied environmental impacts of buildings in South Korea
Jang, Minho; Hong, Taehoon; Ji, Changyoon
The assessment of the embodied environmental impacts of buildings can help decision-makers plan environment-friendly buildings and reduce environmental impacts. For a more comprehensive assessment of the embodied environmental impacts of buildings, a hybrid life cycle assessment model was developed in this study. The developed model can assess the embodied environmental impacts (global warming, ozone layer depletion, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical ozone creation, abiotic depletion, and human toxicity) generated directly and indirectly in the material manufacturing, transportation, and construction phases. To demonstrate the application and validity of the developed model, the environmental impacts of an elementary school building were assessed using the developed model and compared with the results of a previous model used in a case study. The embodied environmental impacts from the previous model were lower than those from the developed model by 4.6ŌĆō25.2%. Particularly, human toxicity potential (13 kg C{sub 6}H{sub 6} eq.) calculated by the previous model was much lower (1965 kg C{sub 6}H{sub 6} eq.) than what was calculated by the developed model. The results indicated that the developed model can quantify the embodied environmental impacts of buildings more comprehensively, and can be used by decision-makers as a tool for selecting environment-friendly buildings. - Highlights: ŌĆó The model was developed to assess the embodied environmental impacts of buildings. ŌĆó The model evaluates GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP, ADP, and HTP as environmental impacts. ŌĆó The model presents more comprehensive results than the previous model by 4.6ŌĆō100%. ŌĆó The model can present the HTP of buildings, which the previous models cannot do. ŌĆó Decision-makers can use the model for selecting environment-friendly buildings.
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population Biology of Greater Prairie-Chickens Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population Biology of Greater ...
Adaptation strategies for health impacts of climate change in Western Australia: Application of a Health Impact Assessment framework
Spickett, Jeffery T.; Brown, Helen L.; Katscherian, Dianne
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the globe and there is substantial evidence that this will result in a number of health impacts, regardless of the level of greenhouse gas mitigation. It is therefore apparent that a combined approach of mitigation and adaptation will be required to protect public health. While the importance of mitigation is recognised, this project focused on the role of adaptation strategies in addressing the potential health impacts of climate change. The nature and magnitude of these health impacts will be determined by a number of parameters that are dependent upon the location. Firstly, climate change will vary between regions. Secondly, the characteristics of each region in terms of population and the ability to adapt to changes will greatly influence the extent of the health impacts that are experienced now and into the future. Effective adaptation measures therefore need to be developed with these differences in mind. A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) framework was used to consider the implications of climate change on the health of the population of Western Australia (WA) and to develop a range of adaptive responses suited to WA. A broad range of stakeholders participated in the HIA process, providing informed input into developing an understanding of the potential health impacts and potential adaptation strategies from a diverse sector perspective. Potential health impacts were identified in relation to climate change predictions in WA in the year 2030. The risk associated with each of these impacts was assessed using a qualitative process that considered the consequences and the likelihood of the health impact occurring. Adaptations were then developed which could be used to mitigate the identified health impacts and provide responses which could be used by Government for future decision making. The periodic application of a HIA framework is seen as an ideal tool to develop appropriate adaptation strategies to
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of...
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products Part I: Review of the Life-Cycle Energy Consumption of Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent, and LED ...
Finding of No Significant Impact Issued on Environmental Assessment...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
of No Significant Impact for the Final Environmental Assessment for the Remote-handled Waste Disposition Project (WDP-RWMC-09-008.)" Paper copies are available by contacting...
Social cost impact assessment of pipeline infrastructure projects
Matthews, John C.; Allouche, Erez N.; Sterling, Raymond L.
A key advantage of trenchless construction methods compared with traditional open-cut methods is their ability to install or rehabilitate underground utility systems with limited disruption to the surrounding built and natural environments. The equivalent monetary values of these disruptions are commonly called social costs. Social costs are often ignored by engineers or project managers during project planning and design phases, partially because they cannot be calculated using standard estimating methods. In recent years some approaches for estimating social costs were presented. Nevertheless, the cost data needed for validation of these estimating methods is lacking. Development of such social cost databases can be accomplished by compiling relevant information reported in various case histories. This paper identifies eight most important social cost categories, presents mathematical methods for calculating them, and summarizes the social cost impacts for two pipeline construction projects. The case histories are analyzed in order to identify trends for the various social cost categories. The effectiveness of the methods used to estimate these values is also discussed. These findings are valuable for pipeline infrastructure engineers making renewal technology selection decisions by providing a more accurate process for the assessment of social costs and impacts. - Highlights: ŌĆó Identified the eight most important social cost factors for pipeline construction ŌĆó Presented mathematical methods for calculating those social cost factors ŌĆó Summarized social cost impacts for two pipeline construction projects ŌĆó Analyzed those projects to identify trends for the social cost factors.
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
OFFICE OF LEGACY MANAGEMENT: RECORDS HANDLING SYSTEM: ENERGY EMPLOYEES OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM ACT PIA Template Version - May, 2009 Department of Energy Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Guidance Is provided in the template. See DOE Order 206.1, Department of Energy Privacy Program, Appendix A, Privacy Impact Assessments, for requirements and additional guidance for conducting a PIA: http://www.directives.doe.gov/pdfs/doe/doetextlneword/206/02061.pdf Please complete
Project Impact Assessments: Building America FY14 Field Test Technical
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Support - 2014 BTO Peer Review | Department of Energy Project Impact Assessments: Building America FY14 Field Test Technical Support - 2014 BTO Peer Review Project Impact Assessments: Building America FY14 Field Test Technical Support - 2014 BTO Peer Review Presenter: Lieko Earle, National Renewable Energy Laboratory The goal of this project is for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to provide extensive, hands-on technical support to Building America teams in the areas of experiment
Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments Status Chart
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
| Department of Energy Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments Status Chart Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments Status Chart The Status Chart provides the status of ongoing NEPA documents at the Department of Energy, including the dates of important milestones in the NEPA process, links to the project pages, and references to more information (updated monthly). This chart represents anticipated activity and is not a commitment for documentation
Stage 3c: Developing and Assessing Low Emissions Development...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Low Emissions Development Scenarios Jump to: navigation, search Stage 3 LEDS Home Introduction to Framework Assess current country plans, policies, practices, and capacities...
Integrating impact assessment and conflict management in urban planning: Experiences from Finland
Peltonen, Lasse; Sairinen, Rauno
The article examines the interlinkages between recent developments in conflict management and impact assessment procedures in the context of urban planning in Finland. It sets out by introducing the fields of impact assessment and conflict mediation. It then proceeds to discuss the development of impact assessment practices and the status of conflict mediation in Finnish land use planning. The case of Korteniitty infill development plan in Jyvaeskylae is used to demonstrate how the Finnish planning system operates in conflict situations - and how social impact assessment can contribute to managing planning conflicts. The authors ask how the processes of impact assessment contribute to conflict management. Based on the Finnish experience, it is argued that social impact assessment of land use plans can contribute to conflict management, especially in the absence of institutionalised conflict mediation processes. In addition, SIA may acquire features of conflict mediation, depending on extent and intensity of stakeholder participation in the process, and the quality of linkages it between knowledge production and decision-making. Simultaneously, conflict mediation practices and theoretical insights can inform the application of SIA to help it address land use conflicts more consciously.
Data Compendium for the Columbia River comprehensive impact assessment
Eslinger, P.W.; Huesties, L.R.; Maughan, A.D.; Miley, T.B.; Walters, W.H.
The Columbia River Comprehensive Impact Assessment (CRCIA). The CRCIA is conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The purpose of the CRCIA is to evaluate the current human and ecological risk from the Columbia River attributable to past and present activities on the Hanford Site. Human risk will be addressed for radioactive and hazardous materials over a range of river use options. Ecological risk will be evaluated relative to the health of the current river ecosystem. The initial effort for the CRCIA is the development of a compendium of existing data on Columbia River contamination. This document provides the data compendium. It also includes a discussion of data sources, descriptions of the physical format of the data, and descriptions of the search process used to identify data.
Environmental impact assessment in Sri Lanka: A progress report
Butler, J.W.
The paper reports on progress by the Government of Sri Lanka in the implementation of a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirement. The authors have recently conducted several activities in Sri Lanka intended to improve the analytical quality of EIA documents and the utility of the EIA process in government decisionmaking, with particular attention to the use of programmatic or sectoral EIAs. The U.S. Agency for International Development established a 5-year project, the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy Project (NAREPP), to provide training and technical assistance in EIA and related disiplines for the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), several other Sri Lanka government agencies, and the private sector. This activity has involved efforts to expand the technical expertise within Sri Lanka for conducting EIA, which include developing EIA courses and materials in cooperation with several universities and conducting intensive training programs for both government and private-sector environmental professionals. This EIA will focus on the selection of government-approved industrial estates throughout the country, on which most new industrial development projects are to be located. Further training programs in the use of current analytical methodologies for EIA were also developed and conducted. The effectiveness of these activities can be assessed by evaluating changes in the content and quality of subsequent EIA documents and in the extent to which such documents affect environmental decisionmaking in Sri Lanka. The authors discuss the role of the programmatic EIA in the industrial development program of Sri Lanka, remaining constraints on the EIA process, and recommendations for further improvement.
Compensatory mitigation and screening rules in environmental impact assessment
Macintosh, Andrew Waugh, Lauren
Concerns about the effectiveness of environmental impact assessment (EIA) have prompted proposals to improve its performance by limiting the discretion of decision-makers in screening. To investigate whether such proposals are likely to generate the desired results, we conducted an evaluation of the screening process under the Australian government's EIA regime from its introduction on 16 July 2000 to 30 June 2013 (study period). Almost 1 in 5 ŌĆśparticular mannerŌĆÖ decisionsŌĆöa type of screening decision under the regimeŌĆöwere found to be unlawful. The extent of non-compliance is explained on the basis of convenience. The department was required to assess a large number of projects under tight timeframes and with limited resources, while being pressured by proponents to allow their projects to bypass EIA. These pressures resulted in the development of an informal custom whereby the formal compensatory mitigation restrictions were frequently ignored. The results highlight the relative significance of formal and informal institutions in EIA. Formal EIA rules typically provide a mere outline of the process. The informal institutions adopted by administrators often have a greater influence on how the process operates and what it achieves. - Highlights: ŌĆó Concerns about the effectiveness of environmental impact assessment (EIA) have prompted proposals to improve its performance by limiting the discretion of decision-makers in screening. ŌĆó To investigate whether such proposals are likely to generate the desired results, we conducted an evaluation of the Australian government's screening process, looking at the extent of compliance with a formal prohibition on the consideration of compensatory mitigation. ŌĆó Almost 1 in 5 ŌĆśparticular mannerŌĆÖ decisions ŌĆō a type of screening decision under the regime ŌĆō were found to be unlawful (with a 95% confidence interval of between 1:4 and 1:7) because of a failure to abide by the compensatory mitigation restrictions
Cumulative impacts in environmental assessments: How well are they considered
McCold, L. ); Holman, J. )
The authors analyzed 89 environmental assessments published in the Federal Register from January 1 through June 30, 1992, to determine the extent to which their treatment of cumulative impacts met the requirements of 40 CFR 1500-1508. Only 35 (39%) EAs mentioned cumulative impacts. Nineteen EAs addressed cumulative impacts of some resources, but not others. The paper presents several recommendations: (1) past, present and reasonable foreseeable actions that could affect resources affected by the proposed action should be identified at the same time as, and be listed with, the proposed action. (2) for each resource, the discussion of cumulative impacts should follow immediately after the discussion of direct impacts to that resource. (3) conclusions about cumulative impacts should be supported by data and analyses. (4) agencies need a central review function to ensure the quality of their EAs.
Social impact assessment - new dimensions in project planning
Jones, M.G.; Hartog, J.J.; Sykes, R.M.
The Objective of the presentation is to provide understanding of how to improve attention to the social dimensions of EP projects. Social Impacts are the consequences to human populations, communities or individuals resulting from a project or activity. Such impacts may change the way in which people live, relate to one another, organize and cope as members of society. There is an increasing demand and expectation that Exploration and Production activities will both understand their impacts and define benefits for the local communities. Social Impact Assessment can be considered a branch of Environmental Impact Assessment. It has become a tool in its own fight due to the focus that was paid to the natural and physical issues within the EIA process. However there are still strong alignments and the wise project planner will integrate social and environmental issues within their project planning process. This can be done through a combination of studies but can result in a single report. The benefits of SIA will be demonstrated to include: (1) obtaining approvals (2) forward planning and design (3) increased project success-benefits to local community (4) economic benefits (5) decision making by management The types of impacts including demographic, socioeconomic, health, social infrastructure, resources, psychological and community, cultural and social equity will be reviewed. Methods and techniques to identify and assess impacts will be addressed. One of the main challenges in SIA is to reach the right audience. Methods to scope studies and implement consultation will be addressed.
Impact assessment of land use planning driving forces on environment
Chen, Longgao; Yang, Xiaoyan; Chen, Longqian; Li, Long
Land use change may exert a negative impact on environmental quality. A stateŌĆōimpactŌĆōstate (SIS) model describing a state transform under certain impacts has been integrated into land use planning (LUP) environmental impact assessment (LUPEA). This logical model is intuitive and easy to understand, but the exploration of impact is essential to establish the indicator system and to identify the scope of land use environmental impact when it is applied to a specific region. In this study, we investigated environmental driving forces from land use planning (LUPF), along with the conception, components, scope, and impact of LUPF. This method was illustrated by a case study in Zoucheng, China. Through the results, we concluded that (1) the LUPF on environment are impacts originated from the implementation of LUP on a regional environment, which are characterized by four aspects: magnitude, direction, action point, and its owner; (2) various scopes of LUPF on individual environmental elements based on different standards jointly define the final scope of LUPEA; (3) our case study in Zoucheng demonstrates the practicability of this proposed approach; (4) this method can be embedded into LUPEA with direction, magnitudes, and scopes of the LUPF on individual elements obtained, and the identified indicator system can be directly employed into LUPEA and (5) the assessment helps to identify key indicators and to set up a corresponding strategy to mitigate the negative impact of LUP on the environment, which are two important objectives of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in LUP. - Highlights: ŌĆó Environmental driving forces from land use planning (LUPF) are investigated and categorized. ŌĆó Our method can obtains the direction, magnitudes and scopes of environmental driving forces. ŌĆó The LUPEA scope is determined by the combination of various scopes of LUPF on individual elements. ŌĆó LUPF assessment can be embedded into LUPEA. ŌĆó The method can help to
Evaluation of environmental impact assessment system in Pakistan
Nadeem, Obaidullah Hameed, Rizwan
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was first introduced in Pakistan based on the Environmental Protection Ordinance 1983. The EIA process was further strengthened under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997, which became operational under EIA Regulations 2000. Despite a sound legal basis and comprehensive guidelines, evidence suggests that EIA has not yet evolved satisfactorily in Pakistan. An evaluation of the EIA system against systematic evaluation criteria, based on interviews with EIA approval authorities, consulting firms and experts, reveals various shortcomings of the EIA system. These mainly include; inadequate capacity of EIA approval authorities, deficiencies in screening and scoping, poor EIA quality, inadequate public participation and weak monitoring. Overall, EIA is used presently as a project justification tool rather than as a project planning tool to contribute to achieving sustainable development. Whilst shortcomings are challenging, central government has recently shown a high degree of commitment to the environmental protection by making EIA compulsory for all the public sector projects likely to have adverse environmental impacts. The paper identifies opportunities for taking advantage of the current environment for strengthening the EIA process.
Effectiveness of Environmental Impact Assessment system in Estonia
Heinma, Kaupo; Poder, Tonis
To be effective, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system, first, has to minimize the probability that projects with significant environmental effects are implemented without EIA, and second, minimize the number of EIAs, which do not provide decision makers with essential information, so that the decision is improved as a result of EIA. The objective of this study was to find out how frequently in Estonia the projects implemented without EIA have caused significant environmental effects, and to measure the relative frequency of EIAs that have no influence on decision. An extensive survey with e-mail distributed questionnaires was carried out to reveal information from governmental agencies, local self-governments, and developers. There was no evidence that projects authorized without EIA have had environmental impacts, which could have been mitigated as a result of EIA. In contrast, about half of EIAs did not alter the decision of relevant authorities. This proportion was valid to both mandatory EIAs and those initiated on judgement basis. In our view, the proportion of no-influence EIAs was excessive and indicated the need to reconsider the provisions applying to the projects with a mandatory EIA requirement as well as judgements practice.
Ecological compensation and Environmental Impact Assessment in Spain
Villarroya, Ana; Puig, Jordi
To achieve meaningful sustainable development, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should avoid the net losses in the environment resource base. But EIA practice does not always avoid the losses caused by the implementation of the projects under EIA regulation. Some environmental impacts are, simply, admitted, even without enforcing any form of compensation. When applied, compensation is sometimes just a monetary payment to offset the environmental loss. This paper looks for evidence on the role that compensation is given at present in EIA practice in Spain, and for some of its conceptual and regulatory roots. Specifically, it explores how compensation is addressed in 1302 records of decision (RODs) on those projects subject to the Spanish EIA regulation published during the years 2006 and 2007, to know how far Spain is from preserving the environmental resource base managed through this particular aspect of EIA practice. As a result, it is concluded that the practice of ecological compensation in EIA in Spain is much lower than it could be expected in a theoretical sustainability context committed to avoid net losses in the environment resource base, mainly due to an EIA practice focused on on-site mitigation that allows these net losses.
General Renewable Energy-Productive Uses and Development Impact...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Impact Jump to: navigation, search Tool Summary LAUNCH TOOL Name: General Renewable Energy-Productive Uses and Development Impact AgencyCompany Organization: World Bank...
OTEC power system development and environmental impacts
Sather, N.F.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a proven solar energy technology with enormous potential as a supplier of electric power. However, before this potential can be realized there must be significant reductions in OTEC plant investment costs estimated for state-of-the-art designs. A comprehensive survey of the opportunities for reducing costs of the heat exchangers and other components of the power system of closed-cycle OTEC plants is given. These cost-reducing inventives are strongly dependent on the extent to which the environmental impacts of OTEC plants will have to be controlled. The environmental concerns associated with the deployment of OTEC plants are reviewed, and approaches to alleviating these concerns are described. Finally, the key roles of the OTEC-1 component test facility and the OTEC pilot plant planned for a 1984 start up in providing information about the critical power system development and environmental impact problems are summarized.
An equity tool for health impact assessments: Reflections from Mongolia
Snyder, Jeremy; Wagler, Meghan; Lkhagvasuren, Oyun; Laing, Lory; Davison, Colleen; Janes, Craig
A health impact assessment (HIA) is a tool for assessing the potential effects of a project or policy on a population's health. In this paper, we discuss a tool for successfully integrating equity concerns into HIAs. This discussion is the product of collaboration by Mongolian and Canadian experts, and it incorporates comments and suggestions of participants of a workshop on equity focused HIAs that took place in Mongolia in October, 2010. Our motivation for discussing this tool is based on the observation that existing HIAs tend either to fail to define equity or use problematic accounts of this concept. In this paper we give an overview of socio-demographic and health indicators in Mongolia and briefly discuss its mining industry. We then review three accounts of equity and argue for the importance of developing a consensus understanding of this concept when integrating considerations of equity into an HIA. Finally, we present findings from the workshop in Mongolia and outline a tool, derived from lessons from this workshop, for critically considering and integrating the concept of equity into an HIA.
Integrating environmental justice (EJ) methodologies into environmental impact assessment
Zimmerman, R.
Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns are now a pervasive part of environmental policy. Moreover, Federal Executive Order 12898 mandates its diffusion throughout federal government programs, and many states are developing similar programs. EJ concerns first arose in the environmental field in the context of hazardous waste facilities. Thus, hazardous waste applications provide important analytical models for EJ issues addressed in other programs, such as environmental assessment (EA). At the present time, EJ concerns are treated largely qualitatively in EAs and environmental impact statements (EISs) in sections dealing with neighborhood and community character or socioeconomics. The manner in which EJ issues are examined in EISs is described using examples from recent EISs, and an approach to quantifying EJ in terms of demographic patterns is presented using techniques previously applied by the author to hazardous waste sites (primarily sites on the National Priorities List under the Superfund program). Various geographic levels and demographic parameters are discussed and compared. A key point is the manner in which the choice of a comparison area influences conclusions about a particular area. these methods are critical in addressing such issues as whether proposed projects are being located in areas with relatively greater proportions of {open_quotes}vulnerable{close_quotes} populations or, in the case of public service projects, how these populations are served relative to other populations by the facilities that are the subject of the assessment.
Gross national happiness as a framework for health impact assessment
Pennock, Michael; Ura, Karma
The incorporation of population health concepts and health determinants into Health Impact Assessments has created a number of challenges. The need for intersectoral collaboration has increased; the meaning of 'health' has become less clear; and the distinctions between health impacts, environmental impacts, social impacts and economic impacts have become increasingly blurred. The Bhutanese concept of Gross National Happiness may address these issues by providing an over-arching evidence-based framework which incorporates health, social, environmental and economic contributors as well as a number of other key contributors to wellbeing such as culture and governance. It has the potential to foster intersectoral collaboration by incorporating a more limited definition of health which places the health sector as one of a number of contributors to wellbeing. It also allows for the examination of the opportunity costs of health investments on wellbeing, is consistent with whole-of-government approaches to public policy and emerging models of social progress.
LEDSGP/analysis/impacts/DIAWebinar on Development Impact Assessment...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) Sector: Energy Focus Area: Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Greenhouse Gas, People and Policy Phase: Bring the Right People...
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Models - About...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
development impacts from wind power generation projects. ... engineering, land easements, and permitting costs ... Model Transmission Line Model Wind Model Download ...
Job and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model: A User-Friendly Tool to Calculate Economic Impacts from Wind Projects
Brochure on the Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model for calculating the economic impacts of wind development.
(Environmental impact assessment as applied to policies, plans and programs)
Sigal, L.L.
A proposal to study the application of the principles of environmental impact assessment (EIA) to policy, plans, and programs was submitted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Senior Advisors on Environmental and Water Problems of the United Nations Economic Commission. On approval, EPA asked Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to support its efforts as lead participant on an international task force. ORNL is responsible for overall project management, including development of the report. At the first meeting in Geneva on June 18--19, there were representatives from Austria, Canada, Finland, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The administrative/legal setting for EIA in each country was reviewed. The objectives of the task force were defined, and issues related to the application of EIA at the policy level were discussed. At the second meeting, in addition to those countries represented at the first meeting the Commission of Economic Communities, Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, Remark, Federal Republic of Germany, Hungary, and The Netherlands were represented. A brief review was given by the new participants of legal/administrative requirements for EIA in their countries. Case studies were presented by Canada, Finland, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.
Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Shell GTL Fuel | Department of
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Energy Environmental Impacts of Shell GTL Fuel Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Shell GTL Fuel Presentation given at DEER 2006, August 20-24, 2006, Detroit, Michigan. Sponsored by the U.S. DOE's EERE FreedomCar and Fuel Partnership and 21st Century Truck Programs. 2006_deer_cherrillo.pdf (315.83 KB) More Documents & Publications An Evaluation of Shell GTL Diesel Shell Gas to Liquids in the context of a Future Fuel Strategy - Technical Marketing Aspects Verification of Shell GTL
Environmental impacts of increased hydroelectric development at existing dams
Railsback, S. F.; Cada, G. F.; Petrich, C. H.; Sale, M. J.; Shaakir-Ali, J. A.; Watts, J. A.; Webb, J. W.
This report describes the environmental impacts of a proposed U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to promote the development of hydropower resources at existing dams. Hydropower development at existing dams has, in general, fewer impacts than development of additional fossil-fueled resources or hydropower at new dams, although potential cumulative impacts of developing multiple hydropower projects have not been explicitly addressed. Environmental review of project impacts and mitigation needs can ensure that additional hydropower development at existing dams can provide a renewable resource with fewer impacts than alternative resources.
NREL: Energy Analysis - Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Models
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Analysis Printable Version JEDI Fact Sheet The cover of JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts Model factsheet. PDF 563 KB The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation and biofuel plants at the local and state levels. First developed by NREL's WINDExchange program to model wind energy impacts, JEDI has been expanded to analyze biofuels, coal, concentrating solar power,
Sustainable Land-use Impact Assessment Toolkit | Open Energy...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
public and private sector capacity to support initiatives 2.4. Assess and improve the national GHG inventory and other economic and resource data as needed for LEDS development...
An introduction to the COALTOWN impact assessment model. Staff report
Bender, L.D.; Temple, G.S.; Parcels, L.C.
The report is a layman's description of the COALTOWN simulation model. COALTOWN simulates future employment, population, wages, migration, state and local tax receipts and intergovernmental transfers, and local government expenditures for counties in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota. It is designed to assess impacts of energy projects. Input data and output formats and uses of the model are described. The predictive accuracy of the estimated equations and the model limitations and shortcomings are cited.
Environmental Impact Assessment in the Visegrad Group countries
Ga┼éa┼ø, Sl├Īvka; Ga┼éa┼ø, Andrzej; Zele┼ł├Īkov├Ī, Martina; Zvij├Īkov├Ī, Lenka; Fialov├Ī, Jitka; and others
Highlights: ŌĆó Comparison and evaluation of EIA systems in the V4 countries are presented. ŌĆó Strengths and weaknesses of EIA systems based on a questionnaire survey are stated. ŌĆó The function and efficiency of the EIA application in the V4 countries are analysed. ŌĆó Irregularities and shortcomings of EIA systems in the V4 should be eliminated. The Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIA Directive) has created a reference framework for the implementation of the system of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) into the legal systems of the Member States of the European Union, including the countries belonging to the Visegrad Group (V4): Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The Directive was the basis for the introduction of compulsory stages of the EIA process in the V4. The stages were then adapted to national requirements, including thresholds of the qualifying criteria of projects at the screening and scoping stages. The EIA system in the analysed countries has been growing, changing and being modified together with the political and economic changes of the last 30 years. Although all Visegrad Group countries are members of the EU and should harmonize the provisions of the EIA Directive and its amendments, there still exist singularities in each country's national EIA legislation, in terms of complementarities among the V4 countries, access to information resources, protection of natural resources, mitigation of socio-environmental impacts, or transboundary impact assessment. The article compares and evaluates the EIA systems in the four countries, specifies similarities and differences in the implementation of administrative proceedings and points out opportunities to strengthen the system. It presents selected results of a study conducted in 2013 within the framework of the international project ŌĆ£Assessment of the quality of the environment in the V4 CountriesŌĆØ (AQE V4). This paper indicates examples of good practice in the EIA
Development of nonproliferation and assessment scenarios.
Finley, Melissa; Barnett, Natalie Beth
The overall objective of the Nonproliferation and Assessments Scenario Development project is to create and analyze potential and plausible scenarios that would lead to an adversary's ability to acquire and use a biological weapon. The initial three months of funding was intended to be used to develop a scenario to demonstrate the efficacy of this analysis methodology; however, it was determined that a substantial amount of preliminary data collection would be needed before a proof of concept scenario could be developed. We have dedicated substantial effort to determine the acquisition pathways for Foot and Mouth Disease Virus, and similar processes will be applied to all pathogens of interest. We have developed a biosecurity assessments database to capture information on adversary skill locales, available skill sets in specific regions, pathogen sources and regulations involved in pathogen acquisition from legitimate facilities. FY06 funding, once released, will be dedicated to data collection on acquisition, production and dissemination requirements on a pathogen basis. Once pathogen data has been collected, scenarios will be developed and scored.
Evaluating the Impact of Development Projects on Poverty: A Handbook...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
on: LEDS icon social blue.png Social LEDS icon economic blue.png Economic LEDS icon environmental bw.png Environmental Learn more about the topics for assessing the impacts...
Manual for Social Impact Assessment of Land-Based Carbon Projects...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Impact Assessment of Land-Based Carbon Projects Jump to: navigation, search Tool Summary LAUNCH TOOL Name: Manual for Social Impact Assessment of Land-Based Carbon Projects Agency...
An Assessment of the Impact of Stochastic Day-Ahead SCUC on Economic...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
An Assessment of the Impact of Stochastic Day-Ahead SCUC on Economic and Reliability ... An Assessment of the Impact of Stochastic Day-Ahead SCUC on Economic and Reliability ...
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Models - About JEDI
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Marine & Hydrokinetic Power Model Analysis JEDI Jobs and Economic Development Impact Models Printable Version About JEDI Marine & Hydrokinetic Power Model The Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Marine and Hydrokinetic (MHK) model allows users to estimate economic development impacts from MHK power generation projects. The basic user interface for the MHK model is the same as for all other JEDI models. Results are provided in the same format as other JEDI models allowing for
Applying an improved rapid impact assessment matrix method to strategic environmental assessment of urban planning in China
Li, Wei Xie, Yuanbo Hao, Fanghua
Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has become an increasingly important decision-support tool for providing information on the environmental implications of a policy, plan, or program. The goal is to safeguard the environment and promote sustainable development at the strategic level. Despite major progress in implementing SEA practices internationally, developing countries, such as China, often lag behind in applying SEA methodology. Lack of available data and time constraints arising from tight schedules create problems. The rapid impact assessment matrix (RIAM) is a potential resource for breaking through such difficulties. Our analysis of RIAM applications suggested that it could become a tool for evaluating strategic alternatives because of its applicability in interdisciplinary settings, its transparency, and its short implementation timeframe. To make it more suitable for the SEA context, we have developed two major improvements to the conventional RIAM process: assignment of weights to assessment indicators and the development of an integrated environmental assessment score (IES). The improved RIAM process was employed in an SEA of the development plan for the Nansha District in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province in China. It was used to assess five alternatives for development in Wanqingsha (WQS), a subunit of Nansha, where important ecological resources are located and where industrial development could impact the air quality in the neighboring Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The evaluation identified WQS-A04 as the preferred alternative. This alternative involved a minimal amount of industrial development ¢ 10% compared with the most intense development alternative ¢ and included important wetland preservation plans. The assessment results have been incorporated into the officially approved development plan for Nansha. The improved RIAM methodology is well adapted to the technical aims of SEA and decision
Wind Energy Economic Development and Impacts | Open Energy Information
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
a particular utility-scale wind configuration project that has been referred to as the "Big Wind" project. Lantz, E.; Tegen, S. (April 2009). Economic Development Impacts of...
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Models - About...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Biofuels Models The Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) biofuel models include ... Download the JEDI Biofuels Models Printable Version JEDI Home About JEDI Biofuels Models ...
Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts in the United...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts in the United States: Four Regional Scenarios Offshore wind has tremendous potential in the United States as a clean, renewable ...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
LAND USE AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS FROM SHALE DEVELOPMENT IN THE APPALACHIANS THE NATURE ... Research by The Nature Conservancy (Johnson et al. 2010; Johnson et al. 2011) indicates ...
Session: Pre-development project risk assessment
Curry, Richard; Linehan, Andy
This second session at the Wind Energy and Birds/Bats workshop consisted of two presentations followed by a discussion/question and answer period. The focus of the presentations was on the practices and methodologies used in the wind energy industry for assessing risk to birds and bats at candidate project sites. Presenters offered examples of pre-development siting evaluation requirements set by certain states. Presentation one was titled ''Practices and Methodologies and Initial Screening Tools'' by Richard Curry of Curry and Kerlinger, LLC. Presentation two was titled ''State of the Industry in the Pacific Northwest'' by Andy Linehan, CH2MHILL.
Framework for assessing impacts of pile-driving noise from offshore wind farm construction on a harbour seal population
Thompson, Paul M.; Hastie, Gordon D.; Nedwell, Jeremy; Barham, Richard; Brookes, Kate L.; Cordes, Line S.; Bailey, Helen; McLean, Nancy
Offshore wind farm developments may impact protected marine mammal populations, requiring appropriate assessment under the EU Habitats Directive. We describe a framework developed to assess population level impacts of disturbance from piling noise on a protected harbour seal population in the vicinity of proposed wind farm developments in NE Scotland. Spatial patterns of seal distribution and received noise levels are integrated with available data on the potential impacts of noise to predict how many individuals are displaced or experience auditory injury. Expert judgement is used to link these impacts to changes in vital rates and applied to population models that compare population changes under baseline and construction scenarios over a 25 year period. We use published data and hypothetical piling scenarios to illustrate how the assessment framework has been used to support environmental assessments, explore the sensitivity of the framework to key assumptions, and discuss its potential application to other populations of marine mammals. -- Highlights: ŌĆó We develop a framework to support Appropriate Assessment for harbour seal populations. ŌĆó We assessed potential impacts of wind farm construction noise. ŌĆó Data on distribution of seals and noise were used to predict effects on individuals. ŌĆó Expert judgement linked these impacts to vital rates to model population change. ŌĆó We explore the sensitivity of the framework to key assumptions and uncertainties.
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts Model Fact Sheet
S. Hendrickson; S.Tegen
The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation and biofuel plants at the local(usually state) level. First developed by NREL's Wind Powering America program to model wind energy jobs and impacts, JEDI has been expanded to biofuels,concentrating solar power, coal, and natural gas power plants.
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Models - About JEDI
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Photovoltaics Model Photovoltaics Model The Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Photovoltaics (PV) model allows users to estimate economic development impacts from PV projects. JEDI PV has default information that can be utilized to run a generic impacts analysis assuming industry averages. Model users are encouraged to enter as much project-specific data as possible. The PV JEDI model is designed for use on a PC and has very limited functionality on a Mac. However, this model is
Facilitating communities in designing and using their own community health impact assessment tool
Cameron, Colleen; Ghosh, Sebanti; Eaton, Susan L.
Reducing health inequities and improving the health of communities require an informed public that is aware of the social determinants of health and how policies and programs have an impact on the health of their communities. People Assessing Their Health (PATH) is a process that uses community-driven health impact assessment to build the capacity of people to become active participants in the decisions that affect the well-being of their community. The PATH process is both a health promotion and a community development approach that builds people's ability to bring critical analysis to a situation and to engage in effective social action to bring about desired change. Because it increases analytical skills and provides communities with their own unique tool to assess the potential impact of projects, programs or policies on the health and well-being of their community it is an empowering process. PATH was originally used in three communities in northeastern Nova Scotia, Canada in 1996 when the Canadian health care system was being restructured to a more decentralized system. Since then it has been used in other communities in Nova Scotia and India. This paper will describe the PATH process and the use of the community health impact assessment as well as the methodology used in the PATH process. The lessons learned from PATH's experiences of building capacity among the community in Canada and India will be presented.
Idaho National Laboratory Research & Development Impacts
Stricker, Nicole
Technological advances that drive economic growth require both public and private investment. The U.S. Department of EnergyŌĆÖs national laboratories play a crucial role by conducting the type of research, testing and evaluation that is beyond the scope of regulators, academia or industry. Examples of such work from the past year can be found in these pages. Idaho National LaboratoryŌĆÖs engineering and applied science expertise helps deploy new technologies for nuclear energy, national security and new energy resources. Unique infrastructure, nuclear material inventory and vast expertise converge at INL, the nationŌĆÖs nuclear energy laboratory. Productive partnerships with academia, industry and government agencies deliver high-impact outcomes. This edition of INLŌĆÖs Impacts magazine highlights national and regional leadership efforts, growing capabilities, notable collaborations, and technology innovations. Please take a few minutes to learn more about the critical resources and transformative research at one of the nationŌĆÖs premier applied science laboratories.
Developing micro-level urban ecosystem indicators for sustainability assessment
Dizdaroglu, Didem
Sustainability assessment is increasingly being viewed as an important tool to aid in the shift towards sustainable urban ecosystems. An urban ecosystem is a dynamic system and requires regular monitoring and assessment through a set of relevant indicators. An indicator is a parameter which provides information about the state of the environment by producing a quantitative value. Indicator-based sustainability assessment needs to be considered on all spatial scales to provide efficient information of urban ecosystem sustainability. The detailed data is necessary to assess environmental change in urban ecosystems at local scale and easily transfer this information to the national and global scales. This paper proposes a set of key micro-level urban ecosystem indicators for monitoring the sustainability of residential developments. The proposed indicator framework measures the sustainability performance of urban ecosystem in 3 main categories including: natural environment, built environment, and socio-economic environment which are made up of 9 sub-categories, consisting of 23 indicators. This paper also describes theoretical foundations for the selection of each indicator with reference to the literature [Turkish] Highlights: ŌĆó As the impacts of environmental problems have multi-scale characteristics, sustainability assessment needs to be considered on all scales. ŌĆó The detailed data is necessary to assess local environmental change in urban ecosystems to provide insights into the national and global scales. ŌĆó This paper proposes a set of key micro-level urban ecosystem indicators for monitoring the sustainability of residential developments. ŌĆó This paper also describes theoretical foundations for the selection of each indicator with reference to the literature.
How social impact assessment can contribute to conflict management
Prenzel, Paula V. Vanclay, Frank
The potential for conflict is omnipresent in all projects, and even in all human interactions, and conflict itself leads to many second-order social impacts. This article examines the contribution of the methodological approach used in social impact assessment (SIA) to conflict management. We view conflict as a process that has its own dynamic, and is to be expected in all situations. By using game theory (prisoner's dilemma), we describe and conceptualize this process and highlight the importance of communication in managing conflict. We demonstrate the potential use of SIA in preventing, managing and resolving conflict. Emphasis is placed on the participatory character of SIA and the role of public media. In contrast to existing literature, our focus is not restricted to the typical fields of study of SIA (e.g. environmental conflicts), but understands conflict itself as a field of application. In this sense, conflict-sensitive SIA can be understood both as an extension to the SIA tool kit and a broadening of the scope of SIA application. -- Highlights: Ģ Conflict is omnipresent and creates both positive and negative social impacts. Ģ Conflict itself represents a possible field of application for SIA. Ģ Conflict escalation is a process that can be modeled in a game-theoretic framework. Ģ There needs to be concerted effort to prevent escalation to avoid harmful outcomes. Ģ Conflict-sensitive SIA can support conflict management and sustainable resolution.
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Models - About JEDI
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Conventional Hydro Model Conventional Hydro Model The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Conventional Hydro model was developed to demonstrate the economic benefits associated with conventional hydro power plants in the United States. The primary goal in developing the state level model was to provide a tool for developers, renewable energy advocates, government officials, decision makers and other potential users, to easily identify the local economic impacts associated with
Mitigating Potential Environmental Impacts of Energy Development
Normandeau Associates is developing a tool to check the risk of wind turbine collisions for bird and bat species.
Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) following a postulated accident in PHWRS
Soni, N.; Kansal, M.; Rammohan, H. P.; Malhotra, P. K.
Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) following postulated accident i.e Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) with failed Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS), performed as part of the reactor safety analysis of a typical 700 MWe Indian Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor(PHWR). The rationale behind the assessment is that the public needs to be protected in the event that the postulated accident results in radionuclide release outside containment. Radionuclides deliver dose to the human body through various pathways namely, plume submersion, exposure due to ground deposition, inhalation and ingestion. The total exposure dose measured in terms of total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) is the sum of doses to a hypothetical adult human at exclusion zone boundary by all the exposure pathways. The analysis provides the important inputs to decide upon the type of emergency counter measures to be adopted during the postulated accident. The importance of the various pathways in terms of contribution to the total effective dose equivalent(TEDE) is also assessed with respect to time of exposure. Inhalation and plume gamma dose are the major contributors towards TEDE during initial period of accident whereas ingestion and ground shine dose start dominating in TEDE in the extended period of exposure. Moreover, TEDE is initially dominated by I-131, Kr-88, Te-132, I-133 and Sr-89, whereas, as time progresses, Xe-133,I-131 and Te-132 become the main contributors. (authors)
Environmental Impacts of Increased Hydroelectric Development...
development of hydropower resources at existing dams. enviroimpactshydroelectricdevexistingdams.pdf (2.77 MB) More Documents & Publications EA-2017: Final Environmental ...
Mitigating Potential Environmental Impacts of Energy Development...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Associates of Bedford, New Hampshire, developed a tool that characterizes the risk for bird and bat species that may be susceptible to collisions with wind turbines. This tool...
Accounting for uncertainty and risk in assessments of impacts for offshore oil and gas leasing proposals
Wildermann, R.; Beittel, R. )
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the US Department of the Interior prepares an environmental impact statement (EIS) for each proposal to lease a portion of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for oil and gas exploration and development. The nature, magnitude, and timing of the activities that would ultimately result from leasing are subject to wide speculation, primarily because of uncertainties about the locations and amounts of petroleum hydrocarbons that exist on most potential leases. These uncertainties create challenges in preparing EIS's that meet National Environmental Policy Act requirements and provide information useful to decision-makers. This paper examines the constraints that uncertainty places on the detail and reliability of assessments of impacts from potential OCS development. It further describes how the MMS accounts for uncertainty in developing reasonable scenarios of future events that can be evaluated in the EIS. A process for incorporating the risk of accidental oil spills into assessments of expected impacts is also presented. Finally, the paper demonstrates through examination of case studies how a balance can be achieved between the need for an EIS to present impacts in sufficient detail to allow a meaningful comparison of alternatives and the tendency to push the analysis beyond credible limits.
Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (Postcard)
Not Available
The U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Powering America initiative provides information on the Jobs and Economic Development Benefits model. This postcard is a marketing piece that stakeholders can provide to interested parties; it will guide them to the Jobs and Economic Development Benefits model section on the Wind Powering America website.
The need for health impact assessment in China: Potential benefits for public health and steps forward
Wu Liming; Rutherford, Shannon; Chu, Cordia
Health impact assessment (HIA) is a useful tool to predict and estimate the potential health impact associated with programs, projects, and policies by comprehensively identifying relevant health determinants and their consequences. China is undergoing massive and rapid socio-economic changes leading to environment and population health challenges such as a large increase in non-communicable diseases, the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases, new health risks associated with environmental pollutants and escalating health inequality. These health issues are affected by multiple determinants which can be influenced by planned policies, programs, and projects. This paper discusses the needs for health impact assessment in China in order to minimize the negative health consequences from projects, programs and policies associated with rapid social and economic development. It first describes the scope of China's current impact assessment system and points out its inadequacy in meeting the requirements of population health protection and promotion. It then analyses the potential use of HIA and why China needs to develop and apply HIA as a tool to identify potential health impacts of proposed programs, projects and policies so as to influence decision-making early in the planning process. Thus, the paper recommends the development of HIA as a useful tool in China to enhance decision-making for the protection and promotion of population health. For this to happen, the paper outlines steps necessary for the establishment and successful implementation of HIA in China: beginning with the establishment of a HIA framework, followed by workforce capacity building, methodology design, and intersectoral collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
Creating a spatial multi-criteria decision support system for energy related integrated environmental impact assessment
Wanderer, Thomas Herle, Stefan
By their spatially very distributed nature, profitability and impacts of renewable energy resources are highly correlated with the geographic locations of power plant deployments. A web-based Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) based on a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach has been implemented for identifying preferable locations for solar power plants based on user preferences. The designated areas found serve for the input scenario development for a subsequent integrated Environmental Impact Assessment. The capabilities of the SDSS service get showcased for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants in the region of Andalusia, Spain. The resulting spatial patterns of possible power plant sites are an important input to the procedural chain of assessing impacts of renewable energies in an integrated effort. The applied methodology and the implemented SDSS are applicable for other renewable technologies as well. - Highlights: ŌĆó The proposed tool facilitates well-founded CSP plant siting decisions. ŌĆó Spatial MCDA methods are implemented in a WebGIS environment. ŌĆó GIS-based SDSS can contribute to a modern integrated impact assessment workflow. ŌĆó The conducted case study proves the suitability of the methodology.
Public participation in environmental impact assessment: why, who and how?
Glucker, Anne N.; Driessen, Peter P.J.; Kolhoff, Arend; Runhaar, Hens A.C.
Even a cursory glance at the literature on environmental impact assessment (EIA) reveals that public participation is being considered as an integral part of the assessment procedure. Public participation in EIA is commonly deemed to foster democratic policy-making and to render EIA more effective. Yet a closer look at the literature unveils that, beyond this general assertion, opinions of the precise meaning, objectives and adequate representation of public participation in EIA considerably diverge. Against this background, in this article we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the academic debate on public participation in EIA concerning its meaning, objectives and adequate level of inclusiveness. In so doing, we hope to stimulate a more focused debate on the subject, which is key to advancing the research agenda. Furthermore, this paper may serve as a starting point for practitioners involved in defining the role of public participation in EIA practice. -- Highlights: ŌĆó There is little reflection on the meaning, objectives and adequate level of inclusiveness of public participation in EIA. ŌĆó We provide a comprehensive overview of the academic debate on public participation in EIA concerning the meaning, objectives and adequate level of inclusiveness. ŌĆó Theoretical claims put forth by scholars are contrasted with empirical evidence. ŌĆó Overview shall stimulate a more focused debate on the subject. ŌĆó This paper may serve as a starting point for practitioners involved in defining the role of public participation in EIA.
Strengthening the link between project planning and environmental impact assessment : the assembled chemical weapons assessment dialogue process.
Goldberg, M. S.; Environmental Assessment
An approach to stakeholder involvement known as the Dialogue process has been an integral part of the US Department of Defense Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) Program from its inception. It has provided a means of soliciting stakeholder input before key decisions are made. The projects developed under the ACWA Program are characterized as major federal actions and therefore also must meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). One of these is the requirement for public participation in the environmental impact assessment process. This case study describes the ACWA Dialogue and NEPA processes, and examines their relationship in the implementation of the ACWA Program. The examination suggests that involving the public at the beginning of a program through a Dialogue-like process can introduce environmental considerations early in the project development process and contribute to the development of a more informed public. These factors improve the overall efficacy of public participation, strengthening the link between project development and environmental assessment in a manner consistent with the original intent of NEPA.
Assessing Impacts of Climate Change on Forests: The State of Biological Modeling
DOE R&D Accomplishments [OSTI]
Dale, V. H.; Rauscher, H. M.
Models that address the impacts to forests of climate change are reviewed by four levels of biological organization: global, regional or landscape, community, and tree. The models are compared as to their ability to assess changes in greenhouse gas flux, land use, maps of forest type or species composition, forest resource productivity, forest health, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat. No one model can address all of these impacts, but landscape transition models and regional vegetation and land-use models consider the largest number of impacts. Developing landscape vegetation dynamics models of functional groups is suggested as a means to integrate the theory of both landscape ecology and individual tree responses to climate change. Risk assessment methodologies can be adapted to deal with the impacts of climate change at various spatial and temporal scales. Four areas of research development are identified: (1) linking socioeconomic and ecologic models, (2) interfacing forest models at different scales, (3) obtaining data on susceptibility of trees and forest to changes in climate and disturbance regimes, and (4) relating information from different scales.
Environmental impact assessment in Colombia: Critical analysis and proposals for improvement
Toro, Javier; Requena, Ignacio; Zamorano, Montserrat
The evaluation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) systems is a highly recommended strategy for enhancing their effectiveness and quality. This paper describes an evaluation of EIA in Colombia, using the model and the control mechanisms proposed and applied in other countries by Christopher Wood and Ortolano. The evaluation criteria used are based on Principles of Environmental Impact Assessment Best Practice, such as effectiveness and control features, and they were contrasted with the opinions of a panel of Colombian EIA experts as a means of validating the results of the study. The results found that EIA regulations in Colombia were ineffective because of limited scope, inadequate administrative support and the inexistence of effective control mechanisms and public participation. This analysis resulted in a series of recommendations regarding the further development of the EIA system in Colombia with a view to improving its quality and effectiveness.
Renewing the licenses of US nuclear plants: An assessment of the socioeconomic impacts
Schweitzer, M.; Saulsbury, J.W. ); Schexnayder, S.M. )
In recent years, increased national attention has been focused on the potential effects of renewing, or not renewing, the licenses of nuclear power plants as the oldest of them approach the end of the 40-year operating period allowed by their original licenses. As part of a larger study for the US Nuclear Regulatory commission (NRC), the authors conducted an assessment of the potential socioeconomic impacts to those communities throughout the country in which nuclear power plants are located and which, therefore, are most directly affected by renewal of nuclear power plant licenses. This paper focuses on six key issues that are traditionally considered essential in the assessment of social impacts: Population; housing; tax payments; local public services; land use and development; and economic structure.
Health impact assessment in the United States: Has practice followed standards?
Schuchter, Joseph; Bhatia, Rajiv; Corburn, Jason; Seto, Edmund
As an emerging practice, Health Impact Assessment is heterogeneous in purpose, form, and scope and applied in a wide range of decision contexts. This heterogeneity challenges efforts to evaluate the quality and impact of practice. We examined whether information in completed HIA reports reflected objectively-evaluable criteria proposed by the North American HIA Practice Standards Working Group in 2009. From publically-available reports of HIAs conducted in the U.S. and published from 2009 to 2011, we excluded those that were components of, or comment letters on, Environmental Impact Assessments (5) or were demonstration projects or student exercises (8). For the remaining 23 reports, we used practice standards as a template to abstract data on the steps of HIA, including details on the rationale, authorship, funding, decision and decision-makers, participation, pathways and methods, quality of evidence, and recommendations. Most reports described screening, scoping, and assessment processes, but there was substantial variation in the extent of these processes and the degree of stakeholder participation. Community stakeholders participated in screening or scoping in just two-thirds of the HIAs (16). On average, these HIAs analyzed 5.5 determinants related to 10.6 health impacts. Most HIA reports did not include evaluation or monitoring plans. This study identifies issues for field development and improvement. The standards might be adapted to better account for variability in resources, produce fit-for-purpose HIAs, and facilitate innovation guided by the principles. - Highlights: Ģ Our study examined reported HIAs in the U.S. against published practice standards. Ģ Most HIAs used some screening, scoping and assessment elements from the standards. Ģ The extent of these processes and stakeholder participation varied widely. Ģ The average HIA considered multiple health determinants and impacts. Ģ Evaluation or monitoring plans were generally not included in reports.
Integrating community perceptions and cultural diversity in social impact assessment in Nigeria
Nzeadibe, Thaddeus Chidi; Ajaero, Chukwuedozie Kelechukwu; Okonkwo, Emeka Emmanuel; Okpoko, Patrick Uche; Akukwe, Thecla Iheoma; Njoku-Tony, Roseline Feechi
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act of 1992 aimed to make the environment a central theme in development in Nigeria. Nevertheless, the extent of engagement with local cultures in the Nigerian EIA process is not statutorily guaranteed. While most EIAs in Nigeria have been for oil and gas projects in the Niger Delta, and have focused strongly on the biophysical environment, socio-economic and cultural aspects have remained marginal. The palpable neglect of community perceptions and cultural diversity in social impact assessment (SIA) in this region prone to conflict has tended to alienate the people in the decision-making process. Thus, despite claims to compliance with regulatory requirements for EIAs, and numerous purported sustainable development initiatives by international oil companies (IOCs), the region continues to face multiple sustainability challenges. This paper situates local perceptions and cultural diversity in participatory development and canvasses the integration of community perceptions and cultural diversity into SIA in the Niger Delta region. It is argued that doing this would be critical to ensuring acceptance and success of development actions within the context of local culture while also contributing to sustainable development policy in the region. - Highlights: ŌĆó Nigeria EIA Act aimed to make the environment central to development in Nigeria. ŌĆó Engagement with local communities in the process is not statutorily guaranteed. ŌĆó SIAs in Nigeria neglect community perceptions and cultural diversity. ŌĆó Article canvasses integrating community perceptions and cultural diversity in SIA. ŌĆó Local acceptance in context of culture would yield sustainable development outcomes.
Stakeholder participation in health impact assessment: A multicultural approach
Negev, Maya; Davidovitch, Nadav; Garb, Yaakov; Tal, Alon
The literature on impact assessment (HIA) registers the importance of stakeholder participation in the assessment process, but still lacks a model for engaging stakeholders of diverse ethnic, professional and sectorial backgrounds. This paper suggests that the multicultural approach can contribute to HIA through a revision of the generic 5-step HIA model, and its implementation in a metropolitan plan in Southern Israel. The health issue scoped by the stakeholders in the HIA is related to land uses in the vicinity of the national hazardous industry and hazardous waste site. The stakeholders were representatives of the diverse populations at stake, including rural Bedouins and Jewish city dwellers, as well as representatives from the public sector, private sector, non-governmental organizations and academia. The case study revealed that a multicultural stakeholder participation process helps to uncover health issues known to the community which were not addressed in the original plan, and provides local knowledge regarding health conditions that is especially valuable when scientific data is uncertain or absent. It enables diverse stakeholders to prioritize the health issues that will be assessed. The case study also reveals ways in which the model needs revisions and improvements such as in recruitment of diverse participants. This paper presents a multicultural model of HIA and discusses some of the challenges that are faced when HIA is implemented in the context of current decision-making culture. -- Highlights: ŌĆó We revised the generic HIA model in light of the multicultural approach. ŌĆó We tested the model in a case study of zoning a hazardous industry site. ŌĆó Multicultural stakeholder participation uncovers health issues known to communities. ŌĆó It enables community prioritization of health issues. ŌĆó We present a model for multicultural stakeholder participation in HIA.
Is the ecosystem service concept improving impact assessment? Evidence from recent international practice
Rosa, Josianne Claudia Sales S├Īnchez, Luis E.
Considering ecosystem services (ES) could foster innovation and improve environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) practice, but is the potential being fulfilled? In order to investigate how ES have been treated in recent international practice, three questions are asked: (i) were the tasks of an ES analysis carried out? (ii) how is such analysis integrated with other analysis presented in the ESIA? (iii) does ES analysis result in additional or improved mitigation or enhancement measures? These research questions were unfolded into 15 auxiliary questions for reviewing five ESIA reports prepared for mining, hydroelectric and transportation infrastructure projects in Africa, Asia and South America. All cases incorporated ES into ESIA to meet a requirement of the International Finance Corporation's Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability. It was found that: (i) in only three cases most tasks recommended by current guidance were adopted (ii) all reports feature a dedicated ES chapter or section, but in three of them no evidence was found that the ES analysis was integrated within impact assessment (iii) in the two ESIAs that followed guidance, ES analysis resulted in specific mitigation measures. Few evidence was found that the ES concept is improving current ESIA practice. Key challenges are: (i) integrating ES analysis in such a way that it does not duplicate other analysis; (ii) adequately characterizing the beneficiaries of ES; and (iii) quantifying ES supply for impact prediction. - Highlights: ŌĆó Incorporating ecosystem services analysis in impact assessment can improve results. ŌĆó Additional impacts and mitigation were identified. ŌĆó Challenges include developing appropriate indicators for impact prediction. ŌĆó A key challenge is integrating the concept in such a way that it does not duplicate other analysis.
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Models - About JEDI
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Transmission Line Model Transmission Line Model The Transmission Line Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) model allows the user to estimate economic development impacts associated with transmission line projects. Applying a similar user interface as other JEDI models, Transmission Line JEDI requires a few additional user inputs such as: Transmission Line Type Line Length Terrain Type Right-of-Way Characteristics. Results are presented in the same manner as those in other JEDI
FOA Announcement: Eagle Impact Minimization Technology Development and
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Field Testing Opportunities | Department of Energy FOA Announcement: Eagle Impact Minimization Technology Development and Field Testing Opportunities FOA Announcement: Eagle Impact Minimization Technology Development and Field Testing Opportunities June 22, 2016 - 4:08pm Addthis The Energy Department's Wind Program issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to advance the readiness of technologies intended to reduce eagle mortalities at operational wind turbines or wind facilities. This
NREL: Technology Deployment - Developing Countries Demonstrate Impacts of
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Low Emission Development Strategies Developing Countries Demonstrate Impacts of Low Emission Development Strategies News EC-LEDS Highlights Renewable Energy Resource Data at COP21 Vietnam Makes Strides to Lower Emissions Thru Green Building Code, High-Performance Buildings Colombia Makes Major Strides in Low Emission Development Payments for Forest Environmental Services in Vietnam Preserves Forests, Engages Communities Presidential Engagement on Low Emission Development Strategies in Gabon
Preliminary Assessment of the Impact of 2014 Seismic Study on WTP Design
Preliminary Assessment of the Impact of 2014 Seismic Study on WTP Design Carl Costantino, Consultant to DOE Raman Venkata, DOE-WTP-WED,Richland,WA Farhang Ostadan, BNI
Text Alternative Version: Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products
Below is the text-alternative version of the "Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products" webcast, held March 28, 2013.
Assessment of the impact of radionuclides in coal ash
Styron, C.E.; Bishop, C.T.; Casella, V.R.; Jenkins, P.H.; Yanko, W.H.
An assessment of the potential environmental and health impacts of radionuclides in the coal fuel cycle is being conducted at Mound. This paper describes our studies evaluating the potential for migration of radionuclides from ash disposal sites. Studies at a power plant burning western US coal dealt with an assessment of potential radiation doses from coal ash ponds and leachate discharges of radionuclides from the ponds. Emanation of radon-222 from the ash is relatively low. The emanation of radon-222 from the ash pond (radium-226 at 4.5 pCi/g) is predicted to be about six times less than from soil (radium-226 at 1 pCi/g). Ash with radium-226 at 25 pCi/g would approximate emanation of radon-222 from soil. At 1000 m from the center of the ash pond area, radon-222 from the ash pond is predicted to be 1000 to 6000 times less than background (0.1 to 0.5 pCi/liter). Pathways exist for transport of radionuclides leached from ash into the aquifer beneath the holding ponds, but concentrations of radionuclides in water leaving the pond are lower than concentrations in groundwater which is upgradient of the ponds. Leachability of the ash is quite low, on the order of 0.002% in one month, and flow of ash sluicing water (3% of the volume of the ponds each day) has actually diluted normal background concentrations of radionuclides in the aquifer between the ponds and the adjacent river.
Cross-impacts analysis development and energy policy analysis applications
Roop, J.M.; Scheer, R.M.; Stacey, G.S.
Purpose of this report is to describe the cross-impact analysis process and microcomputer software developed for the Office of Policy, Planning, and Analysis (PPA) of DOE. First introduced in 1968, cross-impact analysis is a technique that produces scenarios of future conditions and possibilities. Cross-impact analysis has several unique attributes that make it a tool worth examining, especially in the current climate when the outlook for the economy and several of the key energy markets is uncertain. Cross-impact analysis complements the econometric, engineering, systems dynamics, or trend approaches already in use at DOE. Cross-impact analysis produces self-consistent scenarios in the broadest sense and can include interaction between the economy, technology, society and the environment. Energy policy analyses that couple broad scenarios of the future with detailed forecasting can produce more powerful results than scenario analysis or forecasts can produce alone.
Evaluating impacts of development and conservation projects using sustainability indicators: Opportunities and challenges
Agol, Dorice; Latawiec, Agnieszka E.; Strassburg, Bernardo B.N.
There has been an increased interest in using sustainability indicators for evaluating the impacts of development and conservation projects. Past and recent experiences have shown that sustainability indicators can be powerful tools for measuring the outcomes of various interventions, when used appropriately and adequately. Currently, there is a range of methods for applying sustainability indicators for project impact evaluation at the environmentŌĆōdevelopment interface. At the same time, a number of challenges persist which have implication for impact evaluation processes especially in developing countries. We highlight some key and recurrent challenges, using three cases from Kenya, Indonesia and Brazil. In this study, we have conducted a comparative analysis across multiple projects from the three countries, which aimed to conserve biodiversity and improve livelihoods. The assessments of these projects were designed to evaluate their positive, negative, short-term, long term, direct and indirect impacts. We have identified a set of commonly used sustainability indicators to evaluate the projects and have discussed opportunities and challenges associated with their application. Our analysis shows that impact evaluation processes present good opportunities for applying sustainability indicators. On the other hand, we find that project proponents (e.g. managers, evaluators, donors/funders) face challenges with establishing full impacts of interventions and that these are rooted in monitoring and evaluation processes, lack of evidence-based impacts, difficulties of measuring certain outcomes and concerns over scale of a range of impacts. We outline key lessons learnt from the multiple cases and propose ways to overcome common problems. Results from our analysis demonstrate practical experiences of applying sustainability indicators in developing countries context where there are different prevailing socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions. The
Assessing the state-level consequences of global warming: Socio-economic and energy demand impacts
Rubin, B.M. Gailmard, S.; Marsh, D.; Septoff, A.
The large body of research on climate change has begun to recognize a significant deficiency: the lack of analysis of the impact of climate change at a spatial level consistent with the anticipated occurrence of climate change. Climate change is likely to vary by region, while impact analysis has focused on much larger political units. Clearly, adaptation/mitigation strategies must be developed at a level consistent with political and policy-making processes. This paper specifically addresses this deficiency by identifying the potential socio-economic and energy demand consequences of climate change for subnational regions. This is accomplished via the development and application of a regional simultaneous equation, econometric simulation model that focuses on five states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin) in the Great Lakes region of the US. This paper presents a process for obtaining state-specific assessments of the consequences of climate change for the socio-economic system. As such, it provides an indication of which economic sectors are most sensitive to climate change for a specific state (Indiana), a set of initial mitigation/adaptation strategies for this state, and the results of testing these strategies in the policy analysis framework enabled by the model. In addition, the research demonstrates an effective methodology for assessing impacts and policy implications of climate change at a level consistent with policy making authority.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of...
Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
Country of Publication: United States Language: English Subject: 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; LIFE CYCLE; LIGHT BULBS; ...
Assessing corporate project impacts in changeable contexts: A human rights perspective
Salcito, Kendyl; Singer, Burton H.; Krieger, Gary R.; Weiss, Mitchell G.; Wielga, Mark; Utzinger, J├╝rg
Project-level impact assessment was originally conceived as a snapshot taken in advance of project implementation, contrasting current conditions with a likely future scenario involving a variety of predicted impacts. Current best practice guidance has encouraged a shift towards longitudinal assessments from the pre-project stage through the implementation and operating phases. Experience and study show, however, that assessment of infrastructure-intensive projects rarely endures past the project's construction phase. Negative consequences for environmental, social and health outcomes have been documented. Such consequences clarify the pressing need for longitudinal assessment in each of these domains, with human rights impact assessment (HRIA) as an umbrella over, and critical augmentation of, environmental, social and health assessments. Project impacts on human rights are more closely linked to political, economic and other factors beyond immediate effects of a company's policy and action throughout the project lifecycle. Delineating these processes requires an adequate framework, with strategies for collecting longitudinal data, protocols that provide core information for impact assessment and guidance for adaptive mitigation strategies as project-related effects change over time. This article presents general principles for the design and implementation of sustained, longitudinal HRIA, based on experience assessing and responding to human rights impact in a uranium mining project in Malawi. The case study demonstrates the value of longitudinal assessment both for limiting corporate risk and improving human welfare. - Graphical abstract: Assessing changes in human rights condition as affected by both project and context, over time. - Highlights: ŌĆó Corporate capital projects affect human rights in myriad ways. ŌĆó Ongoing, longitudinal impact assessment techniques are needed. ŌĆó We present an approach for conducting longitudinal human rights impact assessment
NASA Benchmarks Lessons Learned Assessment Plan - Developed By...
NASA BENCHMARKS LESSONS LEARNED Assessment Plan Developed By NNSANevada Site Office Facility Representative Division Performance Objective: Management should have an established...
Development of Sea Level Rise Scenarios for Climate Change Assessments...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Sea Level Rise Scenarios for Climate Change Assessments of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam Jump to: navigation, search Tool Summary LAUNCH TOOL Name: Development of Sea Level Rise...
The impact of oil on a developing country
Ikein, A.
This book provides an analysis of the impact of the oil industry on a particular developing country, Nigeria over a period of 32 years. Arguing that previous studies on the oil industry in developing countries have tended to focus only on the economic significance of oil, ignoring its societal costs, the author uses a multidimensional approach that enables him to identify the linkage between the performance of the oil industry and the pattern of Nigeria's national and regional development.
Assessment of the Impacts of Standards and Labeling Programs inMexico (four products).
Sanchez, Itha; Pulido, Henry; McNeil, Michael A.; Turiel, Isaac; della Cava, Mirka
This study analyzes impacts from energy efficiency standards and labeling in Mexico from 1994 through 2005 for four major products: household refrigerators, room air conditioners, three-phase (squirrel cage) induction motors, and clothes washers. It is a retrospective analysis, seeking to assess verified impacts on product efficiency in the Mexican market in the first ten years after standards were implemented. Such an analysis allows the Mexican government to compare actual to originally forecast program benefits. In addition, it provides an extremely valuable benchmark for other countries considering standards, and to the energy policy community as a whole. The methodology for evaluation begins with historical test data taken for a large number of models of each product type between 1994 and 2005. The pre-standard efficiency of models in 1994 is taken as a baseline throughout the analysis. Model efficiency data were provided by an independent certification laboratory (ANCE), which tested products as part of the certification and enforcement mechanism defined by the standards program. Using this data, together with economic and market data provided by both government and private sector sources, the analysis considers several types of national level program impacts. These include: Energy savings; Environmental (emissions) impacts, and Net financial impacts to consumers, manufacturers and utilities. Energy savings impacts are calculated using the same methodology as the original projections, allowing a comparison. Other impacts are calculated using a robust and sophisticated methodology developed by the Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), in a collaboration supported by the Collaborative Labeling and Standards Program (CLASP).
The people problems of NEPA: Social impact assessment and the role of public involvement
Carnes, S.A.
This Chapter of the book `` The Scientific Challenges of NEPA`` discusses the people problems of NEPA and social impact assessment and the role of public involvement in NEPA. When Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969, there was little guidance on the preparation of environmental impact statements (EIS) and the role of the public in the NEPA process. Excepting the statutory language of NEPA, which referred to impacts on the human environment, nowhere was this more evident than with respect to people. Questions such as what impacts on people should be assessed, how impacts on people should be assessed, and how people, including but not limited to those persons potentially impacted, should be involved in the assessment itself as well as NEPA`s associated administrative processes, were simply not addressed.
Walking the sustainability assessment talk - Progressing the practice of environmental impact assessment (EIA)
Morrison-Saunders, Angus; Retief, Francois
Internationally there is a growing demand for environmental impact assessment (EIA) to move away from its traditional focus towards delivering more sustainable outcomes. South Africa is an example of a country where the EIA system seems to have embraced the concept of sustainability. In this paper we test the existing objectives for EIA in South Africa against sustainability principles and then critique the effectiveness of EIA practice in delivering these objectives. The outcome of the research suggests that notwithstanding a strong and explicit sustainability mandate through policy and legislation, the effectiveness of EIA practice falls far short of what is mandated. This shows that further legislative reform is not required to improve effectiveness but rather a focus on changing the behaviour of individual professionals. We conclude by inviting further debate on what exactly practitioners can do to give effect to sustainability in EIA practice.
Assessing Impact of Biofuel Production on Regional Water Resource Use and
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Availability | Department of Energy Assessing Impact of Biofuel Production on Regional Water Resource Use and Availability Assessing Impact of Biofuel Production on Regional Water Resource Use and Availability Dr. May Wu, ANL, 8/15/12 webinar presentation on the environmental impacts attributable to wastewater from biofuels production. wu_webinar.pdf (4.26 MB) More Documents & Publications Achieving Water-Sustainable Bioenergy Production 2013 Peer Review Presentations-Analysis and
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of...
Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
Part 2: LED Manufacturing and Performance Scholand, Michael; Dillon, Heather E. 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; LIFE CYCLE;...
Assessing Impact of Biofuel Production on Regional Water Resource...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
May Wu, ANL, 81512 webinar presentation on the environmental impacts attributable to wastewater from biofuels production. wuwebinar.pdf (4.26 MB) More Documents & Publications ...
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of...
category of hazardous waste to landfill, which is driven by the upstream energy and environment impacts from the manufacturing of the aluminum from raw materials. Although...
RIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: SPRO Business Operations General Support
General Support System PIA Template Version 3 - May, 2009 iiiiiiiiiiiiiii Department of Energy Privacy Impact ... The SPR GSS manages the common functionalities and storage ...
An evaluation of the environmental impact assessment system in Vietnam: The gap between theory and practice
Clausen, Alison; Vu, Hoang Hoa; Pedrono, Miguel
Vietnam has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has achieved significant socio-economic development in recent years. However this growth is placing increased pressure on an already depleted natural environment. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is recognised by the Government and international organizations as an important tool in the management of the impacts of future development on the country's natural resource base. The Government's commitment to EIA has been demonstrated through the development and adoption of the Law on Environment Protection (Revised) in 2005 which sets out the requirements for EIA and which represents a major step in the development of a robust legislative framework for EIA in Vietnam. The Law on Environment Protection (Revised) 2005 has now been operational for several years and we have undertaken an evaluation of the resulting EIA system in Vietnam. We argue that while significant improvements have been achieved in the EIA policy framework, an important gap remains between EIA theory and practice. We contend that the basis of the current EIA legislation is strong and that future developments of the EIA system in Vietnam should focus on improving capacity of EIA practitioners rather than further substantial legislative change. Such improvements would allow the Vietnamese EIA system to emerge as an effective and efficient tool for environmental management in Vietnam and as a model EIA framework for other developing countries.
A long-term, integrated impact assessment of alternative building energy code scenarios in China
Yu, Sha; Eom, Jiyong; Evans, Meredydd; Clarke, Leon E.
China is the second largest building energy user in the world, ranking first and third in residential and commercial energy consumption. Beginning in the early 1980s, the Chinese government has developed a variety of building energy codes to improve building energy efficiency and reduce total energy demand. This paper studies the impact of building energy codes on energy use and CO2 emissions by using a detailed building energy model that represents four distinct climate zones each with three building types, nested in a long-term integrated assessment framework GCAM. An advanced building stock module, coupled with the building energy model, is developed to reflect the characteristics of future building stock and its interaction with the development of building energy codes in China. This paper also evaluates the impacts of building codes on building energy demand in the presence of economy-wide carbon policy. We find that building energy codes would reduce Chinese building energy use by 13% - 22% depending on building code scenarios, with a similar effect preserved even under the carbon policy. The impact of building energy codes shows regional and sectoral variation due to regionally differentiated responses of heating and cooling services to shell efficiency improvement.
Legal and institutional framework of environmental impact assessment in Nigeria: An initial assessment
Olokesusi, F.
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has high rates of urbanization and industrialization. Until recently, decisions on most large-scale projects such as expressways, harbors, industries, dams, and irrigation were considered with an emphasis on traditional technical and cost-benefit analysis. Spurred by massive environmental degradation and persistent community agitation in oil producing areas, environmental impact assessment (EIA) legislation was passed in late 1992. The main purpose of this article is to review and assess the content of this legislation and the guidelines produced by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), the institution responsible for EIA administration. Some EIA reports have been prepared and reviewed by FEPA since 1994. There are some positive outcomes and expectations, but some problems have been identified as well, including: deliberate restriction of public involvement and participation by proponents and/or their consultants, interagency conflict leading to high cost and project delays especially in the oil industry, and restriction of public access to final EIA reports. These are discussed, and recommendations for improving the process are made.
DOE Draft Standard, Development and Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessments
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
in Department of Energy Nuclear Safety Applications, 12/10 | Department of Energy DOE Draft Standard, Development and Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessments in Department of Energy Nuclear Safety Applications, 12/10 DOE Draft Standard, Development and Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessments in Department of Energy Nuclear Safety Applications, 12/10 The Department has taken several actions to provide an infrastructure for providing appropriate controls and support for use of risk assessments and
A multi-scale approach to address environmental impacts of small hydropower development
McManamay, Ryan A; Samu, Nicole M; Kao, Shih-Chieh; Bevelhimer, Mark S; Hetrick, Shelaine L
Hydropower development continues to grow worldwide in developed and developing countries. While the ecological and physical responses to dam construction have been well documented, translating this information into planning for hydropower development is extremely difficult. Very few studies have conducted environmental assessments to guide site-specific or widespread hydropower development. Herein, we propose a spatial approach for estimating environmental effects of hydropower development at multiple scales, as opposed to individual site-by-site assessments (e.g., environmental impact assessment). Because the complex, process-driven effects of future hydropower development may be uncertain or, at best, limited by available information, we invested considerable effort in describing novel approaches to represent environmental concerns using spatial data and in developing the spatial footprint of hydropower infrastructure. We then use two case studies in the US, one at the scale of the conterminous US and another within two adjoining rivers basins, to examine how environmental concerns can be identified and related to areas of varying energy capacity. We use combinations of reserve-design planning and multi-metric ranking to visualize tradeoffs among environmental concerns and potential energy capacity. Spatial frameworks, like the one presented, are not meant to replace more in-depth environmental assessments, but to identify information gaps and measure the sustainability of multi-development scenarios as to inform policy decisions at the basin or national level. Most importantly, the approach should foster discussions among environmental scientists and stakeholders regarding solutions to optimize energy development and environmental sustainability.
The role of Health Impact Assessment in the setting of air quality standards: An Australian perspective
Spickett, Jeffery; Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia ; Katscherian, Dianne; Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia ; Harris, Patrick
The approaches used for setting or reviewing air quality standards vary from country to country. The purpose of this research was to consider the potential to improve decision-making through integration of HIA into the processes to review and set air quality standards used in Australia. To assess the value of HIA in this policy process, its strengths and weaknesses were evaluated aligned with review of international processes for setting air quality standards. Air quality standard setting programmes elsewhere have either used HIA or have amalgamated and incorporated factors normally found within HIA frameworks. They clearly demonstrate the value of a formalised HIA process for setting air quality standards in Australia. The following elements should be taken into consideration when using HIA in standard setting. (a) The adequacy of a mainly technical approach in current standard setting procedures to consider social determinants of health. (b) The importance of risk assessment criteria and information within the HIA process. The assessment of risk should consider equity, the distribution of variations in air quality in different locations and the potential impacts on health. (c) The uncertainties in extrapolating evidence from one population to another or to subpopulations, especially the more vulnerable, due to differing environmental factors and population variables. (d) The significance of communication with all potential stakeholders on issues associated with the management of air quality. In Australia there is also an opportunity for HIA to be used in conjunction with the NEPM to develop local air quality standard measures. The outcomes of this research indicated that the use of HIA for air quality standard setting at the national and local levels would prove advantageous. -- Highlights: Ģ Health Impact Assessment framework has been applied to a policy development process. Ģ HIA process was evaluated for application in air quality standard setting
Impact assessment and performance targets for lighting and envelope systems
Sullivan, R.; Lee, E.S.; Selkowitz, S.
Electric lighting loads and cooling from solar heat gains and from lights are the two largest components of peak demand in commercial buildings. The most cost effective demand side management solutions are generally those that directly reduce or eliminate these loads. Existing technologies can provide modest reductions, however they are typically applied an a piecemeal manner that yields less than optimal results. The full potential of existing technologies will be realized when they are commercially available in an integrated package easily specifiable by architects and engineers. Emerging technologies can also be developed to provide even greater savings and extend the savings over a greater portion of the building floor area. This report assesses achievable energy and peak demand performance in California commercial buildings with technologies available today and in the future. We characterize energy performance over a large range of building envelope and lighting conditions, both through computer simulation models and through case study measured data, and subsequently determine reasonable energy targets if building design were further optimized with integrated systems of current or new technologies. Energy targets are derived from the study after consideration of industry priorities, design constraints, market forces, energy code influence, and the state of current building stock.
Assessing Impact of Biofuel Production on Regional Water Resource...
Impact of Biofuel Production on Regional Water Resource Use and Availability May Wu Ph.D. ... 15, 2012 Biofuel Is a Key Component in Water-Energy Nexus 1 2 Potential Cellulosic ...
Environmental impact assessment of abnormal events: a follow-up study
Hunsaker, D.B. Jr.; Lee, D.W.
Impact analyses included in environmental assessments for a selected nuclear power plant, petroleum storage facility, crude oil pipeline, and geopressure well that have experienced operational, abnormal events are compared with the data quantifying the environmental impacts of the events. Comparisons of predicted vs actual impacts suggests that prediction of the types of events and associated impacts could be improved; in some instances, impacts have been underestimated. Analysis of abnormal events is especially important in environmental assessment documents addressing a technology that is novel or unique to a particular area. Incorporation of abnormal event impact analysis into project environmental monitoring and emergency response plans can help improve these plans and can help reduce the magnitude of environmental impacts resulting from said events.
Environmental Impact Assessment in the marine environment: A comparison of legal frameworks
Guerra, Fl├Īvia; Grilo, Catarina; Pedroso, Nuno M.; Cabral, Henrique
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a well-established practice in most developed countries, even though its application to projects in the marine environment is at a much earlier stage of development. We use the Portuguese example to address marine EIA legislation since its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is currently the third largest in the European Union and its EIA legislation does not require various offshore activities with potentially negative environmental impacts to undergo EIA before being licensed. This paper aims to determine whether three types of projects implemented within Portuguese maritime zones ŌĆō artificial reefs using sunken ships, hydrocarbon prospecting and wave-energy generation ŌĆō would benefit from application of an appropriately designed EIA. We have conducted a structured review of EIA legal provisions from seven other countries, and considered whether a full EIA was required for each project type. Consequently, 12 Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) have been compared to identify patterns of (dis)similarity across countries and project types. Additionally, we identified key descriptors and predicted impacts for each project type referred to in their EIS. The main conclusion is that ultimately all three projects would benefit from mandatory EIA in Portugal. This paper is relevant for countries with large maritime areas and underdeveloped marine EIA legislation, helping improve international policy-making relating to these three types of marine projects. - Highlights: ŌĆó EIA is not mandatory for some project types developed in Portuguese maritime zones. ŌĆó Artificial reefs, oil&gas prospecting and wave-energy licensing differ in 8 countries. ŌĆó EIA should be mandatory in Portugal for artificial reefs and oil&gas prospecting. ŌĆó However, an AEInc approach is enough for wave-energy projects in Portugal. ŌĆó Findings could be extended to other EU countries with extensive maritime zones.
Socioeconomic impact assessment and nuclear power plant licensing, Greene County, New York
Peelle, E.
The paper reviews the setting, participants and status of the joint federal-state hearings, findings of the FES, problems of conducting social impact assessment (SIA) for the GCNPP, and the nature and effect of public participation in the formal, legalistic hearings process. The GCNPP is evaluated in terms of trends in Atomic Energy Commission-Nuclear Regulatory Commission social impact assessments from 1972 to 1979. Progress in the adequacy and relevance of social impact assessment is defined according to steps in a lengthy, evolutionary legitimation process.
EI04~ PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: INL PeopleSoft Human Resource
EI04 PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: INL PeopleSoft - Human Resource System PIA Template ... Name 'of Infonnatlon System, or IT Project INL PeopleSoft - Human Resource System exhibit ...
Assessing the impact of energy losses in steam systems
Fischer, D.W.
This article examines the impact of steam leaks on the efficiency of the process steam system. The topics include steam losses under various operating conditions and orifice sizes, failed drip traps, the significance of small leaks, energy losses and pollutants generated by trap failure, steps to take to conserve steam and energy through repair and maintenance.
Improving the Assessment and Valuation of Climate Change Impacts for Policy and Regulatory Analysis
Marten, Alex; Kopp, Robert E.; Shouse, Kate C.; Griffiths, Charles; Hodson, Elke L.; Kopits, Elizabeth; Mignone, Bryan K.; Moore, Chris; Newbold, Steve; Waldhoff, Stephanie T.; Wolverton, Ann
The social cost of carbon (SCC) is a monetized metric for evaluating the benefits associated with marginal reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It represents the expected welfare loss from the future damages caused by the release of one tonne of CO2 in a given year, expressed in consumption equivalent terms. It is intended to be a comprehensive measure, taking into account changes in agricultural productivity, human health risks, loss of ecosystem services and biodiversity, and the frequency and severity of flooding and storms, among other possible impacts. Estimating the SCC requires long-term modeling of global economic activity, the climate system, and the linkages between the two through anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the effects of changing climatic conditions on economic activity and human well-being. The United States government currently uses the SCC in regulatory benefit-cost analyses to assess the welfare effects of changes in CO2 emissions. Consistent application of the SCC to federal rulemaking analyses began in 2009-2010 with the development of a set of global SCC estimates that employed three prominent integrated assessment models (IAMs) -- DICE, FUND, and PAGE. The U.S. government report identified a number of limitations associated with SCC estimates in general and its own assumptions in particular: an incomplete treatment of damages, including potential ŌĆ£catastrophicŌĆØ impacts; uncertainty regarding the extrapolation of damage functions to high temperatures; incomplete treatment of adaptation and technological change; and the evaluation of uncertain outcomes in a risk-neutral fashion. External experts have identified other potential issues, including how best to model long-term socio-economic and emissions pathways, oversimplified physical climate and carbon cycle modeling within the IAMs, and an inconsistency between non-constant economic growth scenarios and constant discount rates. The U.S. government has committed
Appendix C. Part 303 Wetland Permit Application, Wetland Impact Assessment and Compensatory
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Part 303 Wetland Permit Application, Wetland Impact Assessment and Compensatory Mitigation Proposal DOE/EA-1709 C-1 APPENDIX C. PART 303 WETLAND PERMIT APPLICATION, WETLAND IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND COMPENSATORY MITIGATION PROPOSAL On January 28, 2010, Compact Power, Inc. submitted a Part 303 Wetland Permit Application, which contains a compensatory mitigation proposal, to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment. The application and proposal are contained in this appendix.
Setting boundaries of participation in environmental impact assessment
Salomons, Geoffrey H.; Hoberg, George
Public participation processes are touted as an effective way to increase the capacity and legitimacy of environmental assessment and the regulatory process that rely on them. Recent changes to the Canadian environmental assessment process narrowed the criteria for who can participate in environmental assessments from any who were interested to those who were most directly affected. This article examines the potential consequences of this change by exploring other areas of Canadian regulatory law where a similar directed affected test has been applied. This new standard risks institutionalizing the long-understood representational bias confronted by more diffuse interest like environmental protection. Restricting participation to the ōdirectly affectedö is far too narrow a test for processes like environmental assessment that are designed to determine the public interest. -- Highlights: Ģ Public participation can improve the legitimacy of environmental assessments. Ģ New Canadian rules narrow the range of eligible participants. Ģ Similar rules in Alberta have excluded environmental representation. Ģ The new rules may institutionalize bias against more diffuse interests. Ģ Restricting participation to the ōdirectly affectedö is far too narrow.
Insulation materials for commercial buildings in North America: An assessment of lifetime energy and environmental impacts
Biswas, Kaushik; Shrestha, Som S.; Bhandari, Mahabir S.; Desjarlais, Andre Omer
In the United States, commercial buildings accounted for about 19 percent of the total primary energy consumption in 2012. Further, 29 percent of the site energy in commercial buildings was consumed for space heating and cooling. Applying insulation materials to building envelopes is an effective way of reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling, and limiting the negative environmental impacts from the buildings sector. While insulation materials have a net positive impact on the environment due to reduced energy consumption, they also have some negative impacts associated with their 'embodied energy'. The total lifetime environmental impacts of insulation materials are a summation of: (1) direct impacts due to their embodied energy, and (2) indirect or impacts avoided due to the reduced building energy consumption. Here, assessments of the lifetime environmental impacts of selected insulation materials are presented. Direct and indirect environmental impact factors were estimated for the cradle-to-grave insulation life cycle stages. Impact factors were calculated for two categories: primary energy consumption and global warming potential. The direct impact factors were calculated using data from existing literature and a life cycle assessment software. The indirect impact factors were calculated through simulations of a set of standard whole-building models.
Insulation materials for commercial buildings in North America: An assessment of lifetime energy and environmental impacts
Biswas, Kaushik; Shrestha, Som S.; Bhandari, Mahabir S.; Desjarlais, Andre Omer
In the United States, commercial buildings accounted for about 19 percent of the total primary energy consumption in 2012. Further, 29 percent of the site energy in commercial buildings was consumed for space heating and cooling. Applying insulation materials to building envelopes is an effective way of reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling, and limiting the negative environmental impacts from the buildings sector. While insulation materials have a net positive impact on the environment due to reduced energy consumption, they also have some negative impacts associated with their 'embodied energy'. The total lifetime environmental impacts of insulation materials aremore┬Ā┬╗ a summation of: (1) direct impacts due to their embodied energy, and (2) indirect or impacts avoided due to the reduced building energy consumption. Here, assessments of the lifetime environmental impacts of selected insulation materials are presented. Direct and indirect environmental impact factors were estimated for the cradle-to-grave insulation life cycle stages. Impact factors were calculated for two categories: primary energy consumption and global warming potential. The direct impact factors were calculated using data from existing literature and a life cycle assessment software. The indirect impact factors were calculated through simulations of a set of standard whole-building models.┬½┬Āless
Assessing the Radiative Impact of Clouds of Low Optical Depth
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
the Radiative Impact of Clouds of Low Optical Depth W. O'Hirok and P. Ricchiazzi Institute for Computational Earth System Science University of California Santa Barbara, California C. Gautier Department of Geography and Institute for Computational Earth System Science University of California Santa Barbara, California Introduction Analysis from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) reveals that the global mean cloud optical depth is surprisingly low (i.e., Žä = 3.8).
Advancing the theory and practice of impact assessment: Setting the research agenda
Pope, Jenny; Bond, Alan; Morrison-Saunders, Angus; Retief, Francois
Impact assessment has been in place for over 40 years and is now practised in some form in all but two of the world's nations. In this paper we reflect on the state of the art of impact assessment theory and practice, focusing on six well-established forms: EIA, SEA, policy assessment, SIA, HIA and sustainability assessment. We note that although the fundamentals of impact assessment have their roots in the US National Environmental Policy Act 1969 (NEPA) each branch of the field is distinct in also drawing on other theoretical and conceptual bases that in turn shape the prevailing discourse in each case, generating increasing degrees of specialisation within each sub-field. Against this backdrop, we consider the strengths and weaknesses of collective impact assessment practice, concluding that although there are substantial strengths, the plethora of specialist branches is generating a somewhat confusing picture and lack of clarity regarding how the pieces of the impact assessment jigsaw puzzle fit together. We use this review to suggest an overarching research agenda that will enable impact assessment to evolve in line with changing expectations for what it should deliver. -- Highlights: Ō¢║ Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats for IA are explored in this paper Ō¢║ EIA, SEA, policy assessment, SIA, HIA and sustainability assessment are reviewed Ō¢║ Diversity of practice is both a strength and weakness in the current economic climate Ō¢║ There are opportunities to simplify IA by focusing on common and fundamental elements Ō¢║ Continued research into theory related to IA effectiveness is also essential.
Toolkit for Integrated Impact Assessments version 1.0
Energy Science and Technology Software Center (OSTI)
TIIA is designed to perform ecological and human risk assessments for environmental contaminants in air, water, soil, and sediment. It uses a novel approach that applies to radionuclides and hazardous chemicals, based on a food web approach. Stochastic calculations (i.e., those that allow for propagation of uncertainty in a numerical fashion) are allowed.
Public service impacts of geothermal development: cumulative impacts study of the Geysers KGRA. Final staff report
Matthews, K.M.
The number of workers currently involved in the various aspects of geothermal development in the Geysers are identified. Using two different development scenarios, projections are made for the number of power plants needed to reach the electrical generation capacity of the steam resource in the Geysers. The report also projects the cumulative number of workers needed to develop the steam field and to construct, operate, and maintain these power plants. Although the number of construction workers fluctuates, most are not likely to become new, permanent residents of the KGRA counties. The administrative and public service costs of geothermal development to local jurisdications are examined, and these costs are compared to geothermal revenues accruing to the local governments. Revenues do not cover the immediate fiscal needs resulting from increases in local road maintenance and school enrollment attributable to geothermal development. Several mitigation options are discussed and a framework presented for calculating mitigation costs for school and road impacts.
Mitigation for one & all: An integrated framework for mitigation of development impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services
Tallis, Heather; Kennedy, Christina M.; Ruckelshaus, Mary; Goldstein, Joshua; Kiesecker, Joseph M.
Emerging development policies and lending standards call for consideration of ecosystem services when mitigating impacts from development, yet little guidance exists to inform this process. Here we propose a comprehensive framework for advancing both biodiversity and ecosystem service mitigation. We have clarified a means for choosing representative ecosystem service targets alongside biodiversity targets, identified servicesheds as a useful spatial unit for assessing ecosystem service avoidance, impact, and offset options, and discuss methods for consistent calculation of biodiversity and ecosystem service mitigation ratios. We emphasize the need to move away from area- and habitat-based assessment methods for both biodiversity and ecosystem services towards functional assessments at landscape or seascape scales. Such comprehensive assessments more accurately reflect cumulative impacts and variation in environmental quality, social needs and value preferences. The integrated framework builds on the experience of biodiversity mitigation while addressing the unique opportunities and challenges presented by ecosystem service mitigation. These advances contribute to growing potential for economic development planning and execution that will minimize impacts on nature and maximize human wellbeing. - Highlights: ŌĆó This is the first framework for biodiversity and ecosystem service mitigation. ŌĆó Functional, landscape scale assessments are ideal for avoidance and offsets. ŌĆó Servicesheds define the appropriate spatial extent for ecosystem service mitigation. ŌĆó Mitigation ratios should be calculated consistently and based on standard factors. ŌĆó Our framework meets the needs of integrated mitigation assessment requirements.
Assessing health impacts in complex eco-epidemiological settings in the humid tropics: Modular baseline health surveys
Winkler, Mirko S.; Divall, Mark J.; Krieger, Gary R.; Schmidlin, Sandro; Magassouba, Mohamed L.; Knoblauch, Astrid M.; Singer, Burton H.; Utzinger, Juerg
The quantitative assessment of health impacts has been identified as a crucial feature for realising the full potential of health impact assessment (HIA). In settings where demographic and health data are notoriously scarce, but there is a broad range of ascertainable ecological, environmental, epidemiological and socioeconomic information, a diverse toolkit of data collection strategies becomes relevant for the mainly small-area impacts of interest. We present a modular, cross-sectional baseline health survey study design, which has been developed for HIA of industrial development projects in the humid tropics. The modular nature of our toolkit allows our methodology to be readily adapted to the prevailing eco-epidemiological characteristics of a given project setting. Central to our design is a broad set of key performance indicators, covering a multiplicity of health outcomes and determinants at different levels and scales. We present experience and key findings from our modular baseline health survey methodology employed in 14 selected sentinel sites within an iron ore mining project in the Republic of Guinea. We argue that our methodology is a generic example of rapid evidence assembly in difficult-to-reach localities, where improvement of the predictive validity of the assessment and establishment of a benchmark for longitudinal monitoring of project impacts and mitigation efforts is needed.
Preliminary study assesses potential impact of seismic event...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
a variety of nuclear materials research and development programs. LANL is committed to continuous improvement. Reevaluation of site hazards is part of our continuous cycle of...
Negotiating river ecosystems: Impact assessment and conflict mediation in the cases of hydro-power construction
Karjalainen, Timo P., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Thule Institute, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 7300, FI-90014 University of Oulu (Finland); Jaervikoski, Timo, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Unit of Sociology, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 2000, FI-90014 University of Oulu (Finland)
In this paper we discuss how the legitimacy of the impact assessment process is a key issue in conflict mediation in environmental impact assessment. We contrast two EIA cases in hydro-power generation plans made for the Ii River, Finland in different decades, and evaluate how impact assessment in these cases has contributed to the creation, mediation and resolution of conflicts. We focus on the elements of distributional and procedural justice that made the former EIA process more legitimate and consensual and the latter more conflictual. The results indicate that it is crucial for conflict mediation to include all the values and interests of the parties in the goal-setting process and in the definition and assessment of alternatives. The analysis also indicates that procedural justice is the most important to help the people and groups involved to accept the legitimacy of the impact assessment process: how different parties and their values and interests are recognized, and how participation and distribution of power are organized in an impact assessment process. It is confirmed in this article that SIA may act as a mediator or a forum providing a process through which competing knowledge claims, various values and interests can be discussed and linked to the proposed alternatives and interventions.
A Hydro-Economic Approach to Representing Water Resources Impacts in Integrated Assessment Models
Kirshen, Paul H.; Strzepek, Kenneth, M.
Grant Number DE-FG02-98ER62665 Office of Energy Research of the U.S. Department of Energy Abstract Many Integrated Assessment Models (IAM) divide the world into a small number of highly aggregated regions. Non-OECD countries are aggregated geographically into continental and multiple-continental regions or economically by development level. Current research suggests that these large scale aggregations cannot accurately represent potential water resources-related climate change impacts. In addition, IAMs do not explicitly model the flow regulation impacts of reservoir and ground water systems, the economics of water supply, or the demand for water in economic activities. Using the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT) model of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) as a case study, this research implemented a set of methodologies to provide accurate representation of water resource climate change impacts in Integrated Assessment Models. There were also detailed examinations of key issues related to aggregated modeling including: modeling water consumption versus water withdrawals; ground and surface water interactions; development of reservoir cost curves; modeling of surface areas of aggregated reservoirs for estimating evaporation losses; and evaluating the importance of spatial scale in river basin modeling. The major findings include: - Continental or national or even large scale river basin aggregation of water supplies and demands do not accurately capture the impacts of climate change in the water and agricultural sector in IAMs. - Fortunately, there now exist gridden approaches (0.5 X 0.5 degrees) to model streamflows in a global analysis. The gridded approach to hydrologic modeling allows flexibility in aligning basin boundaries with national boundaries. This combined with GIS tools, high speed computers, and the growing availability of socio-economic gridded data bases allows assignment of
Assessment of California reformulated gasoline impact on vehicle fuel economy
Aceves, S., LLNL
Fuel economy data contained in the 1996 California Air Resources Board (CARB) report with respect to the introduction of California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG) has been examined and reanalyzed by two additional statistical methodologies. Additional data has also been analyzed by these two statistical approaches. Within the assumptions of the analysis, point estimates for the reduction in fuel economy using CaRFG as compared to conventional, non-reformulated gasoline were 2-4%, with a 95% upper confidence bound of 6%. Substantial variations in fuel economy are routine and inevitable due to additional factors which affect mileage, even if there is no change in fuel reformulation. This additional analysis confirms the conclusion reached by CARB with respect to the impact of CaRFG on fuel economy.
Assess coal quality impacts on your personal computer
Niksa, S.
In the past, utility companies that operate coal-fired boilers entered into long-term contracts with their coal suppliers to secure a steady supply of similar fuels for smooth, trouble-free, day-to- day operations. In today`s environment long-term contracts might seem unappealing because utility strategists would rather be free to switch to different coals to lower costs or meet emissions regulations. Coal switching is often an important part of compliance strategies that seek an optimal balance among technology upgrades, bubble-based emissions averages across several boilers, and open-market trading allowances. Although switching is now motivated by SO{sub 2} compliance, a new coal can affect many other operating characteristics, including pulverizer performance, heat rate, stagging and fouling, unburned carbon in ash, NO{sub x} emissions, and certainly cost. In light of the push for tighter NO{sub x} regulations before the turn of the century under Title I of the Clear Air Act Amendments, it is prudent for utilities to factor in the impact of a coal switch on NO{sub x} and unburned carbon emissions into their coal selection decisions.
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impact Model (Fact Sheet), NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impact Model The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the gross economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation, transmission, and biofuel plants at the state or national level. First developed by NREL's researchers to model wind energy jobs and impacts, JEDI has been expanded to also estimate the economic impacts of biofuels and biopower, coal, conventional hydro, concentrating solar power,
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impact Model (Fact Sheet), NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impact Model The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the gross economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation, transmission, and biofuel plants at the state or national level. First developed by NREL's researchers to model wind energy jobs and impacts, JEDI has been expanded to also estimate the economic impacts of biofuels and biopower, coal, conventional hydro, concentrating solar power,
Social impact assessment in mining projects in Northern Finland: Comparing practice to theory
Suopaj├żrvi, Leena
The paper discusses social impact assessments (SIA) for mining projects in light of the international principles and guidelines for such assessments and the academic literature in the field. The data consist of environmental impact assessment (EIA) programmes and reports for six mining projects that have started up in northern Finland in the 2000s. A first observation is that the role of the SIAs in the EIA programmes and reports studied was quite minor: measured in number of pages, the assessments account for three or four percent of the total. This study analyses the data collection, research methodology and conceptual premises used in the SIAs. It concludes that the assessments do not fully meet the high standards of the international principles and guidelines set out for them: for example, elderly men are over-represented in the data and no efforts were made to identify and bring to the fore vulnerable groups. Moreover, the reliability of the assessments is difficult to gauge, because the qualitative methods are not described and where quantitative methods were used, details such as non-response rates to questionnaires are not discussed. At the end of the paper, the SIAs are discussed in terms of J├╝rgen Habermas' theory of knowledge interests, with the conclusion that the assessments continue the empirical analytical tradition of the social sciences and exhibit a technical knowledge interest. -- Highlights: ŌĆó Paper investigates social impact assessments in Finnish mining projects. ŌĆó Role of social impact assessment is minor in whole EIA-process. ŌĆó Mining SIAs give the voice for elderly men, vulnerable groups are not identified. ŌĆó Assessment of SIAs is difficult because of lacking transparency in reporting. ŌĆó SIAs belong to empirical analytical tradition with technical knowledge interest.
Assessment and management of aquatic impacts from airport de-icing activities -- The Canadian perspective
Kent, R.A.; Andersen, D.; Simpson, A.
Historically, aircraft deicing fluids have simply drained from aircraft and runway surfaces into airport drainage systems and invariably end up in surrounding receiving aquatic systems. This led to recent concerns over environmental impacts from glycol-based fluids typically used for deicing aircraft. Glycols from de-icing fluids have been detected at high levels at Canadian airports. Concern not only stems from the high volumes being used at relatively few point sources, but also to the higher toxicity of the formulated de-icing fluids, compared to pure glycols. As a result, significant environmental management efforts have been made at Canadian airports over the last 4 years, including extensive stormwater monitoring, glycol mitigation and pollution prevention plans. Site-specific mitigation plans have been implemented at 15 major Canadian airports which typically include glycol containment, collection and removal. While a reasonable dataset is available on the toxicity of pure glycols, much less information is available on the toxicity of formulated deicers. Furthermore, there have been very few field assessments of the aquatic impacts of de-icing. To date, management regimes developed to address the problem in Canada have focused almost exclusively on glycols and voluntary compliance to discharge limits and receiving water quality guidelines. This approach has resulted in reductions in the quantities of glycols which are released from Canadian airports into the surrounding environment. Currently, government and industry are refining this management system with an examination of new approaches and options such as more holistic airport wastewater quality assessments and toxicity-based guidelines.
The impact of subsea boosting on deepwater field development
Ribeiro, O.J.S.; Camargo, R.M.T.; Paulo, C.A.S.
This paper describes the impact that the use of a subsea boosting system will have on the development of a deepwater field. The analysis covers the technology demands and constraints encountered on screening studies executed for the fields of Marlim, Albacora and Barracuda, as well as an overview of the economic benefits encountered. The paper focuses on the technological demands and constraints identified as well as some considerations about possible alternatives. The demands and constraints identified in the study will provide the industry with some more input to guide the development of the subsea boosting technology, as well as a better understanding of how to apply this new tool on the development of deepwater prospects. The results of the screening study are showing that the subsea boosting systems are a valuable tool to reduce the costs of deepwater developments. The cost cutting possibilities through an integration between the conventional subsea hardware and the subsea boosting systems and the combination of boosting systems are promising alternatives. The encouraging economic results found, as well as the demands and constraints raised in the paper will be of use for those trying to apply these technologies in various areas of the world.
Methods for Developing Emissions Scenarios for Integrated Assessment Models
Prinn, Ronald; Webster, Mort
The overall objective of this research was to contribute data and methods to support the future development of new emissions scenarios for integrated assessment of climate change. Specifically, this research had two main objectives: 1. Use historical data on economic growth and energy efficiency changes, and develop probability density functions (PDFs) for the appropriate parameters for two or three commonly used integrated assessment models. 2. Using the parameter distributions developed through the first task and previous work, we will develop methods of designing multi-gas emission scenarios that usefully span the joint uncertainty space in a small number of scenarios. Results on the autonomous energy efficiency improvement (AEEI) parameter are summarized, an uncertainty analysis of elasticities of substitution is described, and the probabilistic emissions scenario approach is presented.
A protocol for lifetime energy and environmental impact assessment of building insulation materials
Shrestha, Som S. Biswas, Kaushik; Desjarlais, Andre O.
This article describes a proposed protocol that is intended to provide a comprehensive list of factors to be considered in evaluating the direct and indirect environmental impacts of building insulation materials, as well as detailed descriptions of standardized calculation methodologies to determine those impacts. The energy and environmental impacts of insulation materials can generally be divided into two categories: (1) direct impact due to the embodied energy of the insulation materials and other factors and (2) indirect or environmental impacts avoided as a result of reduced building energy use due to addition of insulation. Standards and product category rules exist, which provide guidelines about the life cycle assessment (LCA) of materials, including building insulation products. However, critical reviews have suggested that these standards fail to provide complete guidance to LCA studies and suffer from ambiguities regarding the determination of the environmental impacts of building insulation and other products. The focus of the assessment protocol described here is to identify all factors that contribute to the total energy and environmental impacts of different building insulation products and, more importantly, provide standardized determination methods that will allow comparison of different insulation material types. Further, the intent is not to replace current LCA standards but to provide a well-defined, easy-to-use comparison method for insulation materials using existing LCA guidelines. - Highlights: Ģ We proposed a protocol to evaluate the environmental impacts of insulation materials. Ģ The protocol considers all life cycle stages of an insulation material. Ģ Both the direct environmental impacts and the indirect impacts are defined. Ģ Standardized calculation methods for the æavoided operational energyÆ is defined. Ģ Standardized calculation methods for the æavoided environmental impactÆ is defined.
Testing three health impact assessment tools in planning: A process evaluation
Schively Slotterback, Carissa; Forsyth, Ann; Krizek, Kevin J.; Johnson, Amanda; Pennucci, Aly
There is increasing interest in Health Impact Assessment in planning. This paper describes the results of different approaches to health impact assessment (HIA) conducted in 10 municipalities and one county in Minnesota. The paper outlines the HIA processes, outputs, and short-term outcomes concluding that it is important to engage a diverse group of stakeholders. Overall, HIA is potentially an important new tool in the planning toolkit. Strategic use of HIA to evaluate draft plans and inform plan updates and project redesigns can help raise awareness about health issues and focus planning on important human problems.
A Protocol for Lifetime Energy and Environmental Impact Assessment of Building Insulation Materials
Shrestha, Som S; Biswas, Kaushik; Desjarlais, Andre Omer
This article describes a proposed protocol that is intended to provide a comprehensive list of factors to be considered in evaluating the direct and indirect environmental impacts of building insulation materials, as well as detailed descriptions of standardized calculation methodologies to determine those impacts. The energy and environmental impacts of insulation materials can generally be divided into two categories: (1) direct impact due to the embodied energy of the insulation materials and other factors, and (2) indirect or environmental impacts avoided as a result of reduced building energy use due to addition of insulation. Standards and product category rules exist that provide guidelines about the life cycle assessment (LCA) of materials, including building insulation products. However, critical reviews have suggested that these standards fail to provide complete guidance to LCA studies and suffer from ambiguities regarding the determination of the environmental impacts of building insulation and other products. The focus of the assessment protocol described here is to identify all factors that contribute to the total energy and environmental impacts of different insulation products and, more importantly, provide standardized determination methods that will allow comparison of different insulation material types. Further, the intent is not to replace current LCA standards but to provide a well-defined, easy-to-use comparison method for insulation materials using existing LCA guidelines.
Building capacity for Health Impact Assessment: Training outcomes from the United States
Schuchter, Joseph; Rutt, Candace; Seto, Edmund
Background: Despite the continued growth of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in the US, there is little research on HIA capacity-building. A comprehensive study of longer-term training outcomes may reveal opportunities for improving capacity building activities and HIA practice. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with HIA trainees in the United States to assess their outcomes and needs. Using a training evaluation framework, we measured outcomes across a spectrum of reaction, learning, behavior and results. Results: From 2006 to 2012, four organizations trained over 2200 people in at least 75 in-person HIA trainings in 29 states. We interviewed 48 trainees, selected both randomly and purposefully. The mean duration between training and interview was 3.4 years. Trainees reported that their training objectives were met, especially when relevant case-studies were used. They established new collaborations at the trainings and maintained them. Training appeared to catalyze more holistic thinking and practice, including a range of HIA-related activities. Many trainees disseminated what they learned and engaged in components of HIA, even without dedicated funding. Going forward, trainees need assistance with quantitative methods, project management, community engagement, framing recommendations, and evaluation. Conclusions: The research revealed opportunities for a range of HIA stakeholders to refine and coordinate training resources, apply a competency framework and leverage complimentary workforce development efforts, and sensitize and build the capacity of communities. - Highlights: ŌĆó We interviewed HIA trainees in the United States to assess longer-term outcomes. ŌĆó Training appeared to catalyze a range of beneficial partnerships and activities. ŌĆó Trainees reported outstanding needs for specific skills and competencies. ŌĆó There are various opportunities to improve training and capacity-building.
Evaluation of the environmental impact assessment system in Syria
Haydar, F.; Pediaditi, K.
Syria is a country experiencing rapid change, undergoing a process of political and governance decentralisation, opening its markets to the private sector, and experiencing a rise in infrastructure development. In light of these economic growth targeted changes, knowledge of the status and capacity of the Syrian EIA system to ensure environmental protection becomes of paramount importance. Syria first introduced EIA as a Draft Decree in 1995, which was not formally adopted until 2008. To date, no structured evaluation of Syria's EIA system has been conducted, a knowledge gap addressed through this paper. The research presented herein comprises a review and comparative evaluation of Syrian legislation and procedures, to the EU EIA Directive and World Bank Operational Directive, as well as a series of interviews with Syrian stakeholders involved in EIA implementation. The investigation concluded that the new EIA provisions provide a sound legal basis. From interviews however, it was ascertained that EIA implementation faces a number of barriers such as, a lack of EIA integration into existing decision making and licensing processes and persistent exclusion of public projects from EIA. A number of recommendations are proposed, perceived necessary for the enhancement of EIA implementation in Syria.
DOE issues Finding of No Significant Impact on Environmental Assessment for
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Replacement Capability for Disposal of Remote-Handled Low Level Radioactive Waste Generated at Idaho Site doe logo U.S. Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office Media Contact: Tim Jackson (208) 526-8484 For Immediate Release December 21, 2011 DOE issues Finding of No Significant Impact on Environmental Assessment for Replacement Capability for Disposal of Remote-Handled Low Level Radioactive Waste Generated at Idaho Site Idaho Falls, ID '┐Į After completing a careful assessment, the U.S.
The Arctic as a test case for an assessment of climate impacts on national security.
Taylor, Mark A.; Zak, Bernard Daniel; Backus, George A.; Ivey, Mark D.; Boslough, Mark Bruce Elrick
The Arctic region is rapidly changing in a way that will affect the rest of the world. Parts of Alaska, western Canada, and Siberia are currently warming at twice the global rate. This warming trend is accelerating permafrost deterioration, coastal erosion, snow and ice loss, and other changes that are a direct consequence of climate change. Climatologists have long understood that changes in the Arctic would be faster and more intense than elsewhere on the planet, but the degree and speed of the changes were underestimated compared to recent observations. Policy makers have not yet had time to examine the latest evidence or appreciate the nature of the consequences. Thus, the abruptness and severity of an unfolding Arctic climate crisis has not been incorporated into long-range planning. The purpose of this report is to briefly review the physical basis for global climate change and Arctic amplification, summarize the ongoing observations, discuss the potential consequences, explain the need for an objective risk assessment, develop scenarios for future change, review existing modeling capabilities and the need for better regional models, and finally to make recommendations for Sandia's future role in preparing our leaders to deal with impacts of Arctic climate change on national security. Accurate and credible regional-scale climate models are still several years in the future, and those models are essential for estimating climate impacts around the globe. This study demonstrates how a scenario-based method may be used to give insights into climate impacts on a regional scale and possible mitigation. Because of our experience in the Arctic and widespread recognition of the Arctic's importance in the Earth climate system we chose the Arctic as a test case for an assessment of climate impacts on national security. Sandia can make a swift and significant contribution by applying modeling and simulation tools with internal collaborations as well as with outside
Effects of hazardous wastes on housing and urban development and mitigation of impacts
Boyer, K.R.; Conrad, E.T.; Kane, P.F.; McLaughlin, M.W.; Morgan, J.T.
This report determines the nature and scope of the hazardous waste problem affecting HUD programs and community development and redevelopment activities. It defines the problem and develops categories of hazardous wastes most applicable to HUD. The report identifies sources of hazardous waste and gives examples of their impacts. The role of HUD and other agencies in controlling hazardous waste is reviewed, and recommendations are made for mitigating known and potential impacts. Three case studies -- in Dover Township and Elizabeth, N.J., and in Richmond, Va., illustrate the wide range of impacts made possible because of improper handling of or lack of appreciation for hazardous substances. The report suggests that a Hazard Identification Guidebook be developed, similar to others addressing housing safety and noise assessment, that would require HUD personnel to carry out a number of investigations on and around a site. This process is briefly described here and could serve as a basis for a guidebook. Flow charts illustrate this process. Tables and 23 references are supplied.
Study of domestic social and economic impacts of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) commercial development. Volume I. Economic impacts
This analysis identifies the economic impacts associated with OTEC development and quantifies them at the national, regional, and industry levels. It focuses on the effects on the United States' economy of the domestic development and utilization of twenty-five and fifty 400 MWe OTEC power plants by the year 2000. The methodology employed was characteristic of economic impact analysis. After conducting a literature review, a likely future OTEC scenario was developed on the basis of technological, siting, and materials requirements parameters. These parameters were used to identify the industries affected by OTEC development; an economic profile was constructed for each of these industries. These profiles established an industrial baseline from which the direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts of OTEC implementation could be estimated. Each stage of this analysis is summarized; and the economic impacts are addressed. The methodology employed in estimating the impacts is described.
Ethical implications of democratic theory for U.S. public participation in environmental impact assessment
Hourdequin, Marion; Landres, Peter; Hanson, Mark J.; Craig, David R.
Traditional mechanisms for public participation in environmental impact assessment under U.S. federal law have been criticized as ineffective and unable to resolve conflict. As these mechanisms are modified and new approaches developed, we argue that participation should be designed and evaluated not only on practical grounds of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, but also on ethical grounds based on democratic ideals. In this paper, we review and synthesize modern democratic theory to develop and justify four ethical principles for public participation: equal opportunity to participate, equal access to information, genuine deliberation, and shared commitment. We then explore several tensions that are inherent in applying these ethical principles to public participation in EIA. We next examine traditional NEPA processes and newer collaborative approaches in light of these principles. Finally, we explore the circumstances that argue for more in-depth participatory processes. While improved EIA participatory processes do not guarantee improved outcomes in environmental management, processes informed by these four ethical principles derived from democratic theory may lead to increased public engagement and satisfaction with government agency decisions. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Four ethical principles based on democratic theory for public participation in EIA. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NEPA and collaboration offer different strengths in meeting these principles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We explore tensions inherent in applying these principles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Improved participatory processes may improve public acceptance of agency decisions.
Replacement of chlorofluorocarbons at the DOE gaseous diffusion plants: An assessment of global impacts
Socolof, M.L.; McCold, L.N.; Saylor, R.E.
Three gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) for enriching uranium maintain a large inventory of chlorofluorocarbon-114 (CFC-114) as a coolant. To address the continued use of CFC-114, an ozone-depleting substance, the US Department of Energy (DOE) considered introducing perfluorocarbons (PFCs) by the end of 1995. These PFCs would not contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion but would be larger contributors to global warming than would CFC-114. The paper reports the results of an assessment of the global impacts of four alternatives for modifying GDP coolant system operations over a three-year period beginning in 1996. The overall contribution of GDP coolant releases to impacts on ozone depletion and global warming were quantified by parameters referred to as ozone-depletion impact and global-warming impact. The analysis showed that these parameters could be used as surrogates for predicting global impacts to all resources and could provide a framework for assessing environmental impacts of a permanent coolant replacement, eliminating the need for subsequent resource-specific analyses.
Value impact assessment: A preliminary assessment of improvement opportunities at the Quantico Central Heating Plant
Brambley, M.R.; Weakley, S.A.
This report presents the results of a preliminary assessment of opportunities for improvement at the US Marine Corps (USMC) Quantico, Virginia, Central Heating Plant (CHP). This study is part of a program intended to provide the CHP staff with a computerized Artificial Intelligence (AI) decision support system that will assist in a more efficient, reliable, and safe operation of their plant. As part of the effort to provide the AI decision support system, a team of six scientists and engineers from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) visited the plant to characterize the conditions and environment of the CHP. This assessment resulted in a list of potential performance improvement opportunities at the CHP. In this report, 12 of these opportunities are discussed and qualitatively analyzed. 70 refs., 7 figs., 6 tabs.
A review and critique of the socioeconomic impact assessment for the Kahe Point Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) facility
Bowen, R; Gopalakrishnan, C; Samples, K
This report addresses the adequacy of Ocean Thermal Corporation's socioeconomic impact assessment of its 40-MWe closed-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) pilot plant proposed for Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii. The socioeconomic impacts identified as relevant to the plant were assessed in detail, including potential economic-demographic, public-service and fiscal, ocean-use, aesthetic, cultural, and energy impacts. The economic-demographic impact assessment does not estimate the full extent of population and income changes or second-order effects associated with the plant. There is no subjective assessment of perceptions on the part of local communities concerning probable changes in land values, housing, and population. Anticipated public-service and fiscal impacts are found to be relatively unimportant; however, the measurement of the impact of the plant on tax revenues needs improvement. The assessment does not sufficiently consider the objective and subjective assessment of ocean-use, aesthetic, and cultural impacts, which are of major significance to the local communities. The quantification of physical impacts, perceptions of impacts, and potential mitigation measures is inadequate. The energy impacts need to be updated to reflect the recent declines in oil prices and price projections. An assessment of low-probability, high-risk occurrences may be necessary. 12 refs., 3 tabs.
Development of Improved Caprock Integrity and Risk Assessment Techniques
Bruno, Michael
GeoMechanics Technologies has completed a geomechanical caprock integrity analysis and risk assessment study funded through the US Department of Energy. The project included: a detailed review of historical caprock integrity problems experienced in the natural gas storage industry; a theoretical description and documentation of caprock integrity issues; advanced coupled transport flow modelling and geomechanical simulation of three large-scale potential geologic sequestration sites to estimate geomechanical effects from COŌéé injection; development of a quantitative risk and decision analysis tool to assess caprock integrity risks; and, ultimately the development of recommendations and guidelines for caprock characterization and COŌéé injection operating practices. Historical data from gas storage operations and COŌéé sequestration projects suggest that leakage and containment incident risks are on the order of 10-1 to 10-2, which is higher risk than some previous studies have suggested for COŌéé. Geomechanical analysis, as described herein, can be applied to quantify risks and to provide operating guidelines to reduce risks. The risk assessment tool developed for this project has been applied to five areas: The Wilmington Graben offshore Southern California, Kevin Dome in Montana, the Louden Field in Illinois, the Sleipner COŌéé sequestration operation in the North Sea, and the In Salah COŌéé sequestration operation in North Africa. Of these five, the Wilmington Graben area represents the highest relative risk while the Kevin Dome area represents the lowest relative risk.
Identify types of development and climate impacts that are country...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
Modeling the Global Trade and Environmental Impacts of Biofuel Policies Modified Microgrid Concept for Rural Electrification in Africa NREL State Clean Energy Policies...
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts Model, National Renewable...
project owners, and others interested in the economic impacts from new electricity generation projects. JEDI's user-friendly design allows novices to explore the statewide...
Social Impact Assessment: The lesser sibling in the South African EIA process?
Hildebrandt, L.; Sandham, L.A.
Social Impact Assessment has developed as an integral but neglected component of EIA in South Africa since it became mandatory in 1997, and has therefore been referred to as the ŌĆ£orphanŌĆØ or ŌĆ£lesser siblingŌĆØ of EIA, as has SIA in the UK and the US. The aim of this paper is to test this claim by reviewing the quality of a sample of SIA reports, and also to establish whether there has been any improvement in quality following the introduction of revised EIA regulations in 2006. The results confirm that SIA can be called ŌĆ£the lesser siblingŌĆØ due to the weak grades achieved in the quality review, but also reveal that there has been a slight and consistent improvement in quality, most likely driven by best practice considerations in the absence of prescriptive regulations for SIA. Suggestions and recommendations for addressing observed weakness in SIA performance are advanced. - Highlights: ŌĆó The quality of a sample of SIA reports was evaluated using a review package. ŌĆó SIA reports received mostly weak grades. ŌĆó Limited improvement observed from first to second regulatory regime. ŌĆó Improvements most likely due to best practice considerations.
Long-term impacts of aerosols on the vertical development of...
Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
Journal Article: Long-term impacts of aerosols on the vertical development of clouds and precipitation Citation Details In-Document Search Title: Long-term impacts of aerosols on ...
Jobs and Economic Development Impacts from Small Wind: JEDI Model in the Works (Presentation)
Tegen, S.
This presentation covers the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's role in economic impact analysis for wind power Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) models, JEDI results, small wind JEDI specifics, and a request for information to complete the model.
Using causal maps to support ex-post assessment of social impacts of dams
Aledo, Antonio; Garc├Ła-Andreu, Hugo; Pinese, Jos├®
- Highlights: ŌĆó We defend the usefulness of causal maps (CM) for ex-post impact assessment of dams. ŌĆó Political decisions are presented as unavoidable technical measures. ŌĆó CM enable the identification of multiple causes involved in the dam impacts. ŌĆó An alternative management of the dams is shown from the precise tracking of the causes. ŌĆó Participatory CM better the quality of information and the governance of the research. This paper presents the results of an ex-post assessment of two important dams in Brazil. The study follows the principles of Social Impact Management, which offer a suitable framework for analyzing the complex social transformations triggered by hydroelectric dams. In the implementation of this approach, participative causal maps were used to identify the ex-post social impacts of the Porto Primavera and Rosana dams on the community of Porto Rico, located along the High Paran├Ī River. We found that in the operation of dams there are intermediate causes of a political nature, stemming from decisions based on values and interests not determined by neutral, exclusively technical reasons; and this insight opens up an area of action for managing the negative impacts of dams.
2006 Long Range Development Plan Final Environmental ImpactReport
Philliber, Jeff
This environmental impact report (EIR) has been prepared pursuant to the applicable provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and its implementing guidelines (CEQA Guidelines), and the Amended University of California Procedures for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (UC CEQA Procedures). The University of California (UC or the University) is the lead agency for this EIR, which examines the overall effects of implementation of the proposed 2006 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP; also referred to herein as the 'project' for purposes of CEQA) for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL; also referred to as 'Berkeley Lab,' 'the Laboratory,' or 'the Lab' in this document). An LRDP is a land use plan that guides overall development of a site. The Lab serves as a special research campus operated by the University employees, but it is owned and financed by the federal government and as such it is distinct from the UC-owned Berkeley Campus. As a campus operated by the University of California, the Laboratory is required to prepare an EIR for an LRDP when one is prepared or updated pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.09. The adoption of an LRDP does not constitute a commitment to, or final decision to implement, any specific project, construction schedule, or funding priority. Rather, the proposed 2006 LRDP describes an entire development program of approximately 980,000 gross square feet of new research and support space construction and 320,000 gross square feet of demolition of existing facilities, for a total of approximately 660,000 gross square feet of net new occupiable space for the site through 2025. Specific projects will undergo CEQA review at the time proposed to determine what, if any, additional review is necessary prior to approval. As described in Section 1.4.2, below, and in Chapter 3 of this EIR (the Project Description), the size of the project has been reduced since the Notice of Preparation for
Analysis of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive and the EIA decision in Turkey
Bilgin, Ayla
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive first entered into force in the United States in 1969, and began to be implemented in many other countries by 1990. The first Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive in Turkey was published on February 7, 1993, under the Environmental Law No. 2872. The EIA Directive was revised seven times on June 23, 1997, June 6, 2002, December 16, 2003, July 17, 2008, October 3, 2013, and November 25, 2014. Several amendments were made during this process. The first EIA Directive dated 1993 was narrow in scope and its procedure was long, while the amendments in 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2014 widened the scope of the EIA, and shortened the EIA assessment procedures. In this study, the amendments to the Turkish EIA Directive were analysed, and their effect on the number of EIA decisions made was addressed. It was concluded that the uncertainties in EIA procedures were removed, procedures were shortened, and as a result, the number of EIA decisions increased thanks to the revisions made in line with harmonisation with European Union (EU) acquis. - Highlights: ŌĆó Demonstrates the Environmental Impact Assessment practices in Turkey. ŌĆó Demonstrates the application of the EIA in Turkey by sector. ŌĆó Demonstrates the amendments of the EIA by-laws in Turkey. ŌĆó Demonstrates the changes in EIA practices and EIA decisions.
The screening and scoping of Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment of Carbon Capture and Storage in the Netherlands
Koornneef, J.; Faaij, A.; Turkenburg, W.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) are procedural tools which have as goal to assess and evaluate possible environmental effects of, respectively, a proposed project or policy plan. The goal of this article is to explore possible bottlenecks in applying both the EIA and SEA procedures on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) activities in the Netherlands, as experience is currently minimal or lacking. In this study we focus mainly on the institutional and procedural aspects of the screening and scoping phases of both procedures. This is achieved by reviewing EIA and SEA procedures for analogue projects for the three distinctive process steps of a CCS project, namely the power plant with capture, the transport and finally the underground storage of the CO{sub 2}. Additionally, EIA and SEA or similar procedures on CCS in other countries are reviewed and the legal framework for the Dutch EIA and SEA is studied. This article shows a concise overview of the EIA and SEA procedure in the Netherlands and the relation between both procedures. Based on our findings we have constructed a conceptual taxonomy for the scope of both procedures for CCS in the Netherlands. This taxonomy conceptualizes the possible integration of assessing the environmental impacts for tiered levels of decision making. This integration might be needed for first CCS projects as decisions on the strategic (spatial planning) level are currently absent for CCS in the Netherlands. Perpendicular to such integration is the integration of linked activities in the CCS chain and their alternatives, into one procedure. We argue that it would be beneficial to combine the separate EIA procedures for CCS activities into one procedure or at least provide close linkage between them.
Institutional Design for Strategic Environmental Assessment on Urban Economic and Social Development Planning in China
Song Guojun Zhou Li; Zhang Lei
The National Economic and Social Development Plans (NESDPs) of cities in China, given their comprehensive, integrated and strategic nature, have significant and profound impacts on the development of cities and their embedded ecological environments. Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) on city NESDPs have the potential to improve environmental policy integration at strategic level and to safeguard the sustainable development of cities. However, these plans are normally exempted from the current SEA requirement in China. We argue that it is more feasible to apply SEAs on city NESDPs before SEAs are expanded to higher level NESDPs in China. This article attempts to propose a China-specific institutional design for SEAs on city NESDPs based on experiments in selected cities and within the current legal framework. To obtain a holistic view about the long-term development of cities, more qualitative and descriptive analysis-based assessment methods should be adopted to broaden participation, to encourage the exchange of information and to reach consensus. - Highlights: > National Economic and Social Development Plans for Cities (NESDPs) in China is a very popular and significant decision made by municipal government. > We propose a institutional framework to conduct strategic environmental assessment to NESDPs. > The key features of the institutional framework are the independent SEA approval committee and a professional consulting agency.
Assessing cumulative impacts within state environmental review frameworks in the United States
Ma Zhao; Becker, Dennis R.; Kilgore, Michael A.
Cumulative impact assessment (CIA) is the process of systematically assessing a proposed action's cumulative environmental effects in the context of past, present, and future actions, regardless of who undertakes such actions. Previous studies have examined CIA efforts at the federal level but little is known about how states assess the cumulative impacts of nonfederal projects. By examining state environmental review statutes, administrative rules, agency-prepared materials, and a national survey of the administrators of state environmental review programs, this study identifies the legal and administrative frameworks for CIA. It examines current CIA practice, discusses the relationship between CIA policy and its implementation, and explores the opportunities for improvement. The results of the study show that twenty-nine state environmental review programs across twenty-six states required the assessment of cumulative environmental impacts. More than half of these programs have adopted specific procedures for implementing their policies. Some programs assessed cumulative impacts using a standard review document, and others have created their own documentations incorporated into applications for state permits or funding. The majority of programs have adopted various scales, baselines, significance criteria, and coordination practices in their CIA processes. Mixed methods were generally used for data collection and analysis; qualitative methods were more prevalent than quantitative methods. The results also suggest that a program with comprehensive and consistent environmental review policies and procedures does not always imply extensive CIA requirements and practices. Finally, this study discusses the potential for improving existing CIA processes and promoting CIA efforts in states without established environmental review programs.
EA-1207: Pit Disassembly and Conversion Demonstration Environmental Assessment and Research and Development Activities
Pit Disassembly and Conversion Demonstration Environmental Assessment and Research and Development Activities
Assessing the Energy Impact of Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Technologies (Presentation), NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Assessing the Energy Impact of Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Technologies SAE 2016 Government/Industry Meeting January 21, 2016 Jeff Gonder, Yuche Chen, Mike Lammert, Eric Wood Transportation and Hydrogen Systems Center (THSC) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) NREL/PR-5400-65743 2 Outline * Overall energy impact assessment * Example feature-level impacts * Real-world/off-cycle benefit calculation * On-going work by DOE and its national labs 3 "Bookending" CAV Energy
Calculating impacts of energy standards on energy demand in U.S. buildings with uncertainty in an integrated assessment model
Scott, Michael J.; Daly, Don S.; Hathaway, John E.; Lansing, Carina S.; Liu, Ying; McJeon, Haewon C.; Moss, Richard H.; Patel, Pralit L.; Peterson, Marty J.; Rice, Jennie S.; Zhou, Yuyu
In this paper, an integrated assessment model (IAM) uses a newly-developed Monte Carlo analysis capability to analyze the impacts of more aggressive U.S. residential and commercial building-energy codes and equipment standards on energy consumption and energy service costs at the state level, explicitly recognizing uncertainty in technology effectiveness and cost, socioeconomics, presence or absence of carbon prices, and climate impacts on energy demand. The paper finds that aggressive building-energy codes and equipment standards are an effective, cost-saving way to reduce energy consumption in buildings and greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. states. This conclusion is robust to significant uncertainties in population, economic activity, climate, carbon prices, and technology performance and costs.
A quantitative method to analyze the quality of EIA information in wind energy development and avian/bat assessments
Chang, Tony; Nielsen, Erik; Auberle, William; Solop, Frederic I.
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been a tool for decision makers since the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Since that time, few analyses have been performed to verify the quality of information and content within EIAs. High quality information within assessments is vital in order for decision makers, stake holders, and the public to understand the potential impact of proposed actions on the ecosystem and wildlife species. Low quality information has been a major cause for litigation and economic loss. Since 1999, wind energy development has seen an exponential growth with unknown levels of impact on wildlife species, in particular bird and bat species. The purpose of this article is to: (1) develop, validate, and apply a quantitative index to review avian/bat assessment quality for wind energy EIAs; and (2) assess the trends and status of avian/bat assessment quality in a sample of wind energy EIAs. This research presents the development and testing of the Avian and Bat Assessment Quality Index (ABAQI), a new approach to quantify information quality of ecological assessments within wind energy development EIAs in relation to avian and bat species based on review areas and factors derived from 23 state wind/wildlife siting guidance documents. The ABAQI was tested through a review of 49 publicly available EIA documents and validated by identifying high variation in avian and bat assessments quality for wind energy developments. Of all the reviewed EIAs, 66% failed to provide high levels of preconstruction avian and bat survey information, compared to recommended factors from state guidelines. This suggests the need for greater consistency from recommended guidelines by state, and mandatory compliance by EIA preparers to avoid possible habitat and species loss, wind energy development shut down, and future lawsuits. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We developed, validated, and applied a quantitative index to review
Job and Economic Development Impact Models (JEDI) | Open Energy...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
and biofuel plants at the local and state levels. It comes as a separate model for wind, PV, natural gas, CSP, coal, and biofuels. Job's, earnings, and impact are outputs. Inputs...
Coal mining and the resource community cycle: A longitudinal assessment of the social impacts of the Coppabella coal mine
Lockie, S.; Franettovich, M.; Petkova-Timmer, V.; Rolfe, J.; Ivanova, G.
Two social impact assessment (SIA) studies of Central Queensland's Coppabella coal mine were undertaken in 2002-2003 and 2006-2007. As ex post studies of actual change, these provide a reference point for predictive assessments of proposed resource extraction projects at other sites, while the longitudinal element added by the second study illustrates how impacts associated with one mine may vary over time due to changing economic and social conditions. It was found that the traditional coupling of local economic vitality and community development to the life cycle of resource projects - the resource community cycle - was mediated by labour recruitment and social infrastructure policies that reduced the emphasis on localised employment and investment strategies. and by the cumulative impacts of multiple mining projects within relative proximity to each other. The resource community cycle was accelerated and local communities forced to consider ways of attracting secondary investment and/or alternative industries early in the operational life of the Coppabella mine in order to secure significant economic benefits and to guard against the erosion of social capital and the ability to cope with future downturns in the mining sector.
Assessing the impacts of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
Desai, U.
Even a dozen years since the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) there is little agreement on how well it has worked. The paper attempts to assess the impacts of SMCRA in six major surface coal producing states. Although it is not possible to make an unqualified overall national assessment, the evidence presented in the paper indicates that in many (but by no means all) cases, surface coal mining is now carried out in environmentally less destructive ways then before the Act. However, the accomplishments have fallen far short of expectations. The situation in some states has gotten worse than before the Act. Overall, the impact of the Act on the ground has been mixed and has depended on the rigor with which the Act has been implemented in individual coal states.
Methodology for the Assessment of the Macroeconomic Impacts of Stricter CAFE Standards - Addendum
This assessment of the economic impacts of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAF├ē) standards marks the first time the Energy Information Administration has used the new direct linkage of the DRI-WEFA Macroeconomic Model to the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) in a policy setting. This methodology assures an internally consistent solution between the energy market concepts forecast by NEMS and the aggregate economy as forecast by the DRI-WEFA Macroeconomic Model of the U.S. Economy.
Assessing climate impacts of planning policies-An estimation for the urban region of Leipzig (Germany)
Schwarz, Nina Bauer, Annette Haase, Dagmar
Local climate regulation by urban green areas is an important urban ecosystem service, as it reduces the extent of the urban heat island and therefore enhances quality of life. Local and regional planning policies can control land use changes in an urban region, which in turn alter local climate regulation. Thus, this paper describes a method for estimating the impacts of current land uses as well as local and regional planning policies on local climate regulation, using evapotranspiration and land surface emissivity as indicators. This method can be used by practitioners to evaluate their policies. An application of this method is demonstrated for the case study Leipzig (Germany). Results for six selected planning policies in Leipzig indicate their distinct impacts on climate regulation and especially the role of their spatial extent. The proposed method was found to easily produce a qualitative assessment of impacts of planning policies on climate regulation.
Environmental assessment for the satellite power system concept development and evaluation program: atmospheric effects
Rote, D.M.; Brubaker, K.L.; Lee, J.L.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has undertaken a preliminary, three-year program to investigate the impacts of the construction and operation of a satellite power system, of unprecedented scale. The Department of Energy's program, titled The Concept Development and Evaluation Program, focused its investigations on a Reference System description that calls for the use of either silicon (Si) or gallium aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs) photovoltaic cells on 60 satellites to be constructed in GEO over a 30-yr period. Rectennas would be constructed on the ground to receive microwave energy from the satellites. Each satellite-rectenna pair is designed to produce 5 GW of power on an essentially continuous basis for use as a baseload power source for an electric power distribution system. The environmental assessment part of the program was divided into five interdependent task areas. The present document constitutes the final technical report on one of the five task areas, the Assessment of the Atmospheric Effects, and as such presents an in-depth summary of work performed during the assessment program. The issues associated with SPS activities in the troposphere are examined. These include tropospheric weather modification related to rectenna operations and rocket launches, and air quality impacts related to rocketlaunch ground clouds. Then progressing upward through the various levels of the atmosphere, the principal middle and upper atmospheric effects associated with rocket effluents are analyzed. Finally, all of the potential SPS atmospheric effects are summarized.
Including the temporal change in PM{sub 2.5} concentration in the assessment of human health impact: Illustration with renewable energy scenarios to 2050
Gschwind, Benoit; Lefevre, Mireille; Blanc, Isabelle; Ranchin, Thierry; Wyrwa, Artur; Drebszok, Kamila; Cofala, Janusz; Fuss, Sabine
This article proposes a new method to assess the health impact of populations exposed to fine particles (PM{sub 2.5}) during their whole lifetime, which is suitable for comparative analysis of energy scenarios. The method takes into account the variation of particle concentrations over time as well as the evolution of population cohorts. Its capabilities are demonstrated for two pathways of European energy system development up to 2050: the Baseline (BL) and the Low Carbon, Maximum Renewable Power (LC-MRP). These pathways were combined with three sets of assumptions about emission control measures: Current Legislation (CLE), Fixed Emission Factors (FEFs), and the Maximum Technically Feasible Reductions (MTFRs). Analysis was carried out for 45 European countries. Average PM{sub 2.5} concentration over Europe in the LC-MRP/CLE scenario is reduced by 58% compared with the BL/FEF case. Health impacts (expressed in days of loss of life expectancy) decrease by 21%. For the LC-MRP/MTFR scenario the average PM{sub 2.5} concentration is reduced by 85% and the health impact by 34%. The methodology was developed within the framework of the EU's FP7 EnerGEO project and was implemented in the Platform of Integrated Assessment (PIA). The Platform enables performing health impact assessments for various energy scenarios. - Highlights: ŌĆó A new method to assess health impact of PM{sub 2.5} for energy scenarios is proposed. ŌĆó An algorithm to compute Loss of Life Expectancy attributable to exposure to PM{sub 2.5} is depicted. ŌĆó Its capabilities are demonstrated for two pathways of European energy system development up to 2050. ŌĆó Integrating the temporal evolution of PM{sub 2.5} is of great interest for assessing the potential impacts of energy scenarios.
Melter development needs assessment for RWMC buried wastes
Donaldson, A.D.; Carpenedo, R.J.; Anderson, G.L.
This report presents a survey and initial assessment of the existing state-of-the-art melter technology necessary to thermally treat (stabilize) buried TRU waste, by producing a highly leach resistant glass/ceramic waste form suitable for final disposal. Buried mixed transuranic (TRU) waste at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) represents an environmental hazard requiring remediation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the INEL on the National Priorities List in 1989. Remediation of the buried TRU-contaminated waste via the CERCLA decision process is required to remove INEL from the National Priorities List. A Waste Technology Development (WTD) Preliminary Systems Design and Thermal Technologies Screening Study identified joule-heated and plasma-heated melters as the most probable thermal systems technologies capable of melting the INEL soil and waste to produce the desired final waste form (Iron-Enriched Basalt (IEB) glass/ceramic). The work reported herein then surveys the state of existing melter technology and assesses it within the context of processing INEL buried TRU wastes and contaminated soils. Necessary technology development work is recommended.
Melter development needs assessment for RWMC buried wastes
Donaldson, A.D.; Carpenedo, R.J.; Anderson, G.L.
This report presents a survey and initial assessment of the existing state-of-the-art melter technology necessary to thermally treat (stabilize) buried TRU waste, by producing a highly leach resistant glass/ceramic waste form suitable for final disposal. Buried mixed transuranic (TRU) waste at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) represents an environmental hazard requiring remediation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the INEL on the National Priorities List in 1989. Remediation of the buried TRU-contaminated waste via the CERCLA decision process is required to remove INEL from the National Priorities List. A Waste Technology Development (WTD) Preliminary Systems Design and Thermal Technologies Screening Study identified joule-heated and plasma-heated melters as the most probable thermal systems technologies capable of melting the INEL soil and waste to produce the desired final waste form [Iron-Enriched Basalt (IEB) glass/ceramic]. The work reported herein then surveys the state of existing melter technology and assesses it within the context of processing INEL buried TRU wastes and contaminated soils. Necessary technology development work is recommended.
Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Report. Final: Comments and Responses to Comments
This document is the Comments and Responses to Comments volume of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report prepared for the proposed Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project (Final EIS/EIR). This volume of the Final EIS/EIR provides copies of the written comments received on the Draft EIS/EIR and the leady agency responses to those comments in conformance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Development and application of procedures to evaluate air quality and visibility impacts of low-altitude flying operations
Liebsch, E.J.
This report describes the development and application of procedures to evaluate the effects of low-altitude aircraft flights on air quality and visibility. The work summarized in this report was undertaken as part of the larger task of assessing the various potential environmental impacts associated with low-altitude military airspaces. Accomplishing the air quality/visibility analysis for the GEIS included (1) development and application of an integrated air quality model and aircraft emissions database specifically for Military Training Route (MTR) or similar flight operations, (2) selection and application of an existing air quality model to analyze the more widespread and less concentrated aircraft emissions from military Operations Areas (MOAs) and Restricted Areas (RAs), and (3) development and application of procedures to assess impacts of aircraft emissions on visibility. Existing air quality models were considered to be inadequate for predicting ground-level concentrations of pollutants emitted by aircraft along MTRs; therefore, the Single-Aircraft Instantaneous Line Source (SAILS) and Multiple-Aircraft Instantaneous Line Source (MAILS) models were developed to estimate potential impacts along MTRs. Furthermore, a protocol was developed and then applied in the field to determine the degree of visibility impairment caused by aircraft engine exhaust plumes. 19 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.
Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Assessment for FY 2007
Newman,L.; Fox, K.J.
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is a multidisciplinary laboratory that carries out basic and applied research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, and in selected energy technologies. It is managed by Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC, (BSA) under contract with the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE). BNL's Fiscal Year 2007 spending was $515 million. There are approximately 2,600 employees, and another 4,500 guest scientists and students who come each year to use the Laboratory's facilities and work with the staff. The BNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program reports its status to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) annually in March, as required by DOE Order 413.2B, 'Laboratory Directed Research and Development', April 19, 2006, and the Roles, Responsibilities, and Guidelines for Laboratory Directed Research and Development at the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration Laboratories dated June 13, 2006. The goals and objectives of BNL's LDRD Program can be inferred from the Program's stated purposes. These are to (1) encourage and support the development of new ideas and technology, (2) promote the early exploration and exploitation of creative and innovative concepts, and (3) develop new 'fundable' R&D projects and programs. The emphasis is clearly articulated by BNL to be on supporting exploratory research 'which could lead to new programs, projects, and directions' for the Laboratory. As one of the premier scientific laboratories of the DOE, BNL must continuously foster groundbreaking scientific research. At Brookhaven National Laboratory one such method is through its LDRD Program. This discretionary research and development tool is critical in maintaining the scientific excellence and long-term vitality of the Laboratory. Additionally, it is a means to stimulate the scientific community and foster new science and technology ideas, which becomes a major factor in achieving and maintaining
Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Assessment for FY 2008
Looney, J P; Fox, K J
existing mission areas, as well as to develop new research mission areas in response to DOE and National needs. As the largest expense in BNL's LDRD program is the support graduate students, post-docs, and young scientists, LDRD provides base for continually refreshing the research staff as well as the education and training of the next generation of scientists. The LDRD Program Assessment Report contains a review of the program. The report includes a summary of the management processes, project peer review, and the portfolio's relatedness to BNL's mission, initiatives and strategic plans. Also included are a metric of success indicators and Self Assessment.
Revision of three-stakeholder signaling game for environmental impact assessment in China
Pu Xiao; Cheng Hongguang; Gong Li; Hao Fanghua; Qi Ye
Since environmental impact assessment (EIA) regulations were adopted in China 30 years ago, the implementation rate of EIA policies for development projects has been steadily increasing while national environmental quality keeps deteriorating. This contradiction prevents achievement of the goals that the regulations were originally created for, raising concerns regarding the EIA implementation process. One of the objectives of EIA is the evaluation of socio-economic costs introduced by various commercial activities. However, independent economic entities are inclined to break away from these cost related responsibilities, making it necessary for government agencies and EIA organizations to participate in the evaluation process. The practice of avoiding costs may also bring forth other issues, such as rent-seeking behavior and conspiracies. Reducing private costs and the tendency of the three EIA stakeholders to evade social responsibility are intertwined in every EIA process. Their activities are as follows: The government is the lawmaker whose attitude toward the EIA organization determines how business owners react in the EIA process. The government inclination can be interpreted as a signal from which enterprises can determine the nature of the government, which helps the enterprise owners formulate their future actions. A similar relationship also exists among the government, EIA organizations, and enterprise entities. Fundamentally, the correlations between the EIA stakeholders are determined by their socio-economic situation, namely, the economic costs and benefits they encounter. In this article, signaling game theory derived from the classic game theory is applied to describe the EIA process in China by analyzing the activities of the stakeholders and searching for game equilibrium solutions. The optimal reaction schema for stakeholders was obtained by transforming the equilibrium.
Development of an Improved Methodology to Assess Potential Unconventional Gas Resources
Salazar, Jesus; McVay, Duane A. Lee, W. John
Considering the important role played today by unconventional gas resources in North America and their enormous potential for the future around the world, it is vital to both policy makers and industry that the volumes of these resources and the impact of technology on these resources be assessed. To provide for optimal decision making regarding energy policy, research funding, and resource development, it is necessary to reliably quantify the uncertainty in these resource assessments. Since the 1970s, studies to assess potential unconventional gas resources have been conducted by various private and governmental agencies, the most rigorous of which was by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS employed a cell-based, probabilistic methodology which used analytical equations to calculate distributions of the resources assessed. USGS assessments have generally produced distributions for potential unconventional gas resources that, in our judgment, are unrealistically narrow for what are essentially undiscovered, untested resources. In this article, we present an improved methodology to assess potential unconventional gas resources. Our methodology is a stochastic approach that includes Monte Carlo simulation and correlation between input variables. Application of the improved methodology to the Uinta-Piceance province of Utah and Colorado with USGS data validates the means and standard deviations of resource distributions produced by the USGS methodology, but reveals that these distributions are not right skewed, as expected for a natural resource. Our investigation indicates that the unrealistic shape and width of the gas resource distributions are caused by the use of narrow triangular input parameter distributions. The stochastic methodology proposed here is more versatile and robust than the USGS analytic methodology. Adoption of the methodology, along with a careful examination and revision of input distributions, should allow a more realistic
Agent Model Development for Assessing Climate-Induced Geopolitical Instability.
Boslough, Mark B.; Backus, George A.
We present the initial stages of development of new agent-based computational methods to generate and test hypotheses about linkages between environmental change and international instability. This report summarizes the first year's effort of an originally proposed three-year Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project. The preliminary work focused on a set of simple agent-based models and benefited from lessons learned in previous related projects and case studies of human response to climate change and environmental scarcity. Our approach was to define a qualitative model using extremely simple cellular agent models akin to Lovelock's Daisyworld and Schelling's segregation model. Such models do not require significant computing resources, and users can modify behavior rules to gain insights. One of the difficulties in agent-based modeling is finding the right balance between model simplicity and real-world representation. Our approach was to keep agent behaviors as simple as possible during the development stage (described herein) and to ground them with a realistic geospatial Earth system model in subsequent years. This work is directed toward incorporating projected climate data--including various C02 scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Assessment Report--and ultimately toward coupling a useful agent-based model to a general circulation model.3
Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impact: Four Regional Scenarios (Presentation)
Tegen, S.
NREL's Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model for Offshore Wind, is a computer tool for studying the economic impacts of fixed-bottom offshore wind projects in the United States. This presentation provides the results of an analysis of four offshore wind development scenarios in the Southeast Atlantic, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico regions.
Differential impact of rising energy prices upon developed and developing countries: 1970-1977
Collier, B.J.
This study examines the impact of this era of restricted energy upon continued growth and development of poor, middle-income, and rich countries in the world society. The research objective is to ascertain if increased prices more adversely affected low-income countries (many of whom morally supported the behavior of th OPEC nations) than middle-income and rich countries. A 116-country sample is used and subdivided into five country groupings: poor, middle-income, industrialized, capital surplus oil-exporting, and centrally-planned countries. Data on the energy variables indicated that low-income countries continued to have access to energy during the post-embargo period in spite of higher prices. The average increase in energy consumption was greater for the poorer Lesser Developed Countries (LDC) in the post-1973 than in the pre-1973 years. In contrast, industrialized countries significantly reduced their mean rate of energy consumption. Thus, a slight redistribution of energy resources occurred from the industrialized countries to the rest of the world. Data analysis also revealed that while economic growth declined for all country groupings in the post-embargo years, industrialized countries experienced a greater percentage decrease in growth rates than did developing countries.
An Update of the Analytical Groundwater Modeling to Assess Water Resource Impacts at the Afton Solar Energy Zone
Quinn, John J.; Greer, Christopher B.; Carr, Adrianne E.
The purpose of this study is to update a one-dimensional analytical groundwater flow model to examine the influence of potential groundwater withdrawal in support of utility-scale solar energy development at the Afton Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) as a part of the Bureau of Land ManagementŌĆÖs (BLMŌĆÖs) Solar Energy Program. This report describes the modeling for assessing the drawdown associated with SEZ groundwater pumping rates for a 20-year duration considering three categories of water demand (high, medium, and low) based on technology-specific considerations. The 2012 modeling effort published in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Solar Energy Development in Six Southwestern States (Solar PEIS; BLM and DOE 2012) has been refined based on additional information described below in an expanded hydrogeologic discussion.
Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact: Biorecycling Technologies, Inc., Noble Biogas and Fertilizer Plant, Fresno County, California
The US Department of Energy (DOE) is considering a proposal from the California Energy Commission for partial funding up to $1,500,000 of the construction of the biorecycling Technologies, Inc., (BTI) Noble Biogas and Fertilizer Plant in Fresno County, California. BTI along with its contractors and business partners would develop the plant, which would use manure and green waste to produce biogas and a variety of organic fertilizer products. The California Energy Commission has requested funding from the DOE Commercialization Ventures program to assist in the construction of the plant, which would produce up to one megawatt of electricity by burning biogas in a cogeneration unit. The purpose of this environmental assessment (EA) is to provide DOE and the public with information on potential environmental impacts associated with funding development of the proposed project.
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: Wind Energy Center Edgeley/Kulm Project, North Dakota
The proposed Edgeley/Kulm Project is a 21-megawatt (MW) wind generation project proposed by Florida Power and Light (FPL) Energy North Dakota Wind LLC (Dakota Wind) and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin). The proposed windfarm would be located in La Moure County, south central North Dakota, near the rural farming communities of Kulm and Edgeley. The proposed windfarm is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2003. Dakota Wind and other project proponents are seeking to develop the proposed Edgeley/Kulm Project to provide utilities and, ultimately, electric energy consumers with electricity from a renewable energy source at the lowest possible cost. A new 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line would be built to transmit power generated by the proposed windfarm to an existing US Department of Energy Western Area Power Administration (Western) substation located near Edgeley. The proposed interconnection would require modifying Western's Edgeley Substation. Modifying the Edgeley Substation is a Federal proposed action that requires Western to review the substation modification and the proposed windfarm project for compliance with Section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332, and Department of Energy NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR Part 1021). Western is the lead Federal agency for preparation of this Environmental Assessment (EA). The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is a cooperating agency with Western in preparing the EA. This document follows regulation issued by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) for implementing procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), and is intended to disclose potential impacts on the quality of the human environment resulting from the proposed project. If potential impacts are determined to be significant, preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement would be required. If impacts are determined to be insignificant, Western would complete a Finding of No Significant
The role of Life Cycle Assessment in identifying and reducing environmental impacts of CCS
Sathre, Roger; Masanet, Eric; Cain, Jennifer; Chester, Mikhail
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) should be used to assist carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) planners to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and avoid unintended environmental trade-offs. LCA is an analytical framework for determining environmental impacts resulting from processes, products, and services. All life cycle stages are evaluated including raw material sourcing, processing, operation, maintenance, and component end-of-life, as well as intermediate stages such as transportation. In recent years a growing number of LCA studies have analyzed CCS systems. We reviewed 50+ LCA studies, and selected 11 studies that compared the environmental performance of 23 electric power plants with and without CCS. Here we summarize and interpret the findings of these studies. Regarding overall climatemitigation effectiveness of CCS, we distinguish between the capture percentage of carbon in the fuels, the net carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction, and the net GHG emission reduction. We also identify trade-offs between the climate benefits and the potential increased non-climate impacts of CCS. Emissions of non-CO2 flue gases such as NOx may increase due to the greater throughput of fuel, and toxicity issues may arise due to the use of monoethanolamine (MEA) capture solvent, resulting in ecological and human health impacts. We discuss areas where improvements in LCA data or methods are needed. The decision to implement CCS should be based on knowledge of the overall environmental impacts of the technologies, not just their carbon capture effectiveness. LCA will be an important tool in providing that knowledge.
Mid-Columbia Coho Reintroduction Feasibility Project : Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact.
United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation; Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to fund research for 2 to 3 years on the feasibility of reintroducing coho salmon into mid-Columbia River basin tributaries. The research would take place in the Methow and Wenatchee river basins in Chelan and Okanogan Counties, Washington. BPA has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-1282) evaluating the proposed project. Based on the analysis in the EA, BPA has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required, and BPA is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact.
Tucannon River Spring Chinook Captive Broodstock Program Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is proposing to fund the Tucannon River Spring Chinook Captive Broodstock Program, a small-scale production initiative designed to increase numbers of a weak but potentially recoverable population of spring chinook salmon in the Tucannon River in the State of Washington. BPA has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-l326) evaluating the proposed project. Based on the analysis in the EA, BPA has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required, and BPA is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
Model Examines Cumulative Impacts of Wind Energy Development on the Greater
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Sage-Grouse | Department of Energy Model Examines Cumulative Impacts of Wind Energy Development on the Greater Sage-Grouse Model Examines Cumulative Impacts of Wind Energy Development on the Greater Sage-Grouse March 31, 2014 - 11:34am Addthis Photo of a sage grouse. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory developed a spatially explicit individual-based model for examining the cumulative impacts of wind energy development on populations and habitats of the greater
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impact Model; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation and biofuel plants at the local (usually state) level. First developed by NRELŌĆÖs researchers to model wind energy jobs and impacts, JEDI has been expanded to also estimate the economic impacts of biofuels, coal, conventional hydro, concentrating solar power, geothermal, marine and hydrokinetic power, natural gas, photovoltaics, and transmission lines. This fact sheet focuses on JEDI for wind energy projects.
Telephone Flat Geothermal Development Project Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Report. Final
This Final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report (Final EIS/EIR) has been prepared to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Proposed Action includes the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a 48 megawatt (gross) geothermal power plant with ancillary facilities (10-12 production well pads and 3-5 injection well pads, production and injection pipelines), access roads, and a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in the Modoc National Forest in Siskiyou County, California. Alternative locations for the power plant site within a reasonable distance of the middle of the wellfield were determined to be technically feasible. Three power plant site alternatives are evaluated in the Final EIS/EIR.
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Models - Limitations...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Input-output models, including JEDI, apply historical ... pre-date the development of many renewable energy technologies. ... which account for pricing variability and labor ...
Impact of geothermal development on stockraising homestead landowners
Not Available
Surface use and compensation conflicts have developed at the Geysers in California between owners of surface lands acquired under the Stockraising Homestead Act of 1916 and geothermal lessees with the right to develop the mineral interests reserved to the Federal Government. Several recommendations are made to the Secretary of the Interior concerning the problems identified. The following are discussed: conditions at the Geysers concerning geothermal development on stockraising lands that could be considered in regard to compensation, existence or potential for similar conflicts on this land outside the Geysers, protection and compensation provided surface owners in existence of legislation and the need for amendments, and alternative methods for paying compensation.
Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model: Offshore Wind User Reference Guide
Lantz, E.; Goldberg, M.; Keyser, D.
The Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) model, developed by NREL and MRG & Associates, is a spreadsheet based input-output tool. JEDI is meant to be a user friendly and transparent tool to estimate potential economic impacts supported by the development and operation of offshore wind projects. This guide describes how to use the model as well as technical information such as methodology, limitations, and data sources.
New Model Examines Cumulative Impacts of Wind Energy Development...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
This is an excerpt from the Third Quarter 2011 edition of the Wind Program R&D Newsletter. Photo of a bird. DOE's Argonne National Laboratory recently developed the prototype of a ...
Modelling Agricultural Trade and Policy Impacts in Less Developed...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
that there is a need for greater investment in the sector, both to achieve immediate poverty reduction and to stimulate broader pro-poor economic development. This is a core...
Should different impact assessment instruments be integrated? Evidence from English spatial planning
Tajima, Ryo; Fischer, Thomas B.
This paper aims at providing empirical evidence to the question as to whether integration of different instruments is achieving its aim in supporting sustainable decision making, focusing on SEA inclusive sustainability appraisal (SA) and other impact assessments (IAs) currently used in English spatial planning. Usage of IAs in addition to SA is established and an analysis of the integration approach (in terms of process, output, and assessor) as well as its effectiveness is conducted. It is found that while integration enhances effectiveness to some extent, too much integration, especially in terms of the procedural element, appears to diminish the overall effectiveness of each IA in influencing decisions as they become captured by the balancing function of SA. -- Highlights: Ō¢║ The usage of different impact assessments in English spatial planning is clarified. Ō¢║ The relationship between integration approach and effectiveness is analyzed. Ō¢║ Results suggest that integration does not necessarily lead to more sustainable decisions. Ō¢║ Careful consideration is recommended upon process integration.
Membrane separation systems---A research and development needs assessment
Baker, R.W. ); Cussler, E.L. . Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science); Eykamp, W. ); Koros, W.J. ); Riley, R.L. ); Strathmann, H. (Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Grenzflaech
Membrane based separation technology, a relative newcomer on the separations scene, has demonstrated the potential of saving enormous amounts of energy in the processing industries if substituted for conventional separation systems. Over 1 quad annually, out of 2.6, can possibly be saved in liquid-to-gas separations, alone, if membrane separation systems gain wider acceptance, according to a recent DOE/OIP (DOE/NBM-80027730 (1986)) study. In recent years great strides have been made in the field and offer even greater energy savings in the future when substituted for other conventional separation techniques such as distillation, evaporation, filtration, sedimentation, and absorption. An assessment was conducted by a group of six internationally known membrane separations experts who examined the worldwide status of research in the seven major membrane areas. This encompassed four mature technology areas: reverse osmosis, micorfiltration, ultrafiltration, and electrodialysis; two developing areas: gas separation and and pervaporation; and one emerging technology: facilitated transport. Particular attention was paid to identifying the innovative processes currently emerging, and even further improvements which could gain wider acceptance for the more mature membrane technology. The topics that were pointed out as having the greatest research emphasis are pervaporation for organic-organic separations; gas separation; micorfiltration; an oxidant-resistant reverse osmosis membrane; and a fouling-resistant ultrafiltration membrane. 35 refs., 6 figs., 22 tabs.
Assessment, development, and testing of glass for blast environments.
Glass, Sarah Jill
Glass can have lethal effects including fatalities and injuries when it breaks and then flies through the air under blast loading (''the glass problem''). One goal of this program was to assess the glass problem and solutions being pursued to mitigate it. One solution to the problem is the development of new glass technology that allows the strength and fragmentation to be controlled or selected depending on the blast performance specifications. For example the glass could be weak and fail, or it could be strong and survive, but it must perform reliably. Also, once it fails it should produce fragments of a controlled size. Under certain circumstances it may be beneficial to have very small fragments, in others it may be beneficial to have large fragments that stay together. The second goal of this program was to evaluate the performance (strength, reliability, and fragmentation) of Engineered Stress Profile (ESP) glass under different loading conditions. These included pseudo-static strength and pressure tests and free-field blast tests. The ultimate goal was to provide engineers and architects with a glass whose behavior under blast loading is less lethal. A near-term benefit is a new approach for improving the reliability of glass and modifying its fracture behavior.
The environmental impact assessment process for nuclear facilities: An examination of the Indian experience
Ramana, M.V.; Rao, Divya Badami
India plans to construct numerous nuclear plants and uranium mines across the country, which could have significant environmental, health, and social impacts. The national Environmental Impact Assessment process is supposed to regulate these impacts. This paper examines how effective this process has been, and the extent to which public inputs have been taken into account. In addition to generic problems associated with the EIA process for all kinds of projects in India, there are concerns that are specific to nuclear facilities. One is that some nuclear facilities are exempt from the environmental clearance process. The second is that data regarding radiation baseline levels and future releases, which is the principle environmental concern with respect to nuclear facilities, is controlled entirely by the nuclear establishment. The third is that members of the nuclear establishment take part in almost every level of the environmental clearance procedure. For these reasons and others, the EIA process with regard to nuclear projects in India is of dubious quality. We make a number of recommendations that could address these lacunae, and more generally the imbalance of power between the nuclear establishment on the one hand, and civil society and the regulatory agencies on the other.
ORISE: ORISE to develop needs assessment plan to support CDC...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
and Education (ORISE) will design and carry out a needs assessment plan for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advanced Molecular Detection and Response to ...
Assessing Green Jobs Potential in Developing Countries: A Practitioner...
Open Energy Information (Open El) [EERE & EIA]
the number of "green" jobs - understood as those jobs in different sectors of the economy that reduce each sector's environmental impact. LEDSGP green logo.png This tool is...
Assessment of geothermal development in the Imperial Valley of California. Volume 2. Environmental control technology
Morris, W.; Hill, J.
Environmental control technologies are essential elements to be included in the overall design of Imperial Valley geothermal power systems. Environmental controls applicable to abatement of hydrogen sulfide emissions, cooling tower drift, noise, liquid and solid wastes, and induced subsidence and seismicity are assessed here. For optimum abatement of H{sub 2}S under a variety of plant operating conditions, removal of H{sub 2}S upstream of the steam turbine is recommended. The environmental impact of cooling tower drift will be closely tied to the quality of cooling water supplies. Conventional noise abatement procedures can be applied and no special research and development are needed. Injection technology constitutes the primary and most essential environmental control and liquid waste disposal technology for Imperial Velley geothermal operations. Subsurface injection of fluids is the primary control for managing induced subsidence. Careful maintenance of injection pressure is expected to control induced seismicity. (MHR)
Cumulative impacts study of The Geysers KGRA: public-service impacts of geothermal development
Matthews, K.M.
Geothermal development in The Geysers KGRA has affected local public services and fiscal resources in Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, and Napa counties. Each of these counties underwent rapid population growth between 1970 and 1980, some of which can be attributed to geothermal development. The number of workers currently involved in the various aspects of geothermal development in The Geysers is identified. Using three different development scenarios, projections are made for the number of power plants needed to reach the electrical generation capacity of the steam resource in The Geysers. The report also projects the cumulative number of workers needed to develop the steam field and to construct, operate, and maintain these power plants. Although the number of construction workers fluctuates, most are not likely to become new, permanent residents of the KGRA counties. The administrative and public service costs of geothermal development to local jurisdictions are examined and compared to geothermal revenues accruing to the local governments. Revenues do not cover the immediate fiscal needs resulting from increases in local road maintenance and school enrollment attributable to geothermal development. Several mitigation options are discussed, and a framework is presented for calculating mitigation costs per unit of public service.
Session: Bat ecology related to wind development and lessons learned about impacts on bats from wind development
Johnson, Greg; Kunz, Thomas
This session at the Wind Energy and Birds/Bats workshop consisted of two paper presentations followed by a discussion/question and answer period. It was the first of the sessions to shift the focus to the issue of wind energy development's impacts specifically to bats. The presentations discussed lessons that have been learned regarding direct and indirect impacts on bats and strategies planned to address such issues. Presenters addressed what the existing science demonstrates about land-based wind turbine impacts on bats, including: mortality, avoidance, direct habitat impacts, species and numbers killed, per turbine rates/per MW generated, and impacts on threatened and endangered species. They discussed whether there is sufficient data for wind turbines and bat impacts for projects in the eastern US, especially on ridge tops. Finally, the subject of offshore impacts on bats was briefly addressed, including what lessons have been learned in Europe and how these can be applied in the U S. Paper one, by Greg Johnson, was titled ''A Review of Bat Impacts at Wind Farms in the US''. Paper two, by Thomas Kunz, was titled ''Wind Power: Bats and Wind Turbines''.
Environmental assessment for the satellite power system concept development and evaluation program: nonmicrowave health and ecological effects
White, M R
A Concept Development and Evaluation Program is being carried out for a proposed Satellite Power System (SPS). For purposes of this evaluation, a preliminary reference system has been developed. SPS, as described in the reference system, would collect solar energy on satellites in geosychronous orbit in space. The energy would be converted to microwaves and beamed to an earth-receiving antenna (rectenna). One task in the environmental part of the program is the assessment of the nonmicrowave effects on health and the environment. These effects would result from all phases of SPS development and operation. This report covers the current knowledge regarding these effects, and is based on the reference system. The assessment is summarized as to scope, methodology, impacts of terrestrial development, launch and recovery of spacecraft, space activities (including health effects of the space environment, ionizing radiation, electromagnetic exposure, spacecraft charging and environmental interactions, occupational hazards, etc.) and construction and operation of rectenna (ground receiving station).
Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach Webinar: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts of Offshore Wind
Starting more than a year ago, NREL initiated work to expand the Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) model to include fixed-bottom offshore wind technology. Following the completion of the...
Argonne National Laboratory Develops New Model to Quantify the Impacts of
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Variable Energy Resources on Generation Expansion and System Reliability | Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Develops New Model to Quantify the Impacts of Variable Energy Resources on Generation Expansion and System Reliability Argonne National Laboratory Develops New Model to Quantify the Impacts of Variable Energy Resources on Generation Expansion and System Reliability September 16, 2015 - 6:45pm Addthis The penetration level of variable energy resources, such as wind and
NREL: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Models - About JEDI Coal
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Model Coal Model The Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) Coal model allows the user to estimate economic development impacts from coal power generation projects. Applying a similar user interface as the JEDI Wind model, JEDI Coal requires a few additional user inputs. JEDI Coal user inputs include: Capacity Factor Heat Rate Fuel Costs Fuel Produced Locally (Percent)* Results are presented in the same manner as those in the JEDI Wind and Natural Gas models. This allows
Job and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model: A User-Friendly Tool to Calculate Economic Impacts from Wind Projects; Preprint
Sinclair, K.; Milligan, M.; Goldberg, M.
The U.S. Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory (DOE/NREL) has developed a spreadsheet-based wind model (Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI)) that incorporates economic multipliers for jobs, income, and output. Originally developed with state-specific parameters, it can also be used to conduct county and regional analyses. NREL has enlisted the Wind Powering America (WPA) State Wind Working Groups (SWWGs) to conduct county-specific economic impact analyses and has encouraged them to use JEDI if they do not have their own economic model. The objective of the analyses is to identify counties within WPA target states, and preferably counties with a significant agricultural sector, that could economically benefit from wind development. These counties could then explore opportunities to tap into the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Bill Section 9006 grants and loans to stimulate wind development. This paper describes the JEDI model and how i t can be used. We will also summarize a series of analyses that were completed to fulfill a General Accounting Office (GAO) request to provide estimates of the economic development benefits of wind power.
New Model Examines Cumulative Impacts of Wind Energy Development on Sensitive Species
DOE's Argonne National Laboratory recently developed the prototype of a spatially explicit individual-based model for examining the cumulative impacts of wind energy development on populations and habitats of the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)ŌĆöan important wildlife species that has been affected by energy development in the western United States.
Using Performance Assessments to Focus Research & Development Activities
Presentation from the 2015 Annual Performance and Risk Assessment (P&RA) Community of Practice (CoP) Technical Exchange Meeting held in Richland, Washington on December 15-16, 2015.
FY 09 Lab Call: Research & Assessment for MHK Development | Department of
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Energy FY 09 Lab Call: Research & Assessment for MHK Development FY 09 Lab Call: Research & Assessment for MHK Development FY 09 Lab Call: Research & Assessment for MHK Development 19_research_tools_methods_snl_jepsen.ppt (3.38 MB) More Documents & Publications Effects on the Physical Environment (Hydrodynamics, Sediment Transport, and Water Quality) 2014 Water Power Program Peer Review Compiled Presentations: Marine and Hydrokinetic Technologies Development of Reference
Economic Development Impact of 1,000 MW of Wind Energy in Texas
Reategui, S.; Hendrickson, S.
Texas has approximately 9,727 MW of wind energy capacity installed, making it a global leader in installed wind energy. As a result of the significant investment the wind industry has brought to Texas, it is important to better understand the economic development impacts of wind energy in Texas. This report analyzes the jobs and economic impacts of 1,000 MW of wind power generation in the state. The impacts highlighted in this report can be used in policy and planning decisions and can be scaled to get a sense of the economic development opportunities associated with other wind scenarios. This report can also inform stakeholders in other states about the potential economic impacts associated with the development of 1,000 MW of new wind power generation and the relationships of different elements in the state economy.
Environmental impact assessment in the Philippines: Progress, problems, and directions for the future
Ross, W.A. )
The environmental impact statement (EIS) system of the Philippines is reviewed, identifying progress made in its effective implementation since 1986. Improvement in coverage is noted and real commitment to good environmental impact assessment (EIA) practice is found in those responsible for the EIS system. Project proponents show a modest acceptance of the system. Major problems remaining are: (1) the EIS system is seen as a bureaucratic requirement needed to obtain project approvals; (2) political interference determines the outcome of some environmental reviews; (3) questionable practices by public servants serve to discredit the system; and (4) the treatment of projects in environmentally critical areas is less than satisfactory. Based on the principle that it is essential to establish a credible process seen to work effectively by the public, politicians, the government bureaucracy, and proponents, suggestions for improvement are made. They deal with the treatment of EISs for projects already under construction, EIA training courses, and simple adjustments to the EIS system to focus it on the most important projects.
Platform Li-Ion Battery Risk Assessment Tool: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-10-407
Smith, K.
Creare was awarded a Phase 1 STTR contract from the US Office of Naval Research, with a seven month period of performance from 6/28/2010 to 1/28/2011. The objectives of the STTR were to determine the feasibility of developing a software package for estimating reliability of battery packs, and develop a user interface to allow the designer to assess the overall impact on battery packs and host platforms for cell-level faults. NREL served as sub-tier partner to Creare, providing battery modeling and battery thermal safety expertise.
Development of safety assessment for radioactive waste disposal
Shimizu, Tomofumi; Miyauchi, Yoshihiro; Sasaki, Noriyuki
As part of designing the engineered barrier system (EBS) for disposal of reactor core materials, we have modeled the alteration and crack generation of cementitious materials in order to assess their effect on the functioning of low diffusivity barriers. In the assessment, it was assumed that the degradation proceeds from the surface of the material. The results show that it is possible to reduce the resulting dose if the barrier function can be maintained until the relevant radionuclides have decayed, but that the dose could be higher if the EBS degrades at an earlier stage. For the assessment of crack generation, we considered the process whereby the width of the crack gradually increases with time due to the expansion of metals as a result of corrosion. The results show that the nuclide flux in such a case is lower compared to the case where wide cracks are assumed to exist from the beginning. (authors)
Assessment of the radiological impact of coal utilization. II. Radionuclides in western coal ash
Styron, C.E.; Bishop, C.T.; Casella, V.R.; Jenkins, P.H.; Yanko, W.H.
A project has been initiated at Mound Facility specifically to evaluate the potential radiological impact of coal utilization. Phase I of the project included a survey of western US coal mines and an assessment of emissions from a power plant burning Western coal. Concentrations of uranium in coal from operating Western mines were slightly below the national average and roughly comparable to Eastern coal. Environmental deposition of radionuclides from stack emissions over a 20-year accumulation at a power plant burning Western coal was estimated to be 0.1 to 1.0% of measured background. Phase II of the project, the subject of the present report, has involved an interlaboratory comparison of results of radioanalytical procedures, determining partitioning coefficients for radionuclides in bottom ash and fly ash, and an assessment of the potential for migration of radionuclides from ash disposal sites. Results from the various laboratories for uranium-238, uranium-234, thorium-230, radium-226, polonium-210, thorium-232, thorium-228, and uranium-235 were generally in very good agreement. However, values for lead-210 in coal varied widely. Essentially all the nonvolatile radionuclides (uranium, radium, and thorium) from feed coal were accounted for in fly ash and bottom ash. However, 20 to 50% of the volatile radionuclides (lead and polonium) from subbituminous and lignitic coals could not be accounted for in ash, and it is assumed that this fraction exits via the stack. At the power plant burning bituminous coal, essentially all the lead and most of the polonium remained with the ash.
Daniel, G.
An assessment has been made to evaluate the impact on the DWPF melter off-gas flammability of increasing the amount of TOA in the current solvent used in the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Process Unit (MCU) process. The results of this study showed that the concentrations of nonvolatile carbon of the current solvent limit (150 ppm) in the Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) product would be about 7% higher and the nonvolatile hydrogen would be 2% higher than the actual current solvent (126 ppm) with an addition of up to 3 ppm of TOA when the concentration of Isopar'āÆ L in the effluent transfer is controlled below 87 ppm and the volume of MCU effluent transfer to DWPF is limited to 15,000 gallons per Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT)/SME cycle. Therefore, the DWPF melter off-gas flammability assessment is conservative for up to an additional 3 ppm of TOA in the effluent based on these assumptions. This report documents the calculations performed to reach this conclusion.
Cumulative hydrologic impact assessments on surface-water in northeastern Wyoming using HEC-1; a pilot study
Anderson, A.J.; Eastwood, D.C.; Anderson, M.E.
The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 requires that areas in which multiple mines will affect one watershed be analyzed and the cumulative impacts of all mining on the watershed be assessed. The purpose of the subject study was to conduct a cumulative hydrologic impact assessment (CHIA) for surface-water on a watershed in northeastern Wyoming that is currently being impacted by three mines. An assessment of the mining impact`s affect on the total discharge of the watershed is required to determine whether or not material damage to downstream water rights is likely to occur as a result of surface mining and reclamation. The surface-water model HEC-1 was used to model four separate rainfall-runoff events that occurred in the study basin over three years (1978-1980). Although these storms were used to represent pre-mining conditions, they occurred during the early stages of mining and the models were adjusted accordingly. The events were selected for completeness of record and antecedent moisture conditions (AMC). Models were calibrated to the study events and model inputs were altered to reflect post-mining conditions. The same events were then analyzed with the new model inputs. The results were compared with the pre-mining calibration. Peak flow, total discharge and timing of flows were compared for pre-mining and post-mining models. Data were turned over to the State of Wyoming for assessment of whether material damage to downstream water rights is likely to occur.
DOE Standard on Development and Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessment in DOE
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Nuclear Safety Applications (draft), December 2010 | Department of Energy Standard on Development and Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessment in DOE Nuclear Safety Applications (draft), December 2010 DOE Standard on Development and Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessment in DOE Nuclear Safety Applications (draft), December 2010 There have been significant developments with regard to the risk assessment and risk informed decision making, as it applies to nuclear and other safety areas, since the
The development and application of the chemical mixture methodology in analysis of potential health impacts from airborne release in emergencies
Yu, Xiao-Ying; Petrocchi, Achille J.; Craig, Douglas K.; Glantz, Clifford S.; Trott, Donna M.; Ciolek, John T.; Lu, Po-Yung; Bond, Jayne-Anne; Tuccinardi, Thomas E.; Bouslaugh, Philip R.
The Chemical Mixture Methodology (CMM) is used for emergency response and safety planning by the U.S. Department of Energy, its contractors, and other private and public sector organizations. The CMM estimates potential health impacts on individuals and their ability to take protective actions as a result of exposure to airborne chemical mixtures. They are based on the concentration of each chemical in the mixture at a designated receptor location, the protective action criteria (PAC) providing chemical-specific exposure limit values, and the health code numbers (HCNs) that identify the target organ groupings that may be impacted by exposure to each chemical in a mixture. The CMM has been significantly improved since its introduction more than 10 years ago. Major enhancements involve the expansion of the number of HCNs from 44 to 60 and inclusion of updated PAC values based on an improved development methodology and updates in the data used to derive the PAC values. Comparisons between the 1999 and 2009 versions of the CMM show potentially substantial changes in the assessment results for selected sets of chemical mixtures. In particular, the toxic mode hazard indices (HIs) and target organ HIs are based on more refined acute HCNs, thereby improving the quality of chemical consequence assessment, emergency planning, and emergency response decision making. Seven hypothetical chemical storage and processing scenarios are used to demonstrate how the CMM is applied in emergency planning and hazard assessment.
Transmission Line Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model User Reference Guide
Goldberg, M.; Keyser, D.
The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models, developed through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), are freely available, user-friendly tools that estimate the potential economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation projects for a range of conventional and renewable energy technologies. The Transmission Line JEDI model can be used to field questions about the economic impacts of transmission lines in a given state, region, or local community. This Transmission Line JEDI User Reference Guide was developed to provide basic instruction on operating the model and understanding the results. This guide also provides information on the model's underlying methodology, as well as the parameters and references used to develop the cost data contained in the model.
Assessment of Future Vehicle Transportation Options and Their Impact on the Electric Grid
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
B - Program Criteria Assessment B - Program Criteria Microsoft Word - Assessment-B-ProgramCriteria (218.66 KB) More Documents & Publications ATTACHMENT A - CHECKLIST FOR SELF ASSESSMENT Assessment C-Site Visit Protocol Records Management Handbook
C-Site Visit Protocol Assessment C-Site Visit Protocol Assessment C- Site Visit Protocol.pdf (201.4 KB) More Documents & Publications Assessment B - Program Criteria ATTACHMENT A - CHECKLIST FOR SELF ASSESSMENT CX-000791: Categorical
JEDI: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts Model, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) (Fact Sheet)
Not Available
The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models are user-friendly tools that estimate the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation and biofuel plants at the local (usually state) level. First developed by NREL's Wind Powering America program to model wind energy jobs and impacts, JEDI has been expanded to biofuels, concentrating solar power, coal, and natural gas power plants. Based on project-specific and default inputs (derived from industry norms), JEDI estimates the number of jobs and economic impacts to a local area (usually a state) that could reasonably be supported by a power generation project. For example, JEDI estimates the number of in-state construction jobs from a new wind farm. This fact sheet provides an overview of the JEDI model as it pertains to wind energy projects.
Sandia National Laboratories Develops Tool for Evaluating Wind Turbine-Radar Impacts
The TSPEAR toolkit supports energy developers that wish to design, analyze, track the progress of wind energy projects. Initially designed to support wind energy development by assessing the interaction between turbines and constraining factors, such as the NAS radar systems, TSPEAR is partially populated with information from existing databases and can integrate custom models and tools used throughout the development process.
The potential impacts of sodium management on Frit Development for Coupled Operations
Johnson, F. C.; Edwards, T. B.; Peeler, D. K.
In this report, Section 2.0 provides a description of sodium management and its impact on the glass waste form, Section 3.0 provides background information on phase separation, Section 4.0 provides the impact of sodium management on SB9 frit development efforts and the results of a limited scoping study investigating phase separation in potential DWPF frits, and Section 5.0 discusses potential technical issues associated with using a phase separated frit for DWPF operations.
Development of Autonomous Magnetometer Rotorcraft For Wide Area Assessment
Mark D. McKay; Matthew O. Anderson
Large areas across the United States and internationally are potentially contaminated with unexploded ordinance (UXO), with some ranges encompassing tens to hundreds of thousands of acres. Technologies are needed which will allow for cost effective wide area scanning with (1) near 100% coverage and (2) near 100% detection of subsurface ordnance or features indicative of subsurface ordnance. The current approach to wide area assessment is a multi-level one, in which medium - altitude fixed wing optical imaging is used for an initial site assessment. This assessment is followed with low altitude manned helicopter based magnetometry. Subsequent to this wide area assessment targeted surface investigations are performed using either towed geophysical sensor arrays or man portable sensors. In order to be an effective tool for small UXO detection, the sensing altitude for magnetic site investigations needs to be on the order of 1 to 3 meters. These altitude requirements mean that manned helicopter surveys will generally only be feasible in large, open and relatively flat terrains. While such surveys are effective in mapping large areas relatively fast there are substantial mobilization/demobilization, staffing and equipment costs associated with these surveys, resulting in costs of approximately $100-$150/acre. In addition, due to the low altitude there are substantial risks to pilots and equipment. Surface towed arrays provide highresolution maps but have other limitations, e.g. in their ability to navigate rough terrain effectively. Thus there is a need for other systems, which can be used for effective data collection. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) magnetometer platform is an obvious alternative. The motivation behind such a system is that it reduces risk to operators, is lower in initial and Operational and Maintenance (O&M) costs (and can thus potentially be applied to smaller sites) and has the potential of being more effective in terms of detection and possibly
Molten carbonate fuel cell product development test environmental assessment/protection plan
Not Available
Objective of proposed action is to conduct a 250-kW product development test of M-C Power Corporation`s molten carbonate fuel cell concept, at the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center. Review of environmental impacts of this test indicate the following: no impact on solid waste disposal, water quality, noise levels, floodplains, wetlands, ecology, historic areas, or socioeconomic resources. Impact on air quality are expected to be positive.
Molten carbonate fuel cell product development test environmental assessment/protection plan
Brunton, Jack; Furukawa, Vance; Frost, Grant; Danna, Mike; Figueroa, Al; Scroppo, Joseph
Objective of proposed action is to conduct a 250-kW product development test of M-C Power Corporation's molten carbonate fuel cell concept, at the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center. Review of environmental impacts of this test indicate the following: no impact on solid waste disposal, water quality, noise levels, floodplains, wetlands, ecology, historic areas, or socioeconomic resources. Impact on air quality are expected to be positive.
DOE Standard on Development and Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessment...
The developments and associated technical insights may be of use to DOE in its efforts to continuously improve safety performance at its nuclear facilities. The Department has ...
Integration of health into urban spatial planning through impact assessment: Identifying governance and policy barriers and facilitators
Carmichael, Laurence; Barton, Hugh; Gray, Selena; Lease, Helen; Pilkington, Paul
This article presents the results of a review of literature examining the barriers and facilitators in integrating health in spatial planning at the local, mainly urban level, through appraisals. Our literature review covered the UK and non UK experiences of appraisals used to consider health issues in the planning process. We were able to identify four main categories of obstacles and facilitators including first the different knowledge and conceptual understanding of health by different actors/stakeholders, second the types of governance arrangements, in particular partnerships, in place and the political context, third the way institutions work, the responsibilities they have and their capacity and resources and fourth the timeliness, comprehensiveness and inclusiveness of the appraisal process. The findings allowed us to draw some lessons on the governance and policy framework regarding the integration of health impact into spatial planning, in particular considering the pros and cons of integrating health impact assessment (HIA) into other forms of impact assessment of spatial planning decisions such as environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environment assessment (SEA). In addition, the research uncovered a gap in the literature that tends to focus on the mainly voluntary HIA to assess health outcomes of planning decisions and neglect the analysis of regulatory mechanisms such as EIA and SEA. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Governance and policy barriers and facilitators to the integration of health into urban planning. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Review of literature on impact assessment methods used across the world. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Knowledge, partnerships, management/resources and processes can impede integration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer HIA evaluations prevail uncovering research opportunities for evaluating other techniques.
Western oil shale development: a technology assessment. Volume 8. Health effects of oil shale development
Rotariu, G.J.
Information on the potential health effects of a developing oil shale industry can be derived from two major sources: (1) the historical experience in foreign countries that have had major industries; and (2) the health effects research that has been conducted in the US in recent years. The information presented here is divided into two major sections: one dealing with the experience in foreign countries and the second dealing with the more recent work associated with current oil shale development in the US. As a result of the study, several observations can be made: (1) most of the current and historical data from foreign countries relate to occupational hazards rather than to impacts on regional populations; (2) neither the historical evidence from other countries nor the results of current research have shown pulmonary neoplasia to be a major concern, however, certain types of exposure, particularly such mixed source exposures as dust/diesel or dust/organic-vapor have not been adequately studied and the lung cancer question is not closed; (3) the industry should be alert to the incidence of skin disease in the industrial setting, however, automated techniques, modern industrial hygiene practices and realistic personal hygiene should greatly reduce the hazards associated with skin contact; and (4) the entire question of regional water contamination and any resultant health hazard has not been adequately addressed. The industrial practice of hydrotreating the crude shale oil will diminish the carcinogenic hazard of the product, however, the quantitative reduction of biological activity is dependent on the degree of hydrotreatment. Both Soviet and American experimentalists have demonstrated a correlation betweed carcinogenicity/toxicity and retorting temperature; the higher temperatures producing the more carcinogenic or toxic products.
Development of autonomous magnetometer rotorcraft for wide area assessment
Roelof Versteeg; Matt Anderson; Les Beard; Eric Corban; Darryl Curley; Jeff Gamey; Ross Johnson; Dwight Junkin; Mark McKay; Jared Salzmann; Mikhail Tchernychev; Suraj Unnikrishnan; Scott Vinson
Large areas across the United States are potentially contaminated with UXO, with some ranges encompassing tens to hundreds of thousands of acres. Technologies are needed which will allow for cost effective wide area scanning with 1) near 100 % coverage and 2) near 100 % detection of subsurface ordnance or features indicative of subsurface ordnance. The current approach to wide area assessment is a multi-level one, in which medium - altitude fixed wing optical imaging is used for an initial site assessment. This assessment is followed with low altitude manned helicopter based magnetometry. Subsequent to this wide area assessment targeted surface investigations are performed using either towed geophysical sensor arrays or man portable sensors. In order to be an effective tool for small UXO detection, the sensing altitude for magnetic site investigations needs to be on the order of 1 ŌĆō 3 meters. These altitude requirements mean that manned helicopter surveys will generally only be feasible in large, open and relatively flat terrains. While such surveys are effective in mapping large areas relatively fast there are substantial mobilization/demobilization, staffing and equipment costs associated with these surveys (resulting in costs of approximately $100-$150/acre). In addition, due to the low altitude there are substantial risks to pilots and equipment. Surface towed arrays provide high resolution maps but have other limitations, e.g. in their ability to navigate rough terrain effectively. There is thus a need for other systems which can be used for effective data collection. An UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) magnetometer platform is an obvious alternative. The motivation behind such a system is that it reduces risk to operators, is lower in initial and Operational and Maintenance (O&M) costs (and can thus potentially be applied to smaller sites) and has the potential of being more effective in terms of detection and possibly characterization (through the use of
Assessment of research and development (R and D) needs in ammonia safety and environmental control
Brenchley, D.L.; Athey, G.F.; Bomelburg, H.J.
This report characterizes the ammonia industry operations, reviews current knowledge of ammonia release and subsequent impacts, summarizes the status of release prevention and control methods and identify research and development needs for safety and environmental control. Appendices include: accidental spills and human exposure; adiabatic mixing of liquid nitrogen and air; fire and explosion hazards; and environmental impact rating tables. (PSB)
Petroleum Refinery Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model User Reference Guide
Goldberg, M.
The Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) models, developed through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), are user-friendly tools utilized to estimate the economic impacts at the local level of constructing and operating fuel and power generation projects for a range of conventional and renewable energy technologies. The JEDI Petroleum Refinery Model User Reference Guide was developed to assist users in employing and understanding the model. This guide provides information on the model's underlying methodology, as well as the parameters and references used to develop the cost data utilized in the model. This guide also provides basic instruction on model add-in features, operation of the model, and a discussion of how the results should be interpreted. Based on project-specific inputs from the user, the model estimates job creation, earning and output (total economic activity) for a given petroleum refinery. This includes the direct, indirect and induced economic impacts to the local economy associated with the refinery's construction and operation phases. Project cost and job data used in the model are derived from the most current cost estimations available. Local direct and indirect economic impacts are estimated using economic multipliers derived from IMPLAN software. By determining the regional economic impacts and job creation for a proposed refinery, the JEDI Petroleum Refinery model can be used to field questions about the added value refineries may bring to the local community.
Assessment of the impact of the next generation solvent on DWPF melter off-gas flammability
Daniel, W. E.
An assessment has been made to evaluate the impact on the DWPF melter off-gas flammability of replacing the current solvent used in the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Process Unit (MCU) process with the Next Generation Solvent (NGS-MCU) and blended solvent. The results of this study showed that the concentrations of nonvolatile carbon and hydrogen of the current solvent in the Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) product would both be about 29% higher than their counterparts of the NGS-MCU and blended solvent in the absence of guanidine partitioning. When 6 ppm of guanidine (TiDG) was added to the effluent transfer to DWPF to simulate partitioning for the NGS-MCU and blended solvent cases and the concentration of Isopar{reg_sign} L in the effluent transfer was controlled below 87 ppm, the concentrations of nonvolatile carbon and hydrogen of the NGS-MCU and blended solvent were still about 12% and 4% lower, respectively, than those of the current solvent. It is, therefore, concluded that as long as the volume of MCU effluent transfer to DWPF is limited to 15,000 gallons per Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT)/SME cycle and the concentration of Isopar{reg_sign} L in the effluent transfer is controlled below 87 ppm, using the current solvent assumption of 105 ppm Isopar{reg_sign} L or 150 ppm solvent in lieu of NGS-MCU or blended solvent in the DWPF melter off-gas flammability assessment is conservative for up to an additional 6 ppm of TiDG in the effluent due to guanidine partitioning. This report documents the calculations performed to reach this conclusion.
Environmental impacts of lighting technologies - Life cycle assessment and sensitivity analysis
Welz, Tobias; Hischier, Roland Hilty, Lorenz M.
With two regulations, 244/2009 and 245/2009, the European Commission recently put into practice the EuP Directive in the area of lighting devices, aiming to improve energy efficiency in the domestic lighting sector. This article presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment comparison of four different lighting technologies: the tungsten lamp, the halogen lamp, the conventional fluorescent lamp and the compact fluorescent lamp. Taking advantage of the most up-to-date life cycle inventory database available (ecoinvent data version 2.01), all life cycle phases were assessed and the sensitivity of the results for varying assumptions analysed: different qualities of compact fluorescent lamps (production phase), different electricity mixes (use phase), and end-of-life scenarios for WEEE recycling versus municipal solid waste incineration (disposal phase). A functional unit of 'one hour of lighting' was defined and the environmental burdens for the whole life cycle for all four lamp types were calculated, showing a clearly lower impact for the two gas-discharge lamps, i.e. the fluorescent and the compact fluorescent lamp. Differences in the product quality of the compact fluorescent lamps reveal to have only a very small effect on the overall environmental performance of this lamp type; a decline of the actual life time of this lamp type doesn't result in a change of the rank order of the results of the here examined four lamp types. It was also shown that the environmental break-even point of the gas-discharge lamps is reached long before the end of their expected life-span. All in all, it can be concluded that a change from today's tungsten lamp technology to a low-energy-consuming technology such as the compact fluorescent lamp results in a substantial environmental benefit.
Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts in the United States: Four Regional Scenarios
Tegen, S.; Keyser, D.; Flores-Espino, F.; Miles, J.; Zammit, D.; Loomis, D.
This report uses the offshore wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) model and provides four case studies of potential offshore deployment scenarios in different regions of the United States: the Southeast, the Great Lakes, the Gulf Coast, and the Mid-Atlantic. Researchers worked with developers and industry representatives in each region to create potential offshore wind deployment and supply chain growth scenarios, specific to their locations. These scenarios were used as inputs into the offshore JEDI model to estimate jobs and other gross economic impacts in each region.
Environmental impact assessment for a radioactive waste facility: A case study
Devgun, J.S.
A 77-ha site, known as the Niagara Falls Storage Site and located in northwestern New York State, holds about 190, 000 m{sup 3} of soils, wastes, and residues contaminated with radium and uranium. The facility is owned by the US Department of Energy. The storage of residues resulting from the processing of uranium ores started in 1944, and by 1950 residues from a number of plants were received at the site. The residues, with a volume of about 18,000 m{sup 3}, account for the bulk of the radioactivity, which is primarily due to Ra-226; because of the extraction of uranium from the ore, the amount of uranium remaining in the residues is quite small. An analysis of the environmental impact assessment and environmental compliance actions taken to date at this site and their effectiveness are discussed. This case study provides an illustrative example of the complexity of technical and nontechnical issues for a large radiative waste facility. 11 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.
Nuclear Risk Assessment for the Mars 2020 Mission Environmental Impact Statement
Clayton, Daniel J.; Bignell, John; Jones, Christopher A.; Rohe, Daniel P.; Flores, Gregg J.; Bartel, Timothy J.; Gelbard, Fred; Le, San; Morrow, Charles W.; Potter, Donald L.; Young, Larry W.; Bixler, Nathan E.; Lipinski, Ronald J.
In the summer of 2020, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to launch a spacecraft as part of the Mars 2020 mission. One option for the rover on the proposed spacecraft uses a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) to provide continuous electrical and thermal power for the mission. An alternative option being considered is a set of solar panels for electrical power with up to 80 Light-Weight Radioisotope Heater Units (LWRHUs) for local component heating. Both the MMRTG and the LWRHUs use radioactive plutonium dioxide. NASA is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EIS will include information on the risks of mission accidents to the general public and on-site workers at the launch complex. This Nuclear Risk Assessment (NRA) addresses the responses of the MMRTG or LWRHU options to potential accident and abort conditions during the launch opportunity for the Mars 2020 mission and the associated consequences. This information provides the technical basis for the radiological risks of both options for the EIS.
Public participation and environmental impact assessment: Purposes, implications, and lessons for public policy making
O'Faircheallaigh, Ciaran
In recent years the need to enhance public participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and the efficacy of alternative mechanisms in achieving this goal, have been central themes in the EIA literature. The benefits of public participation are often taken for granted, and partly for this reason the underlying rationale for greater public participation is sometimes poorly articulated, making it more difficult to determine how to pursue it effectively. The reasons for seeking public participation are also highly diverse and not always mutually consistent. There has been limited analysis of the implications of different forms and degrees of public participation for public decision making based on EIA, and little discussion of how experience with public participation in EIA relates to debates about participation in policy making generally. This paper distinguishes various purposes for public participation in EIA, and discusses their implications for decision making. It then draws on some general models of public participation in policy making to consider how approaches to participation in EIA can be interpreted and valued, and asks what EIA experience reveals about the utility of these models. It argues that the models pay insufficient attention to the interaction that can occur between different forms of public participation; and to the fact that public participation raises issues regarding control over decision making that are not subject to resolution, but must be managed through ongoing processes of negotiation.
Environmental Impact Assessment Law in China's courts: A study of 107 judicial decisions
Zining, Jin
The article explores the practices of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Law in China's courts by examining 107 judicial decisions. Each of the 107 judicial decisions has been analyzed to determine the time/location of the decision, what type of EIA document was referred to, what specific claim was made by the plaintiffs, and what the court's ruling was on the case. The results indicate that: unlike in Germany or Japan, all kinds of EIA decisions made by environment protect bureaus (EPBs) in China were widely taken as justiciable, and China's courts generally allowed local residents to have standing and thus challenge the EPBs' decisions made during the EIA process. On the other hand, the research also shows the EPBs overwhelmingly prevailed in those EIA lawsuits. It is also found that China's reviewing judges were highly self-restrained, giving obvious deference to the technocrat with the substantial contents of EIA documents. Also, the concept of ŌĆ£flawŌĆØ was created when it came to procedural issues. These two factors, among others, were both helping the EPBs' prevailing successes. - Highlights: ŌĆó 107 judicial decisions referring to China's EIA law are examined. ŌĆó The justiciability of EPB's EIA decisions were taken for granted. ŌĆó The defenders overwhelmingly prevailed in those EIA lawsuits. ŌĆó The reviewing judges were highly self-restrained, defering to the technocrat with the EIA documents. ŌĆó A functional concept, ŌĆ£flawŌĆØ, was created by reviewing judges when it came to procedural issues.
Assessment of industry needs for oil shale research and development
Hackworth, J.H.
Thirty-one industry people were contacted to provide input on oil shale in three subject areas. The first area of discussion dealt with industry's view of the shape of the future oil shale industry; the technology, the costs, the participants, the resources used, etc. It assessed the types and scale of the technologies that will form the industry, and how the US resource will be used. The second subject examined oil shale R D needs and priorities and potential new areas of research. The third area of discussion sought industry comments on what they felt should be the role of the DOE (and in a larger sense the US government) in fostering activities that will lead to a future commercial US oil shale shale industry.
Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Assessment for FY 2014
Hatton, D.
Each year, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is required to provide a program description and overview of its Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (LDRD) to the Department of Energy in accordance with DOE Order 413.2B dated April 19, 2006. This report fulfills that requirement.
Accelerated Depletion: Assessing Its Impacts on Domestic Oil and Natural Gas Prices and Production
Analysis of the potential impacts of accelerated depletion on domestic oil and natural gas prices and production.
Economic assessment of the impact on coal production due to enforcement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Benefits report. Volume 1. Final report
Kyle, T.N.; McOmber, R.M.; Roberts, J.M.
The study assesses the major economic benefits and costs that are associated with the enforcement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation ACt (SMCRA). The report addresses the benefits of surface coal mining and land reclamation that follow from the Act. As originally conceived, the study was to evaluate, preferably in monetary terms, the specific benefits and socio-economic impacts of SMCRA. However, it was apparent, in the course of the initial analysis, that historical evaluation of specific benefits and socio-economic/environmental impacts is complicated by the short time that SMCRA has been in operation. It was also apparent that development of substantive, and defensible, quantified estimates of benefits and impacts is hindered by the absence of a great deal of needed numerical data, and by incomplete understanding of the reclamation processes that the Act is intended to enhance. Rather than attempt to evaluate specific benefits and socio-economic/environmental impacts, the study evaluated existing research studies on the impacts of surface mining, land reclamation, and SMCRA, and evaluated existing data sources relevant to surface mining, land reclamation, and SMCRA.
Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Model Geothermal User Reference Guide
Johnson, C.; Augustine, C.; Goldberg, M.
The Geothermal Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) model, developed through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), is an Excel-based user-friendly tools that estimates the economic impacts of constructing and operating hydrothermal and Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) power generation projects at the local level for a range of conventional and renewable energy technologies. The JEDI Model Geothermal User Reference Guide was developed to assist users in using and understanding the model. This guide provides information on the model's underlying methodology, as well as the parameters and references used to develop the cost data utilized in the model. This guide also provides basic instruction on model add-in features, operation of the model, and a discussion of how the results should be interpreted.
Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts in the United States: Four Regional Scenarios
This report uses the offshore wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) model and provides four case studies of potential offshore wind deployment scenarios in different regions of the United States: the Southeast, the Great Lakes, the Gulf Coast, and the Mid-Atlantic.
Life cycle assessment of urban waste management: Energy performances and environmental impacts. The case of Rome, Italy
Cherubini, Francesco Bargigli, Silvia; Ulgiati, Sergio
Landfilling is nowadays the most common practice of waste management in Italy in spite of enforced regulations aimed at increasing waste pre-sorting as well as energy and material recovery. In this work we analyse selected alternative scenarios aimed at minimizing the unused material fraction to be delivered to the landfill. The methodological framework of the analysis is the life cycle assessment, in a multi-method form developed by our research team. The approach was applied to the case of municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Rome, with a special focus on energy and material balance, including global and local scale airborne emissions. Results, provided in the form of indices and indicators of efficiency, effectiveness and environmental impacts, point out landfill activities as the worst waste management strategy at a global scale. On the other hand, the investigated waste treatments with energy and material recovery allow important benefits of greenhouse gas emission reduction (among others) but are still affected by non-negligible local emissions. Furthermore, waste treatments leading to energy recovery provide an energy output that, in the best case, is able to meet 15% of the Rome electricity consumption.
Alvin, Maryanne; Klotz, K.; McMordie, B.; Gleeson, B.; Zhu, D.; Warnes, B.; Kang, B.; Tannenbaum, J.
The NETL-Regional University Alliance (RUA) continues to advance technology development critical to turbine manufacturer efforts for achieving DOE Fossil Energy (FE's) Advanced Turbine Program Goals. In conjunction with NETL, Coatings for Industry (CFI), the University of Pittsburgh, NASA GRC, and Corrosion Control Inc., efforts have been focused on development of composite thermal barrier coating (TBC) architectures that consist of an extreme temperature coating, a commercially applied 7-8 YSZ TBC, a reduced cost bond coat, and a diffusion barrier coating that are applied to nickel-based superalloys or single crystal airfoil substrate materials for use at temperatures >1450 C (> 2640 F). Additionally, construction of a unique, high temperature ({approx}1100 C; {approx}2010 F), bench-scale, micro-indentation, nondestructive (NDE) test facility at West Virginia University (WVU) was completed to experimentally address in-situ changes in TBC stiffness during extended cyclic oxidation exposure of coated single crystal coupons in air or steam containing environments. The efforts and technical accomplishments in these areas are presented in the following sections of this paper.
Assessing the Impact of Animal Waste Lagoon Seepage on the Geochemistry of an Underlying Shallow Aquifer
McNab, W W; Singleton, M J; Moran, J E; Esser, B K
Dairy facilities and similar confined animal operation settings pose a significant nitrate contamination threat via oxidation of animal wastes and subsequent transport to shallow groundwater. While nitrate contamination resulting from application of animal manure as fertilizer to fields is well recognized, the impact of manure lagoon leakage on groundwater quality is less well characterized. In this study, a dairy facility located in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California has been instrumented with monitoring wells as part of a two-year multidisciplinary study to evaluate nitrate loading and denitrification associated with facility operations. Among multiple types of data collected from the site, groundwater and surface water samples have been analyzed for major cations, anions, pH, oxidation-reduction potential, dissolved organic carbon, and selected dissolved gases (CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, N{sub 2}, Ar, Ne). Modeling of putative geochemical processes occurring within the dairy site manure lagoons shows substantial off-gassing of CO{sub 2} and CH{sub 4} in response to mineralization of organic matter. The gas ebullition appears to strip dissolved gases, including Ar and Ne, from the lagoon water leaving concentrations that are undersaturated with respect to the atmosphere. The resulting fractionated dissolved gas signature serves as an effective tracer for the lagoon water in the underlying shallow groundwater and can be used to constrain inverse geochemical models that assess mixing fractions of lagoon water and local groundwater water. Together with ion exchange and mineral equilibria reactions, identification of lagoon seepage helps explain key attributes of the local groundwater chemistry, including input and cycling of nitrogen, across the site.
Beyond the material grave: Life Cycle Impact Assessment of leaching from secondary materials in road and earth constructions
Schwab, Oliver; Bayer, Peter; Juraske, Ronnie; Verones, Francesca; Hellweg, Stefanie
Highlights: ŌĆó We model environmental impacts of leaching from secondary construction material. ŌĆó Industrial wastes in construction contain up to 45,000 t heavy metals per year (D). ŌĆó In a scenario, 150 t are leached to the environment within 100 years after construction. ŌĆó All heavy metals but As, Sb and Mo are adsorbed by 20 cm subsoil in this scenario. ŌĆó Environmental impacts depend on material, pollutant, construction type, and geography. - Abstract: In industrialized countries, large amounts of mineral wastes are produced. They are re-used in various ways, particularly in road and earth constructions, substituting primary resources such as gravel. However, they may also contain pollutants, such as heavy metals, which may be leached to the groundwater. The toxic impacts of these emissions are so far often neglected within Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of products or waste treatment services and thus, potentially large environmental impacts are currently missed. This study aims at closing this gap by assessing the ecotoxic impacts of heavy metal leaching from industrial mineral wastes in road and earth constructions. The flows of metals such as Sb, As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, V and Zn originating from three typical constructions to the environment are quantified, their fate in the environment is assessed and potential ecotoxic effects evaluated. For our reference country, Germany, the industrial wastes that are applied as Granular Secondary Construction Material (GSCM) carry more than 45,000 t of diverse heavy metals per year. Depending on the material quality and construction type applied, up to 150 t of heavy metals may leach to the environment within the first 100 years after construction. Heavy metal retardation in subsoil can potentially reduce the fate to groundwater by up to 100%. One major challenge of integrating leaching from constructions into macro-scale LCA frameworks is the high variability in micro-scale technical and geographical factors
Economic assessment of the impact on coal production due to enforcement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Cost report. Final report
Not Available
The report summarizes the efforts made in the cost analysis portion of the 'Economic Assessment of the Impact on Coal Production Due to Enforcement of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977. The objective of the cost analysis portion of the study was to supplement the study's examination of the benefits of SMCRA with an analysis of the costs of SMCRA as based on industry experience and data. The analysis involved the development and field test of a methodology for constructing estimates of the costs of complying with regulations at individual surface coal mines.
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: Implementation of the Wetland Mitigation Bank Program at the Savannah River Site
The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-1205) for the proposed implementation of a wetland mitigation bank program at the Savannah River Site (SRS), located near Aiken, South Carolina. Based on the analyses in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required, and DOE is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Floodplain Statement of Findings.
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: Pond B Dam Repair Project at the Savannah River Site
The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-1285) for the proposed repair of the Pond B dam at the Savannah River Site (SRS), located near Aiken, South Carolina. Based on the analyses in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required, and DOE is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Floodplain Statement of Findings.
Environmental Assessment for Conducting Astrophysics and Other Basic Science Experiments - Chapter 4 Environmental Impacts
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
4-1 CHAPTER 4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The following sections describe the environmental impacts that could occur as a result of the proposed activities at the WIPP site. 4.1 HUMAN HEALTH The human health impacts of the proposed astrophysics experiments are quantified in this section to the extent possible given the uncertainties in the actual experiments to be performed at WIPP. For the most part, the health hazards associated with each experiment are discussed individually, although specific
Habitat Evaluation: Guidance for the Review of Environmental Impact Assessment Documents (EPA, 1993)
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
This Environmental Protection Agency document is designed to assist NEPA reviewers in evaluation the ecological risks associated with the impacts of federal activities.
Habitat Evaluation: Guidance for the Review of Environmental Impact Assessment Documents
This Environmental Protection Agency document is designed to assist NEPA reviewers in evaluation the ecological risks associated with the impacts of federal activities.
Environmental impact assessment in urban transport planning: Exploring process-related barriers in Spanish practice
Soria-Lara, Julio A. Bertolini, Luca Br├Čmmelstroet, Marco te
The effectiveness of EIA for evaluating transport planning projects is increasingly being questioned by practitioners, institutions and scholars. The academic literature has traditionally focused more on solving content-related problems with EIA (i.e. the measurement of environmental effects) than on process-related issues (i.e. the role of EIA in the planning process and the interaction between key actors). Focusing only on technical improvements is not sufficient for rectifying the effectiveness problems of EIA. In order to address this knowledge gap, the paper explores how EIA is experienced in the Spanish planning context and offers in-depth insight into EIA process-related issues in the field of urban transport planning. From the multitude of involved actors, the research focuses on exploring the perceptions of the two main professional groups: EIA developers and transport planners. Through a web-based survey we assess the importance of process-related barriers to the effective use of EIA in urban transport planning. The analyses revealed process issues based fundamentally on unstructured stakeholders involvement and an inefficient public participation - Highlights: ŌĆó Qualitative research on perceptions of EIA participants on EIA processes. ŌĆó Web-based survey with different participants (EIA-developers; transport planners). ŌĆó It was seen an inefficient participation of stakeholders during the EIA processes.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Impact of Modeling Approach on Flutter Predictions for Very Large Wind Turbine Blade Designs Brian C. Owens firstname.lastname@example.com Graduate Student Intern Wind Energy Technologies Department Sandia National Laboratories ŌłŚ Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. D. Todd Griffith firstname.lastname@example.com Principal Member of Technical Staff Wind Energy Technologies Department Sandia National Laboratories ŌłŚ Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. Brian R. Resor email@example.com Senior Member of Technical Staff Wind
Development of transient initiating event frequencies for use in probabilistic risk assessments
Mackowiak, D.P.; Gentillon, C.D.; Smith, K.L.
Transient initiating event frequencies are an essential input to the analysis process of a nuclear power plant probabilistic risk assessment. These frequencies describe events causing or requiring scrams. This report documents an effort to validate and update from other sources a computer-based data file developed by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) describing such events at 52 United States commercial nuclear power plants. Operating information from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission on 24 additional plants from their date of commercial operation has been combined with the EPRI data, and the entire data base has been updated to add 1980 through 1983 events for all 76 plants. The validity of the EPRI data and data analysis methodology and the adequacy of the EPRI transient categories are examined. New transient initiating event frequencies are derived from the expanded data base using the EPRI transient categories and data display methods. Upper bounds for these frequencies are also provided. Additional analyses explore changes in the dominant transients, changes in transient outage times and their impact on plant operation, and the effects of power level and scheduled scrams on transient event frequencies. A more rigorous data analysis methodology is developed to encourage further refinement of the transient initiating event frequencies derived herein. Updating the transient event data base resulted in approx.2400 events being added to EPRI's approx.3000-event data file. The resulting frequency estimates were in most cases lower than those reported by EPRI, but no significant order-of-magnitude changes were noted. The average number of transients per year for the combined data base is 8.5 for pressurized water reactors and 7.4 for boiling water reactors.
Wind Resource and Feasibility Assessment Report for the Lummi Reservation
DNV Renewables Inc.; J.C. Brennan & Associates, Inc.; Hamer Environmental L.P.
This report summarizes the wind resource on the Lummi Indian Reservation (Washington State) and presents the methodology, assumptions, and final results of the wind energy development feasibility assessment, which included an assessment of biological impacts and noise impacts.
Microsoft Word - NRAP-TRS-I-003-2016_Key Factors for Assessing Potential Groundwater Impacts.20160128.docx
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Key Factors for Assessing Potential Groundwater Impacts Due to Leakage from Geologic Carbon Sequestration Reservoirs 28 January 2016 Office of Fossil Energy NRAP-TRS-I-003-2016 Disclaimer This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness,
Development of an Automated Security Risk Assessment Methodology Tool for Critical Infrastructures.
Jaeger, Calvin D.; Roehrig, Nathaniel S.; Torres, Teresa M.
This document presents the security automated Risk Assessment Methodology (RAM) prototype tool developed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). This work leverages SNL's capabilities and skills in security risk analysis and the development of vulnerability assessment/risk assessment methodologies to develop an automated prototype security RAM tool for critical infrastructures (RAM-CITM). The prototype automated RAM tool provides a user-friendly, systematic, and comprehensive risk-based tool to assist CI sector and security professionals in assessing and managing security risk from malevolent threats. The current tool is structured on the basic RAM framework developed by SNL. It is envisioned that this prototype tool will be adapted to meet the requirements of different CI sectors and thereby provide additional capabilities.
Assessing the Impact of Heat Rejection Technology on CSP Plant Revenue: Preprint
Wagner, M. J.; Kutscher, C. F.
This paper explores the impact of cooling technology on revenue for hybrid-cooled plants with varying wet cooling penetration for four representative locations in the American Southwest. The impact of ACC design-point initial temperature difference (ITD - the difference between the condensing steam temperature and ambient dry-bulb) is also included in the analysis.
Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) User Reference Guide: Fast Pyrolysis Biorefinery Model
Zhang, Y.; Goldberg, M.
This guide -- the JEDI Fast Pyrolysis Biorefinery Model User Reference Guide -- was developed to assist users in operating and understanding the JEDI Fast Pyrolysis Biorefinery Model. The guide provides information on the model's underlying methodology, as well as the parameters and data sources used to develop the cost data utilized in the model. This guide also provides basic instruction on model add-in features and a discussion of how the results should be interpreted. Based on project-specific inputs from the user, the JEDI Fast Pyrolysis Biorefinery Model estimates local (e.g., county- or state-level) job creation, earnings, and output from total economic activity for a given fast pyrolysis biorefinery. These estimates include the direct, indirect and induced economic impacts to the local economy associated with the construction and operation phases of biorefinery projects.Local revenue and supply chain impacts as well as induced impacts are estimated using economic multipliers derived from the IMPLAN software program. By determining the local economic impacts and job creation for a proposed biorefinery, the JEDI Fast Pyrolysis Biorefinery Model can be used to field questions about the added value biorefineries might bring to a local community.
Wiersma, B; James Elder, J
residual stress zone. None of the three cracks beneath the sludge showed evidence of growth. The impact of the cracks that grew on the future service of Tank 15 was also assessed. Tank 15 is expected to undergo closure activities including sludge waste removal. A bounding loading condition for waste removal of the sludge at the bottom of Tank 15 was considered for this analysis. The analysis showed that the combination of hydrostatic, seismic, pump and weld residual stresses are not expected to drive any of the cracks identified during the Tank 15 UT inspection to instability. Wall thickness mapping for general thinning and pitting was also performed. No significant wall thinning was observed. The average wall thickness values were well above nominal. Two isolated pit-like indications were observed. Both were approximately 30 mils deep. However, the remaining wall thickness was still greater than nominal specified for the original construction plate material. It was recommended that a third examination of selected cracks in Tank 15 be performed in 2014. This examination would provide information to determine whether any additional detectable degradation is occurring in Tank 15 and to supplement the basis for characterization of conditions that are non-aggressive to tank corrosion damage. The in-service inspection program is re-evaluated on a three year periodicity. The Type I and II tanks are not active receipt tanks at present, and are therefore not a part of the In-Service Inspection Program for the Type III Tanks [1]. Changes to the mission for Tank 15 and other Type I and II tanks may be considered by the In-Service Inspection Review Committee (ISIRC) and the program adjusted accordingly.
Niland development project geothermal loan guaranty: 49-MW (net) power plant and geothermal well field development, Imperial County, California: Environmental assessment
Not Available
The proposed federal action addressed by this environmental assessment is the authorization of disbursements under a loan guaranteed by the US Department of Energy for the Niland Geothermal Energy Program. The disbursements will partially finance the development of a geothermal well field in the Imperial Valley of California to supply a 25-MW(e) (net) power plant. Phase I of the project is the production of 25 MW(e) (net) of power; the full rate of 49 MW (net) would be achieved during Phase II. The project is located on approximately 1600 acres (648 ha) near the city of Niland in Imperial County, California. Well field development includes the initial drilling of 8 production wells for Phase I, 8 production wells for Phase II, and the possible need for as many as 16 replacement wells over the anticipated 30-year life of the facility. Activities associated with the power plant in addition to operation are excavation and construction of the facility and associated systems (such as cooling towers). Significant environmental impacts, as defined in Council on Environmental Quality regulation 40 CFR Part 1508.27, are not expected to occur as a result of this project. Minor impacts could include the following: local degradation of ambient air quality due to particulate and/or hydrogen sulfide emissions, temporarily increased ambient noise levels due to drilling and construction activities, and increased traffic. Impacts could be significant in the event of a major spill of geothermal fluid, which could contaminate groundwater and surface waters and alter or eliminate nearby habitat. Careful land use planning and engineering design, implementation of mitigation measures for pollution control, and design and implementation of an environmental monitoring program that can provide an early indication of potential problems should ensure that impacts, except for certain accidents, will be minimized.
Impacts of Energy Research and Development With Analyses of Price-Andersen Act & Hydro Relicensing
This report deals primarily with the Research and Development provisions of S. 1766, organized across four areas: energy efficiency, renewable energy, fossil energy, and nuclear energy. The provisions are assessed using the results from Annual Energy Outlook 2002 and other side cases, rather than a direct quantitative analysis.
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population Biology of Greater Prairie-Chickens
Sandercock, Brett K.
This report summarizes the results of a seven-year, DOE-funded research project, conducted by researchers from Kansas State University and the National Wind Coordinating Collaborative, to assess the effects of wind energy development in Kansas on the population and reproduction of greater prairie chickens.
Assessing the Importance and Impact of Glycomics and Glycosciences Phase II
Zolandz, Dorothy
Glycans form one of the four basic classes of macromolecules in living systems, along with nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. They are composed of individual sugar units that can be linked to one another in multiple ways, enabling them to form complex three-dimensional structures. In living systems, glycans are involved in myriad processes that are part of normal cellular physiology, development, and signaling, as well as in the development of both chronic and infectious diseases. Because of their ubiquity on cell surfaces, they are key components of biological interfaces and are involved in molecular recognition and signaling. They are also important molecules in cell adhesion and cell movement. Meanwhile, glycans on proteins inside cells participate in the cellÆs responses to incoming signals, for example by helping to modulate gene expression and protein functions. Glycan polymers such as cellulose are important components of plant cell walls. Understanding how such walls are assembled and how they can be deconstructed is fundamental to basic plant biology, but also in the development of applications such as efficient conversion of biomass into fuels. Glycan polymers derived from plants and other organisms can also serve as sources of new materials with wide-ranging applications from tissue engineering scaffolds to flexible electronic displays. Achieving an understanding of the structures and functions of glycans is fundamental to understanding biology. The National Research Council report resulting from this project, Transforming Glycoscience: A Roadmap for the Future, discusses the impact glycoscience can have across health, energy, and materials science and lays out a roadmap of research goals whose achievement could help the field become a widely-recognized and integrated discipline rather than a niche area studied by a small number of specialists. Despite advances, gaps remain in the current suite of tools for investigating glycans and these tools often
Researchers Develop Multi-Sensing Probe To Assess Bed Sores | GE Global
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Research Scientists Develop Multi-sensing Handheld Probe to Assess and Prevent Pressure Ulcer Formation During Hospital Stays Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) GE Scientists Develop Multi-sensing Handheld Probe to Assess and Prevent Pressure Ulcer Formation During Hospital Stays Probe assesses ulcer
Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts in the United States: Four Regional Scenarios
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development Impacts in the United States: Four Regional Scenarios S. Tegen, D. Keyser, and F. Flores-Espino National Renewable Energy Laboratory J. Miles and D. Zammit James Madison University D. Loomis Great Lakes Wind Network Technical Report NREL/TP-5000-61315 February 2015 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC This report is
Impact of WRF Physics and Grid Resolution on Low-level Wind Prediction: Towards the Assessment of Climate Change Impact on Future Wind Power
Chin, H S; Glascoe, L; Lundquist, J; Wharton, S
The Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model is used in short-range simulations to explore the sensitivity of model physics and horizontal grid resolution. We choose five events with the clear-sky conditions to study the impact of different planetary boundary layer (PBL), surface and soil-layer physics on low-level wind forecast for two wind farms; one in California (CA) and the other in Texas (TX). Short-range simulations are validated with field measurements. Results indicate that the forecast error of the CA case decreases with increasing grid resolution due to the improved representation of valley winds. Besides, the model physics configuration has a significant impact on the forecast error at this location. In contrast, the forecast error of the TX case exhibits little dependence on grid resolution and is relatively independent of physics configuration. Therefore, the occurrence frequency of lowest root mean square errors (RMSEs) at this location is used to determine an optimal model configuration for subsequent decade-scale regional climate model (RCM) simulations. In this study, we perform two sets of 20-year RCM simulations using the data from the NCAR Global Climate Model (GCM) simulations; one set models the present climate and the other simulates the future climate. These RCM simulations will be used to assess the impact of climate change on future wind energy.
Methodology, status and plans for development and assessment of Cathare code
Bestion, D.; Barre, F.; Faydide, B.
This paper presents the methodology, status and plans for the development, assessment and uncertainty evaluation of the Cathare code. Cathare is a thermalhydraulic code developed by CEA (DRN), IPSN, EDF and FRAMATOME for PWR safety analysis. First, the status of the code development and assessment is presented. The general strategy used for the development and the assessment of the code is presented. Analytical experiments with separate effect tests, and component tests are used for the development and the validation of closure laws. Successive Revisions of constitutive laws are implemented in successive Versions of the code and assessed. System tests or integral tests are used to validate the general consistency of the Revision. Each delivery of a code Version + Revision is fully assessed and documented. A methodology is being developed to determine the uncertainty on all constitutive laws of the code using calculations of many analytical tests and applying the Discrete Adjoint Sensitivity Method (DASM). At last, the plans for the future developments of the code are presented. They concern the optimization of the code performance through parallel computing - the code will be used for real time full scope plant simulators - the coupling with many other codes (neutronic codes, severe accident codes), the application of the code for containment thermalhydraulics. Also, physical improvements are required in the field of low pressure transients and in the modeling for the 3-D model.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products
This March 28, 2013 webcast reviewed DOE's recently completed three-part study of the life-cycle energy and environmental impacts of LED lighting products relative to incandescent and CFL...
Assessment of Fluctuating Reservoir Elevations Using Hydraulic Models and Impacts to Larval Pacific Lamprey Rearing Habitat in the Bonneville Pool
Mueller, Robert P.; Rakowski, Cynthia L.; Perkins, William A.; Richmond, Marshall C.
This report presents the results of a modeling assessment of likely lamprey larval habitat that may be impacted by dewatering of the major tributary delta regions in the Bonneville Pool of the Columbia River. This assessment was conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District (CENWP). The goal of the study was to provide baseline data about how the regions of interest would potentially be impacted at three river flows (10, 50, and 90 percent exceedance flow) for four different forebay elevations at Bonneville Dam. Impacts of unsteady flows at The Dalles Dam and changing forebay elevation at Bonneville Dam for a 2-week period were also assessed. The area of dewatered regions was calculated by importing modeled data outputs into a GIS and then calculating the change in inundated area near tributary deltas for the four Bonneville forebay surface elevations. From the modeled output we determined that the overall change in area is less sensitive to elevations changes during higher river discharges. Changing the forebay elevation at Bonneville and the resulting impact to total dewatered regions was greater at the lowest modeled river flow (97 kcfs) and showed the greatest variation at the White Salmon/Hood River delta regions followed by the Wind, Klickitat and the Little White Salmon rivers. To understand how inundation might change on a daily and hourly basis. Unsteady flow models were run for a 2-week period in 2002 and compared to 2014. The water surface elevation in the upstream pool closely follows that of the Bonneville Dam forebay with rapid changes of 1 to 2-ft possible. The data shows that 2.5-ft variation in water surface elevation occurred during this period in 2002 and a 3.7-ft change occurred in 2014. The duration of these changes were highly variable and generally did not stay constant for more than a 5-hr period.
Impacts Analyses Supporting the National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Assessment for the Resumption of Transient Testing Program
Annette L. Schafer; LLoyd C. Brown; David C. Carathers; Boyd D. Christensen; James J. Dahl; Mark L. Miller; Cathy Ottinger Farnum; Steven Peterson; A. Jeffrey Sondrup; Peter V. Subaiya; Daniel M. Wachs; Ruth F. Weiner
This document contains the analysis details and summary of analyses conducted to evaluate the environmental impacts for the Resumption of Transient Fuel and Materials Testing Program. It provides an assessment of the impacts for the two action alternatives being evaluated in the environmental assessment. These alternatives are (1) resumption of transient testing using the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and (2) conducting transient testing using the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) at Sandia National Laboratory in New Mexico (SNL/NM). Analyses are provided for radiologic emissions, other air emissions, soil contamination, and groundwater contamination that could occur (1) during normal operations, (2) as a result of accidents in one of the facilities, and (3) during transport. It does not include an assessment of the biotic, cultural resources, waste generation, or other impacts that could result from the resumption of transient testing. Analyses were conducted by technical professionals at INL and SNL/NM as noted throughout this report. The analyses are based on bounding radionuclide inventories, with the same inventories used for test materials by both alternatives and different inventories for the TREAT Reactor and ACRR. An upper value on the number of tests was assumed, with a test frequency determined by the realistic turn-around times required between experiments. The estimates provided for impacts during normal operations are based on historical emission rates and projected usage rates; therefore, they are bounding. Estimated doses for members of the public, collocated workers, and facility workers that could be incurred as a result of an accident are very conservative. They do not credit safety systems or administrative procedures (such as evacuation plans or use of personal protective equipment) that could be used to limit worker doses. Doses estimated for transportation are conservative and are based on
A workshop on developing risk assessment methods for medical use of radioactive material. Volume 1: Summary
Tortorelli, J.P.
A workshop was held at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, August 16--18, 1994 on the topic of risk assessment on medical devices that use radioactive isotopes. Its purpose was to review past efforts to develop a risk assessment methodology to evaluate these devices, and to develop a program plan and a scoping document for future methodology development. This report contains a summary of that workshop. Participants included experts in the fields of radiation oncology, medical physics, risk assessment, human-error analysis, and human factors. Staff from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) associated with the regulation of medical uses of radioactive materials and with research into risk-assessment methods participated in the workshop. The workshop participants concurred in NRC`s intended use of risk assessment as an important technology in the development of regulations for the medical use of radioactive material and encouraged the NRC to proceed rapidly with a pilot study. Specific recommendations are included in the executive summary and the body of this report. An appendix contains the 8 papers presented at the conference: NRC proposed policy statement on the use of probabilistic risk assessment methods in nuclear regulatory activities; NRC proposed agency-wide implementation plan for probabilistic risk assessment; Risk evaluation of high dose rate remote afterloading brachytherapy at a large research/teaching institution; The pros and cons of using human reliability analysis techniques to analyze misadministration events; Review of medical misadministration event summaries and comparison of human error modeling; Preliminary examples of the development of error influences and effects diagrams to analyze medical misadministration events; Brachytherapy risk assessment program plan; and Principles of brachytherapy quality assurance.
The Potential Impacts of OTEC Intakes on Aquatic Organisms at an OTEC Site under Development on Kauai, HI
Oney, Stephen K.; Hogan, Timothy; Steinbeck, John
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a marine renewable energy technology with the potential to contribute significantly to the baseload power needs of tropical island communities and remote U.S. military installations. As with other renewable energy technologies, however, there are potential challenges to its commercialization: technological, financial, social, and environmental. Given the large volumes of seawater required to drive the electricity-producing cycle, there is potential for the intakes to negatively impact the marine resources of the source waterbody through the impingement and entrainment of marine organisms. The goal of this project was to identify feasible warm water intake designs for a land-based OTEC facility proposed for development in Port Allen, Kauai and to characterize the populations of ichthyoplankton near the proposed warm water intake location that could be at risk of entrainment. The specific objectives of this project were to: ŌĆó Complete a site-specific assessment of available and feasible warm water intake technologies to determine the best intake designs for minimizing impacts to aquatic organisms at the proposed land-based OTEC site in Port Allen, Kauai. ŌĆó Complete a field sampling program to collect biological data to characterize the baseline populations of ichthyoplankton near the sites being considered for the warm water intake at the proposed land-based OTEC site in Port Allen, Kauai. Various intake design options are presented with the focus on providing adequate environmental protection to the local ichthyoplankton population while providing an economically viable intake option to the OTEC developer. Further definition by NOAA and other environmental regulators is required to further refine the designs presented to meet all US regulations for future OTEC development.
Impact Assessment of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles on the U.S. Power Grid
Kintner-Meyer, Michael CW; Nguyen, Tony B.; Jin, Chunlian; Balducci, Patrick J.; Secrest, Thomas J.
The US electricity grid is a national infrastructure that has the potential to deliver significant amounts of the daily driving energy of the US light duty vehicle (cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans) fleet. This paper discusses a 2030 scenario with 37 million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on the road in the US demanding electricity for an average daily driving distance of about 33 miles (53 km). The paper addresses the potential grid impacts of the PHEVs fleet relative to their effects on the production cost of electricity, and the emissions from the electricity sector. The results of this analysis indicate significant regional difference on the cost impacts and the CO2 emissions. Battery charging during the day may have twice the cost impacts than charging during the night. The CO2 emissions impacts are very region-dependent. In predominantly coal regions (Midwest), the new PHEV load may reduce the CO2 emission intensity (ton/MWh), while in others regions with significant clean generation (hydro and renewable energy) the CO2 emission intensity may increase. Discussed will the potential impact of the results with the valuation of carbon emissions.
Impacts Analyses Supporting the National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Assessment for the Resumption of Transient Testing Program
Annette L. Schafer; Lloyd C. Brown; David C. Carathers; Boyd D. Christensen; James J. Dahl; Mark L. Miller; Cathy Ottinger Farnum; Steven Peterson; A. Jeffrey Sondrup; Peter V. Subaiya; Daniel M. Wachs; Ruth F. Weiner
Environmental and health impacts are presented for activities associated with transient testing of nuclear fuel and material using two candidate test reactors. Transient testing involves irradiation of nuclear fuel or materials for short time-periods under high neutron flux rates. The transient testing process includes transportation of nuclear fuel or materials inside a robust shipping cask to a hot cell, removal from the shipping cask, pre-irradiation examination of the nuclear materials, assembly of an experiment assembly, transportation of the experiment assembly to the test reactor, irradiation in the test reactor, transport back to the hot cell, and post-irradiation examination of the nuclear fuel or material. The potential for environmental or health consequences during the transportation, examination, and irradiation actions are assessed for normal operations, off-normal (accident) scenarios, and transportation. Impacts to the environment (air, soil, and groundwater), are assessed during each phase of the transient testing process. This report documents the evaluation of potential consequences to the general public. This document supports the Environmental Assessment (EA) required by the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 USC Subsection 4321 et seq.).
MODARIA: Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessment Context and Overview
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Presentation from the 2015 Annual Performance and Risk Assessment (P&RA) Community of Practice (CoP) Technical Exchange Meeting held in Richland, Washington on December 15-16, 2015.
Analytical strategic environmental assessment (ANSEA) developing a new approach to SEA
Dalkmann, Holger; Herrera, Rodrigo Jiliberto; Bongardt, Daniel
The objective of analytical strategic environmental assessment (ANSEA) is to provide a decision-centred approach to the SEA process. The ANSEA project evolved from the realisation that, in many cases, SEA, as currently practised, is not able to ensure an appropriate integration of environmental values. The focus of SEA is on predicting impacts, but the tool takes no account of the decision-making processes it is trying to influence. At strategic decision-making levels, in turn, it is often difficult to predict impacts with the necessary exactitude. The decision-making sciences could teach some valuable lessons here. Instead of focusing on the quantitative prediction of environmental consequences, the ANSEA approach concentrates on the integration of environmental objectives into decision-making processes. Thus, the ANSEA approach provides a framework for analysing and assessing the decision-making processes of policies, plans and programmes (PPP). To enhance environmental integration into the decision-making process, decision windows (DW) can be identified. The approach is designed to be objective and transparent to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account, or--from an ex-post perspective--to allow an evaluation of how far environmental considerations have been integrated into the decision-making process under assessment. The paper describes the concepts and the framework of the ANSEA approach and discusses its relation to SEA and the EC Directive.
Final environmental impact assessment of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site, Paducah, Kentucky
Not Available
This document considers: the need for uranium enrichment facilities; site location; plant description; and describes the power generating facilities in light of its existing environment. The impacts from continuing operations are compared with alternatives of shutdown, relocation, and alternative power systems. (PSB)
Assessing the Thermal Environmental Impacts of an Groundwater Heat Pump in Southeastern Washington State
Freedman, Vicky L.; Waichler, Scott R.; Mackley, Rob D.; Horner, Jacob A.
A thermal analysis of a large-scale (e.g., 1900 gpm), open-loop ground source heat pump (GSHP) installed on the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) campus in southeastern Washington State has been performed using a numerical modeling approach. Water temperature increases at the upgradient extraction wells in the system and at the downgradient Columbia River are potential concerns, especially since heat rejection to the subsurface will occur year-round. Hence, thermal impacts of the open-loop GSHP were investigated to identify operational scenarios that minimized downgradient environmental impacts at the river, and upgradient temperature drift at the production wells. Simulations examined the sensitivity of the system to variations in pumping rates and injected water temperatures, as well as to hydraulic conductivity estimates of the aquifer. Results demonstrated that both downgradient and upgradient thermal impacts were more sensitive to injection flow rates than estimates of hydraulic conductivity. Higher injection rates at lower temperatures resulted in higher temperature increases at the extraction wells but lower increases at the river. Conversely, lower pumping rates and higher injected water temperatures resulted in a smaller temperature increase at the extraction wells, but higher increases at the river. The scenario with lower pumping rates is operationally more efficient, but does increase the likelihood of a thermal plume discharging into the Columbia River. However, this impact would be mitigated by mixing within the hyporheic zone and the Columbia River. The impact under current operational conditions is negligible, but future increases in heat rejection could require a compromise between maximizing operational efficiency and minimizing temperature increases at the shoreline.
Microsoft Word - NETL-TRS-4-2012_Integration of Spatial Data to Support Risk and Impact Assessments_20121221.docx
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Integration of Spatial Data to Support Risk and Impact Assessments for Deep and Ultra-deepwater Hydrocarbon Activities in the Gulf of Mexico 21 December 2012 Office of Fossil Energy NETL-TRS-4-2012 Disclaimer This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the
The National Environmental Policy Act net (NEPAnet) and DOE NEPA Web: What they bring to environmental impact assessment
Jessee, L.
The US National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) requires agencies to use a systematic, interdisciplinary approach to ensure integrated use of natural and social sciences and the environmental design arts in planning and decision-making. Numerous environmental analyses have been prepared that contain valuable information about regions and ecosystems, but these data were not stored in a retrievable manner. In 1993 and 1994, agency-specific NEPA and related datasets were consolidated into the US Department of Energy NEPA Web and NEPAnet. These improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the environmental impact assessment/NEPA process in the US.
Economic Impacts from the Boulder County, Colorado, ClimateSmart Loan Program: Using Property-Assessed Clean Energy Financing
Goldberg, M.; Cliburn, J. K.; Coughlin, J.
This report examines the economic impacts (including job creation) from the Boulder County, Colorado, ClimateSmart Loan Program (CSLP), an example of Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. The CSLP was the first test of PACE financing on a multi-jurisdictional level (involving individual cities as well as the county government). It was also the first PACE program to comprehensively address energy efficiency measures and renewable energy, and it was the first funded by a public offering of both taxable and tax-exempt bonds.
Impacts of dependent development on community and resources in Kilenge, Papua New Guinea
Grant, J.
In recent years, many rural Third World communities have suffered from the gradual degradation of the natural resources on which they depend. The Kilenge of the West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, offer such an example. The paper examines some of the nutritional, economic, social, and political impacts of these changes on the individual, on the household, and on the community in one Kilenge village. It argues that there may be alternatives to dependent development for this community. It concludes that redirected priorities can assist indigenous communities like Kilenge to achieve sustainable self-directed economic improvement.
Methodology, status, and plans for development and assessment of the RELAP5 code
Johnson, G.W.; Riemke, R.A.
RELAP/MOD3 is a computer code used for the simulation of transients and accidents in light-water nuclear power plants. The objective of the program to develop and maintain RELAP5 was and is to provide the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission with an independent tool for assessing reactor safety. This paper describes code requirements, models, solution scheme, language and structure, user interface validation, and documentation. The paper also describes the current and near term development program and provides an assessment of the code`s strengths and limitations.
Assessment of Future Vehicle Transportation Options and their Impact on the Electric Grid
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Future Vehicle Transportation Options and Their Impact on the Electric Grid January 10, 2010 New Analysis of Alternative Transportation Technologies 3 What's New? * Additional Alternative Transportation Vehicles - Compressed Air Vehicles (CAVs) * Use electricity from the grid to power air compressor that stores compressed air - Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) * Connection to grid is in competing demand for fuel * Still an internal combustion engine (ICE) - Hydrogen Vehicles * Use fuel cell
Comparative environmental impact and efficiency assessment of selected hydrogen production methods
Ozbilen, Ahmet Dincer, Ibrahim Rosen, Marc A.
The environmental impacts of various hydrogen production processes are evaluated and compared, considering several energy sources and using life cycle analysis. The results indicate that hydrogen produced by thermochemical water decomposition cycles are more environmentally benign options compared to conventional steam reforming of natural gas. The nuclear based four-step CuŌĆōCl cycle has the lowest global warming potential (0.559 kg CO{sub 2}-eq per kg hydrogen production), mainly because it requires the lowest quantity of energy of the considered processes. The acidification potential results show that biomass gasification has the highest impact on environment, while wind based electrolysis has the lowest. The relation is also investigated between efficiency and environmental impacts. -- Highlights: ŌĆó Environmental performance of nuclear-based hydrogen production is investigated. ŌĆó The GWP and AP results are compared with various hydrogen production processes. ŌĆó Nuclear based 4-step CuŌĆōCl cycle is found to be an environmentally benign process. ŌĆó Wind-based electrolysis has the lowest AP value.
Developing guidelines for improved assessment of risk to environmental receptors in NEPA documents
Cunningham, M.; Abbott, L.; Berger, J.
NAEP`s NEPA Practice Committee has formed several subcommittees to develop guidelines, and ultimately standards, for conducting various analyses to meet the letter and spirit of NEPA. The authors comprise the Ecological Risk Assessment Subcommittee, and our purpose is to identify those aspects of ecological risk assessment of potentially greatest use in analyses for NEPA documents and to make this information available to NAEP members and other NEPA practioners. Our task is to identify procedures and techniques commonly used in ecological risk assessment for CERCLA and RCRA compliance that are useful directly, or in modified form, to improve the estimation of risk to environmental receptors in NEPA analyses. Environmental receptors include biota and media such as air and water. Our approach is to focus first on the practical aspects of environmental assessment for NEPA that we identify as needing improvement. These include: (1) knowing when a quantitative risk assessment is warranted; (2) assigning significance of potential harm; (3) how to assess cumulative risk; (4) how to cope with missing information and knowing when surrogate information is available and appropriate to use; (5) efficiency in analysis - lack of explicit screening steps; and (6) biodiversity-related effects assessment. Specific steps to help environmental professionals prepare NEPA documents to address these issues will be presented, including references to NEPA documents that employ explicit risk estimation.
WTEC Panel Report on International Assessment of Research and Development in Simulation-Based Engineering and Science
Glotzer, S. C.; Kim, S.; Cummings, P. T.; Deshmukh, A.; Head-Gordon, M.; Karniadakis, G.; Petzold, L.; Sagui, C.; Shinozuka, M.
This WTEC panel report assesses the international research and development activities in the field of Simulation- Based Engineering and Science (SBE&S). SBE&S involves the use of computer modeling and simulation to solve mathematical formulations of physical models of engineered and natural systems. SBE&S today has reached a level of predictive capability that it now firmly complements the traditional pillars of theory and experimentation/observation. As a result, computer simulation is more pervasive today ŌĆō and having more impact ŌĆō than at any other time in human history. Many critical technologies, including those to develop new energy sources and to shift the cost-benefit factors in healthcare, are on the horizon that cannot be understood, developed, or utilized without simulation. A panel of experts reviewed and assessed the state of the art in SBE&S as well as levels of activity overseas in the broad thematic areas of life sciences and medicine, materials, and energy and sustainability; and in the crosscutting issues of next generation hardware and algorithms; software development; engineering simulations; validation, verification, and uncertainty quantification; multiscale modeling and simulation; and SBE&S education. The panel hosted a U.S. baseline workshop, conducted a bibliometric analysis, consulted numerous experts and reports, and visited 59 institutions and companies throughout East Asia and Western Europe to explore the active research projects in those institutions, the computational infrastructure used for the projects, the funding schemes that enable the research, the collaborative interactions among universities, national laboratories, and corporate research centers, and workforce needs and development for SBE&S.
Minimizing the environmental impact of oil and gas developments in the tropics
Rosenfeld, A.B.; Gordon, D.L.; Guerin-McManus, M.
The next big frontier for oil and gas development will be the humid tropics, where more than 80% of exploration and production is expected to take place in the next decade. The tropical areas targeted by these operations not only hold large stores of oil and gas, but are also frequently undeveloped and remote, located in or near important and sensitive ecosystems. Within the tropics the most heavily targeted area is the Latin American Neotropics (New World tropics), which include South America, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean. A regionwide move toward privatization of state oil industries, growing liberalization of markets, and contractual incentives for foreign investment make this region a prime target for oil exploration and development. Proper evaluation of available technologies and planning will help determine how and where mitigation efforts should be directed to prevent and control environmental impacts.
The Biofuels Revolution: Understanding the Social, Cultural and Economic Impacts of Biofuels Development on Rural Communities
Selfa, Theresa L; Goe, Richard; Kulcsar, Laszlo; Middendorf, Gerad; Bain, Carmen
The aim of this research was an in-depth analysis of the impacts of biofuels industry and ethanol plants on six rural communities in the Midwestern states of Kansas and Iowa. The goal was to provide a better understanding of the social, cultural, and economic implications of biofuels development, and to contribute to more informed policy development regarding bioenergy.Specific project objectives were: 1. To understand how the growth of biofuel production has affected and will affect Midwestern farmers and rural communities in terms of economic, demographic, and socio-cultural impacts; 2. To determine how state agencies, groundwater management districts, local governments and policy makers evaluate or manage bioenergy development in relation to competing demands for economic growth, diminishing water resources, and social considerations; 3. To determine the factors that influence the water management practices of agricultural producers in Kansas and Iowa (e.g. geographic setting, water management institutions, competing water-use demands as well as producers attitudes, beliefs, and values) and how these influences relate to bioenergy feedstock production and biofuel processing; 4. To determine the relative importance of social-cultural, environmental and/or economic factors in the promotion of biofuels development and expansion in rural communities; The research objectives were met through the completion of six detailed case studies of rural communities that are current or planned locations for ethanol biorefineries. Of the six case studies, two will be conducted on rural communities in Iowa and four will be conducted on rural communities in Kansas. A multi-method or mixed method research methodology was employed for each case study.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products Part 2: LED Manufacturing and Performance
Scholand, Michael; Dillon, Heather E.
Part 2 of the project (this report) uses the conclusions from Part 1 as a point of departure to focus on two objectives: producing a more detailed and conservative assessment of the manufacturing process and providing a comparative LCA with other lighting products based on the improved manufacturing analysis and taking into consideration a wider range of environmental impacts. In this study, we first analyzed the manufacturing process for a white-light LED (based on a sapphire-substrate, blue-light, gallium-nitride LED pumping a yellow phosphor), to understand the impacts of the manufacturing process. We then conducted a comparative LCA, looking at the impacts associated with the Philips Master LEDbulb and comparing those to a CFL and an incandescent lamp. The comparison took into account the Philips Master LEDbulb as it is now in 2012 and then projected forward what it might be in 2017, accounting for some of the anticipated improvements in LED manufacturing, performance and driver electronics.
Colorado oil shale development on policy and impact mitigation plan. Final report, March 31, 1980-November 30, 1982
Not Available
The impacts of accelerated oil shale development in four northwestern Colorado counties, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Mesa, and Garfield are being monitored and managed through a grant to the Colorado Department of Highways.
Assessment of Rooftop Area in Austin Energy's Service Territory Suitable for PV Development
As part of the Solar America Cities program, Austin Energy proposed to perform an assessment of the rooftop area available for PV development within its service area. Austin Energy contracted with Clean Energy Associates (CEA) to perform the analysis. This report summarizes the project objectives, data sources and methodological approach employed, and results.
Replacement of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) at the DOE gaseous diffusion plants: An assessment of global impacts
Socolof, M.L.; Saylor, R.E.; McCold, L.N.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) formerly operated two gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) for enriching uranium and maintained a third shutdown GDP. These plants maintain a large inventory of dichlorotetrafluorethane (CFC-114), a cholorofluorocarbon (CFC), as a coolant. The paper evaluates the global impacts of four alternatives to modify GDP coolant system operations for a three-year period beginning in 1996. Interim modification of GDP coolant system operations has the potential to reduce stratospheric ozone depletion from GDP coolant releases while a permanent solution is studied.
Integrating Human Indoor Air Pollutant Exposure within Life Cycle Impact Assessment
Hellweg, Stefanie; Demou, Evangelia; Bruzzi, Raffaella; Meijer, Arjen; Rosenbaum, Ralph K.; Huijbregts, Mark A.J.; McKone, Thomas E.
Neglecting health effects from indoor pollutant emissions and exposure, as currently done in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), may result in product or process optimizations at the expense of workers? or consumers? health. To close this gap, methods for considering indoor exposure to chemicals are needed to complement the methods for outdoor human exposure assessment already in use. This paper summarizes the work of an international expert group on the integration of human indoor and outdoor exposure in LCA, within the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative. A new methodological framework is proposed for a general procedure to include human-health effects from indoor exposure in LCA. Exposure models from occupational hygiene and household indoor air quality studies and practices are critically reviewed and recommendations are provided on the appropriateness of various model alternatives in the context of LCA. A single-compartment box model is recommended for use as a default in LCA, enabling one to screen occupational and household exposures consistent with the existing models to assess outdoor emission in a multimedia environment. An initial set of model parameter values was collected. The comparison between indoor and outdoor human exposure per unit of emission shows that for many pollutants, intake per unit of indoor emission may be several orders of magnitude higher than for outdoor emissions. It is concluded that indoor exposure should be routinely addressed within LCA.
Life cycle impact assessment of ammonia production in Algeria: A comparison with previous studies
Makhlouf, Ali Serradj, Tayeb; Cheniti, Hamza
In this paper, a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) from ŌĆ£cradle to gateŌĆØ of one anhydrous ton of ammonia with a purity of 99% was achieved. Particularly, the energy and environmental performance of the product (ammonia) were evaluated. The eco-profile of the product and the share of each stage of the Life Cycle on the whole environmental impacts have been evaluated. The flows of material and energy for each phase of the life cycle were counted and the associated environmental problems were identified. Evaluation of the impact was achieved using GEMIS 4.7 software. The primary data collection was executed at the production installations located in Algeria (Annaba locality). The analysis was conducted according to the LCA standards ISO 14040 series. The results show that Cumulative Energy Requirement (CER) is of 51.945 ├Ś 10{sup 3} MJ/t of ammonia, which is higher than the global average. Global Warming Potential (GWP) is of 1.44 t CO{sub 2} eq/t of ammonia; this value is lower than the world average. Tropospheric ozone precursor and Acidification are also studied in this article, their values are: 549.3 ├Ś 10{sup ŌłÆ6} t NMVOC eq and 259.3 ├Ś 10{sup ŌłÆ6} t SO{sub 2} eq respectively.
Environmental impact assessment of solid waste management in Beijing City, China
Zhao Yan; Christensen, Thomas H.; Lu Wenjing; Wu Huayong; Wang Hongtao
The environmental impacts of municipal solid waste management in Beijing City were evaluated using a life-cycle-based model, EASEWASTE, to take into account waste generation, collection, transportation, treatment/disposal technologies, and savings obtained by energy and material recovery. The current system, mainly involving the use of landfills, has manifested significant adverse environmental impacts caused by methane emissions from landfills and many other emissions from transfer stations. A short-term future scenario, where some of the landfills (which soon will reach their capacity because of rising amount of waste in Beijing City) are substituted by incinerators with energy recovery, would not result in significant environmental improvement. This is primarily because of the low calorific value of mixed waste, and it is likely that the incinerators would require significant amounts of auxiliary fuels to support combustion of wet waste. As for the long-term future scenario, efficient source separation of food waste could result in significant environmental improvements, primarily because of increase in calorific value of remaining waste incinerated with energy recovery. Sensitivity analysis emphasized the importance of efficient source separation of food waste, as well as the electricity recovery in incinerators, in order to obtain an environmentally friendly waste management system in Beijing City.
Replacement of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) at the DOE Gaseous Diffusion Plants: An assessment of global impacts
Socolof, M.L.; Saylor, R.E.; McCold, L.N.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) operates two uranium enrichment plants. Together, the two plants maintain an inventory of approximately 14 million pounds of a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), dichlorote-trafluoroethane (CFC-114) as a coolant. Annual operational CFC-114 losses total over 500,000 pounds. In February, 1992, President Bush announced that the US would terminate manufacture and importation of Class 1 ozone depleting substances (including CFC-114) by the end of 1995. To comply with this requirement DOE has considered introducing a replacement coolant by the end of 1995. Two perfluorocarbons (PFCs) - namely, octofluoro-cyclobutane and decafluorobutane - are presently the only known coolants that could meet safety requirements. They would not contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion but contribute to global warming. The paper describes an analysis of the potential global impacts of the proposed replacement of CFC-114 with a PFC. A problem with analyses of global warming and ozone depletion impacts is that even large sources of compounds that contribute to these effects contribute only very small fractions of the total effect. The authors take the position that significant effects to global warming and ozone depletion have already occurred, and that any additional contribution to these effects are contributions to cumulatively significant adverse effects on the environment. The paper describes four alternatives and the extent to which each would contribute to global warming and ozone depletion.
Key factors for determining groundwater impacts due to leakage...
Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
The National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) is developing a science-based toolset for the analysis of potential impacts to groundwater chemistry from CO2 injection ...
Frit Development Efforts for Sludge Batch 4 (SB4): Operating Window Assessments fo Scenarios Leading Up to the Selected Preparation Plan for SB4
Peeler, D
The objective of this report is to document technical information that has been provided to Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) and Closure Business Unit (CBU) personnel as part of the frit development support for Sludge Batch 4 (SB4). The information presented in this report includes projected operating windows (expressed in terms of waste loading) for various sludge blending and/or washing options coupled with candidate frits of interest. Although the Nominal Stage assessment serves as the primary tool for these evaluations, select systems were also evaluated using a Variation Stage assessment in which compositional variations were introduced. In addition, assessments of the impacts of nepheline formation potential and the SO{sub 4}{sup -} solubility limit on the projected operating windows are also provided. Although this information was used as part of the technical basis leading to CBU's development of the preferred SB4 preparation plan, none of the options presented in this report was selected as the preferred plan. Therefore, the information is presented without significant interpretation of the resulting operating windows, but the projected windows are provided so additional insight can be explored if desired. Detailed assessments of the projected operating windows (using both Nominal and Variation Stage assessments) of the preferred sludge preparation plan with candidate frits are to be documented elsewhere. The information provided in this report is focused solely on model-based projections of the operating windows for various SB4 blending strategies of interest. Although nepheline formation potential is monitored via model predictions as a part of this assessment, experimental work investigating the impact of nepheline on glass quality is also being addressed in a parallel study. The results of this paper study and the experimental assessments of melt rate, SO{sub 4} solubility, and/or nepheline formation potential are all critical components of the
Source-term development for a contaminant plume for use by multimedia risk assessment models
Whelan, Gene ); McDonald, John P. ); Taira, Randal Y. ); Gnanapragasam, Emmanuel K.; Yu, Charley; Lew, Christine S.; Mills, William B.
Multimedia modelers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are collaborating to conduct a comprehensive and quantitative benchmarking analysis of four intermedia models: DOE's Multimedia Environmental Pollutant Assessment System (MEPAS), EPA's MMSOILS, EPA's PRESTO, and DOE's RESidual RADioactivity (RESRAD). These models represent typical analytically, semi-analytically, and empirically based tools that are utilized in human risk and endangerment assessments for use at installations containing radioactive and/or hazardous contaminants. Although the benchmarking exercise traditionally emphasizes the application and comparison of these models, the establishment of a Conceptual Site Model (CSM) should be viewed with equal importance. This paper reviews an approach for developing a CSM of an existing, real-world, Sr-90 plume at DOE's Hanford installation in Richland, Washington, for use in a multimedia-based benchmarking exercise bet ween MEPAS, MMSOILS, PRESTO, and RESRAD. In an unconventional move for analytically based modeling, the benchmarking exercise will begin with the plume as the source of contamination. The source and release mechanism are developed and described within the context of performing a preliminary risk assessment utilizing these analytical models. By beginning with the plume as the source term, this paper reviews a typical process and procedure an analyst would follow in developing a CSM for use in a preliminary assessment using this class of analytical tool.
Hawaii energy strategy project 3: Renewable energy resource assessment and development program
RLA Consulting (RLA) has been retained by the State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) to conduct a Renewable Energy Resource Assessment and Development Program. This three-phase program is part of the Hawaii Energy Strategy (HES), which is a multi-faceted program intended to produce an integrated energy strategy for the State of Hawaii. The purpose of Phase 1 of the project, Development of a Renewable Energy Resource Assessment Plan, is to better define the most promising potential renewable energy projects and to establish the most suitable locations for project development in the state. In order to accomplish this goal, RLA has identified constraints and requirements for renewable energy projects from six different renewable energy resources: wind, solar, biomass, hydro, wave, and ocean thermal. These criteria were applied to areas with sufficient resource for commercial development and the results of Phase 1 are lists of projects with the most promising development potential for each of the technologies under consideration. Consideration of geothermal energy was added to this investigation under a separate contract with DBEDT. In addition to the project lists, a monitoring plan was developed with recommended locations and a data collection methodology for obtaining additional wind and solar data. This report summarizes the results of Phase 1. 11 figs., 22 tabs.
Western oil shale development: a technology assessment. Volume 7: an ecosystem simulation of perturbations applied to shale oil development
Not Available
Progress is outlined on activities leading toward evaluation of ecological and agricultural impacts of shale oil development in the Piceance Creek Basin region of northwestern Colorado. After preliminary review of the problem, it was decided to use a model-based calculation approach in the evaluation. The general rationale and objectives of this approach are discussed. Previous studies were examined to characterize climate, soils, vegetation, animals, and ecosystem response units. System function was methodically defined by developing a master list of variables and flows, structuring a generalized system flow diagram, constructing a flow-effects matrix, and conceptualizing interactive spatial units through spatial matrices. The process of developing individual mathematical functions representing the flow of matter and energy through the various system variables in different submodels is discussed. The system model diagram identified 10 subsystems which separately account for flow of soil temperatures, soil water, herbaceous plant biomass, shrubby plant biomass, tree cover, litter biomass, shrub numbers, animal biomass, animal numbers, and land area. Among these coupled subsystems there are 45 unique kinds of state variables and 150 intra-subsystem flows. The model is generalizeable and canonical so that it can be expanded, if required, by disaggregating some of the system state variables and allowing for multiple ecological response units. It integrates information on climate, surface water, ecology, land reclamation, air quality, and solid waste as it is being developed by several other task groups.
Assessment of Potential Flood Events and Impacts at INL's Proposed Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility Sites
A. Jeff Sondrup; Annette L. Schafter
Rates, depths, erosion potential, increased subsurface transport rates, and annual exceedance probability for potential flooding scenarios have been evaluated for the on-site alternatives of Idaho National LaboratoryÆs proposed remote handled low-level waste disposal facility. The on-site disposal facility is being evaluated in anticipation of the closure of the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the INL. An assessment of flood impacts are required to meet the Department of EnergyÆs Low-Level Waste requirements (DOE-O 435.1), its natural phenomena hazards assessment criteria (DOE-STD-1023-95), and the Radioactive Waste Management Manual (DOE M 435.1-1) guidance in addition to being required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessment (EA). Potential sources of water evaluated include those arising from (1) local precipitation events, (2) precipitation events occurring off of the INL (off-site precipitation), and (3) increased flows in the Big Lost River in the event of a Mackay Dam failure. On-site precipitation events include potential snow-melt and rainfall. Extreme rainfall events were evaluated for the potential to create local erosion, particularly of the barrier placed over the disposal facility. Off-site precipitation carried onto the INL by the Big Lost River channel was evaluated for overland migration of water away from the river channel. Off-site precipitation sources evaluated were those occurring in the drainage basin above Mackay Reservoir. In the worst-case scenarios, precipitation occurring above Mackay Dam could exceed the damÆs capacity, leading to overtopping, and eventually complete dam failure. Mackay Dam could also fail during a seismic event or as a result of mechanical piping. Some of the water released during dam failure, and contributing precipitation, has the potential of being carried onto the INL in the Big Lost River channel. Resulting overland flows from these flood sources were evaluated for their
Burlington Bottoms Wildlife Mitigation Project. Final Environmental Assessment/Management Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact.
Not Available
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to fund wildlife management and enhancement activities for the Burlington bottoms wetlands mitigation site. Acquired by BPA in 1991, wildlife habitat at Burlington bottoms would contribute toward the goal of mitigation for wildlife losses and inundation of wildlife habitat due to the construction of Federal dams in the lower Columbia and Willamette River Basins. Target wildlife species identified for mitigation purposes are yellow warbler, great blue heron, black-capped chickadee, red-tailed hawk, valley quail, spotted sandpiper, wood duck, and beaver. The Draft Management Plan/Environmental Assessment (EA) describes alternatives for managing the Burlington Bottoms area, and evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives. Included in the Draft Management Plan/EA is an implementation schedule, and a monitoring and evaluation program, both of which are subject to further review pending determination of final ownership of the Burlington Bottoms property.
Economic Development Impacts of Colorado's First 1000 Megawatts of Wind Energy
Reategui, S.; Tegen, S.
This report analyzes the economic impacts of the installation of 1000 MW of wind power in the state of Colorado.
Failure Impact Analysis of Key Management in AMI Using Cybernomic Situational Assessment (CSA)
Abercrombie, Robert K; Sheldon, Frederick T; Hauser, Katie R; Lantz, Margaret W; Mili, Ali
In earlier work, we presented a computational framework for quantifying the security of a system in terms of the average loss a stakeholder stands to sustain as a result of threats to the system. We named this system, the Cyberspace Security Econometrics System (CSES). In this paper, we refine the framework and apply it to cryptographic key management within the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) as an example. The stakeholders, requirements, components, and threats are determined. We then populate the matrices with justified values by addressing the AMI at a higher level, rather than trying to consider every piece of hardware and software involved. We accomplish this task by leveraging the recently established NISTR 7628 guideline for smart grid security. This allowed us to choose the stakeholders, requirements, components, and threats realistically. We reviewed the literature and selected an industry technical working group to select three representative threats from a collection of 29 threats. From this subset, we populate the stakes, dependency, and impact matrices, and the threat vector with realistic numbers. Each Stakeholder s Mean Failure Cost is then computed.
Calculating Impacts of Energy Standards on Energy Demand in U.S. Buildings under Uncertainty with an Integrated Assessment Model: Technical Background Data
Scott, Michael J.; Daly, Don S.; Hathaway, John E.; Lansing, Carina S.; Liu, Ying; McJeon, Haewon C.; Moss, Richard H.; Patel, Pralit L.; Peterson, Marty J.; Rice, Jennie S.; Zhou, Yuyu
This report presents data and assumptions employed in an application of PNNLŌĆÖs Global Change Assessment Model with a newly-developed Monte Carlo analysis capability. The model is used to analyze the impacts of more aggressive U.S. residential and commercial building-energy codes and equipment standards on energy consumption and energy service costs at the state level, explicitly recognizing uncertainty in technology effectiveness and cost, socioeconomics, presence or absence of carbon prices, and climate impacts on energy demand. The report provides a summary of how residential and commercial buildings are modeled, together with assumptions made for the distributions of stateŌĆōlevel population, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per worker, efficiency and cost of residential and commercial energy equipment by end use, and efficiency and cost of residential and commercial building shells. The cost and performance of equipment and of building shells are reported separately for current building and equipment efficiency standards and for more aggressive standards. The report also details assumptions concerning future improvements brought about by projected trends in technology.
Assessment of PNGV fuels infrastructure. Phase 1 report: Additional capital needs and fuel-cycle energy and emissions impacts
Wang, M.; Stork, K.; Vyas, A.; Mintz, M.; Singh, M.; Johnson, L.
This report presents the methodologies and results of Argonne`s assessment of additional capital needs and the fuel-cycle energy and emissions impacts of using six different fuels in the vehicles with tripled fuel economy (3X vehicles) that the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles is currently investigating. The six fuels included in this study are reformulated gasoline, low-sulfur diesel, methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, and hydrogen. Reformulated gasoline, methanol, and ethanol are assumed to be burned in spark-ignition, direct-injection engines. Diesel and dimethyl ether are assumed to be burned in compression-ignition, direct-injection engines. Hydrogen and methanol are assumed to be used in fuel-cell vehicles. The authors have analyzed fuels infrastructure impacts under a 3X vehicle low market share scenario and a high market share scenario. The assessment shows that if 3X vehicles are mass-introduced, a considerable amount of capital investment will be needed to build new fuel production plants and to establish distribution infrastructure for methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, and hydrogen. Capital needs for production facilities will far exceed those for distribution infrastructure. Among the four fuels, hydrogen will bear the largest capital needs. The fuel efficiency gain by 3X vehicles translates directly into reductions in total energy demand, fossil energy demand, and CO{sub 2} emissions. The combination of fuel substitution and fuel efficiency results in substantial petroleum displacement and large reductions in emissions of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, sulfur oxide, and particulate matter of size smaller than 10 microns.
Methodology, status and plans for development and assessment of TUF and CATHENA codes
Luxat, J.C.; Liu, W.S.; Leung, R.K.
An overview is presented of the Canadian two-fluid computer codes TUF and CATHENA with specific focus on the constraints imposed during development of these codes and the areas of application for which they are intended. Additionally a process for systematic assessment of these codes is described which is part of a broader, industry based initiative for validation of computer codes used in all major disciplines of safety analysis. This is intended to provide both the licensee and the regulator in Canada with an objective basis for assessing the adequacy of codes for use in specific applications. Although focused specifically on CANDU reactors, Canadian experience in developing advanced two-fluid codes to meet wide-ranging application needs while maintaining past investment in plant modelling provides a useful contribution to international efforts in this area.
Assessing Energy Impact of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Significance of Daily Distance Variation over Time and Among Drivers
Lin, Zhenhong [ORNL; Greene, David L [ORNL
Accurate assessment of the impact of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on petroleum and electricity consumption is a necessary step toward effective policies. Variations in daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) over time and among drivers affect PHEV energy impact, but the significance is not well understood. This paper uses a graphical illustration, a mathematical derivation, and an empirical study to examine the cause and significance of such an effect. The first two methods reveal that ignoring daily variation in VMT always causes underestimation of petroleum consumption and overestimation of electricity consumption by PHEVs; both biases increase as the assumed PHEV charge-depleting (CD) range moves closer to the average daily VMT. The empirical analysis based on national travel survey data shows that the assumption of uniform daily VMT over time and among drivers causes nearly 68% underestimation of expected petroleum use and nearly 48% overestimation of expected electricity use by PHEVs with a 40-mi CD range (PHEV40s). Also for PHEV40s, consideration of daily variation in VMT over time but not among drivers similar to the way the utility factor curve is derived in SAE Standard SAE J2841 causes underestimation of expected petroleum use by more than 24% and overestimation of expected electricity use by about 17%. Underestimation of petroleum use and overestimation of electricity use increase with larger-battery PHEVs.
Qualitative assessment of the impacts of proposed system operating strategies to resident fish within selected Columbia River Reservoirs
Shreffler, D.K.; Geist, D.R.; Mavros, W.V.
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) are presently conducting the System Operation Review (SOR) for the Columbia River basin. The SOR began in 1990 and is expected to provide an operating strategy that will take into consideration multiple uses of the Columbia River system including navigation, flood control, irrigation, power generation, fish migration, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, water supply, and water quality. This report provides descriptions of each of the non-modeled reservoirs and other specified river reaches. The descriptions focus on the distinct management goals for resident fish: biodiversity, species-specific concerns, and sport fisheries. In addition, this report provides a qualitative assessment of impacts to the resident fish within these reservoirs and river reaches from the 7 alternative system operating strategies. In addition to this introduction, the report contains four more sections. Section 2.0 provides the methods that were used. Reservoir descriptions appear in Section 3.0, which is a synthesis of our literature review and interviews with resident fish experts. Section 4.0 contains a discussion of potential impacts to fish within each of these reservoirs and river reaches from the 7 proposed system operating strategies. The references cited are listed in Section 5.0.
Increasing Biofuel Deployment and Utilization through Development of Renewable Super Premium: Infrastructure Assessment
Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center
Increasing Biofuel Deployment and Utilization through Development of Renewable Super Premium: Infrastructure Assessment K. Moriarty National Renewable Energy Laboratory M. Kass and T. Theiss Oak Ridge National Laboratory Technical Report NREL/TP-5400-61684 November 2014 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC This report is available at no cost from the National
Coal-fueled high-speed diesel engine development: Task 2, Market assessment and economic analysis
Kakwani, R. M.; Wilson, Jr., R. P.; Winsor, R. E.
Based on the preliminary coal engine design developed, this task was conducted to identify the best opportunity(s) to enter the market with the future coal-fueled, high-speed diesel engine. The results of this market and economic feasibility assessment will be used to determine what specific heavy duty engine application(s) are most attractive for coal fuel, and also define basic economic targets for the engine to be competitive.
Development of the simulation system {open_quotes}IMPACT{close_quotes} for analysis of nuclear power plant severe accidents
Naitoh, Masanori; Ujita, Hiroshi; Nagumo, Hiroichi
The Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC) has initiated a long-term program to develop the simulation system {open_quotes}IMPACT{close_quotes} for analysis of hypothetical severe accidents in nuclear power plants. IMPACT employs advanced methods of physical modeling and numerical computation, and can simulate a wide spectrum of senarios ranging from normal operation to hypothetical, beyond-design-basis-accident events. Designed as a large-scale system of interconnected, hierarchical modules, IMPACT`s distinguishing features include mechanistic models based on first principles and high speed simulation on parallel processing computers. The present plan is a ten-year program starting from 1993, consisting of the initial one-year of preparatory work followed by three technical phases: Phase-1 for development of a prototype system; Phase-2 for completion of the simulation system, incorporating new achievements from basic studies; and Phase-3 for refinement through extensive verification and validation against test results and available real plant data.
Surface water drainage system. Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
This Environmental Assessment (EA) is written pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The document identifies and evaluates the action proposed to correct deficiencies in, and then to maintain, the surface water drainage system serving the Department of Energy`s Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site), located north of Golden, Colorado. Many of the activities proposed would not normally be subject to this level of NEPA documentation. However, in many cases, maintenance of the system has been deferred to the point that wetlands vegetation has become established in some ditches and culverts, creating wetlands. The proposed activities would damage or remove some of these wetlands in order to return the drainage system to the point that it would be able to fully serve its intended function - stormwater control. The Department of Energy (DOE) regulations require that activities affecting environmentally sensitive areas like wetlands be the subject of an EA. Most portions of the surface water drainage system are presently inadequate to convey the runoff from a 100-year storm event. As a result, such an event would cause flooding across much of the Site and possibly threaten the integrity of the dams at the terminal ponds. Severe flooding would not only cause damage to facilities and equipment, but could also facilitate the transport of contaminants from individual hazardous substance sites (IHSSs). Uncontrolled flow through the A- and B-series ponds could cause contaminated sediments to become suspended and carried downstream. Additionally, high velocity flood flows significantly increase erosion losses.
Washington Wildlife Mitigation Projects : Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact.
United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Washington . Dept. of Fish and Wildlife.
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to fund the portion of the Washington Wildlife Mitigation Agreement (Agreement) pertaining to wildlife habitat mitigation projects to be undertaken in a cooperative effort with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). This Agreement serves to establish a monetary budget funded by BPA for projects proposed by Washington Wildlife Coalition members and approved by BPA to protect, mitigate, and improve wildlife and/or wildlife habitat within the State of Washington that has been affected by the construction of Federal dams along the Columbia River. This Environmental Assessment examines the potential environmental effects of acquiring and/or improving wildlife habitat within five different project areas. These project areas are located throughout Grant County and in parts of Okanogan, Douglas, Adams, Franklin, Kittias, Yakima, and Benton Counties. The multiple projects would involve varying combinations of five proposed site-specific activities (habitat improvement, operation and maintenance, monitoring and evaluation, access and recreation management, and cultural resource management). All required Federal, State, and tribal coordination, permits and/or approvals would be obtained prior to ground-disturbing activities.
Experimental developments to obtain real-time x-ray diffraction measurements in plate impact experiments
Gupta, Y.M.; Zimmerman, K.A.; Rigg, P.A.; Zaretsky, E.B.; Savage, D.M.; Bellamy, P.M.
An experimental facility was developed to obtain real-time, quantitative, x-ray diffraction data in laboratory plate impact experiments. A powder gun, to generate plane wave loading in samples, was designed and built specifically to permit flash x-ray diffraction measurements in shock-compression experiments. Spatial resolution and quality of the diffracted signals were improved significantly over past attempts through partial collimation of the incident beam and the use of two-dimensional detectors to record data from shocked crystals. The experimental configuration and synchronization issues are discussed, and relevant details of the x-ray system and the powder gun are described. Representative results are presented from experiments designed to determine unit cell compression in shock-compressed LiF single crystals subjected to both elastic and elastic-plastic deformation, respectively. The developments described here are expected to be useful for examining lattice deformation and structural changes in shock wave compression studies. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}
Assessment of Aerosol Radiative Impact over Oceanic Regions Adjacent to Indian Subcontinent using Multi-Satellite Analysis
Satheesh, S. K.; Vinoj, V.; Krishnamoorthy, K.
Using data from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments, we have retrieved regional distribution of aerosol column single scattering albedo (parameter indicative of the relative dominance of aerosol absorption and scattering effects), a most important, but least understood aerosol property in assessing its climate impact. Consequently we provide improved assessment of short wave aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) (on both regional and seasonal scales) estimates over this region. Large gradients in north-south ARF were observed as a consequence of gradients in single scattering albedo as well as aerosol optical depth. The highest ARF (-37 W m-2 at the surface) was observed over the northern Arabian Sea during June to August period (JJA). In general, ARF was higher over northern Bay of Bengal (NBoB) during winter and pre-monsoon period, whereas the ARF was higher over northern Arabian Sea (NAS) during the monsoon and post- monsoon period. The largest forcing observed over NAS during JJA is the consequence of large amounts of desert dust transported from the west Asian dust sources. High as well as seasonally invariant aerosol single scattering albedos (~0.98) were observed over the southern Indian Ocean region far from continents. The ARF estimates based on direct measurements made at a remote island location, Minicoy (8.3┬░N, 73┬░E) in the southern Arabian Sea are in good agreement with the estimates made following multisatellite analysis.
Utility DSM Rebates for electronic ballasts: National estimates and assessment of market impact (1992 - 1997)
Busch, C.B.; Atkinson, B.A.; Eto, J.H.; Turiel, I.; McMahon, J.E.
In this report we present national estimates of utility Demand-Side Management (DSM) rebates for electronic fluorescent lamp ballasts during the period of 1992 - 1997. We then compare these trends with developments in the fluorescent ballast market from 1993 - 1998. The analysis indicates that DSM rebates for electronic ballasts peaked in the mid-1990s and declined sharply in 1996 and 1997. In a parallel trend, electronic ballast sales and market share both increased significantly during 1993 - 1994 and increased more slowly in 1996 -1997.
Environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and response to comments. Radioactive waste storage
The Department of Energy`s (DOE) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (the Site), formerly known as the Rocky Flats Plant, has generated radioactive, hazardous, and mixed waste (waste with both radioactive and hazardous constituents) since it began operations in 1952. Such wastes were the byproducts of the Site`s original mission to produce nuclear weapons components. Since 1989, when weapons component production ceased, waste has been generated as a result of the Site`s new mission of environmental restoration and deactivation, decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of buildings. It is anticipated that the existing onsite waste storage capacity, which meets the criteria for low-level waste (LL), low-level mixed waste (LLM), transuranic (TRU) waste, and TRU mixed waste (TRUM) would be completely filled in early 1997. At that time, either waste generating activities must cease, waste must be shipped offsite, or new waste storage capacity must be developed.
Development of an ASTM standard guide on performing vulnerability assessments for nuclear facilities
Wilkey, D.D.
This paper describes an effort undertaken by subcommittee C26.12 (Safeguards) of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to develop a standard guide for performing vulnerability assessments (VAs). VAs are performed to determine the effectiveness of safeguards and security systems for both domestic and international nuclear facilities. These assessments address a range of threats, including theft of nuclear material and sabotage, and use an array of methods. The approach to performing and documenting VAs is varied and is largely dependent upon the tools used to perform them. This diversity can lead to tools being misused, making validation of VAs more difficult. The development of a standard guide for performing VAs would, if generally accepted, alleviate these concerns. ASTM provides a forum for developing guides that includes a high level of peer review to assure that the result is acceptable to all potential users. Additionally, the ASTM is widely recognized for setting standards, and endorsement by the Society may increase the likelihood of acceptance by the nuclear community. The goal of this work is to develop a guide that is independent of the tools being used to perform the VA and applicable to the spectrum of threats described above.
System Impacts from Interconnection of Distributed Resources: Current Status and Identification of Needs for Further Development
Basso, T. S.
This report documents and evaluates system impacts from the interconnection of distributed resources to transmission and distribution systems, including a focus on renewable distributed resource technologies. The report also identifies system impact-resolution approaches and actions, including extensions of existing approaches. Lastly, the report documents the current challenges and examines what is needed to gain a clearer understanding of what to pursue to better avoid or address system impact issues.
Wind Program Announces $2 Million to Develop and Field Test Wind Energy Bat Impact Minimization Technologies
EERE's Wind Program announced $2 million in funding to advance technologies that address wind developmentŌĆÖs potential impacts on wildlife.
An Analytical Impact Assessment Framework for Wildlife to Inform the Siting and Permitting of Wind Energy Facilities
Schwartz, Jesse D.M.
In the United States overall electrical generation capacity is expected to increase by 10-25 gigawatts (GW) per year to meet increases in demand. Wind energy is a key component of state and federal renewable energy standards, and central to the Department of EnergyŌĆÖs 20% by 2030 wind production goals. Increased wind energy development may present increased resource conflict with avian wildlife, and environmental permitting has been identified as a potential obstacle to expansion in the sector. ICF developed an analytical framework to help applicants and agencies examine potential impacts in support of facility siting and permitting. A key objective of our work was to develop a framework that is scalable from the local to the national level, and one that is generalizable across the different scales at which biological communities operate ŌĆō from local influences to meta-populations. The intent was to allow natural resource managers to estimate the cumulative impacts of turbine strikes and habitat changes on long-term population performance in the context of a species demography, genetic potential, and life history. We developed three types of models based on our literature review and participation in the scientific review processes. First, the conceptual model was developed as a general description of the analytical framework. Second, we developed the analytical framework based on the relationships between concepts, and the functions presented in the scientific literature. Third, we constructed an application of the model by parameterizing the framework using data from and relevant to the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (APWRA), and an existing golden eagle population model. We developed managed source code, database create statements, and written documentation to allow for the reproduction of each phase of the analysis. ICF identified a potential template adaptive management system in the form of the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Adaptive Harvest
Preliminary Scoping and Assessment Study of the Potential Impacts of Community-wide Radiological Events and Subsequent Decontamination Activities on Drinking Water and Wastewater Systems
Monette, F.A.; Biwer, B.M.; Tomasko, D.; Chen, S.Y.; Hais, A.; MacKinney, J.; Janke, R.
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been a great deal of concern about further attacks within the United States, particularly attacks using weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or other unconventional weapons, such as a radiological dispersal device (RDD) or 'dirty bomb', which is a type of RDD. During all phases of an RDD event, secondary impacts on drinking water and wastewater systems would be possible. Secondary impacts refer to those impacts that would occur when the water systems were not the direct or intended target of the specific event. Secondary impacts would include (1) fallout from an event occurring elsewhere on water supply reservoirs and (2) runoff into storm water and sewer systems during precipitation events or as a result of cleanup and decontamination activities. To help address potential secondary impacts, a scoping and assessment study was conducted for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Homeland Security Research Center to support its water security program. The study addresses the potential impacts on water resources and infrastructure that could result from the use of an RDD, including potential impacts from the initial attack as well as from subsequent cleanup efforts. Eight radionuclides are considered in the assessment: Am-241, Cf-252, Cs-137, Co-60, Ir-192, Pu-238, Ra-226, and Sr-90. (authors)
Global climate change and maize production in Spain: Risk assessment and impacts of weather on yields
Feijoo, M.L.; Mestre, F.; Iglesias, A.; Rosenzweig, C.
The study evaluates the potential effect of climate change on maize production in Spain, combining climate models, a crop productivity model, a decision support system and a yield-response model. The study was carried out for two agricultural regions that include the largest areas of Spain where maize is grown as a high input crop. The paper combines the output from a crop model with different techniques of analysis. The scenarios used in this study were generated from the output of two General Circulation Models (GCMs): the Goddard Institute for Space Studies model (GISS) and the Canadian Climate Change Model (CCCM). The study also includes a preliminary evaluation of the potential changes in monetary returns taking into account the possible variability of grain yields and prices, using mean-Gini stochastic dominance (MGSD). A yield response model was estimated using simulated data from the crop model. Weather variables are included. Typically, temperature and precipitation are the only weather variables included in these models. However, solar radiation is another important climate factor for plant growth and development and were included in the yield response model.
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power Development on the Population Biology of Greater Prairie-Chickens
Sandercock, Brett K.
Executive Summary 1. We investigated the impacts of wind power development on the demography, movements, and population genetics of Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) at three sites in northcentral and eastern Kansas for a 7-year period. Only 1 of 3 sites was developed for wind power, the 201MW Meridan Way Wind Power Facility at the Smoky Hills site in northcentral Kansas. Our project report is based on population data for prairie chickens collected during a 2-year preconstruction period (2007-2008), a 3-year postconstruction period (2009-2011) and one final year of lek surveys (2012). Where relevant, we present preconstruction data from our field studies at reference sites in the northern Flint Hills (2007-2009) and southern Flint Hills (2006-2008). 2. We addressed seven potential impacts of wind power development on prairie chickens: lek attendance, mating behavior, use of breeding habitat, fecundity rates, natal dispersal, survival rates, and population numbers. Our analyses of pre- and postconstruction impacts are based on an analysis of covariance design where we modeled population performance as a function of treatment period, distance to eventual or actual site of the nearest wind turbine, and the interaction of these factors. Our demographic and movement data from the 6-year study period at the Smoky Hills site included 23 lek sites, 251 radio-marked females monitored for 287 bird-years, and 264 nesting attempts. Our genetic data were based on genotypes of 1,760 females, males and chicks that were screened with a set of 27 microsatellite markers that were optimized in the lab. 3. In our analyses of lek attendance, the annual probability of lek persistence during the preconstruction period was ~0.9. During the postconstruction period, distance to nearest turbine did not have a significant effect on the probability of lek persistence. However, the probability of lek persistence increased from 0.69 at 0 m to 0.89 at 30 km from turbines, and most
Department of Energy Small-Scale Hydropower Program: Feasibility assessment and technology development summary report
Rinehart, B.N.
This report summarizes two subprograms under the US Department of Energy's Small-Scale Hydroelectric Power Program. These subprograms were part of the financial assistance activities and included the Program Research and Development Announcement (PRDA) feasibility assessments and the technology development projects. The other major subprograms included engineering research and development, legal and institutional aspects, and technology transfer. These other subprograms are covered in their respective summary reports. The problems of energy availability and increasing costs of energy led to a national effort to develop economical and environmental attractive alternative energy resources. One such alternative involved the utilization of existing dams with hydraulic heads of <65 ft and the capacity to generate hydroelectric power of 15 MW or less. Thus, the PRDA program was initiated along with the Technology Development program. The purpose of the PRDA feasibility studies was to encourage development of renewable hydroelectric resources by providing engineering, economic, environmental, safety, and institutional information. Fifty-five feasibility studies were completed under the PRDA. This report briefly summarizes each of those projects. Many of the PRDA projects went on to become technology development projects. 56 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.
Nishimura, R.; Bari, R.; Peterson, P.; Roglans-Ribas, J.; Kalenchuk, D.
Enhanced proliferation resistance and physical protection (PR&PP) is one of the technology goals for advanced nuclear concepts, such as Generation IV systems. Under the auspices of the Generation IV International Forum, the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology of the U.S. DOE, the Office of Nonproliferation Policy of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and participating organizations from six other countries are sponsoring an international working group to develop an evaluation methodology for PR&PP. This methodology will permit an objective PR&PP comparison between alternative nuclear systems (e.g., different reactor types or fuel cycles) and support design optimization to enhance robustness against proliferation, theft and sabotage. The paper summarizes the proposed assessment methodology including the assessment framework, measures used to express the PR&PP characteristics of the system, threat definition, system element and target identification, pathway identification and analysis, and estimation of the measures.
Satellite power system concept development and evaluation program system definition technical assessment report
Not Available
The results of the system definition studies conducted by NASA as a part of the Department of Energy/National Aeronautics and Space Administration SPS Concept Development and Evaluation Program are summarized. The purpose of the system definition efforts was to identify and define candidate SPS concepts and to evaluate the concepts in terms of technical and cost factors. Although the system definition efforts consisted primarily of evaluation and assessment of alternative technical approaches, a reference system was also defined to facilitate economic, environmental, and societal assessments by the Department of Energy. This reference system was designed to deliver 5 GW of electrical power to the utility grid. Topics covered include system definition; energy conversion and power management; power transmission and reception; structures, controls, and materials; construction and operations; and space transportation.
Economic Development Impacts of Community Wind Projects: A Review and Empirical Evaluation; Preprint
Lantz, E.; Tegen, S.
'Community wind' refers to a class of wind energy ownership structures. The extent of local ownership may range from a small minority share to full ownership by persons in the immediate area surrounding the wind project site. Potential project owners include local farmers, businesses, Native American tribes, universities, cooperatives, or any other local entity seeking to invest in wind energy. The opposite of community wind is an 'absentee' project, in which ownership is completely removed from the state and community surrounding the facility. Thus, there is little or no ongoing direct financial benefit to state and local populations aside from salaries for local repair technicians, local property tax payments, and land lease payments. In recent years, the community wind sector has been inhibited by manufacturers' preference for larger turbine orders. This often puts smaller community wind developers and projects at a competitive disadvantage. However, state policies specifically supporting community wind may become a more influential market factor as turbines are now more readily available given manufacturer ramp-ups and the slow-down in the industry that has accompanied the recent economic and financial crises. This report examines existing literature to provide an overview of economic impacts resulting from community wind projects, compares results, and explains variability.
Economic Development Impacts of Community Wind Projects. A Review and Empirical Evaluation
Lantz, E.; Tegen, S.
"Community wind" refers to a class of wind energy ownership structures. The extent of local ownership may range from a small minority share to full ownership by persons in the immediate area surrounding the wind project site. Potential project owners include local farmers, businesses, Native American tribes, universities, cooperatives, or any other local entity seeking to invest in wind energy. The opposite of community wind is an "absentee" project, in which ownership is completely removed from the state and community surrounding the facility. Thus, there is little or no ongoing direct financial benefit to state and local populations aside from salaries for local repair technicians, local property tax payments, and land lease payments. In recent years, the community wind sector has been inhibited by manufacturers' preference for larger turbine orders. This often puts smaller community wind developers and projects at a competitive disadvantage. However, state policies specifically supporting community wind may become a more influential market factor as turbines are now more readily available given manufacturer ramp-ups and the slow-down in the industry that has accompanied the recent economic and financial crises. This report examines existing literature to provide an overview of economic impacts resulting from community wind projects, compares results, and explains variability.
Management Challenges in Developing Performance Assessments and Effectively Communicating Their Results - 13612
Thomas, Steve; Mahoney, Mark
The end of the Cold War has left a legacy of approximately 37 million gallons of radioactive waste in the aging waste tanks at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS). A robust program is in place to remove waste from these tanks, treat the waste to separate into a relatively small volume of high level waste and a large volume of low-level waste, and to actively dispose of the low-level waste on-site and close the cleaned waste tanks and associated ancillary structures. To support performance-based, risk-informed decision making, performance assessments have been developed for the low-level waste disposal facility and for the SRS Tank Farms. Although these performance assessments share many similar features, the nature of the hazards and associated containments differ. As a management team, we are challenged to effectively communicate both the similarities and differences of these performance assessments, how they should be used to support sound decision making for treatment, disposal and waste tank cleaning decisions, and in defending their respective assumptions to the regulatory community and the public but, equally important, to our own corporate decision makers and operations personnel. Effective development and defense of these performance assessments, and effective interpretation and communication of the results are key to making cost-effective, pragmatic decisions for the safe disposal of the low-level waste and stabilization and operational closure of the cleaned tanks and associated structures. This paper will focus on the importance and challenges in communicating key attributes, conclusions and operational implications within a company. (authors)
Matzel, E; Ramirez, A; Harben, P
We are continuing the development of the Hydroacoustic Blockage Assessment Tool (HABAT) which is designed for use by analysts to predict which hydroacoustic monitoring stations can be used in discrimination analysis for any particular event. The research involves two approaches (1) model-based assessment of blockage, and (2) ground-truth data-based assessment of blockage. The tool presents the analyst with a map of the world, and plots raypath blockages from stations to sources. The analyst inputs source locations and blockage criteria, and the tool returns a list of blockage status from all source locations to all hydroacoustic stations. We are currently using the tool in an assessment of blockage criteria for simple direct-path arrivals. Hydroacoustic data, predominantly from earthquake sources, are read in and assessed for blockage at all available stations. Several measures are taken. First, can the event be observed at a station above background noise? Second, can we establish backazimuth from the station to the source. Third, how large is the decibel drop at one station relative to other stations. These observational results are then compared with model estimates to identify the best set of blockage criteria and used to create a set of blockage maps for each station. The model-based estimates are currently limited by the coarse bathymetry of existing databases and by the limitations inherent in the raytrace method. In collaboration with BBN Inc., the Hydroacoustic Coverage Assessment Model (HydroCAM) that generates the blockage files that serve as input to HABAT, is being extended to include high-resolution bathymetry databases in key areas that increase model-based blockage assessment reliability. An important aspect of this capability is to eventually include reflected T-phases where they reliably occur and to identify the associated reflectors. To assess how well any given hydroacoustic discriminant works in separating earthquake and in-water explosion
Methods for Assessing the Impact of Fog Oil Smoke on Availability, Palatability, & Food Quality of Relevant Life Stages of Insects for Threatened and Endangered Species
Driver, Crystal J.; Strenge, Dennis L.; Su, Yin-Fong; Cullinan, Valerie I.; Herrington, Ricky S.; Saunders, Danielle L.; Rogers, Lee E.
A methodology for quantifying population dynamics and food source value of insect fauna in areas subjected to fog oil smoke was developed. Our approach employed an environmentally controlled re-circulating wind tunnel outfitted with a high-heat vaporization and re-condensation fog oil generator that has been shown to produce aerosols of comparable chemistry and droplet-size distribution as those of field releases of the smoke. This method provides reproducible exposures of insects under realistic climatic and environmental conditions to fog oil aerosols that duplicate chemical and droplet-size characteristics of field releases of the smoke. The responses measured take into account reduction in food sources due to death and to changes in availability of relevant life stages of insects that form the prey base for the listed Threatened and Endangered Species. The influence of key environmental factors, wind speed and canopy structure on these responses were characterized. Data generated using this method was used to develop response functions related to particle size, concentration, wind speed, and canopy structure that will allow military personnel to assess and manage impacts to endangered species from fog oil smoke used in military training.
Environmental Assessments | netl.doe.gov
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Assessments DOE/EA-1976 Emera CNG, LLC, Compressed Natural Gas Project, Port of Palm Beach, City of Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, FL Final Environmental Assessment (Oct 2015) Finding of No Significant Impact (Oct 2015) DOE/EA-1616A: National Carbon Capture Center Project at Southern Company Services' Power Systems Development Facility near Wilsonville, AL Final Environmental Assessment (Aug 2014) Finding of No Significant Impact (Aug 2014) DOE/EA-1616: Environmental Assessment for Proposed
Lasseigne-Jackson, A. N.; Anton, J.; Jackson, J. E.; Olson, D. L.; Mishra, B.
With the introduction of new higher strength steels operating at higher pressure, the need for characterization of hydrogen content in high strength steel pipelines is timely for the pipeline industry. The higher-strength steel pipelines have higher susceptibility to hydrogen damage. Through the use of low-frequency induced current impedance measurements, a new non-contact sensor has been developed for real-time determination of diffusible hydrogen content in coated pipeline steel. A measurement scheme to separate variables associated with pipelines is discussed. This electromagnetic technique allows for a rapid, non-destructive assessment of hydrogen accumulation in coated steel line pipe and thus an evaluation of the pipeline integrity.
Development and quality assessments of commercial heat production of ATF FeCrAl tubes
Yamamoto, Yukinori
Development and quality assessment of the 2nd generation ATF FeCrAl tube production with commercial manufacturers were conducted. The manufacturing partners include Sophisticated Alloys, Inc. (SAI), Butler, PA for FeCrAl alloy casting via vacuum induction melting, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for extrusion process to prepare the master bars/tubes to be tube-drawn, and Rhenium Alloys, Inc. (RAI), North Ridgeville, OH, for tube-drawing process. The masters bars have also been provided to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) who works with Century Tubes, Inc., (CTI), San Diego, CA, as parallel tube production effort under the current program.
Thermal Properties of Starch From New Corn Lines as Impacted by Environment and During Line Development
Elizabeth M. Lenihan
The objectives of this research were to further characterize exotic by adapted corn inbreds by studying the impact of environment on their starch thermal properties, and investigating the development of starch thermal properties during kernel maturation by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A method to expedite identification of unusual starch thermal traits was investigated by examining five corn kernels at a time, instead of one kernel, which the previous screening methods used. Corn lines with known thermal functions were blended with background starch (control) in ratios of unique starch to control starch, and analyzed by using DSC. Control starch was representative of typical corn starch. The values for each ratio within a mutant type were unique ({alpha} < 0.01) for most DSC measurements. These results supported the five-kernel method for rapidly screening large amounts of corn germplasm to identify unusual starch traits. The effects of 5 growing locations on starch thermal properties from exotic by adapted corn and Corn Belt lines were studied using DSC. The warmest location, Missouri, generally produced starch with greater gelatinization onset temperature (T{sub oG}), narrower range of gelatinization (R{sub G}), and greater enthalpy of gelatinization ({Delta}H{sub G}). The coolest location, Illinois, generally resulted in starch with lower T{sub oG}, wider R{sub G}, and lower {Delta}H{sub G}. Starch from the Ames 1 farm had thermal properties similar to those of Illinois, whereas starch from the Ames 2 farm had thermal properties similar to those of Missouri. The temperature at Ames 2 may have been warmer since it was located near a river; however, soil type and quality also were different. Final corn starch structure and function change during development and maturity. Thus, the changes in starch thermal properties during 5 stages of endosperm development from exotic by adapted corn and Corn Belt lines at two locations were studied by using DSC
DOE issues Finding of No Significant Impact on Environmental Assessment for Replacement Capability for Disposal of Remote-Handled Low Level Radioactive Waste Generated at Idaho Site
Idaho Falls, ID ŌĆō After completing a careful assessment, the U.S. Department of Energy has determined that building a new facility at its Idaho National Laboratory site for continued disposal of remote-handled low level radioactive waste generated by operations at the site will not have a significant impact on the environment.
Micronucleus frequency and hematologic index in Colossoma macropomum (Pisces, Ariidae) for environmental impact assessment at a protected area in Brazil
Sousa, Debora Batista Pinheiro; Neta, Raimunda Nonata Fortes Carvalho
This study used micronucleus assays and erythrocyte indices in the freshwater fish tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, to assess environmental impacts in the Environmental Protection Area at Maracan├Ż, S├Żo Luis, Brazil. Fish were sampled from two locations within the protected area, Serena Lagoon and Ambude River, on four occasions. Biometric data (length and weight) and an aliquot of blood were collected from each fish for analysis. Erythrocyte indices including: mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were calculated, and blood samples were examined for micronuclei and nuclear morphological changes. Micronuclei were found in fish from both locations, although the frequency was higher in fish from Ambude River. Nuclear morphological changes were identified only in fish collected from Ambude River. Several nuclear morphological changes were found in erythrocytes stained with Giemsa, including: micronuclei and binucleate nuclei. On average, erythrocyte indices were lower in fish collected from Ambude River than in those from Serena Lagoon. Our results indicate that micronuclei and erythrocyte indices can be used in C. macropomum as indicators of environmental health.
Assessing the impacts of future demand for saline groundwater on commercial deployment of CCS in the United States
Davidson, Casie L.; Dooley, James J.; Dahowski, Robert T.
This paper provides a preliminary assessment of the potential impact that future demand for groundwater might have on the commercial deployment of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technologies within the United States. A number of regions within the U.S. have populations, agriculture and industries that are particularly dependent upon groundwater. Moreover, some key freshwater aquifers are already over-utilized or depleted, and others are likely to be moving toward depletion as demand grows. The need to meet future water demands may lead some parts of the nation to consider supplementing existing supplies with lower quality groundwater resources, including brackish waters that are currently not considered sources of drinking water but which could provide supplemental water via desalination. In some areas, these same deep saline-filled geologic formations also represent possible candidate carbon dioxide (CO2) storage reservoirs. The analysis presented here suggests that future constraints on CCS deployment due to potential needs to supplement conventional water supplies by desalinating deeper and more brackish waters are likely to be necessary only in limited regions across the country, particularly in areas that are already experiencing water stress.
Assessment of potential impacts of major groundwater contaminants to fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Hanford Reach, Columbia River
Geist, D.R.; Poston, T.M.; Dauble, D.D.
Past operations of Hanford Site facilities have contaminated the groundwater adjacent to the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, Washington, with various chemical and radiological constituents. The groundwater is hydraulically connected to the river and contains concentrations of contaminants that sometimes exceed federal and/or state drinking water standards or standards for the protection of aquatic life. For example, concentrations of chromium in shoreline seeps and springs at most 100 Area operable units exceed concentrations found to be toxic to fish. Nitrate and tritium concentrations in shoreline seeps are generally below drinking water standards and concentrations potentially toxic to aquatic life, but nitrate concentrations may be high enough to synergistically interact with and exacerbate chromium toxicity. The Hanford Reach also supports the largest run of fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Columbia River Basin. Numbers of fall chinook salmon returning to the Hanford Reach have increased relative to other mainstem populations during the last 30 years. Groundwater discharge appears to occur near some salmon spawning areas, but contaminants are generally not detectable in surface water samples. The concentration and potential toxicity of contaminants in the interstitial waters of the substrate where fall chinook salmon embryogenesis occurs are presently unknown. New tools are required to characterize the extent of groundwater contaminant discharge to the Hanford Reach and to resolve uncertainties associated with assessment of potential impacts to fall chinook salmon.
DRSPALL: Impact of the Modification of the Numerical Spallings Model on Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Performance Assessment.
Kicker, Dwayne Curtis; Herrick, Courtney G.; Zeitler, Todd; Malama, Bwalya; Rudeen, David Keith; Gilkey, Amy P.
The numerical code DRSPALL (from direct release spallings) is written to calculate the volume of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) solid waste subject to material failure and transport to the surface as a result of a hypothetical future inadvertent drilling intrusion. An error in the implementation of the DRSPALL finite difference equations was discovered as documented in Software Problem Report (SPR) 13-001. The modifications to DRSPALL to correct the finite difference equations are detailed, and verification and validation testing has been completed for the modified DRSPALL code. The complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) of spallings releases obtained using the modified DRSPALL is higher compared to that found in previous WIPP performance assessment (PA) calculations. Compared to previous PAs, there was an increase in the number of vectors that result in a nonzero spallings volume, which generally translates to an increase in spallings releases. The overall mean CCDFs for total releases using the modified DRSPALL are virtually unchanged, thus the modification to DRSPALL did not impact WIPP PA calculation results.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) all webpages (Extended Search)
Assessment of the Surveillance Program of the High-Level Waste Storage Tanks at Hanford :.~I LALI i~E REJ 163 ROOM 1t 4 F77L.~ ~ -_77 .:earmn OfEeg Asitn Sertr fo niomn 4 z. r _________ rment of the Surveilance Prograrn of the High-Level Storage- Tanks at Hanford P. E WOOD Robert J. Catln, Deputy Directat - Office of Environmental Compliance and Overview Office of Environment MARCH 1980 Report to the U.S. Departrent of Energy Assistant Secretary for Environment Washkngon, DC C March 27, 1980
Psychological distress as a factor in environmental impact assessment: Some methods and ideas for quantifying this intangible intangible
Egna, H.S.
A case study describing citizens` contentions that restarting Three Mile Island`s nuclear reactor (TMI-1) would cause psychological distress provides historical and legislative impetus for federal agencies to consider psycho-social dimensions in their environmental impact statements (EISs). Although the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rejected citizens` complaints on the grounds that distress is not easily quantifiable, experts associated with the case noted that the NRC`s contention was not entirely valid and that the National Environmental Protection Act missed a golden opportunity to promote the development of methodology and models for incorporating psychosocial factors into the EIS. This study describes some of the methods that have subsequently been used for measuring distress in the context of technological hazards.
Development, application and assessment of a taxonomy for characterizing international environmental problems. Master's thesis
Koehler, M.D.; Marrs, J.A.
As national leaders become increasingly aware of the environmental risks that modern technology adds to existing natural environmental problems, they have begun to search for ways to prioritize the risks they face. Several experts in risk assessment, including Professor Gordon Goodman of the Stockholm Environmental Institute, researchers at Clark University's Center for Environment, Technology, Development (CENTED), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, have already developed some hazard characterization taxonomies that attempt to fill this need. The Kennedy School of Government (KSG) taxonomy if the next iteration of taxonomies designed to characterize environmental problems. The purpose of this Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) is to test and evaluate the KSG taxonomy. In order to accomplish these goals, the United States and India are presented as case studies. The final section of this PAE provides recommendations to policy makers who use the KSG taxonomy.
Decision Impact Assessment Model
Energy Science and Technology Software Center (OSTI)
DIAMOND represents the decision-making environment that utility planners and executives face. Users interact with the model after every year or two of simulation, which provides an opportunity to modify past decisions as well as to make new decisions. For example, construction of a power plant can be started one year, and if circumstances change, the plant can be accelerated, mothballed, cancelled, or continued as originally planned. Similarly, the marketing and financial incentives for demand-side managementmore┬Ā┬╗ programs can be changed from year to year. This frequent user interaction with the model, an operational game, should build greater understanding and insights among utility planners about the risks associated with different types of resources.┬½┬Āless
website. For this reason, PIAs affecting Members of the Public should be written in plain language and at a high level so they are easily understandable and do not disclose...
PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Office
Office of Environmental Management (EM)
... ACCESS, SAFEGUARDS & SECURITY 24. What controls are In place to Access to data is based on unique user id numberpassword and role- protect the data from unauthorized access, based ...
Western oil shale development: a technology assessment. Volume 1. Main report
Not Available
The general goal of this study is to present the prospects of shale oil within the context of (1) environmental constraints, (2) available natural and economic resources, and (3) the characteristics of existing and emerging technology. The objectives are: to review shale oil technologies objectively as a means of supplying domestically produced fuels within environmental, social, economic, and legal/institutional constraints; using available data, analyses, and experienced judgment, to examine the major points of uncertainty regarding potential impacts of oil shale development; to resolve issues where data and analyses are compelling or where conclusions can be reached on judgmental grounds; to specify issues which cannot be resolved on the bases of the data, analyses, and experienced judgment currently available; and when appropriate and feasible, to suggest ways for the removal of existing uncertainties that stand in the way of resolving outstanding issues.
Non-linear Seismic Soil Structure Interaction Method for Developing Nonlinear Seismic SSI
Office of Environmental Management (EM)
Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Methodology Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Methodology This appendix provides detailed information on the methodology DOE used to develop the assessment of potential impacts from noise and vibration described in Sections 4.2.8 and 4.3.8 of the Rail Alignment EIS (DOE/EIS-0639D). Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Methodology (4.02 MB) More Documents & Publications Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: Widening Trench 36 of the 218-E-12B Low-Level Burial Ground, Hanford Site, Richland, Washington
This environmental assessment was prepared to assess potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed action to widen and operate unused Trench 36 in the 218-E-12B Low-Level Burial Ground for disposal of low-level waste. Information contained herein will be used by the Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, to determine if the Proposed Action is a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. If the Proposed Action is determined to be major and significant, an environmental impact statement will be prepared. If the Proposed Action is determined not to be major and significant, a Finding of No Significant Impact will be issued and the action may proceed. Criteria used to evaluate significance can be found in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations 1508.27. This environmental assessment was prepared in compliance with the ''National Environmental Policy Act of1969'', as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of ''National Environmental Policy Act'' (Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations 1500-1508), and the U.S. Department of Energy Implementing Procedures for ''National Environmental Polio Act'' (Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations 1021). The following is a description of each section of this environmental assessment. (1) Purpose and Need for Action. This section provides a brief statement concerning the problem or opportunity the U.S, Department of Energy is addressing with the Proposed Action. Background information is provided. (2) Description of the Proposed Action. This section provides a description of the Proposed Action with sufficient detail to identify potential environmental impacts. (3) Alternatives to the Proposed Action. This section describes reasonable,alternative actions to the Proposed Action, which addresses the Purpose and Need. A No Action Alternative, as required by Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations 1021
Assessing National Employment Impacts of Investment in Residential and Commercial Sector Energy Efficiency: Review and Example Analysis
Anderson, David M.; Belzer, David B.; Livingston, Olga V.; Scott, Michael J.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) modeled the employment impacts of a major national initiative to accelerate energy efficiency trends at one of two levels: ŌĆó 15 percent savings by 2030. In this scenario, efficiency activities save about 15 percent of the Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) Reference Case electricity consumption by 2030. It is assumed that additional energy savings in both the residential and commercial sectors begin in 2015 at zero, and then increase in an S-shaped market penetration curve, with the level of savings equal to about 7.0 percent of the AEO 2014 U.S. national residential and commercial electricity consumption saved by 2020, 14.8 percent by 2025, and 15 percent by 2030. ŌĆó 10 percent savings by 2030. In this scenario, additional savings begin at zero in 2015, increase to 3.8 percent in 2020, 9.8 percent by 2025, and 10 percent of the AEO reference case value by 2030. The analysis of the 15 percent case indicates that by 2030 more than 300,000 new jobs would likely result from such policies, including an annual average of more than 60,000 jobs directly supporting the installation and maintenance of energy efficiency measures and practices. These are new jobs resulting initially from the investment associated with the construction of more energy-efficient new buildings or the retrofit of existing buildings and would be sustained for as long as the investment continues. Based on what is known about the current level of building-sector energy efficiency jobs, this would represent an increase of more than 10 percent from the current estimated level of over 450,000 such jobs. The more significant and longer-lasting effect comes from the redirection of energy bill savings toward the purchase of other goods and services in the general economy, with its attendant influence on increasing the total number of jobs. This example analysis utilized PNNLŌĆÖs ImSET model, a modeling framework that PNNL has used over the past two decades to assess
Development of Quality Assessment Techniques for Large Eddy Simulation of Propulsion and Power Systems in Complex Geometries
Lacaze, Guilhem; Oefelein, Joseph
Large-eddy-simulation (LES) is quickly becoming a method of choice for studying complex thermo-physics in a wide range of propulsion and power systems. It provides a means to study coupled turbulent combustion and flow processes in parameter spaces that are unattainable using direct-numerical-simulation (DNS), with a degree of fidelity that can be far more accurate than conventional engineering methods such as the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approx- imation. However, development of predictive LES is complicated by the complex interdependence of different type of errors coming from numerical methods, algorithms, models and boundary con- ditions. On the other hand, control of accuracy has become a critical aspect in the development of predictive LES for design. The objective of this project is to create a framework of metrics aimed at quantifying the quality and accuracy of state-of-the-art LES in a manner that addresses the myriad of competing interdependencies. In a typical simulation cycle, only 20% of the computational time is actually usable. The rest is spent in case preparation, assessment, and validation, because of the lack of guidelines. This work increases confidence in the accuracy of a given solution while min- imizing the time obtaining the solution. The approach facilitates control of the tradeoffs between cost, accuracy, and uncertainties as a function of fidelity and methods employed. The analysis is coupled with advanced Uncertainty Quantification techniques employed to estimate confidence in model predictions and calibrate model's parameters. This work has provided positive conse- quences on the accuracy of the results delivered by LES and will soon have a broad impact on research supported both by the DOE and elsewhere.
A knowledge based system for economic analysis and risk assessment of subsea development scenarios for small oilfields in the North Sea
Dyer, N.J.; Ford, J.T.; Tweedie, A.
The decision to develop a small (<100 mmbbls) oilfield in the UK sector of the Central/Northern North Sea requires a careful assessment of all aspects of the field development plan: the reservoir model (reserves and production profile); capital and operating costs; and the current economic climate (oil price, interest rates, tax regime etc). This paper describes the development of a knowledge based software package that allows a quick look assessment of the overall economics and risk profile associated with the development of small oilfields in this region. It is a modular system that uses a cost database, cost adjustment algorithms, cash flow analysis engine and simulation procedures to integrate and analyze the impact of reservoir and production characteristics costs (capex and opex) and economic factors on the decision to develop such a field. The production system configurations considered by the system are: (1) an unmanned wellhead platform tied back to a third party platform for fluid processing/export, (2) an FPSO with oil export via a shuttle tanker and gas export via a tie-in to the existing North Sea gas pipeline infrastructure, and (3) a straight tie-back from a group of subsea wells to a third party platform for fluid processing/export.
Development of Simplified Probabilistic Risk Assessment Model for Seismic Initiating Event
S. Khericha; R. Buell; S. Sancaktar; M. Gonzalez; F. Ferrante
ABSTRACT This paper discusses a simplified method to evaluate seismic risk using a methodology built on dividing the seismic intensity spectrum into multiple discrete bins. The seismic probabilistic risk assessment model uses Nuclear Regulatory CommissionÆs (NRCÆs) full power Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) model as the starting point for development. The seismic PRA models are integrated with their respective internal events at-power SPAR model. This is accomplished by combining the modified system fault trees from the full power SPAR model with seismic event tree logic. The peak ground acceleration is divided into five bins. The g-value for each bin is estimated using the geometric mean of lower and upper values of that particular bin and the associated frequency for each bin is estimated by taking the difference between upper and lower values of that bin. The componentÆs fragilities are calculated for each bin using the plant data, if available, or generic values of median peak ground acceleration and uncertainty values for the components. For human reliability analysis (HRA), the SPAR HRA (SPAR-H) method is used which requires the analysts to complete relatively straight forward worksheets that include the performance shaping factors (PSFs). The results are then used to estimate human error probabilities (HEPs) of interest. This work is expected to improve the NRCÆs ability to include seismic hazards in risk assessments for operational events in support of the reactor oversight program (e.g., significance determination process).
Development and methodology of level 1 probability safety assessment at PUSPATI TRIGA Reactor
Maskin, Mazleha; Tom, Phongsakorn Prak; Lanyau, Tonny Anak; Saad, Mohamad Fauzi; Ismail, Ahmad Razali; Abu, Mohamad Puad Haji; Brayon, Fedrick Charlie Matthew; Mohamed, Faizal
As a consequence of the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, the safety aspects of the one and only research reactor (31 years old) in Malaysia need be reviewed. Based on this decision, Malaysian Nuclear Agency in collaboration with Atomic Energy Licensing Board and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia develop a Level-1 Probability Safety Assessment on this research reactor. This work is aimed to evaluate the potential risks of incidents in RTP and at the same time to identify internal and external hazard that may cause any extreme initiating events. This report documents the methodology in developing a Level 1 PSA performed for the RTP as a complementary approach to deterministic safety analysis both in neutronics and thermal hydraulics. This Level-1 PSA work has been performed according to the procedures suggested in relevant IAEA publications and at the same time numbers of procedures has been developed as part of an Integrated Management System programme implemented in Nuclear Malaysia.
New Developments in the Technology Readiness Assessment Process in US DOE-EM - 13247
Krahn, Steven; Sutter, Herbert; Johnson, Hoyt
A Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) is a systematic, metric-based process and accompanying report that evaluates the maturity of the technologies used in systems; it is designed to measure technology maturity using the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1980's. More recently, DoD has adopted and provided systematic guidance for performing TRAs and determining TRLs. In 2007 the GAO recommended that the DOE adopt the NASA/DoD methodology for evaluating technology maturity. Earlier, in 2006-2007, DOE-EM had conducted pilot TRAs on a number of projects at Hanford and Savannah River. In March 2008, DOE-EM issued a process guide, which established TRAs as an integral part of DOE-EM's Project Management Critical Decision Process. Since the development of its detailed TRA guidance in 2008, DOE-EM has continued to accumulate experience in the conduct of TRAs and the process for evaluating technology maturity. DOE has developed guidance on TRAs applicable department-wide. DOE-EM's experience with the TRA process, the evaluations that led to recently developed proposed revisions to the DOE-EM TRA/TMP Guide; the content of the proposed changes that incorporate the above lessons learned and insights are described. (authors)
Coal liquefaction: A research and development needs assessment: Final report, Volume II
Schindler, H.D.; Burke, F.P.; Chao, K.C.; Davis, B.H.; Gorbaty, M.L.; Klier, K.; Kruse, C.W.; Larsen, J.W.; Lumpkin, R.E.; McIlwain, M.E.; Wender, I.; Stewart, N.
Volume II of this report on an assessment of research needs for coal liquefaction contains reviews of the five liquefaction technologies---direct, indirect, pyrolysis, coprocessing, and bioconversion. These reviews are not meant to be encyclopedic; several outstanding reviews of liquefaction have appeared in recent years and the reader is referred to these whenever applicable. Instead, these chapters contain reviews of selected topics that serve to support the panel's recommendations or to illustrate recent accomplishments, work in progress, or areas of major research interest. At the beginning of each of these chapters is a brief introduction and a summary of the most important research recommendations brought out during the panel discussions and supported by the material presented in the review. A review of liquefaction developments outside the US is included. 594 refs., 100 figs., 60 tabs.
Development of Metric for Measuring the Impact of RD&D Funding on GTO's Geothermal Exploration Goals (Presentation)
Jenne, S.; Young, K. R.; Thorsteinsson, H.
The Department of Energy's Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) provides RD&D funding for geothermal exploration technologies with the goal of lowering the risks and costs of geothermal development and exploration. In 2012, NREL was tasked with developing a metric to measure the impacts of this RD&D funding on the cost and time required for exploration activities. The development of this metric included collecting cost and time data for exploration techniques, creating a baseline suite of exploration techniques to which future exploration and cost and time improvements could be compared, and developing an online tool for graphically showing potential project impacts (all available at http://en.openei.org/wiki/Gateway:Geothermal). The conference paper describes the methodology used to define the baseline exploration suite of techniques (baseline), as well as the approach that was used to create the cost and time data set that populates the baseline. The resulting product, an online tool for measuring impact, and the aggregated cost and time data are available on the Open EI website for public access (http://en.openei.org).
Use of GIS and 3D Modeling for Development and Conceptualization of a Performance Assessment Model for Decommissioning of a Complex Site
Esh, D. W.; Gross, A. J.; Thaggard, M.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and 3D geo-spatial modeling were employed to facilitate development and conceptualization of a performance assessment (PA) model that will be used to evaluate the health impacts of residual radioactivity at a former nuclear materials processing facility site in New York. Previous operations have resulted in a number of different sources of radiological contamination that must be assessed during site decommissioning. A performance assessment model is being developed to estimate radiological dose to potential receptors through the simulation of the release and transport of radionuclides, and exposure to residual contamination for hundreds to thousands of years in the future. A variety of inputs are required to parameterize the performance assessment model, such as: distance from the waste to surface water bodies, thickness of geologic units for saturated transport, saturated thickness of the geologic units, and spatial and temporal average of percent of waste that is saturated. GIS and 3D modeling are used to analyze and abstract aleatory uncertainty associated with the dimensionality of the geologic system into epistemic uncertainty for one- and two-dimensional process models for flow and transport of radionuclides. Three-dimensional geo-spatial modeling was used to develop the geologic framework and the geometrical representation of the residual contamination within the geologic framework. GIS was used in the initial development and parameterization of the transport pathways, to provide spatial context to the PA model, and to link it to the 3D geologic framework and contamination geometry models. Both the GIS and 3-D modeling were used to interpret the results of runs of the PA model. (authors)
Economic Development Impacts from Wind Power in the Western Governors' Association States (Poster)
Tegen, S.; Goldberg, M.; Milligan, M.
The Western Governors' Association created the Clean and Diversified Energy Advisory Committee (CDEAC) "to utilize the region's diverse resources to produce affordable, sustainable, and environmentally reponsible energy." This conference poster, prepared for WINDPOWER 2007 in Los Angeles, outlines the economic impact to the Western United States from new wind energy projects.
Nuclear Energy Readiness Indicator Index (NERI): A benchmarking tool for assessing nuclear capacity in developing countries
Declining natural resources, rising oil prices, looming climate change and the introduction of nuclear energy partnerships, such as GNEP, have reinvigorated global interest in nuclear energy. The convergence of such issues has prompted countries to move ahead quickly to deal with the challenges that lie ahead. However, developing countries, in particular, often lack the domestic infrastructure and public support needed to implement a nuclear energy program in a safe, secure, and nonproliferation-conscious environment. How might countries become ready for nuclear energy? What is needed is a framework for assessing a country's readiness for nuclear energy. This paper suggests that a Nuclear Energy Readiness Indicator (NERI) Index might serve as a meaningful basis for assessing a country's status in terms of progress toward nuclear energy utilization under appropriate conditions. The NERI Index is a benchmarking tool that measures a country's level of 'readiness' for nonproliferation-conscious nuclear energy development. NERI first identifies 8 key indicators that have been recognized by the International Atomic Energy Agency as key nonproliferation and security milestones to achieve prior to establishing a nuclear energy program. It then measures a country's progress in each of these areas on a 1-5 point scale. In doing so NERI illuminates gaps or underdeveloped areas in a country's nuclear infrastructure with a view to enable stakeholders to prioritize the allocation of resources toward programs and policies supporting international nonproliferation goals through responsible nuclear energy development. On a preliminary basis, the indicators selected include: (1) demonstrated need; (2) expressed political support; (3) participation in nonproliferation and nuclear security treaties, international terrorism conventions, and export and border control arrangements; (4) national nuclear-related legal and regulatory mechanisms; (5) nuclear infrastructure; (6) the
Model Developments for Development of Improved Emissions Scenarios: Developing Purchasing-Power Parity Models, Analyzing Uncertainty, and Developing Data Sets for Gridded Integrated Assessment Models
Yang, Zili; Nordhaus, William
In the duration of this project, we finished the main tasks set up in the initial proposal. These tasks include: setting up the basic platform in GAMS language for the new RICE 2007 model; testing various model structure of RICE 2007; incorporating PPP data set in the new RICE model; developing gridded data set for IA modeling.
Grid Impacts of Wind Power Variability: Recent Assessments from a Variety of Utilities in the United States (Presentation)
Parsons, B.
Presentation for the European Wind Energy Conference held February 27--March 2, 2006, in Athens, Greece, showing grid impacts of wind power variability.
Report to Congress on Assessment of Potential Impact of Concentrating Solar Power for Electriicty Generation (EPACT 2005--Section 934(c))
Wilkins, F.
Summary of DOE's assessment of issues regarding EPAct 2005, which requires the Secretary of Energy to assess conflicting guidance on the economic potential of concentrating solar power for electricity production.
Final base case community analysis: Indian Springs, Nevada for the Clark County socioeconomic impact assessment of the proposed high- level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada
This document provides a base case description of the rural Clark County community of Indian Springs in anticipation of change associated with the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. As the community closest to the proposed site, Indian Springs may be seen by site characterization workers, as well as workers associated with later repository phases, as a logical place to live. This report develops and updates information relating to a broad spectrum of socioeconomic variables, thereby providing a `snapshot` or `base case` look at Indian Springs in early 1992. With this as a background, future repository-related developments may be analytically separated from changes brought about by other factors, thus allowing for the assessment of the magnitude of local changes associated with the proposed repository. Given the size of the community, changes that may be considered small in an absolute sense may have relatively large impacts at the local level. Indian Springs is, in many respects, a unique community and a community of contrasts. An unincorporated town, it is a small yet important enclave of workers on large federal projects and home to employees of small- scale businesses and services. It is a rural community, but it is also close to the urbanized Las Vega Valley. It is a desert community, but has good water resources. It is on flat terrain, but it is located within 20 miles of the tallest mountains in Nevada. It is a town in which various interest groups diverge on issues of local importance, but in a sense of community remains an important feature of life. Finally, it has a sociodemographic history of both surface transience and underlying stability. If local land becomes available, Indian Springs has some room for growth but must first consider the historical effects of growth on the town and its desired direction for the future.
Life-cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management alternatives with consideration of uncertainty: SIWMS development and application
El Hanandeh, Ali; El-Zein, Abbas
This paper describes the development and application of the Stochastic Integrated Waste Management Simulator (SIWMS) model. SIWMS provides a detailed view of the environmental impacts and associated costs of municipal solid waste (MSW) management alternatives under conditions of uncertainty. The model follows a life-cycle inventory approach extended with compensatory systems to provide more equitable bases for comparing different alternatives. Economic performance is measured by the net present value. The model is verified against four publicly available models under deterministic conditions and then used to study the impact of uncertainty on Sydney's MSW management 'best practices'. Uncertainty has a significant effect on all impact categories. The greatest effect is observed in the global warming category where a reversal of impact direction is predicted. The reliability of the system is most sensitive to uncertainties in the waste processing and disposal. The results highlight the importance of incorporating uncertainty at all stages to better understand the behaviour of the MSW system.
An assessment of leadership in geothermal energy technology research and development
Bruch, V.L.
Geothermal energy is one of the more promising renewable energy technologies because it is environmentally benign and, unlike most renewable energy sources, can provide base power. This report provides an assessment of the research and development (R&D) work underway in geothermal energy in the following countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United Kingdom. While the R&D work underway in the US exceeds the R&D efforts of the other countries, the lead is eroding. This erosion is due to reductions in federal government funding for geothermal energy R&D and the decline of the US petroleum industry. This erosion of R&D leadership is hindering commercialization of US geothermal energy products and services. In comparison, the study countries are promoting the commercialization of their geothermal energy products and services. As a result, some of these countries, in particular Japan, will probably have the largest share of the global market for geothermal energy products and services; these products and services being targeted toward the developing countries (the largest market for geothermal energy).
ECOSYSTEM IMPACTS OF GEOENGINEERING: A Review for Developing a Science Plan
Russell, Lynn M.; Rasch, Philip J.; Mace, Georgina; Jackson, Robert B.; Shepherd, John; Liss, Peter; Leinen, Margaret; Schimel, David; Vaughan, Naomi E.; Janetos, Anthony C.; Boyd, Philip W.; Norby, Richard J.; Caldeira, Ken; Merikanto, Joonas; Artaxo, Paulo; Melillo, Jerry; Morgan, M. Granger
Geoengineering methods are intended to reduce the magnitude of climate change. Climate change in some regions is already having demonstrable effects on ecosystem structure and functioning. Two different types of geoengineering activities have been proposed: carbon dioxide removal (CDR), which includes a range of engineered and biological processes to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, and solar radiation management (SRM, or sunlight reflection methods), whereby a small percentage of sunlight is reflected back into space to offset warming from greenhouse gases. In this review, we evaluate some of the possible impacts of CDR and SRM on the physical climate and their subsequent influence on ecosystems, including the risks and uncertainties associated with new kinds of purposeful perturbations to Earth. Specifically, we find evidence that, if implemented successfully, some CDR methods and continue use of some SRM methods) could alleviate some of the deleterious ecosystem impacts associated with climate changes that might occur in the foreseeable future.
Understanding Energy Impacts of Oversized Air Conditioners; NREL Highlights, Research & Development, NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
This NREL highlight describes a simulation-based study that analyzes the energy impacts of oversized residential air conditioners. Researchers found that, if parasitic power losses are minimal, there is very little increase in energy use for oversizing an air conditioner. The research demonstrates that new residential air conditioners can be sized primarily based on comfort considerations, because capacity typically has minimal impact on energy efficiency. The results of this research can be useful for contractors and homeowners when choosing a new air conditioner or heat pump during retrofits of existing homes. If the selected unit has a crankcase heater, performing proper load calculations to be sure the new unit is not oversized will help avoid excessive energy use.
Assessment of Ports for Offshore Wind Development in the United States
Elkinton, Chris; Blatiak, Alicia; Ameen, Hafsa
As offshore wind energy develops in the United States, port facilities will become strategic hubs in the offshore wind farm supply chain because all plant and transport logistics must transit through these facilities. Therefore, these facilities must provide suitable infrastructure to meet the specific requirements of the offshore wind industry. As a result, it is crucial that federal and state policy-makers and port authorities take effective action to position ports in the offshore wind value chain to take best advantage of their economic potential. The U.S. Department of Energy tasked the independent consultancy GL Garrad Hassan (GL GH) with carrying out a review of the current capability of U.S. ports to support offshore wind project development and an assessment of the challenges and opportunities related to upgrading this capability to support the growth of as many as 54 gigawatts of offshore wind installed in U.S. waters by 2030. The GL GH report and the open-access web-based Ports Assessment Tool resulting from this study will aid decision-makers in making informed decisions regarding the choice of ports for specific offshore projects, and the types of investments that would be required to make individual port facilities suitable to serve offshore wind manufacturing, installation and/or operations. The offshore wind industry in the United States is still in its infancy and this study finds that additional port facilities capable of supporting offshore wind projects are needed to meet the anticipated project build-out by 2030; however, no significant barriers exist to prevent the development of such facilities. Furthermore, significant port capabilities are in place today with purpose-build port infrastructure currently being built. While there are currently no offshore wind farms operating in the United States, much of the infrastructure critical to the success of such projects does exist, albeit in the service of other industries. This conclusion is based
Development of a new technique to assess susceptibility to predation resulting from sublethal stresses (indirect mortality)
?ada, Glenn F.; Ryon, Michael G.; Wolf, Dennis A.; Smith, Brennan T.
Fish that pass through a hydroelectric turbine may not be killed directly, but may nonetheless experience sublethal stresses that will increase their susceptibility to predators (indirect mortality). There is a need to develop reliable tests for indirect mortality so that the full consequences of passage through turbines (and other routes around a hydroelectric dam) can be assessed. This study evaluated a new technique for assessing indirect mortality, based on a behavioral response to a startling stimulus (akin to perceiving an approaching predator). The study compared this technique to the standard predator preference test. To do this, the study first subjected striped shiners and fathead minnows to varying intensities of either turbulence (10-, 20- or 30-min) or 2-min exposures to a fish anesthetic (100 or 200 mg/L of tricaine methanesulfonate), and evaluated their subsequent behavior. Individual fish were given a startle stimulus and filmed with a high-speed video camera. Second, a standard predator preference test was conducted with largemouth bass as the predators and fathead minnows as prey. In this test design, groups of 10 unstressed fish (controls) and 10 stressed fish were put in a tank with a predator. The stressed fathead minnows were exposed to turbulence or fish anesthetic. This pattern was the same as seen in fathead minnows using the startle response (escape behavior) test. The resulting image files were analyzed for a variety of behavioral measures including: presence of a response, time to first reaction, duration of reaction, time to formation of maximum C-shape, time to completion of C-shape, and completeness of C-shape.
A Large-Scale, High-Resolution Hydrological Model Parameter Data Set for Climate Change Impact Assessment for the Conterminous US
Oubeidillah, Abdoul A; Kao, Shih-Chieh; Ashfaq, Moetasim; Naz, Bibi S; Tootle, Glenn
To extend geographical coverage, refine spatial resolution, and improve modeling efficiency, a computation- and data-intensive effort was conducted to organize a comprehensive hydrologic dataset with post-calibrated model parameters for hydro-climate impact assessment. Several key inputs for hydrologic simulation including meteorologic forcings, soil, land class, vegetation, and elevation were collected from multiple best-available data sources and organized for 2107 hydrologic subbasins (8-digit hydrologic units, HUC8s) in the conterminous United States at refined 1/24 (~4 km) spatial resolution. Using high-performance computing for intensive model calibration, a high-resolution parameter dataset was prepared for the macro-scale Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model. The VIC simulation was driven by DAYMET daily meteorological forcing and was calibrated against USGS WaterWatch monthly runoff observations for each HUC8. The results showed that this new parameter dataset may help reasonably simulate runoff at most US HUC8 subbasins. Based on this exhaustive calibration effort, it is now possible to accurately estimate the resources required for further model improvement across the entire conterminous United States. We anticipate that through this hydrologic parameter dataset, the repeated effort of fundamental data processing can be lessened, so that research efforts can emphasize the more challenging task of assessing climate change impacts. The pre-organized model parameter dataset will be provided to interested parties to support further hydro-climate impact assessment.
Energy Efficiency in Western Utility Resource Plans: Impacts onRegional Resources Assessment and Support for WGA Policies
Hopper, Nicole; Goldman, Charles; Schlegal, Jeff
In the aftermath of the consumer price shocks and short-term power shortages of the 2000-01 electricity crisis, policymakers and regulators in Western states are placing increased emphasis on integrated resource planning (IRP), resource adequacy and assessment and a diversified portfolio of resources to meet the needs of electricity consumers. In some states, this has led to a resurgence in state and utility commitments to energy efficiency. Increasing interest in acquiring energy efficiency as a power-system resource is also driven by the desire to dampen high growth rates in electricity demand in some Western states, rapid increases in natural gas prices, concerns about the environmental impacts of electricity generation (e.g. water consumption by power plants, air quality), and the potential of energy efficiency to provide utility bill savings for households and businesses (WGA CDEAC 2006). Recognizing the cost-competitiveness and environmental benefits of energy efficiency, the Western Governor's Association (WGA) has set a high priority for energy efficiency, establishing a goal of reducing projected electricity demand by 20% across the West by 2020 in a policy resolution on Clean and Diversified Energy for the West (WGA 2004). Nationally, the need for improved tracking of demand-side resources in load forecasting is formalized in the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC)'s recently adopted reliability standards, which utilities and regional reliability organizations will need to comply with (NERC 2005a and 2005b). In this study, we examine the treatment of energy efficiency in recent resource plans issued by fourteen investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in the Western United States and Canada. The goals of this study are to: (1) summarize energy-efficiency resources as represented in a large sample of recent resource plans prepared by Western utilities and identify key issues; (2) evaluate the extent to which the information provided in current
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Presentation - Assessing the Feasibility of Renewable Energy Development and Energy Efficiency Deployment on Tribal Lands
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
Community PRESENTATION Assessing the Feasibility of Renewable Energy Development and Energy Efficiency Deployment on Tribal Lands November 18, 2009 Gregg Nominelli, J.D. Economic Developer BACKGROUND INFORMATION 'ü« U.S. Department of Justice 'ü« Tribal Council formed Committee for Alternative & Renewable Energy 'ü« Council for Energy Resource Tribes 'ü« Targeted Wind Power Development & Energy Efficiency U.S. Department of Justice 'ü« Weed & Seed Program 'ü« Community Capacity
Tank Waste Remediation System tank waste pretreatment and vitrification process development testing requirements assessment
Howden, G.F.
A multi-faceted study was initiated in November 1993 to provide assurance that needed testing capabilities, facilities, and support infrastructure (sampling systems, casks, transportation systems, permits, etc.) would be available when needed for process and equipment development to support pretreatment and vitrification facility design and construction schedules. This first major report provides a snapshot of the known testing needs for pretreatment, low-level waste (LLW) and high-level waste (HLW) vitrification, and documents the results of a series of preliminary studies and workshops to define the issues needing resolution by cold or hot testing. Identified in this report are more than 140 Hanford Site tank waste pretreatment and LLW/HLW vitrification technology issues that can only be resolved by testing. The report also broadly characterizes the level of testing needed to resolve each issue. A second report will provide a strategy(ies) for ensuring timely test capability. Later reports will assess the capabilities of existing facilities to support needed testing and will recommend siting of the tests together with needed facility and infrastructure upgrades or additions.
An assessment of research and development leadership in advanced batteries for electric vehicles
Bruch, V.L.
Due to the recently enacted California regulations requiring zero emission vehicles be sold in the market place by 1998, electric vehicle research and development (R&D) is accelerating. Much of the R&D work is focusing on the Achilles` heel of electric vehicles -- advanced batteries. This report provides an assessment of the R&D work currently underway in advanced batteries and electric vehicles in the following countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Although the US can be considered one of the leading countries in terms of advanced battery and electric vehicle R&D work, it lags other countries, particularly France, in producing and promoting electric vehicles. The US is focusing strictly on regulations to promote electric vehicle usage while other countries are using a wide variety of policy instruments (regulations, educational outreach programs, tax breaks and subsidies) to encourage the use of electric vehicles. The US should consider implementing additional policy instruments to ensure a domestic market exists for electric vehicles. The domestic is the largest and most important market for the US auto industry.
The financial attractiveness assessment of large waste management projects registered as clean development mechanism
Bufoni, Andr├® Luiz
Highlights: ŌĆó Projects are not financially attractive without registration as CDMs. ŌĆó WM benchmarks and indicators are converging and reducing in variance. ŌĆó A sensitivity analysis reveal that revenue has more of an effect on the financial results. ŌĆó Results indicate that an extensive database would reduce WM project risk and capital costs. ŌĆó Disclosure standards would make information more comparable worldwide. - Abstract: This study illustrates the financial analyses for demonstration and assessment of additionality presented in the project design (PDD) and enclosed documents of the 431 large Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) classified as the ŌĆśwaste handling and disposal sectorŌĆÖ (13) over the past ten years (2004ŌĆō2014). The expected certified emissions reductions (CER) of these projects total 63.54 million metric tons of CO{sub 2}eq, where eight countries account for 311 projects and 43.36 million metric tons. All of the projects declare themselves ŌĆśnot financially attractiveŌĆÖ without CER with an estimated sum of negative results of approximately a half billion US$. The results indicate that WM benchmarks and indicators are converging and reducing in variance, and the sensitivity analysis reveals that revenues have a greater effect on the financial results. This work concludes that an extensive financial database with simple standards for disclosure would greatly diminish statement problems and make information more comparable, reducing the risk and capital costs of WM projects.
ITP Petroleum Refining: Impacts of Condition Assessment on Energy Use: Selected Applications in Chemicals Processing and Petroleum Refining
Condition assessment refers to inspection of equipment for conditions such as corrosion, fatigue, metal wear, wall loss, cracking, and degradation of material linings, coatings, and claddings.
Unconventional Oil and Gas Projects Help Reduce Environmental Impact of Development
The Office of Fossil EnergyŌĆÖs National Energy Technology Laboratory has an unconventional oil and gas program devoted to research in this important area of energy development. The laboratory partners with industry and academia through cost-sharing agreements to develop scientific knowledge and advance technologies that can improve the environmental performance of unconventional resource development. Once the resulting technologies are deployed for commercial use, our nation stands to reap huge benefits.
A method for the assessment of site-specific economic impacts of commercial and industrial biomass energy facilities. A handbook and computer model
Not Available
A handbook on ``A Method for the Assessment of Site-specific Econoomic Impacts of Industrial and Commercial Biomass Energy Facilities`` has been prepared by Resource Systems Group Inc. under contract to the Southeastern Regional Biomass Energy Program (SERBEP). The handbook includes a user-friendly Lotus 123 spreadsheet which calculates the economic impacts of biomass energy facilities. The analysis uses a hybrid approach, combining direct site-specific data provided by the user, with indirect impact multipliers from the US Forest Service IMPLAN input/output model for each state. Direct economic impacts are determined primarily from site-specific data and indirect impacts are determined from the IMPLAN multipliers. The economic impacts are given in terms of income, employment, and state and federal taxes generated directly by the specific facility and by the indirect economic activity associated with each project. A worksheet is provided which guides the user in identifying and entering the appropriate financial data on the plant to be evaluated. The WLAN multipliers for each state are included in a database within the program. The multipliers are applied automatically after the user has entered the site-specific data and the state in which the facility is located. Output from the analysis includes a summary of direct and indirect income, employment and taxes. Case studies of large and small wood energy facilities and an ethanol plant are provided as examples to demonstrate the method. Although the handbook and program are intended for use by those with no previous experience in economic impact analysis, suggestions are given for the more experienced user who may wish to modify the analysis techniques.
Hydrogen Production from Biomass via Indirect Gasification: The Impact of NREL Process Development Unit Gasifier Correlations
Kinchin, C. M.; Bain, R. L.
This report describes a set of updated gasifier correlations developed by NREL to predict biomass gasification products and Minimum Hydrogen Selling Price.
Pit disassembly and conversion demonstration environmental assessment and research and development activities
A significant portion of the surplus plutonium is in the form of pits, a nuclear weapons component. Pits are composed of plutonium which is sealed in a metallic shell. These pits would need to be safely disassembled and permanently converted to an unclassified form that would be suitable for long-term disposition and international inspection. To determine the feasibility of an integrated pit disassembly and conversion system, a Pit Disassembly and Conversion Demonstration is proposed to take place at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This demonstration would be done in existing buildings and facilities, and would involve the disassembly of up to 250 pits and conversion of the recovered plutonium to plutonium metal ingots and plutonium dioxide. This demonstration also includes the conversion of up to 80 kilograms of clean plutonium metal to plutonium dioxide because, as part of the disposition process, some surplus plutonium metal may be converted to plutonium dioxide in the same facility as the surplus pits. The equipment to be used for the proposed demonstration addressed in this EA would use some parts of the Advanced Recovery and Integrated Extraction System (ARIES) capability, other existing equipment/capacities, plus new equipment that was developed at other sites. In addition, small-scale R and D activities are currently underway as part of the overall surplus plutonium disposition program. These R and D activities are related to pit disassembly and conversion, MOX fuel fabrication, and immobilization (in glass and ceramic forms). They are described in Section 7.0. On May 16, 1997, the Office of Fissile Materials Disposition (MD) notified potentially affected states and tribes that this EA would be prepared in accordance with NEPA. This EA has been prepared to provide sufficient information for DOE to determine whether a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is warranted or whether an EIS must be prepared.
18.104.22.168 Algae-Based Integrated Assessment Framework: Development...
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) (indexed site)
information Goal Statement Reduce the cost of producing algal oil by investigating ... Assessment Tool (PNNL) and the Algae Logistics Model (INL) to consider productivity, ...
Local population impacts of geothermal energy development in the Geysers: Calistoga region
Haven, K.F.; Berg, V.; Ladson, Y.W.
The country-level population increase implications of two long-term geothermal development scenarios for the Geysers region in California are addressed. This region is defined to include the counties of Lake, Sonoma, Mendocino and Napa, all four in northern California. The development scenarios include two components: development for electrical energy production and direct use applications. Electrical production scenarios are derived by incorporating current development patterns into previous development scenarios by both industry and research organizations. The scenarios are made county-specific, specific to the type of geothermal system constructed, and are projected through the year 2000. Separate high growth rate and low growth rate scenarios are developed, based on a set of specified assumptions. Direct use scenarios are estimated from the nature of the available resource, existing local economic and demographic patterns, and available experience with various separate direct use options. From the composite development scenarios, required numbers of direct and indirect employees and the resultant in-migration patterns are estimated. In-migration patterns are compared to current county level population and ongoing trends in the county population change for each of the four counties. From this comparison, conclusions are drawn concerning the contributions of geothermal resource development to future population levels and the significance of geothermally induced population increase from a county planning perspective.
A workshop on developing risk assessment methods for medical use of radioactive material. Volume 2: Supporting documents
Tortorelli, J.P.
A workshop was held at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, August 16--18, 1994 on the topic of risk assessment on medical devices that use radioactive isotopes. Its purpose was to review past efforts to develop a risk assessment methodology to evaluate these devices, and to develop a program plan and a scoping document for future methodology development. This report contains presentation material and a transcript of the workshop. Participants included experts in the fields of radiation oncology, medical physics, risk assessment, human-error analysis, and human factors. Staff from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) associated with the regulation of medical uses of radioactive materials and with research into risk-assessment methods participated in the workshop. The workshop participants concurred in NRC`s intended use of risk assessment as an important technology in the development of regulations for the medical use of radioactive material and encouraged the NRC to proceed rapidly with a pilot study. Specific recommendations are included in the executive summary and the body of this report.
Final sitewide environmental assessment for continued development of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 3 (NPR-3), Natrona County, Wyoming
The Secretary of Energy is required by law to explore, prospect, conserve, develop, use, and operate the Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves. The Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-258), requires that the Naval Petroleum Reserves be produced at their maximum efficient rate (MER), consistent with sound engineering practices, for a period of six years. To fulfill this mission, DOE is proposing continued development activities which would include the drilling of approximately 250 oil production and injection (gas, water, and steam) wells, the construction of between 25 and 30 miles of associated gas, water, and steam pipelines, the installation of several production and support facilities, and the construction of between 15 and 20 miles of access roads. These drilling and construction estimates include any necessary activities related to the operation of the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC). The purpose of RMOTC will be to provide facilities and necessary support to government and private industry for testing and evaluating new oilfield and environmental technologies, and to transfer these results to the petroleum industry through seminars and publications. Continued development activities either have no potential to result in adverse environmental impacts or would only result in adverse impacts that could be readily mitigated. The small amounts of disturbed surface area will be reclaimed to its original natural state when production operations terminate. The preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required, and the DOE is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). 73 refs.
Development and application of the dynamic system doctor to nuclear reactor probabilistic risk assessments.
Kunsman, David Marvin; Aldemir, Tunc; Rutt, Benjamin; Metzroth, Kyle; Catalyurek, Umit; Denning, Richard; Hakobyan, Aram; Dunagan, Sean C.
This LDRD project has produced a tool that makes probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) of nuclear reactors - analyses which are very resource intensive - more efficient. PRAs of nuclear reactors are being increasingly relied on by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S.N.R.C.) for licensing decisions for current and advanced reactors. Yet, PRAs are produced much as they were 20 years ago. The work here applied a modern systems analysis technique to the accident progression analysis portion of the PRA; the technique was a system-independent multi-task computer driver routine. Initially, the objective of the work was to fuse the accident progression event tree (APET) portion of a PRA to the dynamic system doctor (DSD) created by Ohio State University. Instead, during the initial efforts, it was found that the DSD could be linked directly to a detailed accident progression phenomenological simulation code - the type on which APET construction and analysis relies, albeit indirectly - and thereby directly create and analyze the APET. The expanded DSD computational architecture and infrastructure that was created during this effort is called ADAPT (Analysis of Dynamic Accident Progression Trees). ADAPT is a system software infrastructure that supports execution and analysis of multiple dynamic event-tree simulations on distributed environments. A simulator abstraction layer was developed, and a generic driver was implemented for executing simulators on a distributed environment. As a demonstration of the use of the methodological tool, ADAPT was applied to quantify the likelihood of competing accident progression pathways occurring for a particular accident scenario in a particular reactor type using MELCOR, an integrated severe accident analysis code developed at Sandia. (ADAPT was intentionally created with flexibility, however, and is not limited to interacting with only one code. With minor coding changes to input files, ADAPT can be linked to other
Impact of geothermal development on the state of Hawaii. Executive summary. Volume 7
Siegel, B.Z.
Questions regarding the sociological, legal, environmental, and geological concerns associated with the development of geothermal resources in the Hawaiian Islands are addressed in this summary report. Major social changes, environmental degradation, legal and economic constraints, seismicity, subsidence, changes in volcanic activity, accidents, and ground water contamination are not major problems with the present state of development, however, the present single well does not provide sufficient data for extrapolation. (ACR)
Modifying the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to Simulate Cropland Carbon Flux: Model Development and Initial Evaluation
Zhang, Xuesong; Izaurralde, Roberto C.; Arnold, Jeffrey; Williams, Jimmy R.; Srinivasan, Raghavan
Climate change is one of the most compelling modern issues and has important implications for almost every aspect of natural and human systems. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model has been applied worldwide to support sustainable land and water management in a changing climate. However, the inadequacies of the existing carbon algorithm in SWAT limit its application in assessing impacts of human activities on CO2 emission, one important source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that traps heat in the earth system and results in global warming. In this research, we incorporate a revised version of the CENTURY carbon model into SWAT to describe dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM)- residue and simulate land-atmosphere carbon exchange.
Assessment and development of an advanced heat pump for recovery of volatile organic compounds
Not Available
This report documents Phase 1 of a project conducted by Mechanical Technology Incorporated (MTI) for the assessment and development of an advanced heat pump for recovery of VOC solvents from process gas streams. In Phase 1, MTI has evaluated solvent recovery applications within New York State (NYS), identified host sites willing to implement their application, and conducted a preliminary design of the equipment required. The design and applications were evaluated for technical and economic feasibility. The solvent recovery heat pump system concept resulting from the Phase 1 work is one of a mobile unit that would service multiple stationary adsorbers. A large percentage of solvent recovery applications within the state can be serviced by on-site carbon bed adsorbers that are desorbed at frequencies ranging from once per to once per month. In this way, many users can effectively share'' the substantial capital investment associated with the system's reverse Brayton hardware, providing it can be packaged as a mobile unit. In a typical operating scenario, a carbon adsorption module will be located permanently at the industrial site. The SLA will be ducted through the adsorber and the solvents removed, thus eliminating an air emission problem. Prior to VOC breakthrough, by schedule or by request, the mobile unit would arrive at the site to recover the concentrated solvent. An engine driven, natural gas fueled system, the mobile unit utilizes conditioned engine exhaust gases as the inert gas for desorption. Hot inert gas is directed through the carbon bed, heating it and volatilizing the adsorbed solvent. Using a revere Brayton-cycle refrigeration system to create low temperatures, the solvent vapors are condensed and collected from the inert gas stream. The solvent can then be recycled to the production process or sold for other uses and the adsorber returned to service.
Development of a structural health monitoring system for the life assessment of critical transportation infrastructure.
Roach, Dennis Patrick; Jauregui, David Villegas; Daumueller, Andrew Nicholas
Recent structural failures such as the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minnesota have underscored the urgent need for improved methods and procedures for evaluating our aging transportation infrastructure. This research seeks to develop a basis for a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system to provide quantitative information related to the structural integrity of metallic structures to make appropriate management decisions and ensuring public safety. This research employs advanced structural analysis and nondestructive testing (NDT) methods for an accurate fatigue analysis. Metal railroad bridges in New Mexico will be the focus since many of these structures are over 100 years old and classified as fracture-critical. The term fracture-critical indicates that failure of a single component may result in complete collapse of the structure such as the one experienced by the I-35W Bridge. Failure may originate from sources such as loss of section due to corrosion or cracking caused by fatigue loading. Because standard inspection practice is primarily visual, these types of defects can go undetected due to oversight, lack of access to critical areas, or, in riveted members, hidden defects that are beneath fasteners or connection angles. Another issue is that it is difficult to determine the fatigue damage that a structure has experienced and the rate at which damage is accumulating due to uncertain history and load distribution in supporting members. A SHM system has several advantages that can overcome these limitations. SHM allows critical areas of the structure to be monitored more quantitatively under actual loading. The research needed to apply SHM to metallic structures was performed and a case study was carried out to show the potential of SHM-driven fatigue evaluation to assess the condition of critical transportation infrastructure and to guide inspectors to potential problem areas. This project combines the expertise in transportation infrastructure at New
New Stream-reach Development: A Comprehensive Assessment of Hydropower Energy Potential in the United States
Kao, Shih-Chieh; McManamay, Ryan A; Stewart, Kevin M; Samu, Nicole M; Hadjerioua, Boualem; DeNeale, Scott T; Yeasmin, Dilruba; Pasha, M. Fayzul K.; Oubeidillah, Abdoul A; Smith, Brennan T
The rapid development of multiple national geospatial datasets related to topography, hydrology, and environmental characteristics in the past decade have provided new opportunities for the refinement of hydropower resource potential from undeveloped stream-reaches. Through 2011 to 2013, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was tasked by the Department of Energy (DOE) Water Power Program to evaluate the new stream-reach development (NSD) resource potential for more than 3 million US streams. A methodology was designed that contains three main components: (1) identification of stream-reaches with high energy density, (2) topographical analysis of stream-reaches to estimate inundated surface area and reservoir storage, and (3) environmental attribution to spatially join information related to the natural ecological systems, social and cultural settings, policies, management, and legal constraints to stream-reaches of energy potential. An initial report on methodology (Hadjerioua et al., 2013) was later reviewed and revised based on the comments gathered from two peer review workshops. After implementing the assessment across the entire United States, major findings were summarized in this final report. The estimated NSD capacity and generation, including both higher-energy-density (>1 MW per reach) and lower-energy-density (<1 MW per reach) stream-reaches is 84.7 GW, around the same size as the existing US conventional hydropower nameplate capacity (79.5 GW; NHAAP, 2013). In terms of energy, the total undeveloped NSD generation is estimated to be 460 TWh/year, around 169% of average 2002 2011 net annual generation from existing conventional hydropower plants (272 TWh/year; EIA, 2013). Given the run-of-river assumption, NSD stream-reaches have higher capacity factors (53 71%), especially compared with conventional larger-storage peaking-operation projects that usually have capacity factors of around 30%. The highest potential is identified in the Pacific Northwest
A survey of endangered waterbirds on Maui and Oahu and assessment of potential impacts to waterbirds from the proposed Hawaii Geothermal Project transmission corridor. Final report
Evans, K.; Woodside, D.; Bruegmann, M.
A survey of endangered waterbirds on Maui and Oahu was conducted during August and September 1993 to identify potential waterbird habitats within the general area of the proposed Hawaii Geothermal Project transmission corridor and to assess the potential impacts to endangered waterbird of installing and operating a high voltage transmission line from the Island of Hawaii to the islands of Oahu and Maui. Annual waterbird survey information and other literature containing information on specific wetland sites were summarized. Literature describing impacts of overhead transmission lines on birds was used to evaluate potential impacts of the proposed project on endangered waterbirds, resident wading birds, and migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. On Oahu, five wetland habitats supporting endangered Hawaiian waterbirds were identified within 2.5 miles of the proposed transmission line corridor. On Maui, three wetland habitats supporting endangered Hawaiian waterbirds were identified within the general area of the proposed transmission line corridor. Several of the wetlands identified on Oahu and Maui also supported resident wading birds and migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. Endangered waterbirds, resident wading birds, and migratory birds may collide with the proposed transmission lines wires. The frequency and numbers of bird collisions is expected to be greater on Oahu than on Maui because more wetland habitat exists and greater numbers of birds occur in the project area on Oahu. In addition, the endangered Hawaiian goose and the endangered Hawaiian petrel may be impacted by the proposed segment of the Hawaii Geothermal Project transmission line on Maui.
Valero: Houston Refinery Uses Plant-Wide Assessment to Develop an Energy Optimization and Management System
This Industrial Technologies Program case study describes an energy assessment team's recommendations for saving $5 million in energy, water, and other costs at an oil refinery in Houston, Texas.
Developing a Comprehensive Risk Assessment Framework for Geological Storage CO2
Duncan, Ian
The operational risks for CCS projects include: risks of capturing, compressing, transporting and injecting COŌéé; risks of well blowouts; risk that COŌéé will leak into shallow aquifers and contaminate potable water; and risk that sequestered COŌéé will leak into the atmosphere. This report examines these risks by using information on the risks associated with analogue activities such as CO2 based enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR), natural gas storage and acid gas disposal. We have developed a new analysis of pipeline risk based on Bayesian statistical analysis. Bayesian theory probabilities may describe states of partial knowledge, even perhaps those related to non-repeatable events. The Bayesian approach enables both utilizing existing data and at the same time having the capability to adsorb new information thus to lower uncertainty in our understanding of complex systems. Incident rates for both natural gas and CO2 pipelines have been widely used in papers and reports on risk of CO2 pipelines as proxies for the individual risk created by such pipelines. Published risk studies of CO2 pipelines suggest that the individual risk associated with CO2 pipelines is between 10-3 and 10-4, which reflects risk levels approaching those of mountain climbing, which many would find unacceptably high. This report concludes, based on a careful analysis of natural gas pipeline failures, suggests that the individual risk of CO2 pipelines is likely in the range of 10-6 to 10-7, a risk range considered in the acceptable to negligible range in most countries. If, as is commonly thought, pipelines represent the highest risk component of CCS outside of the capture plant, then this conclusion suggests that most (if not all) previous quantitative- risk assessments of components of CCS may be orders of magnitude to high. The potential lethality of unexpected CO2 releases from pipelines or wells are arguably the highest risk aspects of CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR), carbon capture
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: On-Site Treatment of Low Level Mixed Waste
The Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-1292) to evaluate the proposed treatment of low level mixed waste (LLMW) at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site). The purpose of the action is to treat LLMW in order to meet the Land Disposal Restrictions specified by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the waste acceptance criteria of the planned disposal site(s). Approximately 17,000 cubic meters (m{sup 3}) of LLMW are currently stored at the Site. Another 65,000 m{sup 3}of LLMW are likely to be generated by Site closure activities (a total of 82,000 m{sup 3} of LLMW). About 35,000 m{sup 3} can be directly disposed of off-site without treatment, and most of the remaining 47,000 m{sup 3} of LLMW can be treated at off-site treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. However, some LLMW will require treatment on-site, either because it does not meet shipping requirements or because off-site treatment is not available for these particular types of LLMW. Currently, this LLMW is stored at the Site pending the development and implementation of effective treatment processes. The Site needs to treat this LLMW on-site prior to shipment to off-site disposal facilities, in order to meet the DOE long-term objective of clean up and closure of the Site. All on-site treatment of LLMW would comply with applicable Federal and State laws designed to protect public health and safety and to enhance protection of the environment. The EA describes and analyzes the environmental effects of the proposed action (using ten mobile treatment processes to treat waste on-site), and the alternatives of treating waste onsite (using two fixed treatment processes), and of taking no action. The EA was the subject of a public comment period from February 3 to 24, 1999. No written or other comments regarding the EA were received.
Application of nonparametric regression and statistical testing to identify the impact of oil and natural gas development on local air quality
Pekney, Natalie J.; Cheng, Hanqi; Small, Mitchell J.
Abstract: The objective of the current work was to develop a statistical method and associated tool to evaluate the impact of oil and natural gas exploration and production activities on local air quality.