Sample records for national fuel-treatment budgeting

  1. National fuel-treatment budgeting in US federal agencies: capturing opportunities for transparent decision-making

    Treesearch

    Keith M. Reynolds; Paul F. Hessburg; Robert E. Keane; James P. Menakis

    2009-01-01

    The Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system has been used by the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and Bureaus of the Department of the Interior since 2006 to evaluate wildfire potential across all administrative units in the continental US, and to establish priorities for allocating fuel-treatment budgets. This article discusses an EMDS fuels-...

  2. Teaching the Federal Budget, National Debt, and Budget Deficit: Findings from High School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marri, Anand R.; Ahn, Meesuk; Crocco, Margaret Smith; Grolnick, Maureen; Gaudelli, William; Walker, Erica N.

    2011-01-01

    The issues surrounding the federal budget, national debt, and budget deficit are complex, but not beyond the reach of young students. This study finds scant treatment of the federal budget, national debt, and budget deficit in high schools today. It is hardly surprising that high school teachers spend so little time discussing these topics in…

  3. Bulk Fuel: Actions Needed to Improve DODs Fuel Consumption Budget Data

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    BULK FUEL Actions Needed to Improve DOD’s Fuel Consumption Budget Data Report to Congressional Committees...16-644, a report to congressional committees. September 2016 BULK FUEL Actions Needed to Improve DOD’s Fuel Consumption Budget Data What GAO...of about $10.1 billion in fiscal year 2015 but differed from budget estimates, which officials largely attributed to changes in operations and

  4. Cost-Effective Fuel Treatment Planning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kreitler, J.; Thompson, M.; Vaillant, N.

    2014-12-01

    The cost of fighting large wildland fires in the western United States has grown dramatically over the past decade. This trend will likely continue with growth of the WUI into fire prone ecosystems, dangerous fuel conditions from decades of fire suppression, and a potentially increasing effect from prolonged drought and climate change. Fuel treatments are often considered the primary pre-fire mechanism to reduce the exposure of values at risk to wildland fire, and a growing suite of fire models and tools are employed to prioritize where treatments could mitigate wildland fire damages. Assessments using the likelihood and consequence of fire are critical because funds are insufficient to reduce risk on all lands needing treatment, therefore prioritization is required to maximize the effectiveness of fuel treatment budgets. Cost-effectiveness, doing the most good per dollar, would seem to be an important fuel treatment metric, yet studies or plans that prioritize fuel treatments using costs or cost-effectiveness measures are absent from the literature. Therefore, to explore the effect of using costs in fuel treatment planning we test four prioritization algorithms designed to reduce risk in a case study examining fuel treatments on the Sisters Ranger District of central Oregon. For benefits we model sediment retention and standing biomass, and measure the effectiveness of each algorithm by comparing the differences among treatment and no treat alternative scenarios. Our objective is to maximize the averted loss of net benefits subject to a representative fuel treatment budget. We model costs across the study landscape using the My Fuel Treatment Planner software, tree list data, local mill prices, and GIS-measured site characteristics. We use fire simulations to generate burn probabilities, and estimate fire intensity as conditional flame length at each pixel. Two prioritization algorithms target treatments based on cost-effectiveness and show improvements over those

  5. The influence of market proximity on national forest hazardous fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    Max Nielsen-Pincus; Susan Charnley; Cassandra Moseley

    2013-01-01

    The US Department of Agriculture Forest Service’s focus on hazardous fuels reduction has increased since the adoption of the National Fire Plan in 2001. However, appropriations for hazardous fuels reduction still lag behind wildfire suppression spending. Offsetting fuels treatment costs through biomass utilization or by using innovative administrative mechanisms such...

  6. Integrating Fuel Treatments into Comprehensive Ecosystem Management

    Treesearch

    Kevin Hyde; Greg Jones; Robin Silverstein; Keith Stockmann; Dan Loeffler

    2006-01-01

    To plan fuel treatments in the context of comprehensive ecosystem management, forest managers must meet multiple-use and environmental objectives, address administrative and budget constraints, and reconcile performance measures from multiple policy directives. We demonstrate a multiple criteria approach to measuring success of fuel treatments used in the Butte North...

  7. Analysis of the uncertainty associated with national fossil fuel CO2 emissions datasets for use in the global Fossil Fuel Data Assimilation System (FFDAS) and carbon budgets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Y.; Gurney, K. R.; Rayner, P. J.; Asefi-Najafabady, S.

    2012-12-01

    specific sectors required by FFDAS. Our results indicated that although the harmonization performed by Macknick generates better agreement among datasets, significant differences remain at national total level. For example, the CO2 emission span for most countries range from 10% to 12%; BP is generally the highest of the four datasets while IEA is typically the lowest; The US and China had the highest absolute span values but lower percentage span values compared to other countries. However, the US and China make up nearly one-half of the total global absolute span quantity. The absolute span value for the summation of national differences approaches 1 GtC/year in 2007, almost one-half of the biological "missing sink". The span value is used as a potential bias in a recalculation of global and regional carbon budgets to highlight the importance of fossil fuel CO2 emissions in calculating the missing sink. We conclude that if the harmonized span represents potential bias, calculations of the missing sink through forward budget or inverse approaches may be biased by nearly a factor of two.

  8. The impact of global budgeting on treatment intensity and outcomes.

    PubMed

    Kan, Kamhon; Li, Shu-Fen; Tsai, Wei-Der

    2014-12-01

    This paper investigates the effects of global budgets on the amount of resources devoted to cardio-cerebrovascular disease patients by hospitals of different ownership types and these patients' outcomes. Theoretical models predict that hospitals have financial incentives to increase the quantity of treatments applied to patients. This is especially true for for-profit hospitals. If that's the case, it is important to examine whether the increase in treatment quantity is translated into better treatment outcomes. Our analyses take advantage of the National Health Insurance of Taiwan's implementation of global budgets for hospitals in 2002. Our data come from the National Health Insurance's claim records, covering the universe of hospitalized patients suffering acute myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, hemorrhagic stroke, and ischemic stroke. Regression analyses are carried out separately for government, private not-for-profit and for-profit hospitals. We find that for-profit hospitals and private not-for-profit hospitals did increase their treatment intensity for cardio-cerebrovascular disease patients after the 2002 implementation of global budgets. However, this was not accompanied by an improvement in these patients' mortality rates. This reveals a waste of medical resources and implies that aggregate expenditure caps should be supplemented by other designs to prevent resources misallocation.

  9. Optimizing the location of fuel treatments over time at landscape scales

    Treesearch

    Greg Jones; Woodam Chung

    2011-01-01

    Fuel treatments are a vital part of forest management - but when faced with limited budgets, narrow burning windows, and air quality restrictions, it can be challenging to prioritize where, when, and how fuel treatments should be applied across the landscape to achieve the most benefi t. To help ease this process, land managers can turn to various standalone models,...

  10. Temporal optimisation of fuel treatment design in blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantations

    Treesearch

    Ana Martin; Brigite Botequim; Tiago M. Oliveira; Alan Ager; Francesco Pirotti

    2016-01-01

    This study was conducted to support fire and forest management planning in eucalypt plantations based on economic, ecological and fire prevention criteria, with a focus on strategic prioritisation of fuel treatments over time. The central objective was to strategically locate fuel treatments to minimise losses from wildfire while meeting budget constraints and demands...

  11. Defense Primer: The National Defense Budget Function (050)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-17

    in parenthesis). This defense primer addresses the National Defense Budget (050), which is frequently used to explain trends in military spending...but which also includes some activities not conducted by the Department of Defense. What Is the Purpose of the Budget Function System? The budget

  12. An Evaluation of Fuel-Reduction Treatments Across a Landscape Gradient in Piedmont Forests: Preliminary Results of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study

    Treesearch

    Thomas A. Waldrop; Dallas W. Glass; Sandra Rideout; Victor B. Shelburne

    2004-01-01

    The National Fire and Fire Surrogate (NFFS) Study is a large-scale study of the impacts of fuel-reduction treatments on ecological and economic variables. This paper examines prescribed burning and thinning as fuel-reduction treatments on one site of the national study, the southeastern Piedmont. Fuel loads were examined across a landscape gradient before and after...

  13. Spatial analysis of fuel treatment options for chaparral on the Angeles national forest

    Treesearch

    G. Jones; J. Chew; R. Silverstein; C. Stalling; J. Sullivan; J. Troutwine; D. Weise; D. Garwood

    2008-01-01

    Spatial fuel treatment schedules were developed for the chaparral vegetation type on the Angeles National Forest using the Multi-resource Analysis and Geographic Information System (MAGIS). Schedules varied by the priority given to various wildland urban interface areas and the general forest, as well as by the number of acres treated per decade. The effectiveness of...

  14. Spent fuel treatment at ANL-West

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goff, K.M.; Benedict, R.W.; Levinskas, D.

    1994-12-31

    At Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-West) there are several thousand kilograms of metallic spent nuclear fuel containing bond sodium. This fuel will be treated in the Fuel Cycle Facility at ANL-West to produce stable waste forms for storage and disposal. The treatment operations will employ a pyrochemical process that also has applications for treating most of the fuel types within the Department of Energy complex. The treatment equipment is in its last stage of readiness, and operations will begin in the Fall of 1994.

  15. National Science Foundation proposed budget could see another increase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2012-03-01

    President Barack Obama's proposed budget for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for fiscal year (FY) 2013 would provide the agency with $7.37 billion, a $340 million increase, 4.8% above the FY 2012 estimated budget under which NSF has been operating. NSF has fared well during previous budget cycles, and the Obama administration's budget document for FY 2013 states that “NSF plays a critical role in the implementation of the President's Plan for Science and Technology.” With federal agencies operating under tighter budgets in a difficult financial climate, NSF director Subra Suresh said the budget includes substantial increases for core programs, frontier science, education, and human resources. “I am confident that NSF merits the $7.4 billion the president proposed. I'm optimistic Congress will approve the budget,” Suresh said at a 13 February NSF budget briefing.

  16. Mapping Fuels on the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests

    Treesearch

    Crystal L. Raymond; Lara-Karena B. Kellogg; Donald McKenzie

    2006-01-01

    Resource managers need spatially explicit fuels data to manage fire hazard and evaluate the ecological effects of wildland fires and fuel treatments. For this study, fuels were mapped on the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests (OWNF) using a rule-based method and the Fuels Characteristic Classification System (FCCS). The FCCS classifies fuels based on their...

  17. Ecological effects of alternative fuel-reduction treatments: highlights of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS)

    Treesearch

    James D. McIver; Scott L. Stephens; James K. Agee; Jamie Barbour; Ralph E. J. Boerner; Carl B. Edminster; Karen L. Erickson; Kerry L. Farris; Christopher J. Fettig; Carl E. Fiedler; Sally Haase; Stephen C. Hart; Jon E. Keeley; Eric E. Knapp; John F. Lehmkuhl; Jason J. Moghaddas; William Otrosina; Kenneth W. Outcalt; Dylan W. Schwilk; Carl N. Skinner; Thomas A. Waldrop; C. Phillip Weatherspoon; Daniel A. Yaussy; Andrew Youngblood; Steve Zack

    2012-01-01

    The 12-site National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS) was a multivariate experiment that evaluated ecological consequences of alternative fuel-reduction treatments in seasonally dry forests of the US. Each site was a replicated experiment with a common design that compared an un-manipulated control, prescribed fire, mechanical and mechanical + fire treatments....

  18. Analyzing Content about the Federal Budget, National Debt, and Budget Deficit in High School and College-Level Economics Textbooks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marri, Anand R.; Gaudelli, William; Cohen, Aviv; Siegel, Brad; Wylie, Scott; Crocco, Margaret S.; Grolnick, Maureen

    2012-01-01

    This study sought to identify content on the federal budget, national debt, and budget deficit in the 12 most commonly used high school and college-level economics textbooks. Our systematic review of these sources leads to two key findings: (1) Textbooks are similar in how they represent fiscal policy yet treat the federal budget, deficit, and…

  19. National Drug Control Strategy. FY 2009 Budget Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    The White House, 2008

    2008-01-01

    The National Drug Control Budget Summary identifies resources and performance indicators for programs within the Executive Branch that are integral to the President's National Drug Control Strategy. The Strategy, which is the Administration's plan for reducing drug use and availability, is based on three pillars: (1) Stopping Use Before It Starts,…

  20. Evaluation of a cut-to-length system implementing fuel reduction treatments on the Coconino National Forest in Arizona

    Treesearch

    John Klepac; Bob Rummer; Jason Thompson

    2006-01-01

    A Cut-to-Length (CTL) system was evaluated for production and cost while implementing fuel reduction treatments in two stands on the Coconino National Forest in Arizona. Product recovery and fire behavior within each stand after treatment were also examined. Only trees less than 16 inches diameter breast height (DBH) were harvested. After logs were forwarded to a...

  1. (Updated) NCI Fiscal 2016 Bypass Budget Proposes $25 Million for Frederick National Lab | Poster

    Cancer.gov

    By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer; image by Richard Frederickson, Staff Photographer The additional funding requested for Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) in the Fiscal 2016 Bypass Budget was $25 million, or approximately 3.5 percent of the total additional funding request of $715 million. Officially called the Professional Judgment Budget, the Bypass Budget is a result of the National Cancer Act of 1971, which authorizes NCI to submit a budget directly to the president, to send to Congress. With a focus on NCI’s research priorities and areas of cancer research with potential for investment, the Bypass Budget specifies additional funding, over and above the current budget, that is needed to advance

  2. U.S. National Science Foundation Slated for Large Budget Increase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2010-03-01

    Although the Obama administration has promoted its proposed $3.8 trillion federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2011 as one that works toward reining in budget deficits and living within the nation's means, research is among the areas slated for increases. The National Science Foundation (NSF) would receive $7.42 billion, an 8% increase above the FY 2010 enacted level of $6.87 billion, which pleases NSF administrators. This proposal would keep the agency on track for doubling its budget between about 2007 and 2017. “The president sees science as a way to build our economy. It’s a way to make the nation strong in the future. It’s a way of bringing change in society, and in addressing some of the global challenges that we are facing,” NSF director Arden Bement Jr. explained at a 1 February briefing. Bement, who has been at the helm of the agency for more than 6 years, announced in early February that he is leaving later this year to head up the Global Policy Research Institute at Purdue University.

  3. Wildfire exposure and fuel management on western US national forests.

    PubMed

    Ager, Alan A; Day, Michelle A; McHugh, Charles W; Short, Karen; Gilbertson-Day, Julie; Finney, Mark A; Calkin, David E

    2014-12-01

    Substantial investments in fuel management activities on national forests in the western US are part of a national strategy to reduce human and ecological losses from catastrophic wildfire and create fire resilient landscapes. Prioritizing these investments within and among national forests remains a challenge, partly because a comprehensive assessment that establishes the current wildfire risk and exposure does not exist, making it difficult to identify national priorities and target specific areas for fuel management. To gain a broader understanding of wildfire exposure in the national forest system, we analyzed an array of simulated and empirical data on wildfire activity and fuel treatment investments on the 82 western US national forests. We first summarized recent fire data to examine variation among the Forests in ignition frequency and burned area in relation to investments in fuel reduction treatments. We then used simulation modeling to analyze fine-scale spatial variation in burn probability and intensity. We also estimated the probability of a mega-fire event on each of the Forests, and the transmission of fires ignited on national forests to the surrounding urban interface. The analysis showed a good correspondence between recent area burned and predictions from the simulation models. The modeling also illustrated the magnitude of the variation in both burn probability and intensity among and within Forests. Simulated burn probabilities in most instances were lower than historical, reflecting fire exclusion on many national forests. Simulated wildfire transmission from national forests to the urban interface was highly variable among the Forests. We discuss how the results of the study can be used to prioritize investments in hazardous fuel reduction within a comprehensive multi-scale risk management framework. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells |

    Science.gov Websites

    NREL National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center The National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center (NFCTEC) at NREL's Energy Systems Integration Cell Technology Evaluation Center to process and analyze data for a variety of hydrogen and fuel cell

  5. 75 FR 31818 - National Science Board; Committee on Strategy and Budget; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-04

    ... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION National Science Board; Committee on Strategy and Budget; Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice The National Science Board's Committee on Strategy and Budget, pursuant to NSF regulations (45 CFR part 614), the National Science Foundation Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1862n-5), and the...

  6. The National Institute of Education and Incremental Budgeting.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hastings, Anne H.

    1979-01-01

    The National Institute of Education's (NIE) history demonstrates that the relevant criteria for characterizing budgeting as incremental are not the predictability and stability of appropriations but the conditions of complexity, limited information, multiple factors, and imperfect agreement on ends; NIE's appropriations were dominated by political…

  7. OptFuels: Fuel treatment optimization

    Treesearch

    Greg Jones

    2011-01-01

    Scientists at the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, in Missoula, MT, in collaboration with scientists at the University of Montana, are developing a tool to help forest managers prioritize forest fuel reduction treatments. Although several computer models analyze fuels and fire behavior, stand-level effects of fuel treatments, and priority planning...

  8. Short-term effects of fuel reduction treatments on herpetofauna from the southeastern United States

    Treesearch

    Eran S. Kilpatrick; Thomas A. Waldrop; Joseph D. Lanham; Cathryn H. Greenberg; Tom H. Contreras

    2010-01-01

    Path analysis of fuel reduction treatments on herpetofauna across four southeastern sites of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study provided quantitative evidence relating changes in vegetation and fuels to herpetofauna response. Fuel reduction treatments included prescribed burning (B), a mechanical treatment (M), mechanical treatment followed by prescribed...

  9. Market impacts of a multiyear mechanical fuel treatment program in the U.S.

    Treesearch

    Jeffrey P. Prestemon; Karen L. Abt; Robert J. Jr. Huggett

    2008-01-01

    We describe a two-stage model of global log and chip markets that evaluates the spatial and temporal economic effects of government- subsidized fire-related mechanical fuel treatment programs in the U.S.West and South. The first stage is a goal program that allocates subsidies according to fire risk and location priorities, given a budget and a feasible, market-...

  10. Forest soil response to fuel reduction treatments in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

    Treesearch

    T. Adams Coates; Victor B. Shelburne; Thomas A. Waldrop; Bill R. Smith; Hoke S., Jr. Hill; Dean M. Simon

    2010-01-01

    The National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study (FFS) was established to monitor the impacts of fuel reduction treatments (prescribed fire-only, mechanical fuel reduction-only, and a combination of prescribed fire and mechanical fuel reduction) on a host of ecosystem properties at 13 sites across the United States. Treatment impacts were monitored on the Southern...

  11. Modeling fuel treatment costs on Forest Service Lands in the Western United States

    Treesearch

    David Calkin; Krista Gebert

    2006-01-01

    Years of successful fire suppression have led to high fuel loads on the nation's forests, and steps are being taken by the nation's land management agencies to reduce these fuel loads. However, to achieve desired outcomes in a fiscally responsible manner, the cost and effectiveness in reducing losses due to wildland fire of different fuel treatments in...

  12. Spent fuel treatment and mineral waste form development at Argonne National Laboratory-West

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goff, K.M.; Benedict, R.W.; Bateman, K.

    1996-07-01

    At Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-West) there are several thousand kilograms of metallic spent nuclear fuel containing bond sodium. This fuel will be treated in the Fuel Conditioning Facility (FCF) at ANL-West to produce stable waste forms for storage and disposal. Both mineral and metal high-level waste forms will be produced. The mineral waste form will contain the active metal fission products and the transuranics. Cold small-scale waste form testing has been on-going at Argonne in Illinois. Large-scale testing is commencing at ANL-West.

  13. Fiscal 1993 U.S. Science Budget request released

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bush, Susan; Simarski, Lynn Teo; DeVito, M. Catherine

    1992-02-01

    DOE's proposed budget for fiscal 1993 is $19.4 billion, almost level with fiscal 1992's $19 billion. Of that, $5.5 billion is targeted for environmental cleanup at DOE facilities, an increase of $1.16 billion. DOE's portion of research and development related to the National Energy Strategy is $725 million, up 16% from 1992. Funding for defense activities is down 9% to $7.5 billion from $8.3 billion.According to DOE Secretary James D. Watkins, “Congressional enactment of a comprehensive and balanced legislative package is needed to implement fully the president's National Energy Strategy.” As such, there are provisions in the fiscal 1993 DOE budget for advanced energy technology R&D to reduce energy consumption, increase fuel flexibility, and improve U.S. competitiveness in world markets.

  14. Inventorying national forest resources...for planning-programing-budgeting system

    Treesearch

    Miles R. Hill; Elliot L. Amidon

    1968-01-01

    New systems for analyzing resource management problems, such as Planning-Programing-Budgeting, will require automated procedures to collect and assemble resource inventory data. A computer - oriented system called Map Information Assembly and Display System developed for this purpose was tested on a National Forest in California. It provided information on eight forest...

  15. 7 CFR 3402.14 - Budget and budget narrative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 15 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Budget and budget narrative. 3402.14 Section 3402.14 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM...

  16. 7 CFR 3402.14 - Budget and budget narrative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 15 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Budget and budget narrative. 3402.14 Section 3402.14 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM...

  17. Financial analysis of fuel treatments on national forests in the Western United States.

    Treesearch

    Roger D. Fight; R. James Barbour

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this note is to provide a starting point for discussion of fire hazard reduction treatments that meet the full range of management objectives, including budget priorities. Thoughtful design requires an understanding not only of the physical and biological outcomes, but also the costs and potential revenues of applying variations of fire hazard reduction...

  18. Examining the relative effects of fire weather, suppression and fuel treatment on fire behaviour--a simulation study.

    PubMed

    Penman, T D; Collins, L; Price, O F; Bradstock, R A; Metcalf, S; Chong, D M O

    2013-12-15

    Large budgets are spent on both suppression and fuel treatments in order to reduce the risk of wildfires. There is little evidence regarding the relative contribution of fire weather, suppression and fuel treatments in determining the risk posed from wildfires. Here we undertake a simulation study in the Sydney Basin, Australia, to examine this question using a fire behaviour model (Phoenix Rapidfire). Results of the study indicate that fire behaviour is most strongly influenced by fire weather. Suppression has a greater influence on whether a fire reaches 5 ha in size compared to fuel treatments. In contrast, fuel treatments have a stronger effect on the fire size and maximum distance the fire travels. The study suggests that fire management agencies will receive additional benefits from fuel treatment if they are located in areas which suppression resources can respond rapidly and attempt to contain the fires. No combination of treatments contained all fires, and the proportion of uncontained fires increased under more severe fire weather when the greatest number of properties are lost. Our study highlights the importance of alternative management strategies to reduce the risk of property loss. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Proposed National Science Foundation Budget on Target to Double

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2009-06-01

    The Obama administration's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is US$7.05 billion, $555 million (8.5%) above its FY 2009 budget, and is in addition to $3 billion in stimulus funding from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The proposed funding, which represents strong support from the administration for NSF and for science and technology, would put the foundation on track to double its budget between 2006 and 2016 (see Eos, 90(10), 83, 2009; 90(20), 175, 2009; and 90(21), 183, 2009). Agency-wide, the FY 2010 request would increase most appropriations accounts. Research and Related Activities would receive $5.73 billion, up $550.1 million (10.6%) compared with the FY 2009 budget. Education and Human Resources would register a slight rise to $857.8 million, up $12.5 million (1.5%). Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction ( MREFC) would dip to $117.3 million, down $34.7 million (22.8%). The MREFC account would include $46.3 million for the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, $42.8 million for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (down from $82.3 million), $14.3 million for the Ocean Observatories Initiative (which received $105.9 million in stimulus funding), and $0.95 million for IceCube (down from $11.3 million in its final year of funding).

  20. Budget brief, 1981

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1980-01-01

    The FY DOE budge totals $12.6 billion in budget authority and $11.1 billion in budget outlays. The budget authority being requested consists of $10.3 billion in new authority and a $2.3 billion reappropriation of expiring funds for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Areas covered in the Energy budget are: energy conservation; research, development, and applications; regulation and information; direct energy production; strategic energy production; and energy security reserve. Other areas include: general science, defense activities; departmental administration; and legislative proposal - spent fuel. Budget totals are compared for 1980 and 1981. A detailed discussion of the FY 1981 activities to bemore » undertaken to carry out these activities is provided. (MCW)« less

  1. (Updated) NCI Fiscal 2016 Bypass Budget Proposes $25 Million for Frederick National Lab | Poster

    Cancer.gov

    By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer; image by Richard Frederickson, Staff Photographer The additional funding requested for Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) in the Fiscal 2016 Bypass Budget was $25 million, or approximately 3.5 percent of the total additional funding request of $715 million. Officially called the Professional Judgment Budget, the Bypass

  2. Determinants of National Fire Plan Fuels Treatment Expenditures: A Revealed Preference Analysis for Northern New Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shepherd, Curt; Grimsrud, Kristine; Berrens, Robert P.

    2009-10-01

    The accumulation of fire fuels in forests throughout the world contributes significantly to the severity of wildfires. To combat the threat of wildfire, especially in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), US federal land management agencies have implemented a number of forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction programs. In the spirit of revealed preference analyses, the objective of this study is to investigate the pattern and determinants of National Fire Plan (NFP) expenditures for fuel reduction treatments in northern New Mexico (USA). Estimation results from a set of Generalized Estimating Equations models are mixed with respect to risk reduction hypotheses, and also raise issues regarding how risk reduction should be defined for a region characterized by both pockets of urban sprawl into the WUI and large areas of chronic rural poverty. Program preferences for project funding under the federal Collaborative Forest Restoration Program in New Mexico are shown to be distinctly different (e.g., exhibiting greater concern for social equity) than for other NFP-funded projects.

  3. White House Budget Proposal Would Provide National Science Foundation With 1.2% Increase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2014-03-01

    The proposed 7.255 billion budget request for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for fiscal year (FY) 2015, announced by the White House on 4 March, would increase funding just 83 million, 1.2% above the FY 2014 estimate (see Table 1). The budget for NSF's Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) would nudge up 0.1% to 1.304 billion, an increase of 1.36 million (see Table 2).

  4. The Deficit and the Federal Budget. 1983 National Issues Forum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Melville, Keith, Ed.

    Although designed for participants in the National Issues Forum, this booklet, which describes the impact of the federal deficit and the federal budget process, is also useful for secondary school social studies. The six sections begin with an introduction describing why the deficit grows yearly and why it is difficult for Congress to stop its…

  5. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Idaho National Laboratory Dual-Fuel Buses

    Science.gov Websites

    , and increases passenger safety during bad weather. The dual-fuel approach is being analyzed as a way Gas Biodiesel Fuel Properties Comparison Yellowstone-Teton Clean Energy Coalition Idaho National

  6. Comparing the role of fuel breaks across southern California national forests

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Syphard, Alexandra D.; Keeley, Jon E.; Brennan, Teresa J.

    2011-01-01

    Fuel treatment of wildland vegetation is the primary approach advocated for mitigating fire risk at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), but little systematic research has been conducted to understand what role fuel treatments play in controlling large fires, which factors influence this role, or how the role of fuel treatments may vary over space and time. We assembled a spatial database of fuel breaks and fires from the last 30 years in four southern California national forests to better understand which factors are consistently important for fuel breaks in the control of large fires. We also explored which landscape features influence where fires and fuel breaks are most likely to intersect. The relative importance of significant factors explaining fuel break outcome and number of fire and fuel break intersections varied among the forests, which reflects high levels of regional landscape diversity. Nevertheless, several factors were consistently important across all the forests. In general, fuel breaks played an important role in controlling large fires only when they facilitated fire management, primarily by providing access for firefighting activities. Fire weather and fuel break maintenance were also consistently important. Models and maps predicting where fuel breaks and fires are most likely to intersect performed well in the regions where the models were developed, but these models did not extend well to other regions, reflecting how the environmental controls of fire regimes vary even within a single ecoregion. Nevertheless, similar mapping methods could be adopted in different landscapes to help with strategic location of fuel breaks. Strategic location of fuel breaks should also account for access points near communities, where fire protection is most important.

  7. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mammoth Cave National Park Uses Only

    Science.gov Websites

    Alternative Fuel Vehicles Mammoth Cave National Park Uses Only Alternative Fuel Vehicles to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mammoth Cave National Park Uses Only Alternative Fuel Vehicles on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Mammoth Cave National Park Uses

  8. Assessing the cost of fuel reduction treatments: a critical review

    Treesearch

    Bob Rummer

    2008-01-01

    The basic costs of the operations for implementing fuel reduction treatments are used to evaluate treatment effectiveness, select among alternatives, estimate total project costs, and build national program strategies. However, a review of the literature indicates that there is questionable basis for many of the general estimates used to date. Different approaches to...

  9. Design Your Own Budget: A Case Study Based on the 1988 Budget.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Paul

    1992-01-01

    Presents a classroom activity in which students work in groups to develop a national budget. Requires students to consider economic factors such as inflation, unemployment, and taxation. Includes charts and a national budget work sheet. (CFR)

  10. Home studio acoustic treatments on a budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haverstick, Gavin A.

    2003-04-01

    Digital technology in the recording industry has evolved and expanded, allowing it to be widely available to the public at a significantly lower cost than in previous years. Due to this fact, numerous home studios are either being built inside or converted from bedrooms, dens, and basements. Hobbyists and part-time musicians that typically do not have the advantage of a large recording budget operate the majority of these home studios. Along with digital equipment, acoustic treatment has become more affordable over the years giving many musicians the ability to write, record, and produce an entire album in the comfort of their own home without having to sacrifice acoustical quality along the way. Three separate case studies were conducted on rooms with various sizes, applications, and budgets. Acoustical treatment such as absorption, diffusion, and bass trapping were implemented to reduce the effects of issues such as flutter echo, excessive reverberation, and bass build-up among others. Reactions and subjective comments from each individual studio owner were gathered and assessed to determine how effective home studios can be on a personal and professional level if accurately treated acoustically.

  11. Budgeting for the Nation’s Defense Following the End of National Conflicts

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-06-01

    anticipation of the probable and preparation for the possible. It is, in a word, alchemy ; a method of transmutation from idea into action.”8 These...this combination, Congress disbanded the army at the end of the Revolutionary War due to financial concerns as the war had resulted in “the finances ...BUDGETING FOR THE NATON’S DEFENSE FOLLOWING THE END OF NATIONAL CONFLICTS BY CRAIG A. HARDING A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE

  12. Effects of thermal treatment on the co-rolled U-Mo fuel foils

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dennis D. Keiser, Jr.; Tammy L. Trowbridge; Cynthia R. Breckenridge

    2014-11-01

    A monolithic fuel type is being developed to convert US high performance research and test reactors such as Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU). The interaction between the cladding and the U-Mo fuel meat during fuel fabrication and irradiation is known to have negative impacts on fuel performance, such as mechanical integrity and dimensional stability. In order to eliminate/minimize the direct interaction between cladding and fuel meat, a thin zirconium diffusion barrier was introduced between the cladding and U-Mo fuel meat through a co-rolling process. A complex interface betweenmore » the zirconium and U-Mo was developed during the co-rolling process. A predictable interface between zirconium and U-Mo is critical to achieve good fuel performance since the interfaces can be the weakest link in the monolithic fuel system. A post co-rolling annealing treatment is expected to create a well-controlled interface between zirconium and U-Mo. A systematic study utilizing post co-rolling annealing treatment has been carried out. Based on microscopy results, the impacts of the annealing treatment on the interface between zirconium and U-Mo will be presented and an optima annealing treatment schedule will be suggested. The effects of the annealing treatment on the fuel performance will also be discussed.« less

  13. Remote sensing of WUI fuel treatment effectiveness following the 2007 wildfires in central Idaho

    Treesearch

    Andrew T. Hudak; Theresa B. Jain; Penelope Morgan; Jess T. Clark

    2011-01-01

    The 2007 East Zone and Cascade wildfires in central Idaho burned through fuel treatments in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) surrounding two local communities: Secesh Meadows and Warm Lake. The WUI fuel treatments funded by the National Fire Plan were designed to increase fire fighter safety, protect people and property, and mitigate severe fire effects on natural...

  14. Associations between national tuberculosis program budgets and tuberculosis outcomes: an ecological study.

    PubMed

    Chapple, Will; Katz, Alan Roy; Li, Dongmei

    2012-01-01

    The objective of this study is to explore the associations between national tuberculosis program (NTP) budget allocation and tuberculosis related outcomes in the World Health Organization's 22 high burden countries from 2007-2009. This ecological study used mixed effects and generalized estimating equation models to identify independent associations between NTP budget allocations and various tuberculosis related outcomes. Models were adjusted for a number of independent variables previously noted to be associated with tuberculosis incidence. Increasing the percent of the NTP budget for advocacy, communication and social mobilization was associated with an increase in the case detection rate. Increasing TB-HIV funding was associated with an increase in HIV testing among TB patients. Increasing the percent of the population covered by the Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) program was associated with an increase in drug susceptibility testing. Laboratory funding was positively associated with tuberculosis notification. Increasing the budgets for first line drugs, management and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was associated with a decrease in smear positive deaths. Effective TB control is a complex and multifaceted challenge. This study revealed a number of budget allocation related factors associated with improved TB outcome parameters. If confirmed with future longitudinal studies, these findings could help guide NTP managers with allocation decisions.

  15. Associations between national tuberculosis program budgets and tuberculosis outcomes: an ecological study

    PubMed Central

    Chapple, Will; Katz, Alan Roy; Li, Dongmei

    2012-01-01

    Introduction The objective of this study is to explore the associations between national tuberculosis program (NTP) budget allocation and tuberculosis related outcomes in the World Health Organization's 22 high burden countries from 2007–2009. Methods This ecological study used mixed effects and generalized estimating equation models to identify independent associations between NTP budget allocations and various tuberculosis related outcomes. Models were adjusted for a number of independent variables previously noted to be associated with tuberculosis incidence. Results Increasing the percent of the NTP budget for advocacy, communication and social mobilization was associated with an increase in the case detection rate. Increasing TB-HIV funding was associated with an increase in HIV testing among TB patients. Increasing the percent of the population covered by the Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) program was associated with an increase in drug susceptibility testing. Laboratory funding was positively associated with tuberculosis notification. Increasing the budgets for first line drugs, management and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was associated with a decrease in smear positive deaths. Conclusion Effective TB control is a complex and multifaceted challenge. This study revealed a number of budget allocation related factors associated with improved TB outcome parameters. If confirmed with future longitudinal studies, these findings could help guide NTP managers with allocation decisions. PMID:23024825

  16. Science-based strategic planning for hazardous fuel treatment.

    Treesearch

    D.L. Peterson; M.C. Johnson

    2007-01-01

    A scientific foundation coupled with technical support is needed to develop long-term strategic plans for fuel and vegetation treatments on public lands. These plans are developed at several spatial scales and are typically a component of fire management plans and other types of resource management plans. Such plans need to be compatible with national, regional, and...

  17. Effects of Fuel Reduction Treatments on Incidence of Phytophthora Species in Soil of a Southern Appalachian Mountain Forest

    Treesearch

    I.M. Meadows; D.C. Zwart; S.N. Jeffers; T.A. Waldrop; W.C. Bridges

    2011-01-01

    The National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study was initiated to study the effects of fuel reduction treatments on forest ecosystems. Four fuel reduction treatments were applied to three sites in a southern Appalachian Mountain forest in western North Carolina: prescribed burning, mechanical fuel reduction, mechanical fuel reduction followed by prescribed burning, and a non...

  18. Fuel treatment guidebook: illustrating treatment effects on fire hazard

    Treesearch

    Morris Johnson; David L. Peterson; Crystal Raymond

    2009-01-01

    The Guide to Fuel Treatments (Johnson and others 2007) analyzes potential fuel treatments and the potential effects of those treatments for dry forest lands in the Western United States. The guide examines low- to mid-elevation dry forest stands with high stem densities and heavy ladder fuels, which are currently common due to fire exclusion and various land management...

  19. Alternative Fuel Reduction Treatments in the Gunflint Corridor of the Superior National Forest: Second year results and sampling recommendations

    Treesearch

    Daniel W. Gilmore; Douglas N. Kastendick; John C. Zasada; Paula J. Anderson

    2003-01-01

    Fuel loadings need to be considered in two ways: 1) the total fuel loadings of various size classes and 2) their distribution across a site. Fuel treatments in this study affected both. We conclude that 1) mechanical treatments of machine piling and salvage logging reduced fine and heavy fuel loadings and 2) prescribed fire was successful in reducing fine fuel...

  20. Mitigating budget constraints on visitation volume surveys: the case of U.S. National forests

    Treesearch

    Ashley E. Askew; Donald B.K. English; Stanley J. Zarnoch; Neelam C. Poudyal; J.M. Bowker

    2014-01-01

    Stratified random sampling (SRS) provides a scientifically based estimate of a population comprising mutually exclusive, homogenous subgroups. In the National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) program, SRS is used to estimate recreation visitation and visitor characteristics across activities on National forests. However, with rising costs and declining budgets, carrying...

  1. Setting National Priorities: The 1974 Budget.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fried, Edward R.; And Others

    This book attempts to make the problem of budgetary choice at the federal level more intelligible by classifying, analyzing, and projecting into the future the components of the budget in a way which makes it possible to put together several comprehensive alternative budgets, each illustrating from a different view how the Federal Government could…

  2. Crises in national leadership?

    PubMed

    Mahathir, M

    1998-01-01

    In Asia, an economic crisis has occurred simultaneously with an immense increase in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS fueled by inadequate responses to the epidemic. This response has been further weakened by sudden budget cuts and changes in government priorities, and the situation has been exacerbated by its suddenness and by the fact that large numbers of people are at risk and are unemployed. Also, Asian countries are now seeking entry into the pool of countries where donors support HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs just as donors are reducing their aid budgets. Prevention programs are being severely compromised even before they became effective, and efforts to secure treatment are hindered by high prices, by devalued national currencies, and by an increasing trend towards the privatization of health care. In the long run, efforts to restore economic stability will be hindered by the socioeconomic impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In order to improve future prospects, the leadership of all national AIDS programs must reexamine the cost effectiveness of their priorities. Such a move would target marginalized groups, reduce use of expensive mass media campaigns, increase international cooperation over issues dealing with migrant workers, create programs recognizing the crucial role of women, increase the involvement of infected people in prevention programs, recognize the long-term socioeconomic benefits of providing adequate and equitable care and treatment, and recognize the benefits of prioritizing HIV/AIDS funding.

  3. 76 FR 18749 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-05

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-128-000] National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice Application Take notice that on March 7, 2011, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), filed an application in Docket No. CP11- 128-000 pursuant to section 7(c) of the...

  4. Using BEHAVEPlus for predicting fire behavior in southern Appalachian hardwood stands subjected to fuel reduction treatments

    Treesearch

    Helen H. Mohr; Thomas A. Waldrop; Dean M. Simon

    2010-01-01

    There is a crucial need for fuel reduction in United States forests due to decades of fuel accumulation resulting from fire exclusion. The National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study (FFS) addresses this issue by examining the effects of three fuel reduction treatments on numerous response variables. At an FFS site in the southern Appalachian Mountains, fuels were altered...

  5. Developments of Spent Nuclear Fuel Pyroprocessing Technology at Idaho National Laboratory

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Michael F. Simpson

    This paper summarizes research in used fuel pyroprocessing that has been published by Idaho National Laboratory over the last decade. It includes work done both on treatment of Experimental Breeder Reactor-II and development of advanced technology for potential scale-up and commercialization. Collaborations with universities and other laboratories is included in the cited work.

  6. NCTN Budget

    Cancer.gov

    Learn about the budget for the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN), a National Cancer Institute program that gives funds and other support to cancer research organizations to conduct cancer clinical trials.

  7. Most science spared big budget bite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richman, Barbara T.

    Most science budgets emerged unscathed from President Ronald Reagan's fiscal 1983 budget proposal. Total funding for research and development came out slightly ahead of inflation, as did funding for basic research (Eos, February 16, p. 162). The National Science Foundation (NSF) edged past the projected 7.3% inflation rate for 1982, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) budget is to be increased by 10.6%. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is budgeted for a 4.2% increase in funding, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will take an 8.3% cut.

  8. The Impact of Budget Cuts on Three Directorates of the National Science Foundation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

    This report provides comments and opinions from National Science Foundation (NSF) officials on proposed agency budget cuts which could affect three NSF Directorates: Science and Engineering; Biological, Behavioral, and Social Sciences; and Scientific, Technological, and International Affairs. Specific topics discussed focus on personnel levels,…

  9. 76 FR 45240 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-512-000] National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application Take notice that on July 8, 2011, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221, filed in Docket No...

  10. 75 FR 39010 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-07

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. CP10-457-000; CP10-458-000; PF10-1-000] National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application June 29, 2010. Take notice that on June 11, 2010, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), 363 Main Street...

  11. Carbon benefits from fuel treatments

    Treesearch

    Jim Cathcart; Alan A. Ager; Andrew McMahan; Mark Finney; Brian Watt

    2010-01-01

    Landscape simulation modeling is used to examine whether fuel treatments result in a carbon offset from avoided wildfire emissions. The study landscape was a 169,200-acre watershed located in south-central Oregon. Burn probability modeling was employed under extreme weather and fuel moisture conditions. Expected carbon stocks post-treatment, post-wildfire were...

  12. Budget impact of somatostatin analogs as treatment for metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in US hospitals.

    PubMed

    Ortendahl, Jesse D; Pulgar, Sonia J; Mirakhur, Beloo; Cox, David; Bentley, Tanya Gk; Phan, Alexandria T

    2017-01-01

    With the introduction of new therapies, hospitals have to plan spending limited resources in a cost-effective manner. To assist in identifying the optimal treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, budget impact modeling was used to estimate the financial implications of adoption and diffusion of somatostatin analogs (SSAs). A hypothetical cohort of 500 gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor patients was assessed in an economic model, with the proportion with metastatic disease treated with an SSA estimated using published data. Drug acquisition, preparation, and administration costs were based on national pricing databases and published literature. Octreotide dosing was based on published estimates of real-world data, whereas for lanreotide, real-world dosing was unavailable and we therefore used the highest indicated dosing. Alternative scenarios reflecting the proportion of patients receiving lanreotide or octreotide were considered to estimate the incremental budget impact to the hospital. In the base case, 313 of the initial 500 gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor patients were treated with an SSA. The model-predicted per-patient cost was US$83,473 for lanreotide and US$89,673 for octreotide. With a hypothetical increase in lanreotide utilization from 5% to 30% of this population, the annual model-projected hospital costs decreased by US$488,615. When varying the inputs in one-way sensitivity analyses, the results were most sensitive to changes in dosing assumptions. Results suggest that factors beyond drug acquisition cost can influence the budget impact to a hospital. When considering preparation and administration time, and real-world dosing, use of lanreotide has the potential to reduce health care expenditures associated with metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor treatments.

  13. In Defense of the National Labs and Big-Budget Science

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goodwin, J R

    2008-07-29

    The purpose of this paper is to present the unofficial and unsanctioned opinions of a Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the values of LLNL and the other National Labs. The basic founding value and goal of the National Labs is big-budget scientific research, along with smaller-budget scientific research that cannot easily be done elsewhere. The most important example in the latter category is classified defense-related research. The historical guiding light here is the Manhattan Project. This endeavor was unique in human history, and might remain so. The scientific expertise and wealth of an entire nation was tappedmore » in a project that was huge beyond reckoning, with no advance guarantee of success. It was in many respects a clash of scientific titans, with a large supporting cast, collaborating toward a single well-defined goal. Never had scientists received so much respect, so much money, and so much intellectual freedom to pursue scientific progress. And never was the gap between theory and implementation so rapidly narrowed, with results that changed the world, completely. Enormous resources are spent at the national or international level on large-scale scientific projects. LLNL has the most powerful computer in the world, Blue Gene/L. (Oops, Los Alamos just seized the title with Roadrunner; such titles regularly change hands.) LLNL also has the largest laser in the world, the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) has the most powerful microscope in the world. Not only is it beyond the resources of most large corporations to make such expenditures, but the risk exceeds the possible rewards for those corporations that could. Nor can most small countries afford to finance large scientific projects, and not even the richest can afford largess, especially if Congress is under major budget pressure. Some big-budget research efforts are funded by international consortiums, such as the Large Hadron

  14. The Effect of Shorter Treatment Regimens for Hepatitis C on Population Health and Under Fixed Budgets.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Jake R; Kim, Arthur Y; Naggie, Susanna; Linas, Benjamin P

    2018-01-01

    Direct acting antiviral hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies are highly effective but costly. Wider adoption of an 8-week ledipasvir/sofosbuvir treatment regimen could result in significant savings, but may be less efficacious compared with a 12-week regimen. We evaluated outcomes under a constrained budget and cost-effectiveness of 8 vs 12 weeks of therapy in treatment-naïve, noncirrhotic, genotype 1 HCV-infected black and nonblack individuals and considered scenarios of IL28B and NS5A resistance testing to determine treatment duration in sensitivity analyses. We developed a decision tree to use in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulation to investigate the cost-effectiveness of recommended treatment durations and the population health effect of these strategies given a constrained budget. Outcomes included the total number of individuals treated and attaining sustained virologic response (SVR) given a constrained budget and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. We found that treating eligible (treatment-naïve, noncirrhotic, HCV-RNA <6 million copies) individuals with 8 weeks rather than 12 weeks of therapy was cost-effective and allowed for 50% more individuals to attain SVR given a constrained budget among both black and nonblack individuals, and our results suggested that NS5A resistance testing is cost-effective. Eight-week therapy provides good value, and wider adoption of shorter treatment could allow more individuals to attain SVR on the population level given a constrained budget. This analysis provides an evidence base to justify movement of the 8-week regimen to the preferred regimen list for appropriate patients in the HCV treatment guidelines and suggests expanding that recommendation to black patients in settings where cost and relapse trade-offs are considered.

  15. My fuel treatment planner: a user guide.

    Treesearch

    Robin L. Biesecker; Roger D. Fight

    2006-01-01

    My Fuel Treatment Planner (MyFTP) is a tool for calculating and displaying the financial costs and potential revenues associated with forest fuel reduction treatments. It was designed for fuel treatment planners including those with little or no background in economics, forest management, or timber sales. This guide provides the information needed to acquire, load, and...

  16. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Clean Cities Helps National Parks Model

    Science.gov Websites

    Sustainable Transportation Clean Cities Helps National Parks Model Sustainable Transportation to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Clean Cities Helps National Parks Model Sustainable Transportation on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Clean Cities Helps National

  17. Fuel-reduction treatments for restoration in eastern hardwoods: impacts on multiple ecosystem components

    Treesearch

    Thomas A. Waldrop; Daniel A. Yaussy; Ralph E.J. Boerner; Cathryn H. Greenberg; Dean M. Simon

    2013-01-01

    The Southern Appalachian Mountains and Ohio Hills sites are unique within the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study because they are in hardwood-dominated forests. The efficacy of four fuel-reduction treatments was evaluated to restore these unmanaged hardwood forests to the structure and function of open woodland habitats. Treatments included control, prescribed...

  18. 75 FR 66121 - Information Collection Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-27

    ... and memorials in the world. Applicants for USPP officer positions must complete and pass a competitive... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [OMB Control Number 1024-0245] Information Collection Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; National Park Police Personal...

  19. National fuel cell bus program : proterra fuel cell hybrid bus report, Columbia demonstration.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-10-01

    This report summarizes the experience and early results from a fuel cell bus demonstration funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the National Fuel Cell Bus Program. A team led by the Center for Transportation and the Environment an...

  20. 77 FR 60972 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-05

    ... Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application Take notice that on September 18, 2012, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221, filed in... Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221, or call 716-857-7949...

  1. Using Landscape-Based Decision Rules to Prioritize Locations of Fuel Treatments in the Boreal Mixedwood of Western Canada

    Treesearch

    Marc-André Parisien; Dave R. Junor; Victor G. Kafka

    2006-01-01

    This study used a rule-based approach to prioritize locations of fuel treatments in the boreal mixedwood forest of western Canada. The burn probability (BP) in and around Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan was mapped using the Burn-P3 (Probability, Prediction, and Planning) model. Fuel treatment locations were determined according to three scenarios and five...

  2. 78 FR 63976 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [ Docket No. CP14-5-000] National Fuel..., 2013, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York... the Commission's regulations under the Natural Gas Act (NGA). National Fuel seeks authorization to...

  3. Measuring the effect of fuel treatments on forest carbon using landscape risk analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ager, A. A.; Finney, M. A.; McMahan, A.; Cathcart, J.

    2010-12-01

    Wildfire simulation modelling was used to examine whether fuel reduction treatments can potentially reduce future wildfire emissions and provide carbon benefits. In contrast to previous reports, the current study modelled landscape scale effects of fuel treatments on fire spread and intensity, and used a probabilistic framework to quantify wildfire effects on carbon pools to account for stochastic wildfire occurrence. The study area was a 68 474 ha watershed located on the Fremont-Winema National Forest in southeastern Oregon, USA. Fuel reduction treatments were simulated on 10% of the watershed (19% of federal forestland). We simulated 30 000 wildfires with random ignition locations under both treated and untreated landscapes to estimate the change in burn probability by flame length class resulting from the treatments. Carbon loss functions were then calculated with the Forest Vegetation Simulator for each stand in the study area to quantify change in carbon as a function of flame length. We then calculated the expected change in carbon from a random ignition and wildfire as the sum of the product of the carbon loss and the burn probabilities by flame length class. The expected carbon difference between the non-treatment and treatment scenarios was then calculated to quantify the effect of fuel treatments. Overall, the results show that the carbon loss from implementing fuel reduction treatments exceeded the expected carbon benefit associated with lowered burn probabilities and reduced fire severity on the treated landscape. Thus, fuel management activities resulted in an expected net loss of carbon immediately after treatment. However, the findings represent a point in time estimate (wildfire immediately after treatments), and a temporal analysis with a probabilistic framework used here is needed to model carbon dynamics over the life cycle of the fuel treatments. Of particular importance is the long-term balance between emissions from the decay of dead trees

  4. 76 FR 51027 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-17

    ... horizontal injection/withdrawal wells within the Colden Storage Field in Erie, New York, under National Fuel... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-530-000] National Fuel..., 2011, National Fuel Gas Corporation (National Fuel), 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221...

  5. Litter Decomposition and Soil Respiration Responses to Fuel-Reduction Treatments in Piedmond Loblolly Pine Forests

    Treesearch

    Mac A. Callaham; Peter H. Anderson; Thomas A. Waldrop; Darren J. Lione; Victor B. Shelburne

    2004-01-01

    As part of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study, we measured the short-term effects of different fuel-management practices on leaf litter decomposition and soil respiration in loblolly pine stands on the upper Piedmont of South Carolina. These stands had been subjected to a factorial arrangement of experimental fuel-management treatments that included prescribed...

  6. Budget impact of pasireotide LAR for the treatment of acromegaly, a rare endocrine disorder.

    PubMed

    Zhang, J J; Nellesen, D; Ludlam, W H; Neary, M P

    2016-01-01

    Acromegaly is a rare disorder characterized by the over-production of growth hormone (GH). Patients often experience a range of chronic comorbidities including hypertension, cardiac dysfunction, diabetes, osteoarthropathy, and obstructive sleep apnea. Untreated or inadequately controlled patients incur substantial healthcare costs, while normalization of GH levels may reduce morbidity and mortality rates to be comparable to the general population. To assess the 3-year budget impact of pasireotide LAR on a US managed care health plan following pasireotide LAR availability. Two separate economic models were developed: one from the perspective of an entire health plan and another from the perspective of a pharmacy budget. The total budget impact model includes costs of drug therapies and other costs for treatment, monitoring, management of adverse events, and comorbidities. The pharmacy cost calculator only considers drug costs. The total estimated budget impact associated with the introduction of pasireotide LAR is 0.31 cents ($0.0031) per member per month (PMPM) in the first year, 0.78 cents ($0.0078) in the second year, and 1.42 cents ($0.0142) in the third year following FDA approval. Costs were similar or lower from a pharmacy budget impact perspective. For each patient achieving disease control, cost savings from reduced comorbidities amounted to $10,240 per year. Published data on comorbidities for acromegaly are limited. In the absence of data on acromegaly-related costs for some comorbidities, comorbidity costs for the general population were used (may be under-estimates). The budget impact of pasireotide LAR is expected to be modest, with an expected increase of 1.42 cents PMPM on the total health plan budget in the third year after FDA approval. The efficacy of pasireotide LAR in acromegaly, as demonstrated in head-to-head trials compared with currently available treatment options, is expected to be associated with a reduction of the prevalence of

  7. Pre-wildfire fuel treatments affect long-term ponderosa pine forest dynamics

    Treesearch

    Barbara A. Strom; Peter Z. Fule

    2007-01-01

    The 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire, the largest wildfire in south-western USA history, burned over treated stands and adjacent untreated stands in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, setting the stage for a natural experiment testing the effectiveness of fuel reduction treatments under conditions of extraordinary fire severity. In seven pairs of treated­ untreated study...

  8. Review of economic studies and budget impact analysis of ocriplasmin as a treatment of vitreomacular traction.

    PubMed

    García-Pérez, L; Abreu-González, R; Pérez-Ramos, J; García-Pérez, S; Serrano-Aguilar, P

    2016-06-01

    To review the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of ocriplasmin as a treatment for vitreomacular traction (VMT), and to estimate the impact on the Spanish National Health System (NHS). 1) Systematic review. The following databases were searched in January 2015: MEDLINE, PREMEDLINE, EMBASE, CRD, the Cochrane Library, and key websites. Selection criteria were: full economic evaluations that compared ocriplasmin with usual care ('watch and wait' and/or vitrectomy) in patients with VMT. The outcomes to extract were costs of the alternatives and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Studies of budget impact analysis were also included. The methodological quality was assessed, and a narrative synthesis of the included studies was carried out. 2) Estimation of budget impact. The impact on the budget as a result of the introduction of ocriplasmin in the NHS was estimated, including data from different sources. Six studies were identified, none of them performed in Spain. The two best studies concluded that ocriplasmin is cost-effective in their respective countries (Canada and United Kingdom), but only in patients with certain conditions (without epiretinal membrane, for example). The results of the budget impact analysis are different between countries. The analysis for Spain showed that the introduction of ocriplasmin would mean a saving over 1 million Euros for the NHS in 5 years. The cost-effectiveness of ocriplasmin has not been demonstrated in Spain. However, good studies performed in other countries found that ocriplasmin is cost-effective in selected patients. Given the current prices in Spain, ocriplasmin could involve a saving for the Spanish NHS. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. Optimising fuel treatments over time and space

    Treesearch

    Woodam Chung; Greg Jones; Kurt Krueger; Jody Bramel; Marco Contreras

    2013-01-01

    Fuel treatments have been widely used as a tool to reduce catastrophic wildland fire risks in many forests around the world. However, it is a challenging task for forest managers to prioritise where, when and how to implement fuel treatments across a large forest landscape. In this study, an optimisation model was developed for long-term fuel management decisions at a...

  10. NREL Celebrates National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day October 8 | News | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    Celebrates National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day October 8 NREL Celebrates National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day October 8 October 6, 2017 This week the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable and Fuel Cell Day on Oct. 8-10.08-a date chosen to represent the atomic weight of hydrogen (1.008

  11. Fuel accumulation and forest structure change following hazardous fuel reduction treatments throughout California

    Treesearch

    Nicole M. Vaillant; Erin K. Noonan-Wright; Alicia L. Reiner; Carol M. Ewell; Benjamin M. Rau; Josephine A. Fites-Kaufman; Scott N. Dailey

    2015-01-01

    Altered fuel conditions coupled with changing climate have disrupted fire regimes of forests historically characterised by high-frequency and low-to-moderate-severity fire. Managers use fuel treatments to abate undesirable fire behaviour and effects. Short-term effectiveness of fuel treatments to alter fire behaviour and effects is well documented; however, long-term...

  12. Fuel loading following fuel-reduction treatments and impacts from natural disturbances

    Treesearch

    Ross J. Phillips; Thomas A. Waldrop

    2013-01-01

    A long-term study of fuel-reduction treatments (mechanical fuel removal, prescribed burning, and the combination of mechanical treatment and burning) was begun in 2000 and 2001 for sites located in the Piedmont of South Carolina and the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, respectively. During this time multiple natural disturbances [southern pine beetle...

  13. Hospital ownership and drug utilization under a global budget: a quantile regression analysis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jing Hua; Chou, Shin-Yi; Deily, Mary E; Lien, Hsien-Ming

    2014-03-01

    A global budgeting system helps control the growth of healthcare spending by setting expenditure ceilings. However, the hospital global budget implemented in Taiwan in 2002 included a special provision: drug expenditures are reimbursed at face value, while other expenditures are subject to discounting. That gives hospitals, particularly those that are for-profit, an incentive to increase drug expenditures in treating patients. We calculated monthly drug expenditures by hospital departments from January 1997 to June 2006, using a sample of 348 193 patient claims to Taiwan National Health Insurance. To allow for variation among responses by departments with differing reliance on drugs and among hospitals of different ownerships, we used quantile regression to identify the effect of the hospital global budget on drug expenditures. Although drug expenditure increased in all hospital departments after the enactment of the hospital global budget, departments in for-profit hospitals that rely more heavily on drug treatments increased drug spending more, relative to public hospitals. Our findings suggest that a global budgeting system with special reimbursement provisions for certain treatment categories may alter treatment decisions and may undermine cost-containment goals, particularly among for-profit hospitals.

  14. Defense.gov Special Report: 2013 Fiscal Budget

    Science.gov Websites

    the fiscal 2013 budget would balance the armed forces' needs with the nation's economic situation, the Remain Superior Force Hale: Budget Request Shows Balance Navy Official Outlines New Budget Priorities

  15. Alternative Fuels Data Center: National Park Saves Natural Resources with

    Science.gov Websites

    Alternative FuelsA> National Park Saves Natural Resources with Alternative Fuels to someone by E alternative fuel vehicles. For information about this project, contact East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition - Television's Original Automotive Magazine Provided by Maryland Public Television Related Videos Photo of a car

  16. The national Fire and Fire Surrogate study: Effects of fuel reduction methods on forest vegetation structure and fuels

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schwilk, D.W.; Keeley, J.E.; Knapp, E.E.; Mciver, J.; Bailey, J. D.; Fettig, C.J.; Fiedler, C.E.; Harrod, R.J.; Moghaddas, J.J.; Outcalt, K.W.; Skinner, C.N.; Stephens, S.L.; Waldrop, T.A.; Yaussy, D.A.; Youngblood, A.

    2009-01-01

    Changes in vegetation and fuels were evaluated from measurements taken before and after fuel reduction treatments (prescribed fire, mechanical treatments, and the combination of the two) at 12 Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) sites located in forests with a surface fire regime across the conterminous United States. To test the relative effectiveness of fuel reduction treatments and their effect on ecological parameters we used an informationtheoretic approach on a suite of 12 variables representing the overstory (basal area and live tree, sapling, and snag density), the understory (seedling density, shrub cover, and native and alien herbaceous species richness), and the most relevant fuel parameters for wildfire damage (height to live crown, total fuel bed mass, forest floor mass, and woody fuel mass). In the short term (one year after treatment), mechanical treatments were more effective at reducing overstory tree density and basal area and at increasing quadratic mean tree diameter. Prescribed fire treatments were more effective at creating snags, killing seedlings, elevating height to live crown, and reducing surface woody fuels. Overall, the response to fuel reduction treatments of the ecological variables presented in this paper was generally maximized by the combined mechanical plus burning treatment. If the management goal is to quickly produce stands with fewer and larger diameter trees, less surface fuel mass, and greater herbaceous species richness, the combined treatment gave the most desirable results. However, because mechanical plus burning treatments also favored alien species invasion at some sites, monitoring and control need to be part of the prescription when using this treatment. ?? 2009 by the Ecological Society of America.

  17. 40 CFR 35.9035 - Budget period.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Budget period. 35.9035 Section 35.9035... ASSISTANCE Financial Assistance for the National Estuary Program § 35.9035 Budget period. An applicant may choose its budget period in consultation with and subject to the approval of the Regional Administrator. ...

  18. PERSONAL HEALTH BUDGETS IN ENGLAND: MOOD MUSIC OR DEATH KNELL FOR THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE?

    PubMed

    Scott-Samuel, Alex

    2015-01-01

    Personal health budgets in England are National Health Service (NHS) funds that can be allocated to certain groups of patients to allow them, together with their NHS support staff, to purchase services or equipment that they believe will enhance their health and well-being. Some see this as a welcome personalization of health care that increases people's control over their health. However, personal health budgets are being introduced at a time when rapid privatization of the English NHS is taking place and when restrictions are being placed on people's access to health care. As a result, many view their introduction as a diversionary gimmick designed to help pave the way for the conversion of the NHS into the insurance-based system, which many believe is the intention of the U.K. government. This article describes the research and policy context in which this controversial intervention is being introduced and presents recent expert debate between proponents and opponents of personal health budgets, from e-mail discussion lists.

  19. Budget cuts.

    PubMed

    1996-05-31

    The House of Representatives approved a Federal budget for fiscal 1997. The budget calls for cutting $1.5 billion from the current $23 billion budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Only half of the DHHS money goes to the National Institutes of Health, whose research programs were expected to remain intact. DHHS programs, such as the Ryan White CARE Act and prevention programs run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are likely to bear the brunt of the cuts. The House Veterans Affairs/Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill will be reviewed during the week of June 3, 1996. The Senate envisions a $1.5 billion reduction in DHHS programs, although the action is not final.

  20. Limits to understory plant restoration following fuel-reduction treatments in a piñon-juniper woodland.

    PubMed

    Redmond, Miranda D; Zelikova, Tamara J; Barger, Nichole N

    2014-11-01

    National fuel-reduction programs aim to reduce the risk of wildland fires to human communities and to restore forest and rangeland ecosystems to resemble their historical structure, function, and diversity. There are a number of factors, such as seed bank dynamics, post-treatment climate, and herbivory, which determine whether this latter goal may be achieved. Here, we examine the short-term (2 years) vegetation response to fuel-reduction treatments (mechanical mastication, broadcast burn, and pile burn) and seeding of native grasses on understory vegetation in an upland piñon-juniper woodland in southeast Utah. We also examine how wildlife herbivory affects the success of fuel-reduction treatments. Herbaceous cover increased in response to fuel-reduction treatments in all seeded treatments, with the broadcast burn and mastication having greater increases (234 and 160 %, respectively) in herbaceous cover than the pile burn (32 %). In the absence of seeding, herbaceous cover only increased in the broadcast burn (32 %). Notably, fuel-reduction treatments, but not seeding, strongly affected herbaceous plant composition. All fuel-reduction treatments increased the relative density of invasive species, especially in the broadcast burn, which shifted the plant community composition from one dominated by perennial graminoids to one dominated by annual forbs. Herbivory by wildlife reduced understory plant cover by over 40 % and altered plant community composition. If the primary management goal is to enhance understory cover while promoting native species abundance, our study suggests that mastication may be the most effective treatment strategy in these upland piñon-juniper woodlands. Seed applications and wildlife exclosures further enhanced herbaceous cover following fuel-reduction treatments.

  1. Drug reimbursement recommendations by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence: have they impacted the National Health Service budget?

    PubMed

    Mauskopf, Josephine; Chirila, Costel; Birt, Julie; Boye, Kristina S; Bowman, Lee

    2013-04-01

    Determine whether reimbursement restrictions recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have impacted the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS) budget. Data were abstracted from NICE guidance documents and costing statements through March 2011. Estimated maximum and adjusted potential budget impact (PBI) on the NHS was derived using estimates of the UK marketing-approved population and the annual cost for the new drug. Descriptive and logistic analyses were used to estimate the correlation between the degree of restrictions on reimbursement recommended by NICE for each new drug indication and the PBI controlling for clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. PBI was significantly correlated with the degree of reimbursement restrictions. In descriptive analysis, the adjusted PBI for drugs that were recommended without restrictions was £20.3 million (SD = 22.2) compared with £49.8 million (SD = 90.8) for those recommended with restrictions and £71.1 million (SE = 99.9) for those not recommended. In logistic analysis, the odds ratio for less restrictive reimbursement was 0.848 (95% CI, 0.762-0.945) for each £20 million increase in the adjusted PBI. Results were similar using the maximum PBI. After controlling for clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, the degree of reimbursement restriction recommended by NICE remains significantly correlated with the PBI, despite that fact that the NICE decision process does not consider budget impact. This correlation might be due to NICE consideration of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for subgroups of the approved population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Budget Increases Proposed for NOAA and Energy Department

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2009-05-01

    In addition to the Obama administration's proposed budget increases for NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey (see Eos, 90(10), 83, 2009, and 90(20), 175, 2009), other federal Earth and space science agencies also would receive boosts in the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget. The proposed budget comes on top of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's (ARRA) US$18.3 billion in stimulus spending for research and development that can be apportioned between the FY 2009 and FY 2010 budgets. This news item focuses on the budget proposals for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Next week, Eos will look at the budget proposal for the National Science Foundation.

  3. NOAA seeks healthy budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bush, Susan

    The small, crowded room of the House side of the U.S. Capitol building belied the large budget of $1,611,991,000 requested for Fiscal Year 1992 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. John A. Knauss, Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, U.S. Department of Commerce, delivered his testimony on February 28 before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies. He told the subcommittee that the budget “attempts to balance the two goals of maintaining NOAA's position as an important science agency and addressing the serious budget problems that the government continues to face.”Climate and global change, modernization of the National Weather Service, and the Coastal Ocean Science program are NOAA's three ongoing, high-priority initiatives that the budget addresses. Also, three additional initiatives—a NOAA-wide program to improve environmental data management, President Bush's multiagency Coastal America initiative, and a seafood safety program administered jointly by NOAA and the Food and Drug Administration—are addressed.

  4. Development of Ocean Noise "Budgets"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    D'Spain, G. L.; Miller, J. H.; Frisk, G. V.; Bradley, D. L.

    2003-12-01

    The National Oceanographic Partnership Program recently sponsored the third U.S. National Academy of Sciences study on the potential impact of manmade sound on the marine environment. Several recommendations for future research are made by the 11-member committee in their report titled Ocean Noise and Marine Mammals (National Academies Press, 2003). This presentation will focus on the subset of recommendations related to a "noise budget", i.e., an accounting of the relative contributions of various sources to the ocean noise field. A noise budget is defined in terms of a specific metric of the sound field. The metric, or budget "currency", typically considered is the acoustic pressure spectrum integrated over space and time, which is proportional to the total mechanical energy in the acoustic field. However, this currency may not be the only one of relevance to marine animals. Each of the various ways in which sound can potentially impact these animals, e.g., temporary threshold shift, masking, behavior disruption, etc, probably depends upon a different property, or set of properties, of the sound field. Therefore, a family of noise budgets based on various currencies will be required for complete evaluation of the potential impact of manmade noise on the marine environment. Validation of noise budgets will require sustained, long term measurements of the underwater noise field.

  5. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Michigan's National Lakeshore Reduces

    Science.gov Websites

    alternative fuel vehicles to the park's fleet, while educating staff and visitors about the impact of vehicle Vehicle Impact on the Environment Michigan's National Lakeshore Reduces Vehicle Impact on the Vehicle Impact on the Environment on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Michigan's

  6. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; economic uses fact sheet 04: My Fuel Treatment Planner

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2004-01-01

    In the face of rapidly changing public and political attitudes toward fire and fuel planning, one thing remains constant: the fuel planner is ultimately responsible for making decisions on the land. This fact sheet discusses the options for fuel treatments, and the need, development, and use of the MS Excel-based tool, My Fuel Treatment Planner.

  7. Reading College Budgets: A Guide to Recent Changes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dubeck, Leroy W.

    1995-01-01

    Changes in the National Education Association's new edition of "Budget Handbook for College Faculty and Staff," reflecting new rules for institutional accounting, are summarized and implications for faculty and staff are highlighted. Budget terminology, sources of budget information, and budget components are detailed as well as changes…

  8. Targeted erlotinib for first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a budget impact analysis.

    PubMed

    Bajaj, Preeti S; Veenstra, David L; Goertz, Hans-Peter; Carlson, Josh J

    2014-08-01

    A recent phase III trial showed that patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors harbor specific EGFR mutations significantly benefit from first-line treatment with erlotinib compared to chemotherapy. This study sought to estimate the budget impact if coverage for EGFR testing and erlotinib as first-line therapy were provided in a hypothetical 500,000-member managed care plan. The budget impact model was developed from a US health plan perspective to evaluate administration of the EGFR test and treatment with erlotinib for EGFR-positive patients, compared to non-targeted treatment with chemotherapy. The eligible patient population was estimated from age-stratified SEER incidence data. Clinical data were derived from key randomized controlled trials. Costs related to drug, administration, and adverse events were included. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess uncertainty. In a plan of 500,000 members, it was estimated there would be 91 newly diagnosed advanced NSCLC patients annually; 11 are expected to be EGFR-positive. Based on the testing and treatment assumptions, it was estimated that 3 patients in Scenario 1 and 6 patients in Scenario 2 receive erlotinib. Overall health plan expenditures would increase by $0.013 per member per month (PMPM). This increase is largely attributable to erlotinib drug costs, in part due to lengthened progression-free survival and treatment periods experienced in erlotinib-treated patients. EGFR testing contributes slightly, whereas adverse event costs mitigate the budget impact. The budget impact did not exceed $0.019 PMPM in sensitivity analyses. Coverage for targeted first-line erlotinib therapy in NSCLC likely results in a small budget impact for US health plans. The estimated impact may vary by plan, or if second-line or maintenance therapy, dose changes/interruptions, or impact on patients' quality-of-life were included.

  9. Implementation of the fire and fire surrogate study— a national research effort to evaluate the consequences of fuel reduction treatments

    Treesearch

    Andrew Youngblood; Kerry L. Metlen; Eric E. Knapp; Kenneth W. Outcalt; Scott L. Stephens; Thomas A. Waldrop; Daniel Yaussy

    2005-01-01

    Many fire-dependent forests today are denser, contain fewer large trees, have higher fuel loads, and greater fuel continuity than occurred under historical fire regimes. These conditions increase the probability of unnaturally severe wildfires. Silviculturists are increasingly being asked to design fuel reduction treatments to help protect existing and future forest...

  10. 78 FR 53745 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-30

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP13-530-000] National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization Take notice that on August 12, 2013, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York...

  11. 78 FR 55250 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP13-536-000] National Fuel..., 2013, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York... Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) as amended, to convert one injection/withdrawal well...

  12. 76 FR 52650 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-23

    ... Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Application Take notice that on August 15, 2011, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel), 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221, filed an application... Supply Corporation, 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221, at (716) 857-7949. There are two...

  13. The Fiscal Year 1993 Bush Budget: Still Not Tackling the Nation's Problems.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenstein, Robert; Leonard, Paul A.

    On January 29, 1992, the Bush Administration unveiled its fiscal year 1993 budget. An examination of the budget reveals a substantial gap between the administration's rhetoric concerning the budget and what the budget actually contains. An analysis reveals a budget that continues to give priority to defense over domestic spending, one that favors…

  14. The influence of an incomplete fuels treatment on fire behavior and effects in the 2007 Tin Cup Fire, Bitterroot National Forest, Montana

    Treesearch

    Michael Harrington; Erin Noonan-Wright

    2010-01-01

    Extensive forested areas have received fuels treatments in recent decades and significant funding is available for additional treatments in an attempt to mitigate undesirable high wildfire intensities and impacts. Fuel treatment successes and failures in moderating fire behavior and effects can be found in quantified and anecdotal reports. Questions remain about the...

  15. An improved water budget for the El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, as determined by the Water Supply Stress Index Model

    Treesearch

    Liangxia Zhang; Ge Sun; Erika Cohen; Steven McNulty; Peter Caldwell; Suzanne Krieger; Jason Christian; Decheng Zhou; Kai Duan; Keren J. Cepero-Pérez

    2018-01-01

    Quantifying the forest water budget is fundamental to making science-based forest management decisions. This study aimed at developing an improved water budget for the El Yunque National Forest (ENF) in Puerto Rico, one of the wettest forests in the United States. We modified an existing monthly scale water balance model, Water Supply Stress Index (WaSSI), to reflect...

  16. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Fuel Economy Testing at the U.S. EPA National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (SAE Paper 2004-01-2900)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and their new technology has created the need for development of new fuel economy test procedures and safety procedures during testing. The United States Environmental Protection Agency-National Vehicle Fuels and Emissions Laborato...

  17. Toward a national fuels mapping strategy: Lessons from selected mapping programs

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Loveland, Thomas R.

    2001-01-01

    The establishment of a robust national fuels mapping program must be based on pertinent lessons from relevant national mapping programs. Many large-area mapping programs are under way in numerous Federal agencies. Each of these programs follows unique strategies to achieve mapping goals and objectives. Implementation approaches range from highly centralized programs that use tightly integrated standards and dedicated staff, to dispersed programs that permit considerable flexibility. One model facilitates national consistency, while the other allows accommodation of locally relevant conditions and issues. An examination of the programmatic strategies of four national vegetation and land cover mapping initiatives can identify the unique approaches, accomplishments, and lessons of each that should be considered in the design of a national fuel mapping program. The first three programs are the U.S. Geological Survey Gap Analysis Program, the U.S. Geological Survey National Land Cover Characterization Program, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Survey National Wetlands Inventory. A fourth program, the interagency Multiresolution Land Characterization Program, offers insights in the use of partnerships to accomplish mapping goals. Collectively, the programs provide lessons, guiding principles, and other basic concepts that can be used to design a successful national fuels mapping initiative.

  18. Using fire to increase the scale, benefits and future maintenance of fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    Malcolm P. North; Brandon M. Collins; Scott L Stephens

    2012-01-01

    The Forest Service is implementing a new planning rule and starting to revise forest plans for many of the 155 National Forests. In forests that historically had frequent fire regimes, the scale of current fuels reduction treatments has often been too limited to affect fire severity and the Forest Service has predominantly focused on suppression. In addition to...

  19. Fiscal 1983 Science Budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richman, Barbara T.

    Support for science generally is strong in President Ronald Reagan's fiscal 1983 budget proposal, released last week; agency budgets for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), however, did not beat inflation.Total federal funding for research and development and related facilities rose 9.6% to $44.3 billion, beating the 7.3% inflation rate estimated for 1982 by the Office of Management and Budget. Obligations for basic research by various departments and agencies also topped inflation. The President proposes federal funding of $5.82 billion in fiscal 1983, compared with $5.35 billion in 1982.

  20. 78 FR 9679 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Prior Notice of Activity Under Blanket Certificate

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-11

    ... Gas Supply Corporation; Prior Notice of Activity Under Blanket Certificate On January 24, 2013, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel) filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission... this application may be directed to David W. Reitz, Deputy General Counsel, National Fuel Gas Supply...

  1. Budget Reform to Improve Higher Education Quality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Folger, John

    A national project designed to examine issues of budget reform and quality improvement in higher education is described. The focus is state-level budget practices and their impact on institutions. Most of the funding for quality improvement has been categorical: a small percent of the budget is set aside to achieve particular quality or…

  2. 75 FR 51032 - National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation; Notice of Baseline Filing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-79-000] National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation; Notice of Baseline Filing August 12, 2010. Take notice that on August 10, 2010, National fuel Gas Distribution Corporation submitted a baseline filing of its Statement of...

  3. The national fire and fire surrogate study: vegetation changes over 11 years of fuel reduction treatments in the southern Appalachian Mountains

    Treesearch

    Thomas A. Waldrop; Helen H. Mohr; Ross J. Phillips; Dean M. Simon

    2014-01-01

    At the Appalachian site of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study, prescribed burning was repeated three times and chainsaw felling of shrubs was done twice between 2002 and 2012. Goals were to reduce fuel loading and to promote restoration of an open woodland community. Chainsaw felling created a vertical fuel break, but the effect was temporary, and no...

  4. Fuel reduction in residential and scenic forests: A comparison of three treatments in a western Montana ponderosa pine stand

    Treesearch

    Joe H. Scott

    1998-01-01

    Three contrasting thinning treatments to reduce fire hazard were implemented in a 100-year-old ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir (Pinus ponderosa/Pseudotsuga menzesii) stand on the Lolo National Forest, MT. All treatments included a commercial thinning designed to reduce crown fuels and provide revenue to offset costs. The treatments are...

  5. Budget Cuts: Financial Aid Offices Face Budget Cuts and Increasing Workload. Quick Scan Survey Results

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NJ1), 2010

    2010-01-01

    The majority of college financial aid offices have seen cuts to their operating budgets this year compared to the 2007-08 academic year when the recession began, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrator's latest QuickScan Survey. Sixty-two percent of financial aid offices reported operating budget cuts this year…

  6. 75 FR 20979 - Six Rivers National Forest, Mad River Ranger District, Ruth, CA, Beaverslide Timber Sale and Fuel...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Six Rivers National Forest, Mad River Ranger District, Ruth, CA, Beaverslide Timber Sale and Fuel Treatment Project AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement. SUMMARY: The Forest Service is...

  7. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; economic uses fact sheet 03: economic impacts of fuel treatments

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2004-01-01

    With increased interest in reducing hazardous fuels in dry inland forests of the American West, agencies and the public will want to know the economic impacts of fuel reduction treatments. This fact sheet discusses the economic impact tool, a component of My Fuel Treatment Planner, for evaluating economic impacts.

  8. Effect of mastication and other mechanical treatments on fuel structure in chaparral

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brennan, Teresa J.; Keeley, Jon E.

    2015-01-01

    Mechanical fuel treatments are a common pre-fire strategy for reducing wildfire hazard that alters fuel structure by converting live canopy fuels to a compacted layer of dead surface fuels. Current knowledge concerning their effectiveness, however, comes primarily from forest-dominated ecosystems. Our objectives were to quantify and compare changes in shrub-dominated chaparral following crushing, mastication, re-mastication and mastication-plus-burning treatments, and to assess treatment longevity. Results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified significant differences in all fuel components by treatment type, vegetation type and time since treatment. Live woody fuel components of height, cover and mass were positively correlated with time since treatment, whereas downed woody fuel components were negatively correlated. Herbaceous fuels, conversely, were not correlated, and exhibited a 5-fold increase in cover across treatment types in comparison to controls. Average live woody fuel recovery was 50% across all treatment and vegetation types. Differences in recovery between time-since-treatment years 1–8 ranged from 32–65% and exhibited significant positive correlations with time since treatment. These results suggest that treatment effectiveness is short term due to the rapid regrowth of shrubs in these systems and is compromised by the substantial increase in herbaceous fuels. Consequences of not having a full understanding of these treatments are serious and leave concern for their widespread use on chaparral-dominated landscapes.

  9. The economic impact of introducing serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors into the Brazilian national drug formulary: cost-effectiveness and budget-impact analyses.

    PubMed

    Machado, Márcio; Iskedjian, Michael; Ruiz, Inés A; Einarson, Thomas R

    2007-01-01

    To determine the cost effectiveness, from the Brazilian Ministry of Health viewpoint, of three antidepressant classes for major depressive disorder (MDD), and the budget impact of introducing serotonin-noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) into the current Brazilian national drug formulary, assuming a 6-month treatment duration. An existing decision-tree model was adapted to Brazil, based on local guidelines. Clinical data were obtained from published meta-analyses. Patients included adults aged > or =18 years with MDD, diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third and fourth editions (DSM-III/IV), with moderate-to-severe disease (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAMD] > or =15 or Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] > or =18), without co-morbidities or co-medications, receiving > or =6 weeks of treatment with SNRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and/or tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Clinical outcome was remission (HAMD < or =7 or MADRS < or =12). Direct costs (drugs, physician visits, hospitalisations) were included. Drug costs were obtained from the 2006 Brazilian National Drug Price List, and hospitalisation and physician costs from the 2006 Healthcare System database. Costs were valued in Brazilian Reais ($Brz), year 2006 values ($Brz1 = $US0.47). Univariate and Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses tested model robustness. Expected costs per patient treated were SNRIs $Brz4848; SSRIs $Brz5466; and TCAs $Brz5046, and overall success rates (primary plus secondary treatment across all decision tree branches) were SNRIs 78.1%; SSRIs 74.0%; and TCAs 76.4%. Average costs/success were SNRIs $Brz6209; SSRIs $Brz7385; and TCAs $Brz6602. SNRIs dominated in incremental cost-effectiveness analyses. Monte Carlo analysis confirmed drug classes' relative positions; however, there was considerable uncertainty. Introducing SNRIs into the formulary could generate average savings of 1% of the

  10. Individual budgets for people with incontinence: results from a 'shopping' experiment within the British National Health Service.

    PubMed

    Fader, Mandy J; Cottenden, Alan M; Gage, Heather M; Williams, Peter; Getliffe, Katharine; Clarke-O'Neill, Sinead; Jamieson, Katharine M; Green, Nicholas J

    2014-04-01

    Most people with urinary incontinence are given limited choice when provided with absorbent products through the British National Health Service (NHS), even though the available range is large. To investigate users' preferences for four disposable designs (inserts, all-in-ones, belted/T-shaped and pull-ups) and towelling washable/reusable products, day and night. Shopping experiment. Community-dwelling women and men in England with moderate-to-heavy urinary incontinence recruited to a larger trial. Participants tested each design and selected products they would prefer with a range of different budgets. Design preferences (rankings); 'purchasing' decisions from designated budgets. Results  Eighty-five participants (49 men) tested products, 75 completed the shopping experiment. Inserts, most frequently supplied by the NHS, were ranked second to pull-ups by women and lowest by men. When faced with budget constraints, up to 40% of participants opted to 'mix-and-match' designs. Over 15 different combinations of products were selected by participants in the shopping experiment. Most (91%) stated a willingness to 'top-up' assigned budgets from income to secure preferred designs. Participants displayed diverse preferences. Enabling user choice of absorbent product design through individual budgets could improve satisfaction of consumers and efficiency of allocation of limited NHS resources. Recent policy for the NHS seeks to provide consumers with more control in their care. Extension of the concept of individual budgets to continence supplies could be feasible and beneficial for patients and provide better value-for-money within the NHS. Further research is warranted. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. U.S. science budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    Science agency budgets were slashed July 30 by the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, which voted significant cuts to the proposed fiscal year 2000 budgets of NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other agencies.While the funding levels may change in early September when the Senate takes up the appropriations bill for NASA, EPA, and NSF— which funds the Veterans Administration (VA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and independent agencies—Congress appears to be trying to maintain budgetary caps established in 1997. A separate House appropriations bill covering the Commerce Department cut research funding at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by 10%.

  12. The national Fire and Fire Surrogate study: effects of fuel reduction methods on forest vegetation structure and fuels

    Treesearch

    Dylan W. Schwilk; Jon E. Keeley; Eric E. Knapp; James Mciver; John D. Bailey; Christopher J. Fettig; Carl E. Fiedler; Richy J. Harrod; Jason J. Moghaddas; Kenneth W. Outcalt; Carl N. Skinner; Scott L. Stephens; Thomas A. Waldrop; Daniel A. Yaussy; Andrew Youngblood

    2009-01-01

    Changes in vegetation and fuels were evaluated from measurements taken before and after fuel reduction treatments (prescribed fire, mechanical treatments, and the combination of the two) at 12 Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) sites located in forests with a surface fire regime across the conterminous United States. To test the relative effectiveness of fuel reduction...

  13. 40 CFR 35.9035 - Budget period.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Budget period. 35.9035 Section 35.9035 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Financial Assistance for the National Estuary Program § 35.9035 Budget period. An applicant may...

  14. 40 CFR 35.9035 - Budget period.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Budget period. 35.9035 Section 35.9035 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Financial Assistance for the National Estuary Program § 35.9035 Budget period. An applicant may...

  15. 40 CFR 35.9035 - Budget period.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Budget period. 35.9035 Section 35.9035 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Financial Assistance for the National Estuary Program § 35.9035 Budget period. An applicant may...

  16. 40 CFR 35.9035 - Budget period.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Budget period. 35.9035 Section 35.9035 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Financial Assistance for the National Estuary Program § 35.9035 Budget period. An applicant may...

  17. Forecasting the Future Reimbursement System of Korean National Health Insurance: A Contemplation Focusing on Global Budget and Neo-KDRG-Based Payment Systems

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    With the adoption of national health insurance in 1977, Korea has been utilizing fee-for-service payment with contract-based healthcare reimbursement system in 2000. Under the system, fee-for-service reimbursement has been accused of augmenting national healthcare expenditure by excessively increasing service volume. The researcher examined in this paper two major alternatives including diagnosis related group-based payment and global budget to contemplate the future of reimbursement system of Korean national health insurance. Various literature and preceding studies on pilot project and actual implementation of Neo-KDRG were reviewed. As a result, DRG-based payment was effective for healthcare cost control but low in administrative efficiency. Global budget may be adequate for cost control and improving the quality of healthcare and administrative efficiency. However, many healthcare providers disagree that excess care arising from fee-for-service payment alone has led to financial deterioration of national health insurance and healthcare institutions should take responsibility with global budget payment as an appropriate solution. Dissimilar payment systems may be applied to different types of institutions to reflect their unique attributes, and this process can be achieved step-by-step. Developing public sphere among the stakeholders and striving for consensus shall be kept as collateral to attain the desirable reimbursement system in the future. PMID:22661867

  18. Forecasting the future reimbursement system of Korean National Health Insurance: a contemplation focusing on global budget and Neo-KDRG-based payment systems.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yang-Kyun

    2012-05-01

    With the adoption of national health insurance in 1977, Korea has been utilizing fee-for-service payment with contract-based healthcare reimbursement system in 2000. Under the system, fee-for-service reimbursement has been accused of augmenting national healthcare expenditure by excessively increasing service volume. The researcher examined in this paper two major alternatives including diagnosis related group-based payment and global budget to contemplate the future of reimbursement system of Korean national health insurance. Various literature and preceding studies on pilot project and actual implementation of Neo-KDRG were reviewed. As a result, DRG-based payment was effective for healthcare cost control but low in administrative efficiency. Global budget may be adequate for cost control and improving the quality of healthcare and administrative efficiency. However, many healthcare providers disagree that excess care arising from fee-for-service payment alone has led to financial deterioration of national health insurance and healthcare institutions should take responsibility with global budget payment as an appropriate solution. Dissimilar payment systems may be applied to different types of institutions to reflect their unique attributes, and this process can be achieved step-by-step. Developing public sphere among the stakeholders and striving for consensus shall be kept as collateral to attain the desirable reimbursement system in the future.

  19. Wildfire exposure and fuel management on western US national forests

    Treesearch

    Alan A. Ager; Michelle A. Day; Charles W. McHugh; Karen Short; Julie Gilbertson-Day; Mark A. Finney; David E. Calkin

    2014-01-01

    Substantial investments in fuel management activities on national forests in the western US are part of a national strategy to reduce human and ecological losses from catastrophic wildfire and create fire resilient landscapes. Prioritizing these investments within and among national forests remains a challenge, partly because a comprehensive assessment that establishes...

  20. 76 FR 52652 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-23

    ... gas-fired turbines for compressor units A2 and A3 and restaging of centrifugal compressors for units.... CP11-133-000] National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of... assessment (EA) for National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation's (National Fuel) proposed Northern Access Project...

  1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-01-01

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) must set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for light trucks. This was authorized by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which added Title V: Imporving Automotive Fuel Effici...

  2. National Jet Fuels Combustion Program – Area #3 : Advanced Combustion Tests

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-12-31

    The goal of this study is to develop, conduct, and analyze advanced laser and optical measurements in the experimental combustors developed under ASCENT National Fuel Combustion Program to measure sensitivity to fuel properties. We conducted advanced...

  3. FTM-West Model Results for Selected Fuel Treatment Scenarios

    Treesearch

    Andrew D. Kramp; Peter J. Ince

    2006-01-01

    This paper evaluated potential forest product market impacts in the U.S. West of increases in the supply of wood from thinnings to reduce fire hazard. Evaluations are done using the Fuel Treatment Market-West model for a set of hypothetical fuel treatment scenarios, which include stand-density-index (SDI) and thin-from-below (TFB) treatment regimes at alternative...

  4. Budget impact model of adding erlotinib to a regimen of gemcitabine for the treatment of locally advanced, nonresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer.

    PubMed

    Danese, Mark D; Reyes, Carolina; Northridge, Kelly; Lubeck, Deborah; Lin, Chin-Yu; O'Connor, Paula

    2008-04-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the budget impact of adding erlotinib to a US health plan insurer's formulary as a combination therapy with gemcitabine for the treatment of nonresectable pancreatic cancer. An Excel-based budget impact model was developed to evaluate the costs for National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline-recommended treatment options for patients with locally advanced, nonresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer from the perspective of a US managed care plan. The model compared treatment with gemcitabine alone and in combination with erlotinib, including the costs of treatment, adverse events (AEs), and administration. Inputs for the model were derived from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Cancer Registry, clinical trials, and publicly available sources and were varied in sensitivity analyses to identify influential inputs. The model addressed first-line use in a single indication and assumed that the proportion of patients aged >or=65 years in a managed care organization was the same as in the general population. The model did not account for patient copayments for oral medications, a factor that could lower a plan's overall cost further than estimated herein. For a hypothetical managed care plan with 500,000 members, the model estimated 43 newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer cases each year, of which 56% (n=24) would be treated with gemcitabine as first-line therapy. Assuming that erlotinib were added to the treatment regimen in 40% (n=10) of gemcitabine-treated patients for 15.7 weeks of therapy per patient, the expected 1-year cost in 2006 dollars would be US $466,700 compared with $346,700 had all patients been treated with gemcitabine alone. Administration costs accounted for 10% to 12% of total costs, while AE management costs made up 14% to 16% of total costs. These estimates corresponded to an incremental cost of $120,000, or $0.020 per member per month (PMPM). The results were relatively insensitive to drug

  5. NOAA budget would boost satellite funding but cut some key areas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2012-03-01

    The White House's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), announced on 13 February, looks favorable at first glance. The administration's request calls for $5.1 billion, an increase of $153 million (3.1%) above the FY 2012 estimated budget. However, the increase for NOAA satellites is $163 million, which means that other areas within the agency would be slated for decreased funding, including programs within the National Ocean Service (NOS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Weather Service (NWS), and some NOAA education programs. The proposed overall budget for the agency “reflects the overarching importance of weather satellites to public safety, to national security, and to the economy,” NOAA director Jane Lubchenco said at a 16 February briefing, noting that difficult choices were made regarding the budget. “Due to significant resources required for our weather satellites and the economic conditions in the country, other parts of our budget have been reduced, in some cases quite significantly,” she said. She added that the imperative to fund both the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and geostationary satellites in FY 2013 “imposes serious constraints on the rest of NOAA's budget.”

  6. Clinton Administration announces FY 2001 budget request

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    Blessed with a strong US. economy the Clinton Administration on February 7 released a fiscal year 2001 federal budget request totaling a whopping $1,835 billion. Most of the funding request is slated for big ticket items including Social Security defense spending, Medicaid, Medicare, and paying down the federal debt. However, within the 19% of the budget that funds non-defense discretionary programs,science agencies receive fairly healthy increases.The National Science Foundation (NSF) budget request would increase NSF funding by 17.3% $675 million and bring the total budget request to $4.6 billion. This includes significant increases for several initiatives: biocomplexity in the environment, information technology research, nanoscale science and engineering, and 21st century workforce. Among the major Earth science projects are launching the Earthscope initiative which includes the US Array and San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) and the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).

  7. Social science to improve fuels management: a synthesis of research on assessing social acceptability of fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    Terry C. Daniel; Michael Valdiserri; Carrie R. Daniel; Pamela Jakes; Pamela Jakes; Susan Barro

    2005-01-01

    A series of syntheses were commissioned by the USDA Forest Service to aid in fuels mitigation project planning. This synthesis focuses on research for assessing the social acceptability of fuels treatments. The synthesis is structured around six important considerations for any social acceptability assessment: defining the fuels treatments being assessed; representing...

  8. 32 CFR 989.6 - Budgeting and funding.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Budgeting and funding. 989.6 Section 989.6... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.6 Budgeting and funding. Contract EIAP efforts are proponent... unforeseen requirements, the proponent offices must provide the remaining funding. ...

  9. 32 CFR 989.6 - Budgeting and funding.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Budgeting and funding. 989.6 Section 989.6... ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.6 Budgeting and funding. Contract EIAP efforts are proponent... unforeseen requirements, the proponent offices must provide the remaining funding. ...

  10. Fuels treatments in the 21st century - do they matter?

    Treesearch

    Erik C. Christiansen

    2015-01-01

    Fuels treatments have long mattered, and are expected to into the future. Mangers are trying desperately to quantitatively answer the question "How much of the risk of wildfire to key values is being reduced through fuels management programs?" Serious challenges to continued implementation of fuels treatments persist, such as lack of sufficient resources to...

  11. Budget Impact Analysis of Biosimilar Trastuzumab for the Treatment of Breast Cancer in Croatia.

    PubMed

    Cesarec, August; Likić, Robert

    2017-04-01

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and has considerable impact on healthcare budgets and patients' quality of life. Trastuzumab (Herceptin ® ) is a monoclonal antibody directed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) for the treatment of breast cancer. Several trastuzumab biosimilars are currently in development. In 2015, trastuzumab was the drug with the highest financial consumption among all drugs in Croatia. This model estimates the 1-year budget impact of the introduction of biosimilar trastuzumab in Croatia. A budget impact model, based on approvals for trastuzumab treatment in 2015, was developed for the introduction of biosimilars. Two biosimilar scenarios were developed: biosimilar scenario 1, based on all approvals in 2015, and biosimilar scenario 2, based on approvals after February 2015 and the reimbursement of the subcutaneous formulation of trastuzumab in Croatia. Only trastuzumab-naïve patients and drug-acquisition costs were used in the model. Uptake of biosimilar was assumed at 50 %. Scenarios were calculated with price discounts of 15, 25 and 35 %. The robustness of the model was tested by extensive sensitivity analyses. The projected drug cost savings from the introduction of biosimilar trastuzumab range from €0.26 million (scenario 2, 15 % price discount) to €0.69 million (scenario 1, 35 % price discount). If budget savings were reinvested to treat additional patients with trastuzumab, 14 (scenario 2, 15 % price discount) to 47 (scenario 1, 35 % price discount) additional patients could be treated. Sensitivity analyses showed that the incidence of breast cancer had the highest impact on the model, with a 10 % decrease in incidence leading to an 11.3 % decrease in projected savings. The introduction of biosimilar trastuzumab could lead to significant drug cost savings in Croatia.

  12. Crizotinib treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients: a budget impact analysis based in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Thongprasert, Sumitra; Permsuwan, Unchalee

    2017-05-01

    With the advent of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor, treatment of ALK-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has become more effective while drug costs are still a major concern. This study aimed to estimate the budget impact of crizotinib versus other standard therapies in Thai advanced NSCLC patients with ALK rearrangement. The budget impact model was developed to estimate the net budget impact of crizotinib compared with no crizotinib considering the payer's perspective over a three-year period. Costs included drugs, ALK testing by FISH, adverse event treatment, administration and monitoring, and best supportive care. Data on costs and population were from a database in Thailand. Costs were presented for the year 2015. A univariate sensitivity analysis was performed to investigate the robustness of our findings. The total net budget impact of crizotinib in three years was 125,576,699 THB (3,480,507 USD), 91,156,049 THB (2,526,498 USD), and 42,724,760 THB (1,184,167 USD) respectively. When considering only patients receiving crizotinib, the expenditure increased by 41,199.70 THB (1141.90 USD), 20,755.02 THB (575.25 USD), and 8834.73 THB (244.87 USD) per patient per month. The main driven costs were from the cost of ALK testing and drugs. Despite its treatment value in ALK-positive patients, crizotinib can only be affordable for Thai patients within upper middle or high economic status. Availability for all patients under current payment models is limited.

  13. Revised State Budget Sells Kids Short

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Children Now, 2012

    2012-01-01

    The Administration's May Revision of the 2012-2013 state budget addresses a $15.7 billion shortfall through funding shifts, cuts, and new revenue sources that place children squarely in harms way. California's kids are already grossly underserved relative to the rest of the nation's children. If the May Revise budget is passed by the Legislature,…

  14. Impact of orphan drugs on Latvian budget.

    PubMed

    Logviss, Konstantins; Krievins, Dainis; Purvina, Santa

    2016-05-11

    Number of orphan medicinal products on the market and number of rare disease patients, taking these usually expensive products, are increasing. As a result, budget impact of orphan drugs is growing. This factor, along with the cost-effectiveness of orphan drugs, is often considered in the reimbursement decisions, directly affecting accessibility of rare disease therapies. The current study aims to assess the budget impact of orphan drugs in Latvia. Our study covered a 5-year period, from 2010 to 2014. Impact of orphan drugs on Latvian budget was estimated from the National Health Service's perspective. It was calculated in absolute values and relative to total pharmaceutical market and total drug reimbursement budget. A literature review was performed for comparison with other European countries. Orphan drug annual expenditure ranged between EUR 2.065 and 3.065 million, with total 5-year expenditure EUR 12.467 million. It constituted, on average, 0.84 % of total pharmaceutical market and 2.14 % of total drug reimbursement budget, respectively. Average annual per patient expenditures varied widely, from EUR 1 534 to EUR 580 952. The most costly treatment was enzyme replacement therapy (Elaprase) for MPS II. Glivec had the highest share (34 %) of the total orphan drug expenditure. Oncological drugs represented more than a half of the total orphan drug expenditure, followed by drugs for metabolic and endocrine conditions and medicines for cardiopulmonary diseases. Three indications: Ph+ CML, MPS II, and PAH accounted for nearly 90 % of the total orphan drug expenditure. Budget impact of orphan drugs in Latvia is very small. It increased slightly over a period of five years, due to the slight increase in the number of patients and the number of orphan drugs reimbursed. Current Latvian drug reimbursement system is not sufficient for most orphan drugs.

  15. National Nanotechnology Initiative. Research and Development Supporting the Next Industrial Revolution. Supplement to the President’s 2004 Budget

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-01-01

    and Development Supporting the Next Industrial Revolution Supplement to the President’s FY 2004 Budget National Science and Technology Council...potential to profoundly change our economy, to improve our standard of living, and to bring about the next industrial revolution . Nanotechnology: From

  16. Optimizing spatial and temporal treatments to maintain effective fire and non-fire fuels treatments at landscape scales

    Treesearch

    J. Greg Jones; Woodam Chung; Carl Seielstad; Janet Sullivan; Kurt Krueger

    2010-01-01

    There is a recognized need to apply and maintain fuel treatments to reduce catastrophic wildland fires. A number of models and decision support systems have been developed for addressing different aspects of fuel treatments while considering other important resource management issues and constraints. Although these models address diverse aspects of the fuel treatment-...

  17. Budget Response: Fiscal Year 2012

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bissonnette, Jocelyn, Ed.; Ellerson, Noelle, Ed.; Jones, Lindsay, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of over 85 national education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, applauds President Obama's Fiscal Year 2012 budget for recognizing the importance of investing in education to our nation's economic growth and competitiveness. Within a constrained fiscal…

  18. Hazardous fuel treatments, suppression cost impacts, and risk mitigation

    Treesearch

    Matthew P. Thompson; Michael S. Hand; Julie W. Gilbertson-Day; Nicole M. Vaillant; Darek J. Nalle

    2013-01-01

    Land management agencies face uncertain tradeoffs regarding investments in preparedness and fuels management versus future suppression costs and impacts to valued resources and assets. Prospective evaluation of fuel treatments allows for comparison of alternative treatment strategies in terms of socioeconomic and ecological impacts, and can facilitate tradeoff analysis...

  19. Mechanisms Controlling Annual, Interannual, and Decadal Changes in California's Carbon Budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goulden, M. L.; Jin, Y.; Randerson, J. T.; Trumbore, S.; Hsueh, D.; Fellows, A.; Anderson, R.; McMillan, A.; Roberts, D.; Riley, W.; Dennison, P.

    2006-12-01

    We used remote sensing-based measurements of land-surface properties, in-situ measurements of land- atmosphere exchange, mechanistic models of biogeochemistry and atmospheric transport, and previously compiled data sets of fossil fuel use, agricultural yield, land use, and biomass to better understand California's Carbon budget. Key findings include: (1) California's NPP in the early 2000s (190 x 1012 gC y-1) was roughly double its fossil fuel emission (95 x 1012 gC y-1). Since ecosystem carbon storage is typically less than half NPP, California's net C budget was dominated by fossil fuel emissions. (2) Fluctuations in ecosystem NEP caused by climate variability (18 x 1012 gC y-1) were the dominant cause of interannual carbon cycle variability. Fluctuations in fossil fuel consumption caused by the business cycle (8 x 1012 gC y-1) and fluctuations associated with wildland fire (3 x 1012 gC y-1) were smaller. (3) Approximately 50% of California's fossil fuel emissions are advected to the south or west; only 50% of California's fossil fuel emissions are transported east, creating a challenge for efforts to use longitudinal CO2 gradients to constrain North America's carbon budget. (4) Alternative spectral indices based on visible greenness (VARI or VIG) or that include information on short-wave IR absorption (NDWI, NDII7 or RSR) were more tightly correlated with LAI, live fuel moisture, and whole ecosystem CO2 flux than more commonly used near-IR-based indices (NDVI, EVI). (5) Unmanaged forests, especially in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, have lost carbon over the last 70 years as a result of the selective mortality of large trees. This mortality was likely caused by episodic insect outbreaks, which may have been exacerbated by stand thickening associated with fire suppression.

  20. Reactive nitrogen oxides in the southeast United States national parks: source identification, origin, and process budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tong, Daniel Quansong; Kang, Daiwen; Aneja, Viney P.; Ray, John D.

    2005-01-01

    We present in this study both measurement-based and modeling analyses for elucidation of source attribution, influence areas, and process budget of reactive nitrogen oxides at two rural southeast United States sites (Great Smoky Mountains national park (GRSM) and Mammoth Cave national park (MACA)). Availability of nitrogen oxides is considered as the limiting factor to ozone production in these areas and the relative source contribution of reactive nitrogen oxides from point or mobile sources is important in understanding why these areas have high ozone. Using two independent observation-based techniques, multiple linear regression analysis and emission inventory analysis, we demonstrate that point sources contribute a minimum of 23% of total NOy at GRSM and 27% at MACA. The influence areas for these two sites, or origins of nitrogen oxides, are investigated using trajectory-cluster analysis. The result shows that air masses from the West and Southwest sweep over GRSM most frequently, while pollutants transported from the eastern half (i.e., East, Northeast, and Southeast) have limited influence (<10% out of all air masses) on air quality at GRSM. The processes responsible for formation and removal of reactive nitrogen oxides are investigated using a comprehensive 3-D air quality model (Multiscale Air Quality SImulation Platform (MAQSIP)). The NOy contribution associated with chemical transformations to NOz and O3, based on process budget analysis, is as follows: 32% and 84% for NOz, and 26% and 80% for O3 at GRSM and MACA, respectively. The similarity between NOz and O3 process budgets suggests a close association between nitrogen oxides and effective O3 production at these rural locations.

  1. 76 FR 30339 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Public Scoping Meeting for the Proposed Northern...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-25

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP11-128-000] National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Public Scoping Meeting for the Proposed Northern Access Project On... related to the environmental analysis of National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation's (National Fuel) Northern...

  2. ArcFuels: an ArcMap toolbar for fuel treatment planning and wildfire risk assessment

    Treesearch

    Nicole M. Vaillant; Alan A. Ager

    2014-01-01

    Fire behavior modeling and geospatial analysis can provide tremendous insight to land managers in defining both the benefits and potential impacts of fuel treatments in the context of land management goals and public expectations. ArcFuels is a streamlined fuel management planning and wildfire risk assessment system that creates a trans-scale (stand to large landscape...

  3. 40 CFR 80.606 - What national security exemption applies to fuels covered under this subpart?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What national security exemption... national security exemption applies to fuels covered under this subpart? (a) The standards of all the fuels..., including locomotive and marine, having an EPA national security exemption from the motor vehicle emission...

  4. Fossil-Fuel C02 Emissions Database and Exploration System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krassovski, M.; Boden, T.

    2012-04-01

    Fossil-Fuel C02 Emissions Database and Exploration System Misha Krassovski and Tom Boden Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center Oak Ridge National Laboratory The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) quantifies the release of carbon from fossil-fuel use and cement production each year at global, regional, and national spatial scales. These estimates are vital to climate change research given the strong evidence suggesting fossil-fuel emissions are responsible for unprecedented levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The CDIAC fossil-fuel emissions time series are based largely on annual energy statistics published for all nations by the United Nations (UN). Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil-fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751 before the Industrial Revolution. From these core fossil-fuel CO2 emission time series, CDIAC has developed a number of additional data products to satisfy modeling needs and to address other questions aimed at improving our understanding of the global carbon cycle budget. For example, CDIAC also produces a time series of gridded fossil-fuel CO2 emission estimates and isotopic (e.g., C13) emissions estimates. The gridded data are generated using the methodology described in Andres et al. (2011) and provide monthly and annual estimates for 1751-2008 at 1° latitude by 1° longitude resolution. These gridded emission estimates are being used in the latest IPCC Scientific Assessment (AR4). Isotopic estimates are possible thanks to detailed information for individual nations regarding the carbon content of select fuels (e.g., the carbon signature of natural gas from Russia). CDIAC has recently developed a relational database to house these baseline emissions estimates and associated derived products and a web-based interface to help users worldwide query these data holdings. Users can identify, explore and download desired CDIAC

  5. Basic principles of forest fuel reduction treatments

    Treesearch

    James K. Agee; Carl N. Skinner

    2005-01-01

    Successful fire exclusion in the 20th century has created severe fire problems across the West. Not every forest is at risk of uncharacteristically severe wildfire, but drier forests are in need of active management to mitigate fire hazard. We summarize a set of simple principles important to address in fuel reduction treatments: reduction of surface fuels, increasing...

  6. Fuel treatment longevity in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest

    Treesearch

    Scott. L. Stephens; Brandon M. Collins; Gary. Roller

    2012-01-01

    Understanding the longevity of fuel treatments in terms of their ability to maintain fire behavior and effects within a desired range is an important question. The objective of this study was to determine how fuels, forest structure, and predicted fire behavior changed 7-years after initial treatments. Three different treatments: mechanical only, mechanical plus fire,...

  7. Child mortality from solid-fuel use in India: a nationally-representative case-control study

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Most households in low and middle income countries, including in India, use solid fuels (coal/coke/lignite, firewood, dung, and crop residue) for cooking and heating. Such fuels increase child mortality, chiefly from acute respiratory infection. There are, however, few direct estimates of the impact of solid fuel on child mortality in India. Methods We compared household solid fuel use in 1998 between 6790 child deaths, from all causes, in the previous year and 609 601 living children living in 1.1 million nationally-representative homes in India. Analyses were stratified by child's gender, age (neonatal, post-neonatal, 1-4 years) and colder versus warmer states. We also examined the association of solid fuel to non-fatal pneumonias. Results Solid fuel use was very common (87% in households with child deaths and 77% in households with living children). After adjustment for demographic factors and living conditions, solid-fuel use significantly increase child deaths at ages 1-4 (prevalence ratio (PR) boys: 1.30, 95%CI 1.08-1.56; girls: 1.33, 95%CI 1.12-1.58). More girls than boys died from exposure to solid fuels. Solid fuel use was also associated with non-fatal pneumonia (boys: PR 1.54 95%CI 1.01-2.35; girls: PR 1.94 95%CI 1.13-3.33). Conclusions Child mortality risks, from all causes, due to solid fuel exposure were lower than previously, but as exposure was common solid, fuel caused 6% of all deaths at ages 0-4, 20% of deaths at ages 1-4 or 128 000 child deaths in India in 2004. Solid fuel use has declined only modestly in the last decade. Aside from reducing exposure, complementary strategies such as immunization and treatment could also reduce child mortality from acute respiratory infections. PMID:20716354

  8. Modeling down-scattered neutron images from cryogenic fuel implosions at the National Ignition Facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raman, Kumar; Casey, Dan; Callahan, Debra; Clark, Dan; Fittinghoff, David; Grim, Gary; Hatchett, Steve; Hinkel, Denise; Jones, Ogden; Kritcher, Andrea; Seek, Scott; Suter, Larry; Merrill, Frank; Wilson, Doug

    2016-10-01

    In experiments with cryogenic deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel layers at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), an important technique for visualizing the stagnated fuel assembly is to image the 6-12 MeV neutrons created by scatters of the 14 MeV hotspot neutrons in the surrounding cold fuel. However, such down-scattered neutron images are difficult to interpret without a model of the fuel assembly, because of the nontrivial neutron kinematics involved in forming the images. For example, the dominant scattering modes are at angles other than forward scattering and the 14 MeV neutron fluence is not uniform. Therefore, the intensity patterns in these images usually do not correspond in a simple way to patterns in the fuel distribution, even for simple fuel distributions. We describe our efforts to model synthetic images from ICF design simulations with data from the National Ignition Campaign and after. We discuss the insight this gives, both to understand how well the models are predicting fuel asymmetries and to inform how to optimize the diagnostic for the types of fuel distributions being predicted. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  9. Delayed conifer mortality after fuel reduction treatments: Interactive effects of fuel, fire intensity, and bark beetles

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Youngblood, A.; Grace, J.B.; Mciver, J.D.

    2009-01-01

    Many low-elevation dry forests of the western United States contain more small trees and fewer large trees, more down woody debris, and less diverse and vigorous understory plant communities compared to conditions under historical fire regimes. These altered structural conditions may contribute to increased probability of unnaturally severe wildfires, susceptibility to uncharacteristic insect outbreaks, and drought-related mortality. Broad-scale fuel reduction and restoration treatments are proposed to promote stand development on trajectories toward more sustainable structures. Little research to date, however, has quantified the effects of these treatments on the ecosystem, especially delayed and latent tree mortality resulting directly or indirectly from treatments. In this paper, we explore complex hypotheses relating to the cascade of effects that influence ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) mortality using structural equation modeling (SEM). We used annual census and plot data through six growing seasons after thinning and four growing seasons after burning from a replicated, operational-scale, completely randomized experiment conducted in northeastern Oregon, USA, as part of the national Fire and Fire Surrogate study. Treatments included thin, burn, thin followed by burn (thin+burn), and control. Burn and thin+burn treatments increased the proportion of dead trees while the proportion of dead trees declined or remained constant in thin and control units, although the density of dead trees was essentially unchanged with treatment. Most of the new mortality (96%) occurred within two years of treatment and was attributed to bark beetles. Bark beetle-caused tree mortality, while low overall, was greatest in thin + burn treatments. SEM results indicate that the probability of mortality of large-diameter ponderosa pine from bark beetles and wood borers was directly related to surface fire severity and bole charring, which in

  10. Fuel mapping for the future

    Treesearch

    C.W. Woodall; G.R. Holden; J.S. Vissage

    2004-01-01

    The large wildland fires that raged during the 2000 and 2002 fire seasons highlighted the need for a nationwide strategic assessment of forest fuels. The lack of a nationally consistent and comprehensive inventory of forest fuels has hindered large-scale assessments- essential for effective fuel hazard management and monitoring reduction treatments. Data from the USDA...

  11. Budget impact analysis of everolimus for the treatment of hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer in the United States.

    PubMed

    Xie, Jipan; Diener, Melissa; De, Gourab; Yang, Hongbo; Wu, Eric Q; Namjoshi, Madhav

    2013-01-01

    To estimate the budget impact of everolimus as the first and second treatment option after letrozole or anastrozole (L/A) failure for post-menopausal women with hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC). Pharmacy and medical budget impacts (2011 USD) were estimated over the first year of everolimus use in HR+, HER2- ABC from a US payer perspective. Epidemiology data were used to estimate target population size. Pre-everolimus entry treatment options included exemestane, fulvestrant, and tamoxifen. Pre- and post-everolimus entry market shares were estimated based on market research and assumptions. Drug costs were based on wholesale acquisition cost. Patients were assumed to be on treatment until progression or death. Annual medical costs were calculated as the average of pre- and post-progression medical costs weighted by the time in each period, adjusted for survival. One-way and two-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the model robustness. In a hypothetical 1,000,000 member plan, 72 and 159 patients were expected to be candidates for everolimus treatment as first and second treatment option, respectively, after L/A failure. The total budget impact for the first year post-everolimus entry was $0.044 per member per month [PMPM] (pharmacy budget: $0.058 PMPM; medical budget: -$0.014 PMPM), assuming 10% of the target population would receive everolimus. The total budget impacts for the first and second treatment options after L/A failure were $0.014 PMPM (pharmacy budget: $0.018; medical budget: -$0.004) and $0.030 PMPM (pharmacy budget: $0.040; medical budget: -$0.010), respectively. Results remained robust in sensitivity analyses. Assumptions about some model input parameters were necessary and may impact results. Increased pharmacy costs for HR+, HER2- ABC following everolimus entry are expected to be partially offset by reduced medical service costs. Pharmacy and total

  12. Neutron radiography of irradiated nuclear fuel at Idaho National Laboratory

    DOE PAGES

    Craft, Aaron E.; Wachs, Daniel M.; Okuniewski, Maria A.; ...

    2015-09-10

    Neutron radiography of irradiated nuclear fuel provides more comprehensive information about the internal condition of irradiated nuclear fuel than any other non-destructive technique to date. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has multiple nuclear fuels research and development programs that routinely evaluate irradiated fuels using neutron radiography. The Neutron Radiography reactor (NRAD) sits beneath a shielded hot cell facility where neutron radiography and other evaluation techniques are performed on these highly radioactive objects. The NRAD currently uses the foil-film transfer technique for imaging fuel that is time consuming but provides high spatial resolution. This study describes the NRAD and hot cell facilities,more » the current neutron radiography capabilities available at INL, planned upgrades to the neutron imaging systems, and new facilities being brought online at INL related to neutron imaging.« less

  13. Mechanical mastication as a fuels treatment in southeastern forests

    Treesearch

    Jesse K. Kreye; J. Morgan Varner; Leda N. Kobziar

    2016-01-01

    Mastication is an increasingly common fuels treatment that redistributes ‘‘ladder’’ fuels to the forest floor to reduce vertical fuel continuity, crown fire potential, and fireline intensity. Despite its widespread adoption, it remains unclear how mastication impacts fuels, fire behavior, or plant communities  across Southeastern forest ecosystems. We evaluated these...

  14. LANDFIRE: Collaboration for National Fire Fuel Assessment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zhu, Zhi-Liang

    2006-01-01

    The implementation of national fire management policies, such as the National Fire Plan and the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, requires geospatial data of vegetation types and structure, wildland fuels, fire risks, and ecosystem fire regime conditions. Presently, no such data sets are available that can meet these requirements. As a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's land management bureaus (Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS)) have jointly sponsored LANDFIRE, a new research and development project. The primary objective of the project is to develop an integrated and repeatable methodology and produce vegetation, fire, and ecosystem information and predictive models for cost-effective national land management applications. The project is conducted collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the USDA Forest Service, and The Nature Conservancy.

  15. Effects of fuel reduction treatments on avian nest density in the upper piedmont of South Carolina

    Treesearch

    E.S. Kilpatrick; J.D. Lanham; T.A. Waldrop

    2010-01-01

    The Fire and Fire Surrogate Study is a national study installed at 13 sites across the United States. One goal of the southeastern Piedmont FFS installation was to assess the effects of fuel reduction treatments such as prescribed burning and thinning on avian nest density. Nest searching and monitoring took place within twelve 10-hectare study plots during the...

  16. Nutrition sensitivity of the 2014 budget statement of Republic of Ghana.

    PubMed

    Laar, Amos; Aryeetey, Richmond N O; Akparibo, Robert; Zotor, Francis

    2015-11-01

    Ghana's Constitution and several international treaties she has ratified demonstrate support for fundamental human rights to nutrition and freedom from hunger. However, it is unknown how this support is being translated into investment in nutrition. National budgets are important vehicles through which governments communicate intent to address pertinent national challenges. The present paper assesses the nutrition sensitivity of Ghana's budget statement for the year ending 31 December 2014. We perused the budget in its entirety, examining allocations to various sectors with the goal of identifying support for direct nutrition interventions. We examined allocations to various sectors as per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). The review shows that the total revenue and grants for the 2014 fiscal year is Ghana Cedis (GH¢) 26 001·9 million (25 % of GDP). The total expenditure for the same period is estimated at GH¢34 956·8 million (33·1 % of GDP). The health sector is allocated GH¢3 353 707 814 (3·8 % of GDP). As of 28 October 2014, the Bank of Ghana's Official Exchange Rate was US$1 = GH¢3·20. It is one of the key sectors whose interventions directly or indirectly impact on nutrition. However, the proportion of the national budget that goes to direct nutrition interventions is not evident in the budget. Nutrition is embedded in other budget lines. Allocations to relevant nutrition-sensitive sectors are very low (<0·5 % of GDP). We conclude that Ghana's 2014 budget statement pays scant attention to nutrition. By embedding nutrition in other budget lines, Ghana runs the risk of perpetually rolling out national spending actions insensitive to nutrition.

  17. The budget impact of oral nutritional supplements for disease related malnutrition in elderly in the community setting.

    PubMed

    Freijer, Karen; Nuijten, Mark J C; Schols, Jos M G A

    2012-01-01

    A health economic analysis was performed to assess the economic impact on the national health care budget of using oral nutritional supplements (ONS), being a food for special medical purposes also known as medical nutrition, for the treatment of disease related malnutrition (DRM) in the community in the Netherlands. An economic model was developed to calculate the budget impact of using ONS in community dwelling elderly (>5 years) with DRM in the Netherlands. The model reflects the costs of DRM and the cost reductions resulting from improvement in DRM due to treatment with ONS. Using ONS for the treatment of DRM in community dwelling elderly, leads to a total annual cost savings of € 13 million (18.9% savings), when all eligible patients are treated. The additional costs of ONS (€ 57 million) are more than balanced by a reduction of other health care costs, e.g., re-/hospitalization (€ 70 million). Sensitivity analyses were performed on all parameters, including duration of treatment with ONS and the prevalence of DRM. This budget impact analysis shows that the use of ONS for treatment of DRM in elderly patients in the community may lead to cost savings in the Netherlands.

  18. The Budget Response: Fiscal Year 2013. CEF's Position Statement on President Obama's FY 2013 Budget Request

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mandlawitz, Myrna, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of over 90 national education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, applauds President Obama's Fiscal Year 2013 budget for prioritizing investment in education as a proven strategy to increase jobs and improve our nation's economic growth and competitiveness.…

  19. The North American Carbon Budget Past, Present and Future

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayes, D. J.; Vargas, R.; Alin, S. R.; Conant, R. T.; Hutyra, L.; Jacobson, A. R.; Kurz, W. A.; Liu, S.; McGuire, A. D.; Poulter, B.; Woodall, C. W.

    2016-12-01

    Scientific information quantifying and characterizing the continental-scale carbon budget is necessary for developing national and international policy on climate change. The North American continent (NA) has been considered to be a significant net source of carbon to the atmosphere, with fossil fuel emissions from the U.S., Canada and Mexico far outpacing uptake on land, inland waters and adjacent coastal oceans. As reported in the First State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR-1), the three countries combined to emit approximately 1.8 billion tons of carbon in 2003, or 27% of the global total fossil fuel inventory. Based on inventory data from various sectors, SOCCR-1 estimated a 500 MtC/yr natural sink that offset about 30% of emissions primarily through forest growth, storage in wood products and sequestration in agricultural soils. Here we present a synthesis of the NA carbon budget for the next report (SOCCR-2) based on updated inventory data and new research over the last decade. After increasing at a rate of 1% per year over the previous 30 years, the combined fossil fuel emissions from the three countries show a decreasing trend over the last decade. The decline is due to the economic recession along with increasing carbon efficiency, and the result is a lower share (20%) of the global total. Synthesizing inventory-based data from forest, agriculture and other sectors over the past decade results in a smaller estimate for terrestrial C uptake (350 MtC/yr, or about 20% of emissions) than SOCCR-1, but excludes potential sinks of highly uncertain magnitude. Estimates from atmospheric and biosphere models suggest stronger sinks on the order of 30 to 50% of emissions, but these vary widely within and across the ensembles. This updated report draws attention to key data gaps in carbon accounting frameworks and uncertainties in modeling approaches, but also highlights integrated approaches for improving our understanding of the NA carbon cycle.

  20. DIissolution of low enriched uranium from the experimental breeder reactor-II fuel stored at the Idaho National Laboratory

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Daniel, G.; Rudisill, T.; Almond, P.

    The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is actively engaged in the development of electrochemical processing technology for the treatment of fast reactor fuels using irradiated fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) as the primary test material. The research and development (R&D) activities generate a low enriched uranium (LEU) metal product from the electrorefining of the EBR-II fuel and the subsequent consolidation and removal of chloride salts by the cathode processor. The LEU metal ingots from past R&D activities are currently stored at INL awaiting disposition. One potential disposition pathway is the shipment of the ingots to the Savannah River Sitemore » (SRS) for dissolution in H-Canyon. Carbon steel cans containing the LEU metal would be loaded into reusable charging bundles in the H-Canyon Crane Maintenance Area and charged to the 6.4D or 6.1D dissolver. The LEU dissolution would be accomplished as the final charge in a dissolver batch (following the dissolution of multiple charges of spent nuclear fuel (SNF)). The solution would then be purified and the 235U enrichment downblended to allow use of the U in commercial reactor fuel. To support this potential disposition path, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) developed a dissolution flowsheet for the LEU using samples of the material received from INL.« less

  1. Hospital response to a global budget program under universal health insurance in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Shou-Hsia; Chen, Chi-Chen; Chang, Wei-Ling

    2009-10-01

    Global budget programs are utilized in many countries to control soaring healthcare expenditures. The present study was designed to evaluate the responses of Taiwanese hospitals to a new global budget program implemented in 2002. Using data obtained from the Bureau of National Health Insurance (NHI) and two nationwide surveys conducted before and after the global budget program, changes in the length of stay, treatment intensity, insurance claims, and out-of-pocket fees were compared in 2002 and 2004. The analysis was conducted using the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEEs) method. Regression models revealed that implementation of the global budget was followed by a 7% increase in length of stay and a 15% increase in the number of prescribed procedures and medications per admission. The claim expenses increased by 14%, and out-of-pocket fees per admission increased by 6%. Among the hospitals, no coalition action was found during the study period. In the present study, it appears that hospitals attempted to increase per-case expense claims to protect their reimbursement from possible discounts under a global budget cap. How Taiwanese hospitals respond to this challenge in the future deserves continued, long-term observation.

  2. Using simulated historical time series to prioritize fuel treatments on landscapes across the United States: The LANDFIRE prototype project

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Keane, Robert E.; Rollins, Matthew; Zhu, Zhi-Liang

    2007-01-01

    Canopy and surface fuels in many fire-prone forests of the United States have increased over the last 70 years as a result of modern fire exclusion policies, grazing, and other land management activities. The Healthy Forest Restoration Act and National Fire Plan establish a national commitment to reduce fire hazard and restore fire-adapted ecosystems across the USA. The primary index used to prioritize treatment areas across the nation is Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) computed as departures of current conditions from the historical fire and landscape conditions. This paper describes a process that uses an extensive set of ecological models to map FRCC from a departure statistic computed from simulated time series of historical landscape composition. This mapping process uses a data-driven, biophysical approach where georeferenced field data, biogeochemical simulation models, and spatial data libraries are integrated using spatial statistical modeling to map environmental gradients that are then used to predict vegetation and fuels characteristics over space. These characteristics are then fed into a landscape fire and succession simulation model to simulate a time series of historical landscape compositions that are then compared to the composition of current landscapes to compute departure, and the FRCC values. Intermediate products from this process are then used to create ancillary vegetation, fuels, and fire regime layers that are useful in the eventual planning and implementation of fuel and restoration treatments at local scales. The complex integration of varied ecological models at different scales is described and problems encountered during the implementation of this process in the LANDFIRE prototype project are addressed.

  3. Carter Budget Tilts "Back to Basics" for Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammond, Allen L.

    1978-01-01

    Reviews the proposed 1979 federal budget for basic research for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Defense, and Department of Energy. (SL)

  4. Depleted uranium startup of spent-fuel treatment operations at ANL-West

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goff, K.M.; Mariani, R.D.; Bonomo, N.L.

    1995-12-31

    At Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-West) there are several thousand kilograms of Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) spent nuclear fuel. This fuel will be treated using an electrometallurgical process in the fuel conditioning facility (FCF) at ANL-West to produce stable waste forms for storage and disposal. The process equipment is undergoing testing with depleted uranium in preparation for irradiated fuel operations during the summer of 1995.

  5. Factors affecting fuel break effectiveness in the control of large fires on the Los Padres National Forest, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Syphard, Alexandra D.; Keeley, Jon E.; Brennan, Teresa J.

    2011-01-01

    As wildfires have increased in frequency and extent, so have the number of homes developed in the wildland-urban interface. In California, the predominant approach to mitigating fire risk is construction of fuel breaks, but there has been little empirical study of their role in controlling large fires.We constructed a spatial database of fuel breaks on the Los Padres National Forest in southern California to better understand characteristics of fuel breaks that affect the behaviour of large fires and to map where fires and fuel breaks most commonly intersect. We evaluated whether fires stopped or crossed over fuel breaks over a 28-year period and compared the outcomes with physical characteristics of the sites, weather and firefighting activities during the fire event. Many fuel breaks never intersected fires, but others intersected several, primarily in historically fire-prone areas. Fires stopped at fuel breaks 46% of the time, almost invariably owing to fire suppression activities. Firefighter access to treatments, smaller fires and longer fuel breaks were significant direct influences, and younger vegetation and fuel break maintenance indirectly improved the outcome by facilitating firefighter access. This study illustrates the importance of strategic location of fuel breaks because they have been most effective where they provided access for firefighting activities.

  6. The EPA National Fuels Surveillance Network. I. Trace constituents in gasoline and commercial gasoline fuel additives.

    PubMed Central

    Jungers, R H; Lee, R E; von Lehmden, D J

    1975-01-01

    A National Fuels Surveillance Network has been established to collect gasoline and other fuels through the 10 regional offices of the Environmental Protection Agency. Physical, chemical, and trace element analytical determinations are made on the collected fuel samples to detect components which may present an air pollution hazard or poison exhaust catalytic control devices. A summary of trace elemental constituents in over 50 gasoline samples and 18 commercially marketed consumer purchased gasoline additives is presented. Quantities of Mn, Ni, Cr, Zn, Cu, Fe, Sb, B, Mg, Pb, and S were found in most regular and premium gasoline. Environmental implications of trace constituents in gasoline are discussed. PMID:1157783

  7. Budget Treatment Issues for FAA Funding Options

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-01-01

    Revenues from aviation excise taxes currently fund the majority of the programs : of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA also receives a portion : of its budget from the general tax revenue of the federal government. One goal : of the ...

  8. Quantifying the potential impacts of fuel treatments on wildfire suppression costs

    Treesearch

    Matthew P. Thompson; Nicole M. Vaillant; Jessica R. Haas; Krista M. Gebert; Keith D. Stockmann

    2013-01-01

    Modeling the impacts and effects of hazardous fuel reduction treatments is a pressing issue within the wildfire management community. Prospective evaluation of fuel treatment effectiveness allows for comparison of alternative treatment strategies in terms of socioeconomic and ecological impacts and facilitates analysis of tradeoffs across land-management objectives....

  9. Influences of stand structure and fuel treatments on wildfire severity at Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest, northeastern California

    Treesearch

    Julie N. Symons; Dean H. K. Fairbanks; Carl N. Skinner

    2008-01-01

    This study utilizes forest stand structures and fuel profiles to evaluate the influence of different types of silvicultural treatments on fire severity in the Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest (BMEF), located within Lassen National Forest of northeastern California. We compare the severity of fire, assessed based on tree crown and bole scorch on 100 ha experimental...

  10. A computational method for optimizing fuel treatment locations

    Treesearch

    Mark A. Finney

    2006-01-01

    Modeling and experiments have suggested that spatial fuel treatment patterns can influence the movement of large fires. On simple theoretical landscapes consisting of two fuel types (treated and untreated) optimal patterns can be analytically derived that disrupt fire growth efficiently (i.e. with less area treated than random patterns). Although conceptually simple,...

  11. Estimation of wildfire size and risk changes due to fuels treatments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cochrane, M.A.; Moran, C.J.; Wimberly, M.C.; Baer, A.D.; Finney, M.A.; Beckendorf, K.L.; Eidenshink, J.; Zhu, Z.

    2012-01-01

    Human land use practices, altered climates, and shifting forest and fire management policies have increased the frequency of large wildfires several-fold. Mitigation of potential fire behaviour and fire severity have increasingly been attempted through pre-fire alteration of wildland fuels using mechanical treatments and prescribed fires. Despite annual treatment of more than a million hectares of land, quantitative assessments of the effectiveness of existing fuel treatments at reducing the size of actual wildfires or how they might alter the risk of burning across landscapes are currently lacking. Here, we present a method for estimating spatial probabilities of burning as a function of extant fuels treatments for any wildland fire-affected landscape. We examined the landscape effects of more than 72 000 ha of wildland fuel treatments involved in 14 large wildfires that burned 314 000 ha of forests in nine US states between 2002 and 2010. Fuels treatments altered the probability of fire occurrence both positively and negatively across landscapes, effectively redistributing fire risk by changing surface fire spread rates and reducing the likelihood of crowning behaviour. Trade offs are created between formation of large areas with low probabilities of increased burning and smaller, well-defined regions with reduced fire risk.

  12. 78 FR 13315 - Bridger-Teton National Forest; Wyoming; Teton to Snake Fuels Management Project

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-27

    ... Fuels Management Project AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an...) to document the potential effects of the Teton to Snake Fuels Management Project. The analysis will... Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The Teton to Snake Fuels Management Project was previously scoped and...

  13. Strategic and tactical fuel treatment evaluation tools

    Treesearch

    Ken Skog

    2007-01-01

    Strategic identification and local placement of fuel treatments are significant regional and local forest management problems addressed by two tools developed by Forest Service Research and Development.

  14. Beyond reducing fire hazard: fuel treatment impacts on overstory tree survival

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Collins, Brandon M.; Das, Adrian J.; Battles, John J.; Fry, Danny L.; Krasnow, Kevin D.; Stephens, Scott L.

    2014-01-01

    Fuel treatment implementation in dry forest types throughout the western United States is likely to increase in pace and scale in response to increasing incidence of large wildfires. While it is clear that properly implemented fuel treatments are effective at reducing hazardous fire potential, there are ancillary ecological effects that can impact forest resilience either positively or negatively depending on the specific elements examined, as well as treatment type, timing, and intensity. In this study, we use overstory tree growth responses, measured seven years after the most common fuel treatments, to estimate forest health. Across the five species analyzed, observed mortality and future vulnerability were consistently low in the mechanical-only treatment. Fire-only was similar to the control for all species except Douglas-fir, while mechanical-plus-fire had high observed mortality and future vulnerability for white fir and sugar pine. Given that overstory trees largely dictate the function of forests and services they provide (e.g., wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, soil stability) these results have implications for understanding longer-term impacts of common fuel treatments on forest resilience.

  15. Conference OKs science budgets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    With the budget process all but complete for next fiscal year, the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration observers were saying that science had not done that badly in Congress, for an election year. NSF got half the budget increase it requested, NASA two-thirds. The Space Station did well, at the expense of environmental and social programs, which are funded by Congress from the same pot of money as NASA and NSF.A House-Senate conference finished work on a $59 billion appropriations bill for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and independent agencies, including EPA, NASA, and NSF, in early August. The House and Senate then quickly passed the measure before their recess; the President is expected to sign it soon. Included in the Fiscal Year 1989 spending bill are $1,885 billion for NSF, a 9.8% increase over FY 1988, and $10.7 billion for NASA, 18.5% more than the year before.

  16. NSF budget clears Senate hurdle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, Richard

    At one of the two most important hearings on the National Science Foundation's budget request for FY 1992, held April 24, there was little to suggest that the Senate VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies subcommittee—chaired by Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.)—will make any dramatic changes in the agency's allotment.NSF director Walter Massey reviewed the foundation's budget request, up 17.5% over this year's, but he provoked little discussion about the portions for research and related activities. Mikulski was particularly interested in indirect cost rates and in facility modernization, especially at smaller colleges.

  17. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; forest structure and fire hazard fact sheet 05: fuel treatment principles for complex landscapes

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2004-01-01

    Appropriate types of thinning and surface fuel treatments are clearly useful in reducing surface and crown fire hazards under a wide range of fuels and topographic situations. This paper provides well-established scientific principles and simulation tools that can be used to adjust fuel treatments to attain specific risk levels.

  18. Fiscal year 2013 energy department budget: Proposed investments in clean energy research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balcerak, Ernie

    2012-03-01

    Energy and environmental research programs generally fared well in President Barack Obama's proposed budget for the Department of Energy (DOE) for fiscal year (FY) 2013. In his State of the Union address, Obama called for the United States to pursue an "all of the above" energy strategy that includes fossil fuels, as well as a variety of renewable sources of energy. The DOE budget request supports that strategy, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in a 13 February press briefing announcing the budget proposal. The proposed budget gives DOE 27.2 billion overall, a 3.2% increase from the FY 2012 enacted budget (see Table 1). This budget "reflects some tough choices," Chu said. The proposed budget would cut 4 billion in subsidies for oil and gas companies; many Republican members of Congress have already indicated that they oppose such cuts, suggesting that congressional approval of this budget may run into stumbling blocks. The budget would also cut funding for research and development projects that are already attracting private-sector investment or that are not working, and would reduce some of the department's operational costs.

  19. Modeling fuel treatment leverage: Encounter rates, risk reduction, and suppression cost impacts

    Treesearch

    Matthew P. Thompson; Karin L. Riley; Dan Loeffler; Jessica R. Haas

    2017-01-01

    The primary theme of this study is the cost-effectiveness of fuel treatments at multiple scales of investment. We focused on the nexus of fuel management and suppression response planning, designing spatial fuel treatment strategies to incorporate landscape features that provide control opportunities that are relevant to fire operations. Our analysis explored the...

  20. 7 CFR 3402.14 - Budget and budget narrative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Budget and budget narrative. 3402.14 Section 3402.14... GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Preparation of an Application § 3402.14 Budget and budget narrative. Applicants must prepare the Budget, Form CSREES-2004, and a budget narrative...

  1. Proposed NOAA Budget Includes Hefty Increase for Satellites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2010-03-01

    The Obama administration's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would provide the agency with $5.55 billion, which represents a total increase of $806.1 million, or 17% above the FY 2010 budget enacted by Congress. At a February briefing about the budget, NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco said the budget is a very good package for the agency and that it reflects the administration's commitment to the environment, science, public safety, and job creation. Noting that the agency's budget remained essentially flat between FY 2005 and FY 2008 during the George W. Bush administration, Lubchenco said, “the increasing demand for NOAA's services, coupled with a static budget, created a major challenge for NOAA in delivering on expectations.” She said the funding picture for the agency improved with the FY 2009 and FY 2010 enacted budgets. Lubchenco noted that the proposed budget would include $949 million for research and development, an $82 million increase, adding, “Our 2011 request for each line office [within NOAA] is higher than it was in 2010, and we are better aligned with congressional funding levels than in previous budgets.”

  2. The Federal Budget Process - Lessons That Can Be Learned

    ScienceCinema

    Goldberg, Stephen

    2017-12-22

    The talk will provide up-to-date information on the Federal budget process and present three informative case studies regarding the intersection of budget decisions with important National policy decisions. In conclusion, the lecture will provide a preview of topics that may be interest for future study.

  3. Interactions of fuel treatments, wildfire severity, and carbon dynamics in dry conifer forests

    Treesearch

    Larissa L. Yocom Kent; Kristen L. Shive; Barbara A. Strom; Carolyn H. Sieg; Molly E. Hunter; Camille S. Stevens-Rumann; Peter Z. Fule

    2015-01-01

    Wildfires have been increasing in size and severity over recent decades. Forest managers use fuel treatments, including tree thinning and prescribed burning, to reduce the risk of high-severity fire. The impact of fuel treatments on carbon dynamics is not fully understood; previous research indicates that because carbon is removed during fuel treatments, the net effect...

  4. State Budget and Tax Actions 1992. Preliminary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eckl, Corina L.; And Others

    This report discusses state general fund budgets in fiscal year 1992, tax actions in 1992, and the budget outlook for FY 1993. State government's fiscal outlook is as clouded as the national economy's, and conspicuous improvement is not expected in FY 1993. Year-end balances are nearly nonexistent for most states and will not recover significantly…

  5. Modeling bark beetles and fuels on landscapes: A demonstration of ArcFuels and a discussion of possible model enhancements

    Treesearch

    Andrew J. McMahan; Alan A. Ager; Helen Maffei; Jane L. Hayes; Eric L. Smith

    2008-01-01

    The Westwide Pine Beetle Model and the Fire and Fuels Extension were used to simulate a mountain pine beetle outbreak under different fuel treatment scenarios on a 173,000 acre landscape on the Deschutes National Forest. The goal was to use these models within ArcFuels to analyze the interacting impacts of bark beetles and management activities on landscape fuel...

  6. Defense Budgeting in a Constrained Economy: Reengineering the Budget Process to Meet the Challenge of a Modernizing Zimbabwe Defense Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-06-01

    Public Policy Analysis and Management Vol. 5 (Connecticut: JAI Press Inc ., 1992) 20. 38 Thomas A Simcik, Reengineering the Navy Program Objective...Winston Inc .,1969. Olvey, Lee D. The Economics of National Security, Avery Publishing Group : 1984. Premchand, A., Government Budgeting And Expenditure... the current process is presented and analyzed against relevant theory on policy analysis , reengineering, and contemporary budgeting systems, in

  7. Elaboration of Programmes, Programmes, Plans and Budgets of the National Libraries in Socialist Countries (37th Session, Liverpool, August 1971).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kanevsky, B. P.

    Long-term and short-term planning and programming and budgeting are an important part of the every-day activity of the national libraries in the socialist countries. The libraries extensively apply various types of planning ranging from current annual plans to complicated prognoses for 15-20 years ahead. These libraries display increasing…

  8. Studying the effects of fuel treatment based on burn probability on a boreal forest landscape.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhihua; Yang, Jian; He, Hong S

    2013-01-30

    Fuel treatment is assumed to be a primary tactic to mitigate intense and damaging wildfires. However, how to place treatment units across a landscape and assess its effectiveness is difficult for landscape-scale fuel management planning. In this study, we used a spatially explicit simulation model (LANDIS) to conduct wildfire risk assessments and optimize the placement of fuel treatments at the landscape scale. We first calculated a baseline burn probability map from empirical data (fuel, topography, weather, and fire ignition and size data) to assess fire risk. We then prioritized landscape-scale fuel treatment based on maps of burn probability and fuel loads (calculated from the interactions among tree composition, stand age, and disturbance history), and compared their effects on reducing fire risk. The burn probability map described the likelihood of burning on a given location; the fuel load map described the probability that a high fuel load will accumulate on a given location. Fuel treatment based on the burn probability map specified that stands with high burn probability be treated first, while fuel treatment based on the fuel load map specified that stands with high fuel loads be treated first. Our results indicated that fuel treatment based on burn probability greatly reduced the burned area and number of fires of different intensities. Fuel treatment based on burn probability also produced more dispersed and smaller high-risk fire patches and therefore can improve efficiency of subsequent fire suppression. The strength of our approach is that more model components (e.g., succession, fuel, and harvest) can be linked into LANDIS to map the spatially explicit wildfire risk and its dynamics to fuel management, vegetation dynamics, and harvesting. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Defense Dollars and Sense: A Common Cause Guide to the Defense Budget Process.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rovner, Mark

    Designed to increase public awareness of military spending, this 5-part guide examines the process and problems of preparing the national defense budget. The publication begins with a brief overview of the 1984 defense budget. Major military programs, trends in budgeting, and key concerns in budget formulation are explored. Graphs and charts…

  10. Pre-fire fuel reduction treatments influence plant communities and exotic species 9 years after a large wildfire

    Treesearch

    Kristen L. Shive; Amanda M. Kuenzi; Carolyn H. Sieg; Peter Z. Fule

    2013-01-01

    We used a multi-year data set from the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Fire to detect post-fire trends in plant community response in burned ponderosa pine forests. Within the burn perimeter, we examined the effects of pre-fire fuels treatments on post-fire vegetation by comparing paired treated and untreated sites on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.We sampled these paired...

  11. Characterizing fuels in treated areas.

    Treesearch

    Roger D. Ottmar; Clinton S. Wright

    2002-01-01

    Small-log utilization or thinning operations followed by a fuel treatment such as prescribed fire can be used to change the composition and structure of fuelbeds, thereby mitigating deleterious fire effects and reducing the potential for catastrophic wildfires in some forested landscapes. We are developing a national system, Fuel Characteristic Classification (FCC),...

  12. Riparian fuel treatments in the western USA: Challenges and considerations

    Treesearch

    Kathleen A. Dwire; Kristen E. Meyer; Gregg Riegel; Timothy Burton

    2016-01-01

    Fuel reduction treatments are being conducted throughout watersheds of the western United States to reduce hazardous fuels in efforts to decrease the risk of high-severity fire. The number of fuel reduction projects that include near-stream environments is increasing, bringing new challenges to riparian management. Riparian areas are protected by administrative...

  13. Effects of Fuel-Reduction Techniques on Vegetative Composition of Piedmont Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Communities: Preliminary Results of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study

    Treesearch

    Ross J. Phillips; Thomas A. Waldrop; Gregg L. Chapman; Helen H. Mohr; Mac A. Callaham; Charles T. Flint

    2004-01-01

    As part of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate (NFFS) Study, prescribed burning, thinning, and a combination of burning and thinning were conducted in loblolly ( Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pine ( P. echinata Mill.) communities in the Piedmont of South Carolina to test the effectiveness of these treatments for fuel reduction. Treatment implementation resulted in an...

  14. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; forest structure and fire hazard fact sheet 04: role of silviculture in fuel treatments

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2004-01-01

    The principal goals of fuel treatments are to reduce fireline intensities, reduce the potential for crown fires, improve opportunities for successful fire suppression, and improve forest resilience to forest fires. This fact sheet discusses thinning, and surface fuel treatments, as well as challenges associated with those treatments.

  15. Reform in the State Budgeting of Postsecondary Education. Reports of the San Diego Seminar "Innovation, Outcomes, and the State Budgeting Process" and the San Francisco Conference "State Funding of Postsecondary Education: Incentives for Improvement."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George Washington Univ., Washington, DC. Inst. for Educational Leadership.

    The seminar on "Innovation, Outcomes, and the State Budgeting Process" was a joint effort of seven organizations (Education Commission of the States, Legis 50/The Center for Legislative Improvement, National Association of State Budget Officers, National Center for Higher Education Management Systems at WICHE, National Conference of State…

  16. The effect of recombinant activated factor VII in the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage on health plan budgets.

    PubMed

    Earnshaw, Stephanie R; Wilson, Michele R; Joshi, Ashish V

    2006-11-01

    Treating patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) using recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIla) has been found to improve survival and functional outcome. To examine how the introduction of rFVIla 80 microg/kg as a treatment for ICH affects the budget of a health plan, a decision-analysis model was developed which considered both short-term hospitalization costs and long-term management of disability. Assuming a health plan enrollment of 1 million members and initial rFVIla uptake of 50% in appropriate patients, the annual health plan cost may be expected to increase by dollar 64,781 (dollar 0.005 per-member per-month). With a 5% increase in uptake each year, the annual health plan's cost may decrease compared with the current budget within three years. The implications for this sample health plan's budget are modest in the first year, and a reduction in costs is expected within three years owing to improved functional outcomes of patients.

  17. Challenges and approaches in planning fuel treatments across fire-excluded forested landscapes

    Treesearch

    B.M. Collins; S.L. Stephens; J.J. Moghaddas; J. Battles

    2010-01-01

    Placing fuel reduction treatments across entire landscapes such that impacts associated with high-intensity fire are lessened is a difficult goal to achieve, largely because of the immense area needing treatment. As such, fire scientists and managers have conceptually developed and are refining methodologies for strategic placement of fuel treatments that...

  18. Quantifying the potential impacts of fuel treatments on wildfire suppression costs volume

    Treesearch

    Matthew P. Thompson; Nicole M. Vaillant; Jessica R. Haas; Krista M. Gebert; Keith D. Stockmann

    2013-01-01

    Modeling the impacts and effects of hazardous fuel reduction treatments is a pressing issue within the wildfire management community. Prospective evaluation of fuel treatments allows for comparison of alternative treatment strategies in terms of socioeconomic and ecological impacts and facilitates analysis of tradeoffs across land management objectives (Stockmann et al...

  19. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 04: wildlife responses to fuels treatments: key considerations

    Treesearch

    David Pilliod

    2004-01-01

    Managers face a difficult task in predicting the effects of fuels treatments on wildlife populations, mostly because information on how animals respond to fuels treatments is scarce or does not exist. This paper discusses key considerations-aspects of an animal's ecology and available information-that, despite the scarcity of information, may make predictions of...

  20. 1954 midsummer fuel moistures in Oregon and Washington national forests compared with other years.

    Treesearch

    Owen P. Cramer

    1955-01-01

    For the third successive year mid-fire-season fuel moistures on national forests of Oregon and Washington averaged higher than in the preceding year, and forest flammability was correspondingly lower. Generally high fuel-moisture conditions during 1954 are reflected in fire occurrence, which approached an all-time low. Fuel-moisture ratings are based on the 25 lowest...

  1. 1951 midsummer fuel moistures in Oregon and Washington national forests compared with other years.

    Treesearch

    Owen P. Cramer

    1952-01-01

    During the past four years on most Oregon and Washington national forests average midsummer fuel moisture has shown a general downward trend. Conversely, the lowering fuel moistures have caused a rising trend in midsummer forest inflammability. These trends have been brought to light by an analysis of readings from fuel moisture indicator sticks during the midsummer...

  2. Beyond reducing fire hazard: fuel treatment impacts on overstory tree survival

    Treesearch

    Brandon M. Collins; Adrian J. Das; John J. Battles; Danny L. Fry; Kevin D. Krasnow; Scott L. Stephens

    2014-01-01

    Fuel treatment implementation in dry forest types throughout the western United States is likely to increase in pace and scale in response to increasing incidence of large wildfires. While it is clear that properly implemented fuel treatments are effective at reducing hazardous fire potential, there are ancillary ecological effects that can impact forest...

  3. Budget impact analysis of trastuzumab in early breast cancer: a hospital district perspective.

    PubMed

    Purmonen, Timo T; Auvinen, Päivi K; Martikainen, Janne A

    2010-04-01

    Adjuvant trastuzumab is widely used in HER2-positive (HER2+) early breast cancer, and despite its cost-effectiveness, it causes substantial costs for health care. The purpose of the study was to develop a tool for estimating the budget impact of new cancer treatments. With this tool, we were able to estimate the budget impact of adjuvant trastuzumab, as well as the probability of staying within a given budget constraint. The created model-based evaluation tool was used to explore the budget impact of trastuzumab in early breast cancer in a single Finnish hospital district with 250,000 inhabitants. The used model took into account the number of patients, HER2+ prevalence, length and cost of treatment, and the effectiveness of the therapy. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and alternative case scenarios were performed to ensure the robustness of the results. Introduction of adjuvant trastuzumab caused substantial costs for a relatively small hospital district. In base-case analysis the 4-year net budget impact was 1.3 million euro. The trastuzumab acquisition costs were partially offset by the reduction in costs associated with the treatment of cancer recurrence and metastatic disease. Budget impact analyses provide important information about the overall economic impact of new treatments, and thus offer complementary information to cost-effectiveness analyses. Inclusion of treatment outcomes and probabilistic sensitivity analysis provides more realistic estimates of the net budget impact. The length of trastuzumab treatment has a strong effect on the budget impact.

  4. National Drug Control Strategy, 2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    The White House, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This report presents a summary of the Fiscal Year 2007 Budget for the National Drug Control Strategy within the three key priority areas; education and community action, treatment and intervention, and disruption in the illegal drug market. The first chapter, "Stopping Drug Use Before It Starts," outlines the Administration's work to prevent the…

  5. Accrual Budgeting: Experiences of Other Nations and Implications for the United States

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-02-01

    Used as a Tool in Addressing Performance Management Challenges Proponents described accrual budgeting as a useful, if not critical , tool in...accountable in these more decentralized systems. As a result, some proponents view accrual budgeting as critical to establishing more performance-focused...the federal government and thus plays a critical role in the decision-making process. Policymakers, managers, and the American people rely on it to

  6. Biocidal treatment and preservation of liquid fuels

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Siegert, W.

    1995-05-01

    Strict microbiological limit values are the result of damage caused by microorganisms in fuels. With MAR 71, a biocide based on methylenebisoxazolidine, a product is available which has been tested and approved by leading car manufacturers, the mineral oil industry, and NATO. Depending on the degree of microbiological contamination, different decontamination concepts are presented, and recommendations for the treatment of fuels which are contaminated when purchased are given. In order to avoid recontamination, planning principles or the new design of tanks are necessary. The possibility of convenient, economical and regular drainage is a key factor.

  7. Compendium of Budget Accounts. Fiscal Year 1998.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-04-01

    18,1995). 5The function and subfunction classification system is a way of grouping budgetary resources according to the national need addressed. The...account title. For example, the National Institutes of Health account title within the Department of Health and Human Services includes 24 separate budget... National Aeronautics and Space Administration 94 Office of Personnel Manageme:nt 95 Small Business Administration 96 Social Security Administration 97

  8. Gender inequality in Russia: the perspective of participatory gender budgeting.

    PubMed

    Zakirova, Venera

    2014-11-01

    Gender-based discrimination is found in all economies in the world. Women's unpaid work accounts for about half of the world GDP, yet women remain under-valued and under-represented in national policies worldwide. The question of gender budgeting and citizens' participation in budgeting and governance processes has gained attention in recent years, but Russia is far from implementing these. Instead, blindness to gender issues dominates in national strategies and budgets. This paper explores these issues and looks in-depth at them in the decentralisation process in Bashkortostan, a central Russian republic. Civil society institutions whose role is to strengthen the links between government, civil society and the community in Bashkortostan, such as Public Chambers and Municipalities, lack the capacity to introduce participatory gender budgeting. As a result, no systematic participatory planning, let alone planning that is gender-sensitive, has taken place there. Copyright © 2014 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Estimation of Hepatitis C Disease Burden and Budget Impact of Treatment Using Health Economic Modeling.

    PubMed

    Chhatwal, Jagpreet; Chen, Qiushi; Aggarwal, Rakesh

    2018-06-01

    Oral direct-acting antiviral agents have revolutionized treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Nonetheless, barriers exist to elimination of HCV as a public health threat including low uptake of treatment, limited budget allocations for HCV treatment, and low awareness rates of HCV status among infected people. Mathematical modeling provides a systematic framework to analyze and compare potential solutions and elimination strategies by simulating the HCV epidemic under different conditions. Such models evaluate impact of interventions in advance of implementation. This article describes key components of developing an HCV burden model and illustrates its use by simulating the HCV epidemic in the United States. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Budget Estimates, Fiscal Year 2011

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2010-01-01

    The Budget includes three new robust exploration programs: (1) Technology demonstration program, $7.8 five years. Funds the development and demonstration of technologies that reduce the cost and expand the capabilities of future exploration activities, including in-orbit refueling and storage. (2) Heavy-Lift and Propulsion R&D, $3.1 billion over five years. Funds R&D for new launch systems, propellants, materials, and combustion processes. (3) Robotic precursor missions, $3.0 billion over five years. Funds cost-effective means to scout exploration targets and identify hazards and resources for human visitation and habitation. In addition, the Budget enhances the current Human Research Program by 42%; and supports the Participatory Exploration Program at 5 million per year for activities across many NASA programs.

  11. Efficacy of mechanical fuel treatments for reducing wildfire hazard

    Treesearch

    Robert J. Jr. Huggett; Karen L. Abt; Wayne Shepperd

    2008-01-01

    Mechanical fuel treatments are increasingly being used for wildfire hazard reduction in the western U.S. However, the efficacy of these treatments for reducing wildfire hazard at a landscape scale is difficult to quantify, especially when including growth following treatment. A set of uneven- and even-aged treatments designed to reduce fire hazard were simulated on 0.8...

  12. Global Carbon Budget 2017

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Le Quere, Corinne; Andrew, Robbie M.; Friedlingstein, Pierre

    Here an accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere – the global carbon budget – is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify the five major components of the global carbon budget and their uncertainties. CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry ( E FF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, respectively, while emissions from land-use change ( E LUC), mainly deforestation, aremore » based on land-cover change data and bookkeeping models. The global atmospheric CO 2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth ( G ATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The ocean CO 2 sink ( S OCEAN) and terrestrial CO 2 sink ( S LAND) are estimated with global process models constrained by observations. The resulting carbon budget imbalance ( B IM), the difference between the estimated total emissions and the estimated changes in the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere, is a measure of imperfect data and understanding of the contemporary carbon cycle. All uncertainties are reported as ±1 σ. For the last decade available (2007–2016), E FF was 9.4 ± 0.5 GtC yr –1, E LUC 1.3 ± 0.7 GtC yr –1, G ATM 4.7 ± 0.1 GtC yr –1, S OCEAN 2.4 ± 0.5 GtC yr –1, and S LAND 3.0 ± 0.8 GtC yr –1, with a budget imbalance B IM of 0.6 GtC yr –1 indicating overestimated emissions and/or underestimated sinks. For year 2016 alone, the growth in E FF was approximately zero and emissions remained at 9.9 ±\\ 0.5 GtC yr –1. Also for 2016, E LUC was 1.3 ± .7 GtC yr –1, G ATM was 6.1 ± 0.2 GtC yr –1, S OCEAN was 2.6 ± 0.5 GtC yr –1, and S LAND was 2.7 ± 1.0 GtC yr –1, with a small B IM of –0.3 GtC. G ATM continued to be higher in 2016 compared to the past

  13. Global Carbon Budget 2017

    DOE PAGES

    Le Quere, Corinne; Andrew, Robbie M.; Friedlingstein, Pierre; ...

    2018-03-12

    Here an accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere – the global carbon budget – is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify the five major components of the global carbon budget and their uncertainties. CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry ( E FF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, respectively, while emissions from land-use change ( E LUC), mainly deforestation, aremore » based on land-cover change data and bookkeeping models. The global atmospheric CO 2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth ( G ATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The ocean CO 2 sink ( S OCEAN) and terrestrial CO 2 sink ( S LAND) are estimated with global process models constrained by observations. The resulting carbon budget imbalance ( B IM), the difference between the estimated total emissions and the estimated changes in the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere, is a measure of imperfect data and understanding of the contemporary carbon cycle. All uncertainties are reported as ±1 σ. For the last decade available (2007–2016), E FF was 9.4 ± 0.5 GtC yr –1, E LUC 1.3 ± 0.7 GtC yr –1, G ATM 4.7 ± 0.1 GtC yr –1, S OCEAN 2.4 ± 0.5 GtC yr –1, and S LAND 3.0 ± 0.8 GtC yr –1, with a budget imbalance B IM of 0.6 GtC yr –1 indicating overestimated emissions and/or underestimated sinks. For year 2016 alone, the growth in E FF was approximately zero and emissions remained at 9.9 ±\\ 0.5 GtC yr –1. Also for 2016, E LUC was 1.3 ± .7 GtC yr –1, G ATM was 6.1 ± 0.2 GtC yr –1, S OCEAN was 2.6 ± 0.5 GtC yr –1, and S LAND was 2.7 ± 1.0 GtC yr –1, with a small B IM of –0.3 GtC. G ATM continued to be higher in 2016 compared to the past

  14. Global Carbon Budget 2017

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le Quéré, Corinne; Andrew, Robbie M.; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Sitch, Stephen; Pongratz, Julia; Manning, Andrew C.; Korsbakken, Jan Ivar; Peters, Glen P.; Canadell, Josep G.; Jackson, Robert B.; Boden, Thomas A.; Tans, Pieter P.; Andrews, Oliver D.; Arora, Vivek K.; Bakker, Dorothee C. E.; Barbero, Leticia; Becker, Meike; Betts, Richard A.; Bopp, Laurent; Chevallier, Frédéric; Chini, Louise P.; Ciais, Philippe; Cosca, Catherine E.; Cross, Jessica; Currie, Kim; Gasser, Thomas; Harris, Ian; Hauck, Judith; Haverd, Vanessa; Houghton, Richard A.; Hunt, Christopher W.; Hurtt, George; Ilyina, Tatiana; Jain, Atul K.; Kato, Etsushi; Kautz, Markus; Keeling, Ralph F.; Klein Goldewijk, Kees; Körtzinger, Arne; Landschützer, Peter; Lefèvre, Nathalie; Lenton, Andrew; Lienert, Sebastian; Lima, Ivan; Lombardozzi, Danica; Metzl, Nicolas; Millero, Frank; Monteiro, Pedro M. S.; Munro, David R.; Nabel, Julia E. M. S.; Nakaoka, Shin-ichiro; Nojiri, Yukihiro; Padin, X. Antonio; Peregon, Anna; Pfeil, Benjamin; Pierrot, Denis; Poulter, Benjamin; Rehder, Gregor; Reimer, Janet; Rödenbeck, Christian; Schwinger, Jörg; Séférian, Roland; Skjelvan, Ingunn; Stocker, Benjamin D.; Tian, Hanqin; Tilbrook, Bronte; Tubiello, Francesco N.; van der Laan-Luijkx, Ingrid T.; van der Werf, Guido R.; van Heuven, Steven; Viovy, Nicolas; Vuichard, Nicolas; Walker, Anthony P.; Watson, Andrew J.; Wiltshire, Andrew J.; Zaehle, Sönke; Zhu, Dan

    2018-03-01

    Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere - the global carbon budget - is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify the five major components of the global carbon budget and their uncertainties. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry (EFF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, respectively, while emissions from land-use change (ELUC), mainly deforestation, are based on land-cover change data and bookkeeping models. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth (GATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) and terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) are estimated with global process models constrained by observations. The resulting carbon budget imbalance (BIM), the difference between the estimated total emissions and the estimated changes in the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere, is a measure of imperfect data and understanding of the contemporary carbon cycle. All uncertainties are reported as ±1σ. For the last decade available (2007-2016), EFF was 9.4 ± 0.5 GtC yr-1, ELUC 1.3 ± 0.7 GtC yr-1, GATM 4.7 ± 0.1 GtC yr-1, SOCEAN 2.4 ± 0.5 GtC yr-1, and SLAND 3.0 ± 0.8 GtC yr-1, with a budget imbalance BIM of 0.6 GtC yr-1 indicating overestimated emissions and/or underestimated sinks. For year 2016 alone, the growth in EFF was approximately zero and emissions remained at 9.9 ± 0.5 GtC yr-1. Also for 2016, ELUC was 1.3 ± 0.7 GtC yr-1, GATM was 6.1 ± 0.2 GtC yr-1, SOCEAN was 2.6 ± 0.5 GtC yr-1, and SLAND was 2.7 ± 1.0 GtC yr-1, with a small BIM of -0.3 GtC. GATM continued to be higher in 2016 compared to the past decade (2007-2016), reflecting in part the high fossil emissions and the small SLAND

  15. Modeling hazardous fire potential within a completed fuel treatment network in the northern Sierra Nevada

    Treesearch

    Brandon M. Collins; Heather A. Kramer; Kurt Menning; Colin Dillingham; David Saah; Peter A. Stine; Scott L. Stephens

    2013-01-01

    We built on previous work by performing a more in-depth examination of a completed landscape fuel treatment network. Our specific objectives were: (1) model hazardous fire potential with and without the treatment network, (2) project hazardous fire potential over several decades to assess fuel treatment network longevity, and (3) assess fuel treatment effectiveness and...

  16. Planning and Budgeting for Nutrition Programs in Tanzania: Lessons Learned From the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program.

    PubMed

    Lyatuu, Margaret Benjamin; Mkumbwa, Temina; Stevenson, Raz; Isidro, Marissa; Modaha, Francis; Katcher, Heather; Dhillon, Christina Nyhus

    2016-05-03

    -driven VAS funding in Tanzania continues to be allocated by districts consistently, although adequacy of funding is a concern. However, regular administrative data point to fairly high and consistent coverage rates for VAS across the country (over 80% over the last 10 years). Although this analysis may have omitted some nutrition-specific funding not identified in district budget data, it represents a reliable reflection of the nutrition funding landscape in FY 2010. For this year, total district nutrition allocations add up to only 2% of the amount needed to implement nutrition services at scale according to Tanzania's National Nutrition Strategy Implementation Plan. VASD advocacy and planning support at the district level has succeeded in ensuring district allocations for the program. To promote sustainable implementation of other nutrition interventions in Tanzania, more funds must be allocated and guidance must be accompanied by tools that enable planning and budgeting at the district level. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences

  17. Planning and Budgeting for Nutrition Programs in Tanzania: Lessons Learned From the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program

    PubMed Central

    Lyatuu, Margaret Benjamin; Mkumbwa, Temina; Stevenson, Raz; Isidro, Marissa; Modaha, Francis; Katcher, Heather; Dhillon, Christina Nyhus

    2016-01-01

    child) was just 21%. Discussion: District-driven VAS funding in Tanzania continues to be allocated by districts consistently, although adequacy of funding is a concern. However, regular administrative data point to fairly high and consistent coverage rates for VAS across the country (over 80% over the last 10 years). Although this analysis may have omitted some nutrition-specific funding not identified in district budget data, it represents a reliable reflection of the nutrition funding landscape in FY 2010. For this year, total district nutrition allocations add up to only 2% of the amount needed to implement nutrition services at scale according to Tanzania’s National Nutrition Strategy Implementation Plan. Conclusion: VASD advocacy and planning support at the district level has succeeded in ensuring district allocations for the program. To promote sustainable implementation of other nutrition interventions in Tanzania, more funds must be allocated and guidance must be accompanied by tools that enable planning and budgeting at the district level. PMID:27694649

  18. Budget impact of everolimus for the treatment of progressive, well-differentiated, non-functional neuroendocrine tumors of gastrointestinal or lung origin that are advanced or metastatic.

    PubMed

    Rose, Darya B; Nellesen, Dave; Neary, Maureen P; Cai, Beilei

    2017-04-01

    Advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a rare malignancy with considerable need for effective therapies. Everolimus is a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2016 for treatment of adults with progressive, well-differentiated, non-functional NETs of gastrointestinal (GI) or lung origin that are unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic. To assess the 3-year budget impact for a typical US health plan following availability of everolimus for treatment of GI and lung NETs. Methods An economic model was developed that considered two perspectives: an entire health plan and a pharmacy budget. The total budget impact included costs of drug therapies, administration, hospitalizations, physician visits, monitoring, and adverse events (AEs). The pharmacy model only considered drug costs. In a US health plan with 1 million members, the model estimated 66 patients with well-differentiated, non-functional, and advanced or metastatic GI NETs and 20 with lung NETs undergoing treatment each year. Total budget impact in the first through third year after FDA approval ranged from $0.0568-$0.1443 per member per month (PMPM) for GI NETs and from $0.0181-$0.0355 PMPM for lung NETs. The total budget impact was lower than the pharmacy budget impact because it included cost offsets from administration and AE management for everolimus compared with alternative therapies (e.g. chemotherapies). Because GI and lung NETs are rare diseases with limited published data, several assumptions were made that may influence interpretation of results. The budget impact for everolimus was minimal in this rare disease area with a high unmet need, largely due to low disease prevalence. These results should be considered in the context of significant clinical benefits potentially provided by everolimus, including significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) for advanced GI and lung NET

  19. 78 FR 23312 - Uranium Enrichment Fuel Cycle Inspection Reports Regarding Louisiana Energy Services, National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-18

    ... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 70-3103; NRC-2010-0264] Uranium Enrichment Fuel Cycle Inspection Reports Regarding Louisiana Energy Services, National Enrichment Facility, Eunice, New Mexico..., Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, and Safeguards Office of Nuclear Material Safety, and Safeguards. [FR Doc...

  20. Effects of fuel treatments on carbon-disturbance relationships in forests of the northern Rocky Mountains

    Treesearch

    Elizabeth Reinhardt; Lisa Holsinger

    2010-01-01

    Fuel treatments alter conditions in forested stands at the time of the treatment and subsequently. Fuel treatments reduce on-site carbon and also change the fire potential and expected outcome of future wildfires, including their carbon emissions. We simulated effects of fuel treatments on 140 stands representing seven major habitat type groups of the northern Rocky...

  1. Developing statistical wildlife habitat relationships for assessing cumulative effects of fuels treatments: Final Report for Joint Fire Science Program Project

    Treesearch

    Samuel A. Cushman; Kevin S. McKelvey

    2006-01-01

    The primary weakness in our current ability to evaluate future landscapes in terms of wildlife lies in the lack of quantitative models linking wildlife to forest stand conditions, including fuels treatments. This project focuses on 1) developing statistical wildlife habitat relationships models (WHR) utilizing Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) and National Vegetation...

  2. Fuels Inventories in the Los Alamos National Laboratory Region: 1997

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Balice, R.G.; Oswald, B.P.; Martin, C.

    1999-03-01

    Fifty-four sites were surveyed for fuel levels, vegetational structures, and topographic characteristics. Most of the surveyed sites were on Los Alamos National Laboratory property, however, some surveys were also conducted on U.S. Forest Service property. The overall vegetation of these sites ranged from pinon-juniper woodlands to ponderosa pine forests to mixed conifer forests, and the topographic positions included canyons, mesas, and mountains. The results of these surveys indicate that the understory fuels are the greatest in mixed conifer forests and that overstory fuels are greatest in both mixed conifer forests and ponderosa pine forests on mesas. The geographic distribution ofmore » these fuels would suggest a most credible wildfire scenario for the Los Alamos region. Three major fires have occurred since 1954 and these fires behaved in a manner that is consistent with this scenario. The most credible wildfire scenario was also supported by the results of BEHAVE modeling that used the fuels inventory data as inputs. Output from the BEHAVE model suggested that catastrophic wildfires would continue to occur during any season with sufficiently dry, windy weather.« less

  3. Beyond reducing fire hazard: fuel treatment impacts on overstory tree survival.

    PubMed

    Collins, Brandon M; Das, Adrian J; Battles, John J; Fry, Danny L; Krasnow, Kevin D; Stephens, Scott L

    Fuel treatment implementation in dry forest types throughout the western United States is likely to increase in pace and scale in response to increasing incidence of large wildfires. While it is clear that properly implemented fuel treatments are effective at reducing hazardous fire potential, there are ancillary ecological effects that can impact forest resilience either positively or negatively depending on the specific elements examined, as well as treatment type, timing, and intensity. In this study, we use overstory tree growth responses, measured seven years after the most common fuel treatments, to estimate forest health. Across the five species analyzed, observed mortality and future vulnerability were consistently low in the mechanical- only treatment. Fire-only was similar to the control for all species except Douglas-fir, while mechanical-plus-fire had high observed mortality and future vulnerability for white fir and sugar pine. Given that overstory trees largely dictate the function of forests and services they provide (e.g., wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, soil stability) these results have implications for understanding longer-term impacts of common fuel treatments on forest resilience.

  4. 7 CFR 277.3 - Budgets and budget revision procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Budgets and budget revision procedures. 277.3 Section... OF STATE AGENCIES § 277.3 Budgets and budget revision procedures. The preparation, content, submittal, and revision requirements for the State Food Stamp Program Budget shall be as specified in § 272.2...

  5. Technical Capabilities of the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) is a state-of-the-art test facility that conducts a wide range of emissions testing and analysis for EPA’s motor vehicle, heavy-duty engine, and nonroad engine programs.

  6. An uncertainty budget for VHF and UHF reflectometers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ridler, N. M.; Medley, C. J.

    1992-05-01

    Details of the derivation of an uncertainty budget for one port immittance or complex voltage reflection coefficient measuring instruments, operating at VHF and UHF in the 14 mm 50 ohm coaxial line size, are reported. The principles of the uncertainty budget are given along with experimental results obtained using six ports and a network analyzer as the measuring instruments. Details of the types of calibration for which the uncertainty budget is suitable are reported. Various aspects of the uncertainty budget are considered and general principles and treatment of the type A and type B contributions are discussed. Experimental results obtained using the uncertainty budget are given. A summary of uncertainties for the six ports and HP8753B automatic network analyzer are also given.

  7. Nuclear Fuels.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nash, J. Thomas

    1983-01-01

    Trends in and factors related to the nuclear industry and nuclear fuel production are discussed. Topics addressed include nuclear reactors, survival of the U.S. uranium industry, production costs, budget cuts by the Department of Energy and U.S. Geological survey for resource studies, mining, and research/development activities. (JN)

  8. OSTP FY 2014 Budget Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-10

    Patricia Falcone, Associate Director, National Security and International Affairs Division, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, is seen during a Fiscal Year 2014 budget briefing held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  9. OSTP FY 2014 Budget Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-10

    Patricia Falcone, Associate Director, National Security and International Affairs Division, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, delivers remarks during a Fiscal Year 2014 budget briefing held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  10. A New Approach in Public Budgeting: Citizens' Budget

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bilge, Semih

    2015-01-01

    Change and transformation in the understanding and definition of citizenship has led to the emergence of citizen-oriented public service approach. This approach also raised a new term and concept in the field of public budgeting because of the transformation in the processes of public budgeting: citizens' budget. The citizens' budget which seeks…

  11. Mechanical mid-story reduction treatments for forest fuel management

    Treesearch

    B. Rummer; K. Outcalt; D. Brockway

    2002-01-01

    There are many forest stands where exclusion of fire or lack of management has led to dense understorys and fuel accumulation. Generally, the least expensive treatment is to introduce a regime of prescribed fire as a surrogate for natural forest fire processes in these stands. However, in some cases prescribed fire is not an option. For example, heavy fuel loadings may...

  12. An Integrated Model for Identifying Linkages Between the Management of Fuel Treatments, Fire and Ecosystem Services

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bart, R. R.; Anderson, S.; Moritz, M.; Plantinga, A.; Tague, C.

    2015-12-01

    Vegetation fuel treatments (e.g. thinning, prescribed burning) are a frequent tool for managing fire-prone landscapes. However, predicting how fuel treatments may affect future wildfire risk and associated ecosystem services, such as forest water availability and streamflow, remains a challenge. This challenge is in part due to the large range of conditions under which fuel treatments may be implemented, as response is likely to vary with species type, rates of vegetation regrowth, meteorological conditions and physiographic properties of the treated site. It is also due to insufficient understanding of how social factors such as political pressure, public demands and economic constraints affect fuel management decisions. To examine the feedbacks between ecological and social dimensions of fuel treatments, we present an integrated model that links a biophysical model that simulates vegetation and hydrology (RHESSys), a fire spread model (WMFire) and an empirical fuel treatment model that accounts for agency decision-making. We use this model to investigate how management decisions affect landscape fuel loads, which in turn affect fire severity and ecosystem services, which feedback to management decisions on fuel treatments. We hypothesize that this latter effect will be driven by salience theory, which predicts that fuel treatments are more likely to occur following major wildfire events. The integrated model provides a flexible framework for answering novel questions about fuel treatments that span social and ecological domains, areas that have previously been treated separately.

  13. Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of hepatitis C virus treatment with sofosbuvir and ledipasvir in the United States.

    PubMed

    Chhatwal, Jagpreet; Kanwal, Fasiha; Roberts, Mark S; Dunn, Michael A

    2015-03-17

    Sofosbuvir and ledipasvir, which have recently been approved for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, are more efficacious and safer than the old standard of care (oSOC) but are substantially more expensive. Whether and in which patients their improved efficacy justifies their increased cost is unclear. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir. Microsimulation model of the natural history of HCV infection. Published literature. Treatment-naive and treatment-experienced HCV population defined on the basis of HCV genotype, age, and fibrosis distribution in the United States. Lifetime. Third-party payer. Simulation of sofosbuvir-ledipasvir compared with the oSOC (interferon-based therapies). Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), and 5-year spending on antiviral drugs. Sofosbuvir-based therapies added 0.56 QALY relative to the oSOC at an ICER of $55 400 per additional QALY. The ICERs ranged from $9700 to $284 300 per QALY depending on the patient's status with respect to treatment history, HCV genotype, and presence of cirrhosis. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000 per QALY, sofosbuvir-based therapies were cost-effective in 83% of treatment-naive and 81% of treatment-experienced patients. Compared with the oSOC, treating eligible HCV-infected persons in the United States with the new drugs would cost an additional $65 billion in the next 5 years, whereas the resulting cost offsets would be $16 billion. Results were sensitive to drug price, drug efficacy, and quality of life after successful treatment. Data on real-world effectiveness of new antivirals are lacking. Treatment of HCV is cost-effective in most patients, but additional resources and value-based patient prioritization are needed to manage patients with HCV. National Institutes of Health.

  14. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Clean Cities Helps the National Mall Cut

    Science.gov Websites

    Transit Efficiency March 8, 2014 Renzenberger Inc Saves Money With Propane Vans Feb. 1, 2014 Photo of a Yellowstone National Park Commits to Alternative Fuels Oct. 16, 2010 Propane Buses Save Money for Virginia

  15. [Comment on “Federal funding at a time of budget austerity”] Report overlooks National Labs' integral role in research and training

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Toran, Laura

    Should we emphasize universities over national laboratories in times of limited federal science funding? Frank Press raised this question in his March 26, 1996, Eos article on “Federal Funding at a Time of Budget Austerity,” which summarized a report by the committee of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering. Although he states that in the report “The unique and complementary roles of universities and federal laboratories are spelled out clearly,” he goes on to say “the committee proposed that universities be given credit for combining research and training.”

  16. Wildland fire: Nature’s fuel treatment

    Treesearch

    Brian Cooke; Sean Parks; Carol Miller; Lisa Holsinger; Cara Nelson; Zack Holden; Scott Baggett; Benjamin Bird

    2016-01-01

    Every year wildland fires affect much more acreage in the United States compared to controlled burns. Like controlled burns, wildland fire can help promote biological diversity and healthy ecosystems. But despite these facts, wildland fire is not often considered as a fuel treatment in the United States. Scientists working with the U.S. Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain...

  17. Simulation of Long-Term Landscape-Level Fuel Treatment Effects on Large Wildfires

    Treesearch

    Mark A. Finney; Rob C. Seli; Charles W. McHugh; Alan A. Ager; Berni Bahro; James K. Agee

    2006-01-01

    A simulation system was developed to explore how fuel treatments placed in random and optimal spatial patterns affect the growth and behavior of large fires when implemented at different rates over the course of five decades. The system consists of a forest/fuel dynamics simulation module (FVS), logic for deriving fuel model dynamics from FVS output, a spatial fuel...

  18. Using fine-scale fuel measurements to assess wildland fuels, potential fire behavior and hazard mitigation treatments in the southeastern USA

    Treesearch

    Roger D. Ottmar; John I. Blake; William T. Crolly

    2012-01-01

    The inherent spatial and temporal heterogeneity of fuel beds in forests of the southeastern United States may require fine scale fuel measurements for providing reliable fire hazard and fuel treatment effectiveness estimates. In a series of five papers, an intensive, fine scale fuel inventory from the Savanna River Site in the southeastern United States is used for...

  19. Budget impact analysis of vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b as a part of a Pentavalent vaccine in the childhood immunization schedule of Iran.

    PubMed

    Teimouri, Fatemeh; Kebriaeezadeh, Abbas; Zahraei, Seyed Mohsen; Gheiratian, MohammadMahdi; Nikfar, Shekoufeh

    2017-01-14

    Health decision makers need to know the impact of the development of a new intervention on the public health and health care costs so that they can plan for economic and financial objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the budget impact of adding Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) as a part of a Pentavalent vaccine (Hib-HBV-DTP) to the national childhood immunization schedule of Iran. An excel-based model was developed to determine the costs of including the Pentavalent vaccine in the national immunization program (NIP), comparing the present schedule with the previous one (including separate DTP and hepatitis B vaccines). The total annual costs included the cost of vaccination (the vaccine and syringe) and the cost of Hib treatment. The health outcome was the estimated annual cases of the diseases. The net budget impact was the difference in the total annual cost between the two schedules. Uncertainty about the vaccine effectiveness, vaccination coverage, cost of the vaccine, and cost of the diseases were handled through scenario analysis. The total cost of vaccination during 5 years was $18,060,463 in the previous program and $67,774,786 in the present program. Inclusion of the Pentavalent vaccine would increase the vaccination cost about $49 million, but would save approximately $6 million in the healthcare costs due to reduction of disease cases and treatment costs. The introduction of the Pentavalent vaccine resulted in a net increase in the healthcare budget expenditure across all scenarios from $43.4 million to $50.7 million. The results of this study showed that the inclusion of the Pentavalent vaccine in the NIP of Iran had a significant impact on the health care budget and increased the financial burden on the government. Budget impact of including Pentavalent vaccine in the national immunization schedule of Iranᅟ.

  20. Federal Budget: Spending Out of Control? Today's Issues/Tomorrow's America.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    U.S. News & World Report, Inc., Washington, DC. Education Div.

    Intended to provide secondary students with information on the federal budget, this kit provides a teacher's guide, a test, a crossword puzzle, and a series of reproducible graphs and handouts focusing on budget deficits and the national debt. Study materials and graphics are based almost entirely on articles and graphics found in "U.S. News…

  1. Fuel treatments reduce the severity of wildfire effects in dry mixed conifer forest, Washington, USA

    Treesearch

    Susan J. Prichard; David L. Peterson; Kyle Jacobson

    2010-01-01

    To address hazardous fuel accumulations, many fuel treatments are being implemented in dry forests, but there have been few opportunities to evaluate treatment efficacy in wildfires. We documented the effectiveness of thinning and prescribed burning in the 2006 Tripod Complex fires. Recent fuel treatments burned in the wildfires and offered an opportunity to evaluate...

  2. Global Carbon Project: the 2013 Global Carbon Budget (Version 2.3, issued June 2014)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Le Quere, C. [University of East Anglia, Norwich UK; Peters, G. P. [Univ. of Oslo (Norway); Andrew, R. J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Andrew, R. M. [Univ. of Oslo (Norway); Boden, T. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Global emissions of carbon dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels will reach 36 billion tonnes for the year 2013. "This is a level unprecedented in human history," says CSIRO's Dr Pep Canadell, Executive-Director of the Global Carbon Project (GCP) and co-author of a new report. The GCP provides an annual report of carbon dioxide emissions, land and ocean sinks and accumulation in the atmosphere, incorporating data from multiple research institutes from around the world. The 2013 figures coincide with the global launch of the Global Carbon Atlas, an online platform to explore, visualise and interpret the emissions data at the global, regional and national scales (www.globalcarbonatlas.org). The full data and methods are published today in the journal Earth System Science Data Discussions, and data and other graphic materials can be found at: www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget. The Global Carbon Budget 2013 is a collaborative effort of the global carbon cycle science community coordinated by the Global Carbon Project. The landing page for this dataset includes links to V. 1.1, issued Nov2013, V.1.3, issued Dec2013, and the June 2014 issue of V.2.3 of the 2013 Global Carbon Budget.

  3. Fuel treatment effectiveness in reducing fire intensity and spread rate - An experimental overview

    Treesearch

    Eric Mueller; Nicholas Skowronski; Albert Simeoni; Kenneth Clark; Robert Kremens; William Mell; Michael Gallagher; Jan Thomas; Alexander Filkov; Mohamad El Houssami; John Hom; Bret Butler

    2014-01-01

    Fuel treatments represent a significant component of the wildfire mitigation strategy in the United States. However, the lack of research aimed at quantifying the explicit effectiveness of fuel treatments in reducing wildfire intensity and spread rate limits our ability to make educated decisions about the type and placement of these treatments. As part of a larger...

  4. Surface fuel loadings within mulching treatments in Colorado coniferous forests

    Treesearch

    Mike A. Battaglia; Monique E. Rocca; Charles C. Rhoades; Michael G. Ryan

    2010-01-01

    Recent large-scale, severe wildfires in the western United States have prompted extensive mechanical fuel treatment programs to reduce potential wildfire size and severity. Fuel reduction prescriptions typically target non-merchantable material so approaches to mechanically treat and distribute residue on site are becoming increasingly common. We examined how mulch...

  5. Beyond fuel treatment effectiveness: Characterizing interactions between fire and treatments in the US

    Treesearch

    Kevin Barnett; Sean A. Parks; Carol Miller; Helen T. Naughton

    2016-01-01

    In the United States, fuel reduction treatments are a standard land management tool to restore the structure and composition of forests that have been degraded by past management. Although treatments can have multiple purposes, their principal objective is to create landscape conditions where wildland fire can be safely managed to help achieve long-term land management...

  6. 7 CFR 277.3 - Budgets and budget revision procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Budgets and budget revision procedures. 277.3 Section 277.3 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE... OF STATE AGENCIES § 277.3 Budgets and budget revision procedures. The preparation, content, submittal...

  7. 7 CFR 277.3 - Budgets and budget revision procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Budgets and budget revision procedures. 277.3 Section 277.3 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE... OF STATE AGENCIES § 277.3 Budgets and budget revision procedures. The preparation, content, submittal...

  8. 7 CFR 277.3 - Budgets and budget revision procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Budgets and budget revision procedures. 277.3 Section 277.3 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE... OF STATE AGENCIES § 277.3 Budgets and budget revision procedures. The preparation, content, submittal...

  9. 7 CFR 277.3 - Budgets and budget revision procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Budgets and budget revision procedures. 277.3 Section 277.3 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE... OF STATE AGENCIES § 277.3 Budgets and budget revision procedures. The preparation, content, submittal...

  10. Agency problems of global budget system in Taiwan's National Health Insurance.

    PubMed

    Yan, Yu-Hua; Yang, Chen-Wei; Fang, Shih-Chieh

    2014-05-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate the agency problem presented by the global budget system followed by hospitals in Taiwan. In this study, we examine empirically the interaction between the principal: Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) and agency: medical service providers (hospitals); we also describe actual medical service provider and hospital governance conditions from a agency theory perspective. This study identified a positive correlation between aversion to agency hazard (self-interest behavior, asymmetric information, and risk hedging) and agency problem risks (disregard of medical ethics, pursuit of extra-contract profit, disregard of professionalism, and cost orientation). Agency costs refer to BNHI auditing and monitoring expenditures used to prevent hospitals from deviating from NHI policy goals. This study also found agency costs negatively moderate the relationship between agency hazards and agency problems The main contribution of this study is its use of agency theory to clarify agency problems and several potential factors caused by the NHI system. This study also contributes to the field of health policy study by clarifying the nature and importance of agency problems in the health care sector. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Lawmakers seek end to budget stalemate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlowicz, Michael

    On March 15, President Bill Clinton signed into law the tenth short-term spending measure of the now-sixmonth-old 1996 fiscal year (FY'96), funding the federal government through March 22. At the same time, budget negotiators from both the Republican and Democratic parties scurried to put the finishing touches on a $166 billion-omnibus appropriations bill, H.R. 3019, to pay the government's bills for the rest of the fiscal year.As of March 21, parts of a dozen federal cabinet-level departments and agencies still did not have a definitive budget allocation for FY'96. Nearly all national science research and development programs, agencies, and departments remained tied up by that budget struggle, though very little of the debate has anything to do with those programs (Eos, February 20). H.R. 3019 is designed to end the string of short-term spending measures and to fund all federal departments for the remaining six months of the fiscal year. Congressional leaders hoped to have the bill passed by March 22, though many representatives anticipated that at least one more short-term spending resolution would have to be passed before budget negotiations with the President could be completed.

  12. NASA budget in Congress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richman, Barbara T.

    The House of Representatives has authorized $161.7 million more than President Ronald Reagan proposed for the fiscal 1984 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) budget. The House NASA authorization bill (H.R. 2065) passed by voice vote on April 26. Five days earlier, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Technology Committee marked up S. 1096, the Senate's NASA authorization bill, and recommended $171.6 million more than the Reagan proposal. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill in mid May, after which time a conference committee will iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions.President Reagan requested a total NASA budget of $7.1065 billion: $5.7085 billion for research and development, $150.5 million for construction of facilities, and $1.2475 billion for research and program management (Eos, February 15, 1983, p. 65).

  13. Exploring the Dynamics and Modeling National Budget as a Supply Chain System: A Proposal for Reengineering the Budgeting Process and for Developing a Management Flight Simulator

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    Elmendorf, D. W., & Gregory Mankiw , N. (1999). Government debt. Handbook of Macroeconomics , 1, 1615-1669. European Union. European financial stability...budget process, based on the supply chain demand management process principles of operations and it is introduced the idea of developing a Budget... principles of systems dynamics, a proposal for the development of a Budget Management Flight Simulator, that will operate as a learning and educational

  14. Administration's Proposed NSF Budget Includes a 5.5% Increase for Geosciences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2013-04-01

    The fiscal year (FY) 2014 proposed federal budget for the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is $7.63 billion, 7.3% above the FY 2012 actual amount. NSF acting director Cora Marrett said the budget reflects the administration's recognition of NSF and the importance of funding basic research. "We are pleased about where we stand and hope that Congress will be just as pleased with the budget proposal and will help move things forward," she said during a meeting of the NSF Advisory Committee for Geosciences on 11 April. Budget comparisons are to FY 2012 because the 2013 appropriations were enacted at the end of March, less than 2 weeks before President Barack Obama sent the proposed budget to Congress.

  15. National fire-danger rating system fine-fuel moisture content tables—an Alaskan adaptation.

    Treesearch

    Richard J. Barney

    1969-01-01

    Fine-fuel moisture content tables, using dry bulb and dewpoint temperatures as entry data, have been developed for use with the National Fire-Danger Rating System in Alaska. Comparisons have been made which illustrate differences resulting from danger-rating calculations based on these new fine-fuel moisture content tables for the cured, transition, and green...

  16. U.S. Science Agency Budgets Slated for Increases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2009-05-01

    The Obama administration released more details on 7 May about its proposed US$3.6 trillion federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2010 and the planned significant increases for science agencies and for research and development (see Eos, 90(10), 83, 2009). The budget, which needs to be approved by Congress, includes $147.6 billion for research and development, an increase of $555 million, or 0.4%, above the enacted 2009 budget. In addition, the 2009 budget includes $18.3 billion in stimulus spending for research and development through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, said the FY 2009 and proposed 2010 budgets are among the two largest research and development investments in the nation's history, in real terms. “We in the science and technology community have done better than just about any other constituency in the budget,” Holdren explained in a 7 May budget overview briefing, noting that virtually every science agency is doing better now than it was doing 2 years ago. “We have, in the White House, a president who gets it, believes and gets that investments in science and technology are just that: investments that will pay off.”

  17. Climate Change, Salmon in the NOAA Budget Spotlight

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2004-05-01

    A U.S. Senate hearing on 29 April about the administration's proposed budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fiscal year 2005 turned testy when senators pressed for specific information about the agency's programs on abrupt climate change and protecting wild salmon. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation's Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, expressed concern that funding for the agency's program on abrupt climate change appears to be eliminated in the proposed budget.

  18. Incorporating landscape fuel treatment modeling into the Forest Vegetation Simulator

    Treesearch

    Robert C. Seli; Alan A. Ager; Nicholas L. Crookston; Mark A. Finney; Berni Bahro; James K. Agee; Charles W. McHugh

    2008-01-01

    A simulation system was developed to explore how fuel treatments placed in random and optimal spatial patterns affect the growth and behavior of large fires when implemented at different rates over the course of five decades. The system consists of several command line programs linked together: (1) FVS with the Parallel Processor (PPE) and Fire and Fuels (FFE)...

  19. Effects of alternative treatments on canopy fuel characteristics in five conifer stands

    Treesearch

    Joe H. Scott; Elizabeth D. Reinhardt

    2007-01-01

    A detailed study of canopy fuel characteristics in five different forest types provided a unique dataset for simulating the effects of various stand manipulation treatments on canopy fuels. Low thinning, low thinning with commercial dbh limit, and crown thinning had similar effects on canopy bulk density (CBD) and canopy fuel load (CFL...

  20. Tools, courses, and learning pathways offered by the National Interagency Fuels, Fire, and Vegetation Technology Transfer

    Treesearch

    Eva K. Strand; Kathy H. Schon; Jeff Jones

    2010-01-01

    Technological advances in the area of fuel and wildland fire management have created a need for effective decision support tools and technology training. The National Interagency Fuels Committee and LANDFIRE have chartered a team to develop science-based learning tools for assessment of fire and fuels and to provide online training and technology transfer to help...

  1. Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) > Budget Materials > Budget1998

    Science.gov Websites

    (Comptroller) Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Home About OUSD(C) OUSD(C) Top Leaders OUSD(C) Org Chart functionalStatements OUSD(C) History FMR Budget Materials Budget Execution Financial Management Improving Financial Closure Program (C-1) PDF icon Excel icon Links to Budget Materials Budget Execution Flexibilities

  2. Response of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) to fire and fire surrogate fuel reduction treatments in a southern Appalachian hardwood forest

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Greenberg, C.H.; Otis, D.L.; Waldrop, T.A.

    2006-01-01

    An experiment conducted as part of the multidisciplinary National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study was designed to determine effects of three fuel reduction techniques on small mammals and habitat structure in the southern Appalachian mountains. Four experimental units, each >14-ha were contained within each of three replicate blocks at the Green River Game Land, Polk County, NC. Treatments were (1) prescribed burning (B); (2) mechanical felling of shrubs and small trees (M); (3) mechanical felling + burning (MB); (4) controls (C). Mechanical understory felling treatments were conducted in winter 2001-2002, and prescribed burning was conducted in March 2003. After treatment, there were fewer live trees, more snags, and greater canopy openness in MB than in other treatments. Leaf litter depth was reduced by burning in both B and MB treatments, and tall shrub cover was reduced in all fuel reduction treatments compared to C. Coarse woody debris pieces and percent cover were similar among treatments and controls. We captured 990 individuals of eight rodent species a total of 2823 times. Because white-footed mice composed >79% of all captures, we focused on this species. Populations in experimental units increased 228% on average between 2001 and 2002, but there was no evidence of an effect of the mechanical treatment. From 2002 to 2003, all units again showed an average increase in relative population size, but increases were greater in MB than in the other treatments. Age structure and male to female ratio were not affected by the fuel reduction treatment. Average adult body weight declined from 2001 to 2002, but less so in M than in units that remained C in both years. The proportion of mice captured near coarse woody debris was similar to the proportion captured in open areas for all treatments, indicating that white-footed mice did not use coarse woody debris preferentially or change their use patterns in response to fuel reduction treatments. Land managers should

  3. In Congress Budget Update for NOAA, USGS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richman, Barbara T.

    Among the agenda items facing Congress as it reconvenes this week are the fiscal 1984 budgets for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is part of the Department of Commerce, and for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which is within the Department of the Interior. Fiscal year 1984 begins October 1, 1983. As Congress rolls up its shirtsleeves and gets down to business, Eos presents a status report on the two agency budgets.Both House and Senate appropriations committees have finished their work on the NOAA budget, which had been targeted by President Ronald Reagan for a $799.8 million appropriation request (program level of $843.2 million) in his proposed fiscal 1984 budget (Eos, February 15, 1983, p. 65). The House appropriation for NOAA (H.R. 3134 and H.R. 3222) is $998.5 million, with a program level of $1043.9 million. The Senate Appropriations Committee set its appropriation (S. 1721) at $987.8 million, with a program level of $1041.0 million.

  4. LANDFIRE - A national vegetation/fuels data base for use in fuels treatment, restoration, and suppression planning

    Treesearch

    Kevin C. Ryan; Tonja S. Opperman

    2013-01-01

    LANDFIRE is the working name given to the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project (http://www.landfire.gov). The project was initiated in response to mega-fires and the need for managers to have consistent, wall-to-wall (i.e., all wildlands regardless of agency/ownership), geospatial data, on vegetation, fuels, and terrain to support use of fire...

  5. Comparing fuel reduction treatments for reducing wildfire size and intensity in a boreal forest landscape of northeastern China.

    PubMed

    Wu, Zhiwei; He, Hong S; Liu, Zhihua; Liang, Yu

    2013-06-01

    Fuel load is often used to prioritize stands for fuel reduction treatments. However, wildfire size and intensity are not only related to fuel loads but also to a wide range of other spatially related factors such as topography, weather and human activity. In prioritizing fuel reduction treatments, we propose using burn probability to account for the effects of spatially related factors that can affect wildfire size and intensity. Our burn probability incorporated fuel load, ignition probability, and spread probability (spatial controls to wildfire) at a particular location across a landscape. Our goal was to assess differences in reducing wildfire size and intensity using fuel-load and burn-probability based treatment prioritization approaches. Our study was conducted in a boreal forest in northeastern China. We derived a fuel load map from a stand map and a burn probability map based on historical fire records and potential wildfire spread pattern. The burn probability map was validated using historical records of burned patches. We then simulated 100 ignitions and six fuel reduction treatments to compare fire size and intensity under two approaches of fuel treatment prioritization. We calibrated and validated simulated wildfires against historical wildfire data. Our results showed that fuel reduction treatments based on burn probability were more effective at reducing simulated wildfire size, mean and maximum rate of spread, and mean fire intensity, but less effective at reducing maximum fire intensity across the burned landscape than treatments based on fuel load. Thus, contributions from both fuels and spatially related factors should be considered for each fuel reduction treatment. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. FY 1992 Budget committed to R&D

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bush, Susan

    President's Bush's Fiscal Year 1992 budget for research and development is clear proof of his commitment to R&D as a long-term investment for the next American century, according to D. Allan Bromley, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy. The FY 92 budget proposes to allocate $75.6 billion for research and development, an increase of $8.4billion, or 13% over the amount appropriated for FY 91. Calling it a “good budget,” Bromley revealed the specifics of research and development in the President's budget on February 4.Bromley believes that as a nation we are underinvesting in research and development,but sees the 1992 budget increases as concrete steps to address this problem. The newly organized and revitalized Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET)—an interagency forum of Cabinet secretaries, deputy secretaries, and the heads of independent agencies that reviews, coordinates, and helps implement federal science and technology policy-named three high-priority cross—cutting areas of R&D and organized special interagency programs in these areas. The areas are high-performance computing and communications, global change, and mathematics and science education.

  7. Fuel Cell Technologies Office FY 2017 Budget At-A-Glance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    2016-03-01

    The Fuel Cell Technologies Office develops technologies to enable fuel cells to be competitive in diverse applications, with a focus on light-duty vehicles (at less than $40/kW) and to enable renewable hydrogen to be cost-competitive with gasoline (at less than $4 per gallon gasoline equivalent (gge), delivered and dispensed).

  8. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; economic uses fact sheet 09: Mechanical treatment costs

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2005-01-01

    Although fuel reduction treatments are widespread, there is great variability and uncertainty in the cost of conducting treatments. Researchers from the Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, have developed a model for estimating the per-acre cost for mechanical fuel reduction treatments. Although these models do a good job of identifying factors that...

  9. Closed Fuel Cycle Waste Treatment Strategy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vienna, J. D.; Collins, E. D.; Crum, J. V.

    This study is aimed at evaluating the existing waste management approaches for nuclear fuel cycle facilities in comparison to the objectives of implementing an advanced fuel cycle in the U.S. under current legal, regulatory, and logistical constructs. The study begins with the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) Integrated Waste Management Strategy (IWMS) (Gombert et al. 2008) as a general strategy and associated Waste Treatment Baseline Study (WTBS) (Gombert et al. 2007). The tenets of the IWMS are equally valid to the current waste management study. However, the flowsheet details have changed significantly from those considered under GNEP. In addition, significantmore » additional waste management technology development has occurred since the GNEP waste management studies were performed. This study updates the information found in the WTBS, summarizes the results of more recent technology development efforts, and describes waste management approaches as they apply to a representative full recycle reprocessing flowsheet. Many of the waste management technologies discussed also apply to other potential flowsheets that involve reprocessing. These applications are occasionally discussed where the data are more readily available. The report summarizes the waste arising from aqueous reprocessing of a typical light-water reactor (LWR) fuel to separate actinides for use in fabricating metal sodium fast reactor (SFR) fuel and from electrochemical reprocessing of the metal SFR fuel to separate actinides for recycle back into the SFR in the form of metal fuel. The primary streams considered and the recommended waste forms include; Tritium in low-water cement in high integrity containers (HICs); Iodine-129: As a reference case, a glass composite material (GCM) formed by the encapsulation of the silver Mordenite (AgZ) getter material in a low-temperature glass is assumed. A number of alternatives with distinct advantages are also considered including a fused silica

  10. Effectiveness of Prescribed Fire as a Fuel Treatment in Californian Coniferous Forests

    Treesearch

    Nicole M. Vaillant; JoAnn Fites-Kaufman; Scott L. Stephens

    2006-01-01

    Effective fire suppression for the past century has altered forest structure and increased fuel loads. Prescribed fire as a fuels treatment can reduce wildfire size and severity. This study investigates how prescribed fire affects fuel loads, forest structure, potential fire behavior, and modeled tree mortality at 80th, 90th, and 97.5th percentile fire weather...

  11. Simulation of long-term landscape-level fuel treatment effects on large wildfires

    Treesearch

    Mark A. Finney; Rob C. Seli; Charles W. McHugh; Alan A. Ager; Bernhard Bahro; James K. Agee

    2008-01-01

    A simulation system was developed to explore how fuel treatments placed in topologically random and optimal spatial patterns affect the growth and behaviour of large fires when implemented at different rates over the course of five decades. The system consisted of a forest and fuel dynamics simulation module (Forest Vegetation Simulator, FVS), logic for deriving fuel...

  12. Measuring the effect of fuel treatments on forest carbon using landscape risk analysis

    Treesearch

    A.A. Ager; M.A. Finney; A. McMahan; J. Carthcart

    2010-01-01

    Wildfire simulation modelling was used to examine whether fuel reduction treatments can potentially reduce future wildfire emissions and provide carbon benefits. In contrast to previous reports, the current study modelled landscape scale effects of fuel treatments on fire spread and intensity, and used a probabilistic framework to quantify wildfire effects on carbon...

  13. National Jet Fuels Combustion Program - overall program integration and analysis, Area #7.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this study is to develop, conduct, and analyze advanced laser and optical measurements in the referee combustor (WPAFB, Bldg. 490, RC 152) selected by the ASCENT National Fuel Combustion Program. We will conduct advanced spatially resolve...

  14. 1953 midsummer fuel moistures in Oregon and Washington national forests compared with other years.

    Treesearch

    Owen P. Cramer

    1954-01-01

    Flammability of Oregon and Washington national forests during the middle of the 1953 fire season was slightly less than the 3941-51 normal as indicated by slightly above normal fuel moistures (table 1). The rating is based on the 25 lowest daily observations of fuel-moisture indicator sticks in the July 16 to August 31 period. Records are from 68 key fire-danger...

  15. Audit of the global carbon budget: estimate errors and their impact on uptake uncertainty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballantyne, A. P.; Andres, R.; Houghton, R.; Stocker, B. D.; Wanninkhof, R.; Anderegg, W.; Cooper, L. A.; DeGrandpre, M.; Tans, P. P.; Miller, J. C.; Alden, C.; White, J. W. C.

    2014-10-01

    Over the last 5 decades monitoring systems have been developed to detect changes in the accumulation of C in the atmosphere, ocean, and land; however, our ability to detect changes in the behavior of the global C cycle is still hindered by measurement and estimate errors. Here we present a rigorous and flexible framework for assessing the temporal and spatial components of estimate error and their impact on uncertainty in net C uptake by the biosphere. We present a novel approach for incorporating temporally correlated random error into the error structure of emission estimates. Based on this approach, we conclude that the 2 σ error of the atmospheric growth rate has decreased from 1.2 Pg C yr-1 in the 1960s to 0.3 Pg C yr-1 in the 2000s, leading to a ~20% reduction in the over-all uncertainty of net global C uptake by the biosphere. While fossil fuel emissions have increased by a factor of 4 over the last 5 decades, 2 σ errors in fossil fuel emissions due to national reporting errors and differences in energy reporting practices have increased from 0.3 Pg C yr-1 in the 1960s to almost 1.0 Pg C yr-1 during the 2000s. At the same time land use emissions have declined slightly over the last 5 decades, but their relative errors remain high. Notably, errors associated with fossil fuel emissions have come to dominate uncertainty in the global C budget and are now comparable to the total emissions from land use, thus efforts to reduce errors in fossil fuel emissions are necessary. Given all the major sources of error in the global C budget that we could identify, we are 93% confident that C uptake has increased and 97% confident that C uptake by the terrestrial biosphere has increased over the last 5 decades. Although the persistence of future C sinks remains unknown and some ecosystem services may be compromised by this continued C uptake (e.g. ocean acidification), it is clear that arguably the greatest ecosystem service currently provided by the biosphere is the

  16. QIPP: cutting budgets or working smarter?

    PubMed

    Brocklehurst, P; Jones, C; Tickle, M

    2011-04-23

    The Department of Health's response to the national budget deficit is to ensure that the provision of NHS services is guided by four fundamental 'QIPP' principles: Quality, Innovation, Prevention, and Productivity. This agenda will govern all aspects of the National Health Service's (NHS') health care provision for the foreseeable future. NHS dental services will, like all other NHS services, need to make a contribution to the QIPP agenda. The purpose of this paper is to outline the implications for NHS dentistry.

  17. Microbial fuel cell treatment of fuel process wastewater

    DOEpatents

    Borole, Abhijeet P; Tsouris, Constantino

    2013-12-03

    The present invention is directed to a method for cleansing fuel processing effluent containing carbonaceous compounds and inorganic salts, the method comprising contacting the fuel processing effluent with an anode of a microbial fuel ell, the anode containing microbes thereon which oxidatively degrade one or more of the carbonaceous compounds while producing electrical energy from the oxidative degradation, and directing the produced electrical energy to drive an electrosorption mechanism that operates to reduce the concentration of one or more inorganic salts in the fuel processing effluent, wherein the anode is in electrical communication with a cathode of the microbial fuel cell. The invention is also directed to an apparatus for practicing the method.

  18. Quantifying the effect of fuel reduction treatments on fire behavior in boreal forests

    Treesearch

    B.W. Butler; R.D. Ottmar; T.S. Rupp; R. Jandt; E. Miller; K. Howard; R. Schmoll; S. Theisen; R.E. Vihnanek; D. Jimenez

    2013-01-01

    Mechanical (e.g., shearblading) and manual (e.g., thinning) fuel treatments have become the preferred strategy of many fire managers and agencies for reducing fire hazard in boreal forests. This study attempts to characterize the effectiveness of four fuel treatments through direct measurement of fire intensity and forest floor consumption during a single prescribed...

  19. Fla. Budget Threatens Online Ed. Mandate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manzo, Kathleen Kennedy

    2009-01-01

    As Florida school districts scramble to meet a looming state mandate to offer full-time online instruction for K-8 students, and as high school enrollments in such courses continue to climb, lawmakers are mulling restrictions and budget cuts for the state's nationally known virtual school. Together, online-learning advocates say, the growing…

  20. Bryoid layer response to soil disturbance by fuel reduction treatments in a dry conifer forest

    Treesearch

    Amanda Hardman; Bruce McCune

    2010-01-01

    We investigated the response of the bryoid layer, bryophyte and lichen communities on the soil surface three years after fuel reduction treatment (logging and burning) in the central Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Both treatment and control areas had been decimated by spruce budworm and drought before the fuel reduction treatments. Treatments reduced overstory and...

  1. SOCCR-2, Chapter 2: A Synthesis of the North American Carbon Budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayes, D. J.; Vargas, R.; Alin, S. R.; Conant, R. T.; Hutyra, L.; Jacobson, A. R.; Kurz, W. A.; Liu, S.; McGuire, A. D.; Poulter, B.; Woodall, C. W.

    2017-12-01

    Scientific information quantifying and characterizing the continental-scale carbon budget is necessary for developing national and international policy on climate change. The North American continent (NA) has been considered to be a significant net source of carbon to the atmosphere, with fossil fuel emissions from the U.S., Canada and Mexico far outpacing uptake on land, inland waters and adjacent coastal oceans. As reported in the First State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR-1), the three countries combined to emit approximately 1800 MtC of carbon in 2003, or 27% of the global total fossil fuel inventory. Based on inventory data from various sectors, SOCCR-1 estimated a 500 MtC/yr natural sink that offset about 30% of emissions primarily through forest growth, storage in wood products and sequestration in agricultural soils. Here we present a synthesis of the NA carbon budget for the next report (SOCCR-2) based on updated inventory data and new research over the last decade. The North American continent— including its energy systems, land-base and coastal oceans—is very likely to have been a net source of carbon to the atmosphere over the 2004-2013 time period, having contributed on average approximately 1037 (+/- 25%) MtC/yr. At 1765 (+/-2%) MtC/yr, total fossil fuel emissions from Canada, the United States, and Mexico very likely contributed the largest source of carbon over the 2004-2013 time period - a level of magnitude similar to that reported for 2003 (1856 MtC/yr +/- 10%) in SOCCR-1. Between one-quarter and one half of the total fossil fuel emissions over the 2004 - 2013 time period were likely offset by natural sinks on North American land and adjacent coastal ocean. The strength of the natural sink was likely persistent over the 2004-2013 time period as compared to the ca. 2003 magnitude reported in SOCCR-1 (500 MtC/yr), maintained primarily by carbon uptake with forest growth and storage in wood products offsetting carbon losses from natural

  2. Water-budget methods

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Healy, Richard W.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

    2010-01-01

    A water budget is an accounting of water movement into and out of, and storage change within, some control volume. Universal and adaptable are adjectives that reflect key features of water-budget methods for estimating recharge. The universal concept of mass conservation of water implies that water-budget methods are applicable over any space and time scales (Healy et al., 2007). The water budget of a soil column in a laboratory can be studied at scales of millimeters and seconds. A water-budget equation is also an integral component of atmospheric general circulation models used to predict global climates over periods of decades or more. Water-budget equations can be easily customized by adding or removing terms to accurately portray the peculiarities of any hydrologic system. The equations are generally not bound by assumptions on mechanisms by which water moves into, through, and out of the control volume of interest. So water-budget methods can be used to estimate both diffuse and focused recharge, and recharge estimates are unaffected by phenomena such as preferential flow paths within the unsaturated zone.Water-budget methods represent the largest class of techniques for estimating recharge. Most hydrologic models are derived from a water-budget equation and can therefore be classified as water-budget models. It is not feasible to address all water-budget methods in a single chapter. This chapter is limited to discussion of the “residual” water-budget approach, whereby all variables in a water-budget equation, except for recharge, are independently measured or estimated and recharge is set equal to the residual. This chapter is closely linked with Chapter 3, on modeling methods, because the equations presented here form the basis of many models and because models are often used to estimate individual components in water-budget studies. Water budgets for streams and other surface-water bodies are addressed in Chapter 4. The use of soil-water budgets and

  3. Proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Budget Shows Belt-Tightening

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2011-03-01

    President Barack Obama's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is $8.97 billion, a 13% decrease from the agency's FY 2010 enacted budget of $10.3 billion. While Congress has approved a moderate continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government until 18 March, the House of Representatives also has passed a CR (House Resolution 1; HR 1) that would call for sharp cuts to the budget for EPA and other agencies for the current fiscal year (2011). EPA administrator Lisa Jackson acknowledged the difficult budget situation during a 14 February teleconference. The proposed budget “reflects the tough choices needed for our nation's short- and long-term fiscal health and allows EPA to maintain its fundamental mission of protecting human health and the environment,” she said. “This budget focuses our resources on the most urgent health and environmental challenges we face. Though it includes significant cuts, it provides EPA with what we need to fundamentally protect the health of the American people,” Jackson added.

  4. Evaluating alternative fuel treatment strategies to reduce wildfire losses in a Mediterranean area

    Treesearch

    Michele Salis; Maurizio Laconi; Alan A. Ager; Fermin J. Alcasena; Bachisio Arca; Olga Lozano; Ana Fernandes de Oliveira; Donatella Spano

    2016-01-01

    The goal of this work is to evaluate by a modeling approach the effectiveness of alternative fuel treatment strategies to reduce potential losses from wildfires in Mediterranean areas. We compared strategic fuel treatments located near specific human values vs random locations, and treated 3, 9 and 15% of a 68,000 ha study area located in Sardinia, Italy. The...

  5. Budgets up at NIH, NCI, and FDA.

    PubMed

    2014-03-01

    The federal budget for 2014, signed into law by President Obama in January, increases funding for the NIH, National Cancer Institute, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but it doesn't fully cover the losses they sustained collectively in 2013 due to sequestration.

  6. U.S. Geological Survey Would Fare Well in Proposed Federal Budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2010-02-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is among the U.S. federal science agencies that would see significant funding increases if Congress approves the Obama administration's proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2011. The FY 2011 budget request would provide USGS with $1.13 billion, an increase of $21.6 million, or 1.9%, above the FY 2010 enacted level. “In a time of budget austerity, to have the budget for a science agency like the USGS actually be at a level above 2010—and 2010 was a pretty good budget year for the USGS—is indeed a very good sign,” USGS director Marcia McNutt said at a 1 February budget briefing. “What we are seeing in the USGS budget is the reflection from both the president and the secretary [of the Department of the Interior, of which USGS is part] of their commitment that the problems that the nation is facing right now are problems to which science can help us find an answer,” she said.

  7. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Propane Mowers Help National Park Cut

    Science.gov Websites

    vehicle fleet will run on alternative fuels by 2014. With the increased number of AFVs, the park is said that the project has had a positive influence on park staff, other NPS units, local municipality national park in Texas to meet the requirements of the Climate Friendly Parks (CFP) program. CFP is one

  8. Budget impact analysis of biosimilar infliximab (CT-P13) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in six Central and Eastern European countries.

    PubMed

    Brodszky, Valentin; Baji, Petra; Balogh, Orsolya; Péntek, Márta

    2014-05-01

    The first biosimilar monoclonal antibody (infliximab, CT-P13) was registered by the European Medicines Agency in 2013 for the treatment of several inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Biosimilar infliximab is first being marketed in the Central and Eastern European countries. This paper presents the estimated budget impact of the introduction of biosimilar infliximab in RA over a 3-year time period in six selected countries, namely Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. A prevalence-based model was constructed for budget impact analysis. Two scenarios were compared to the reference scenario (RSc) where no biosimilar infliximab is available: biosimilar scenario 1 (BSc1), where interchanging the originator infliximab with biosimilar infliximab is disallowed, and only patients who start new biological therapy are allowed to use biosimilar infliximab; as well as biosimilar scenario 2 (BSc2), where interchanging the originator infliximab with biosimilar infliximab is allowed, and 80% of patients treated with originator infliximab are interchanged to biosimilar infliximab. Compared to the RSc, the net savings are estimated to be €15.3 or €20.8 M in BSc1 and BSc2, respectively, over the 3 years. If budget savings were spent on reimbursement of additional biosimilar infliximab treatment, approximately 1,200 or 1,800 more patients could be treated in the six countries within 3 years in the two biosimilar scenarios, respectively. The actual saving is most sensitive to the assumption of the acquisition cost of the biosimilar drug and to the initial number of patients treated with biological therapy. The study focused on one indication (RA) and demonstrated that the introduction of biosimilar infliximab can lead to substantial budget savings in health care budgets. Further savings are expected for other indications where biosimilar medicines are implemented.

  9. Science Receives Broad Support in Obama Administration's Proposed Budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2011-02-01

    With the U.S. federal deficit on target to hit $1.5 trillion this year, President Barack Obama's proposed federal budget of $3.73 trillion for fiscal year (FY) 2012, which begins on 1 October, has been greeted with mixed reviews since its release on 14 February. The proposal, which calls for a 5-year overall freeze on discretionary spending outside of security, generally is favorable for science and science agencies—particularly the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) laboratories. However, some other agencies and bureaus, including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), do not fare as well. A number of Republicans in Congress have panned the budget. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), chair of the House of Representatives Committee on the Budget, said the president “has failed to tackle the urgent fiscal and economic threats before us.” Also, with the FY 2011 budget never having been enacted, House Committee on Appropriations chair Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) introduced a continuing resolution (H.R. 1) on 11 February that would fund the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year at a level $100 billion below the administration's request for this year.

  10. 75 FR 43138 - Ochoco National Forest, Lookout Mountain Ranger District; Oregon; Howard Elliot Johnson Fuels and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-23

    ...; Oregon; Howard Elliot Johnson Fuels and Vegetation Management Project EIS AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA... Prineville, Oregon. The project area includes National Forest and Bureau of Land Management System lands in... effects will take place. The Howard Elliot Johnson Fuels and Vegetation Management Project decision and...

  11. Fire suppression and fuels treatment effects on mixed-conifer carbon stocks and emissions

    Treesearch

    M. North; M Hurteau; J Innes

    2009-01-01

    Depending on management, forests can be an important sink or source of carbon that if released as CO2 could contribute to global warming. Many forests in the western United States are being treated to reduce fuels, yet the effects of these treatments on forest carbon are not well understood. We compared the immediate effects of fuels treatments on carbon stocks and...

  12. Topical treatment utilization for patients with atopic dermatitis in the United States, and budget impact analysis of crisaborole ointment, 2.

    PubMed

    Clark, Ryan; Bozkaya, Duygu; Levenberg, Mark; Faulkner, Steven; Smith, Timothy W; Gerber, Robert A

    2018-05-21

    Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin disease, is often treated with topical corticosteroids (TCS) and topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCI). Crisaborole ointment is a non-steroidal, phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor for the treatment of mild-to-moderate AD. In December 2016, crisaborole was approved in the US for mild-to-moderate AD in patients ≥2 years of age. To evaluate real-world utilization and cost of TCS and TCI in the US and estimate the budget impact of crisaborole over 2 years from a third-party payer perspective. TCS and TCI prescriptions in 2015 for patients ≥2 years of age with ≥1 AD diagnosis in the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental Research Databases were analyzed for patients receiving TCI or TCS alone or in combination (TCS/TCI population) and patients receiving TCI alone or in combination with TCS (TCI population). A budget impact model used TCS and TCI market shares, annual use, and cost per prescription. Crisaborole uptake rates of 4.7% (TCS) and 20.2% (TCI), with an annual increase of 1% in year 2, were assumed. Budget impact was calculated as total and per-member-per-month (PMPM) cost over 2 years for a health plan of 1 million members. Annual prescriptions/patient ranged from 1.36-6.41; annual cost/patient was $53-$1,465. The budget impact of crisaborole over 2 years in the TCS/TCI population was $350,946 (PMPM, $0.015), with increases of $162,106 in year 1 (PMPM, $0.014) and $188,841 in year 2 (PMPM, $0.016). The budget impact in the TCI population was -$22,871, with decreases of $11,160 in year 1 and $11,712 in year 2 (each PMPM, -$0.001). For both populations, one-way sensitivity analyses showed that budget impact was most sensitive to changes in crisaborole cost and annual use. From US payer perspectives, adoption of crisaborole results in modest pharmacy budget impact/savings.

  13. Collegiate Connections: Music Education Budget Crisis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slaton, Emily Dawn

    2012-01-01

    Due to the current recession, the American economy within the last few years has taken a nosedive, making it difficult for national, state, and local governments to support all the programs they currently have in place. There are difficult choices that need to be made about where to make sacrifices in their budgets so things can still run…

  14. More Students + Budget Cuts = Tough Choices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raths, David

    2011-01-01

    Across the nation, student enrollment is exploding, while budgets are being slashed to the bone. A March 2010 report by the League for Innovation and the Campus Computing Project says it all: "Still Doing More With Less." In a survey of 128 community college campus presidents and district chancellors for the report, 94 percent of respondents said…

  15. A fuel treatment reduces fire severity and increases suppression efficiency in a mixed conifer forest

    Treesearch

    Jason J. Moghaddas; Larry Craggs

    2007-01-01

    Fuel treatments are being implemented on public and private lands across the western United States. Although scientists and managers have an understanding of how fuel treatments can modify potential fire behaviour under modelled conditions, there is limited information on how treatments perform under real wildfire conditions in Sierran mixed conifer forests. The Bell...

  16. Effects of piston surface treatments on performance and emissions of a methanol-fueled, direct injection, stratified charge engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    West, B.; Green, J. B.

    1994-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of thermal barrier coatings and/or surface treatments on the performance and emissions of a methanol-fueled, direct-injection, stratified-charge (DISC) engine. A Ricardo Hydra Mark III engine was used for this work and in previous experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The primary focus of the study was to examine the effects of various piston insert surface treatments on hydrocarbon (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)) emissions. Previous studies have shown that engines of this class have a tendency to perform poorly at low loads and have high unburned fuel emissions. A blank aluminum piston was modified to employ removable piston bowl inserts. Four different inserts were tested in the experiment: aluminum, stainless steel with a 1.27-mm (0.050-in.) air gap (to act as a thermal barrier), and two stainless steel/air-gap inserts with coatings. Two stainless steel inserts were dimensionally modified to account for the coating thickness (1.27-mm) and coated identically with partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ). One of the coated inserts then had an additional seal-coat applied. The coated inserts were otherwise identical to the stainless steel/air-gap insert (i.e., they employed the same 1.27-mm air gap). Thermal barrier coatings were employed in an attempt to increase combustion chamber surface temperatures, thereby reducing wall quenching and promoting more complete combustion of the fuel in the quench zone. The seal-coat was applied to the zirconia to reduce the surface porosity; previous research suggested that despite the possibly higher surface temperatures obtainable with a ceramic coating, the high surface area of a plasma-sprayed coating may actually allow fuel to adhere to the surface and increase the unburned fuel emissions and fuel consumption.

  17. Clean fuels from biomass

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hsu, Y.-Y.

    1976-01-01

    The paper discusses the U.S. resources to provide fuels from agricultural products, the present status of conversion technology of clean fuels from biomass, and a system study directed to determine the energy budget, and environmental and socioeconomic impacts. Conversion processes are discussed relative to pyrolysis and anaerobic fermentation. Pyrolysis breaks the cellulose molecules to smaller molecules under high temperature in the absence of oxygen, wheras anaerobic fermentation is used to convert biomass to methane by means of bacteria. Cost optimization and energy utilization are also discussed.

  18. Developing a concept for a national used fuel interim storage facility in the United States

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lewis, Donald Wayne

    2013-07-01

    In the United States (U.S.) the nuclear waste issue has plagued the nuclear industry for decades. Originally, spent fuel was to be reprocessed but with the threat of nuclear proliferation, spent fuel reprocessing has been eliminated, at least for now. In 1983, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 [1] was established, authorizing development of one or more spent fuel and high-level nuclear waste geological repositories and a consolidated national storage facility, called a 'Monitored Retrievable Storage' facility, that could store the spent nuclear fuel until it could be placed into the geological repository. Plans were under way to buildmore » a geological repository, Yucca Mountain, but with the decision by President Obama to terminate the development of Yucca Mountain, a consolidated national storage facility that can store spent fuel for an interim period until a new repository is established has become very important. Since reactor sites have not been able to wait for the government to come up with a storage or disposal location, spent fuel remains in wet or dry storage at each nuclear plant. The purpose of this paper is to present a concept developed to address the DOE's goals stated above. This concept was developed over the past few months by collaboration between the DOE and industry experts that have experience in designing spent nuclear fuel facilities. The paper examines the current spent fuel storage conditions at shutdown reactor sites, operating reactor sites, and the type of storage systems (transportable versus non-transportable, welded or bolted). The concept lays out the basis for a pilot storage facility to house spent fuel from shutdown reactor sites and then how the pilot facility can be enlarged to a larger full scale consolidated interim storage facility. (authors)« less

  19. The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2007 to 2016

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-01-01

    2001 and 2003. d. The estimated trend in the ratio of output to hours worked in the nonfarm business sector . Total, Total, 1950- 1974- 1982- 1991...Potential Labor Productivity in the Nonfarm Business Sectord Overall Economy Nonfarm Business Sector TFP adjustments Contributions to the Growth of...on CBO’s Baseline Budget Projections 123D-1. Relationship of the Budget to the Federal Sector of the National Income and Product Accounts 128D-2

  20. Constraints on mechanized treatment significantly limit mechanical fuels reduction extent in the Sierra Nevada

    Treesearch

    Malcolm P. North; April Brough; Jonathan W. Long; Brandon M. Collins; Phil Bowden; Don Yasuda; Jay Miller; Neil Suighara

    2015-01-01

    With air quality, liability, and safety concerns, prescribed burning and managed wildfire are often considered impractical treatments for extensive fuels reduction in western US forests. For California's Sierra Nevada forests, we evaluated the alternative and analyzed the amount and distribution of constraints on mechanical fuels treatments on USDA Forest Service...

  1. Budget Thoughts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bialostosky, Don

    2001-01-01

    Addresses budget issues in terms of "getting" and "spending." Notes that educators should not lay waste their powers in exchange for getting and spending. Notes that careful budget management is a necessary virtue, but it is not a sufficient virtue to win additional support. Suggests what to take to an annual budget hearing. (SG)

  2. 77 FR 4757 - Ochoco National Forest, Lookout Mountain Ranger District; Oregon; McKay Fuels and Vegetation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-31

    ... National Forest, Lookout Mountain Ranger District; Oregon; McKay Fuels and Vegetation Management Project... and vegetation management will be implemented in the McKay Fuels and Vegetation project area. [[Page... populations of noxious weeds are known to exist within the project area. There is a risk that management...

  3. Criticality safety strategy and analysis summary for the fuel cycle facility electrorefiner at Argonne National Laboratory West

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mariani, R.D.; Benedict, R.W.; Lell, R.M.

    1996-05-01

    As part of the termination activities of Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) West, the spent metallic fuel from EBR-II will be treated in the fuel cycle facility (FCF). A key component of the spent-fuel treatment process in the FCF is the electrorefiner (ER) in which the actinide metals are separated from the active metal fission products and the reactive bond sodium. In the electrorefining process, the metal fuel is anodically dissolved into a high-temperature molten salt, and refined uranium or uranium/plutonium products are deposited at cathodes. The criticality safety strategy and analysis for the ANLmore » West FCF ER is summarized. The FCF ER operations and processes formed the basis for evaluating criticality safety and control during actinide metal fuel refining. To show criticality safety for the FCF ER, the reference operating conditions for the ER had to be defined. Normal operating envelopes (NOEs) were then defined to bracket the important operating conditions. To keep the operating conditions within their NOEs, process controls were identified that can be used to regulate the actinide forms and content within the ER. A series of operational checks were developed for each operation that will verify the extent or success of an operation. The criticality analysis considered the ER operating conditions at their NOE values as the point of departure for credible and incredible failure modes. As a result of the analysis, FCF ER operations were found to be safe with respect to criticality.« less

  4. California Budget Simulation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mallinson, Daniel J.

    2018-01-01

    The California Budget Challenge produced by Next10 provides a useful and intuitive tool for instructors to introduce students to public budgeting. Students will reason through a series of budgeting decisions using information provided on the fiscal and practical implications of their choices. The Challenge is updated with each budget cycle, so it…

  5. [Research and analysis to Shui nationality medicine treatment orthopedics & traumatology].

    PubMed

    Hu, Jian-Shan; Li, Pu; Yang, Yong; Chen, Xin-Chun; Lin, Li

    2013-05-01

    To investigated Shui nationality folk medicine's awareness to orthopedics & traumatology, the history of orthopedics & traumatology treatment, Shui nationality folk doctors' practicing medicine, heritage, diagnosis and treatment methods and tools, etc, through investigated drug resources category and distribution characteristics of Shui nationality medicine to orthopedics & traumatology treatment, explored and finished Shui nationality medicine orthopedics & traumatology treatment theoretical system. After more than 5 years' exploration and finishing, preliminarily formed the theoretical system framework and medicine application characteristics of Shui nationality medicine treating orthopedics & traumatology. Shui nationality medicine treatment orthopedics & traumatology has distinctive national style, and worthy to further exploration and research.

  6. Choosing health: qualitative evidence from the experiences of personal health budget holders.

    PubMed

    Davidson, Jacqueline; Baxter, Kate; Glendinning, Caroline; Irvine, Annie

    2013-10-01

    Personal health budgets were piloted in the English National Health Service between 2009 and 2012. Semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of early budget holders aimed to explore their experiences of receiving and using a budget. Over 2000 people from 20 pilot sites were recruited to a multi-method evaluation of the personal health budget pilots. A sub-sample of 58 people was selected for qualitative interviews three months after the offer of a budget; 52 were re-interviewed six months later. The purposively selected sample reflected a range of health conditions, locality, age and gender. Personal health budgets were reported to have positive impacts on health, health care and relatives/family. Benefits often extended beyond the condition for which the budget had been awarded. However, interviewees rarely knew the level of their budget; some reported difficulty in agreeing acceptable uses for their budget; and delays could occur in procuring chosen services or equipment. Patients' experiences offer valuable insights for the roll-out of personal health budgets beyond the pilot phase. Flexibility in how budgets are used may allow maximum benefits to be derived. Clear information about what budgets can and cannot be used for, with suggestions offered, will be useful. People with newly diagnosed or recent sudden onset conditions may need more help to plan their support, but all budget holders are likely to benefit from regular contact with staff for reassurance and continued motivation.

  7. The budget impact of introducing delayed-release dimethyl fumarate for treatment of relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis in Canada.

    PubMed

    Dorman, Emily; Kansal, Anuraag R; Sarda, Sujata

    2015-01-01

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes significant disability globally and is especially prevalent in Canada. Delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF; also known as gastro-resistant DMF) is an orally administered disease-modifying treatment (DMT) for patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) that is currently on the market in the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe. A budget impact model (BIM) was developed to assess the financial consequences of introducing DMF for treatment of RRMS in Canada. A BIM calculated the financial consequences of introducing DMF in Canada over 3 years based on RRMS prevalence, treatment market share, and clinical effects. RRMS prevalence in Canada was derived from published literature and natural relapse rates, and disease state distribution from clinical trial data. It was conservatively assumed that 100% of RRMS patients were treated with a DMT. DMF was assumed to absorb market share proportionally from the following current treatments: interferon beta-1a-IM, interferon beta-1a-SC, interferon beta-1b, and glatiramer acetate. Treatment efficacy, in terms of relapse rate reductions and treatment discontinuation rates, was determined from mixed treatment comparison. Treatment costs (including costs of acquisition, monitoring, and administration) and cost of relapse were considered. Deterministic one-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the most sensitive input parameters. Over 3 years, the introduction of DMF resulted in an average annual increase of CAD417 per treated patient per year, with reductions in costs associated with relapses (CAD192/patient/year) partially offsetting increased drug acquisition costs (CAD602/patient/year). On a population level, the average annual cost increase was CAD24,654,237, a CAD 0.68 increase per population covered by the Canadian healthcare system. The main drivers of budget impact were drop-out rates, proportion of RRMS patients treated, and market share assumptions. The acquisition costs of DMF for

  8. Modeling the budget impact of long-acting injectable paliperidone palmitate in the treatment of schizophrenia in Japan

    PubMed Central

    Mahlich, Jörg; Nishi, Masamichi; Saito, Yoshimichi

    2015-01-01

    Background The cost of schizophrenia in Japan is high and new long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics might be able to reduce costs by causing a reduction of hospital stays. We aim to estimate budget effects of the introduction of a new 1-month LAI, paliperidone palmitate, in Japan. Methods A budget impact analysis was conducted from a payer perspective. The model took direct costs of illness into account (ie, costs for inpatient and outpatient services, as well as drug costs). The robustness of the model was checked using a sensitivity analysis. Results According to our calculations, direct total costs of schizophrenia reach 710,500 million yen a year (US$6 billion). These costs decrease to 691,000 million yen (US$5.9 billion) 3 years after the introduction of paliperidone palmitate. Conclusion From a payer point of view, the introduction of a new treatment for schizophrenia in Japan helps to save resources and is not associated with a higher financial burden. PMID:26045674

  9. Budget Impact of Enzalutamide for Chemotherapy-Naïve Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

    PubMed

    Bui, Cat N; O'Day, Ken; Flanders, Scott; Oestreicher, Nina; Francis, Peter; Posta, Linda; Popelar, Breanna; Tang, Hong; Balk, Mark

    2016-02-01

    Prostate cancer is expected to account for approximately one quarter of all new diagnoses of cancer in American men in 2015. The cost of prostate cancer care is expected to reach $15.1 billion by the year 2020, up from $11.9 billion in 2010. Given the high burden of prostate cancer, health care payers are interested in quantifying the potential budget impact of new therapies. To estimate the budget impact of enzalutamide for the treatment of chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) from a U.S. payer perspective. A model was developed to assess the budget impact of enzalutamide for treatment of chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients in a hypothetical 1-million-member U.S. health plan over a 1-year time horizon. Comparators included abiraterone acetate, sipuleucel-T, radium Ra 223 dichloride, and docetaxel. Epidemiologic data, including National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) incidence rates, were used to estimate the number of chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients. Dosing, administration, duration of therapy, and adverse event rates were based on package inserts and pivotal studies. Drug costs were obtained from RED BOOK and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) average sales price pricing files, costs of administration and monitoring from the CMS physician fee schedule, and adverse events from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project and published literature. Market shares were estimated for each comparator before and after adoption of enzalutamide. The incremental aggregate budget impact, per patient per year (PPPY), per patient per month (PPPM), and per member per month (PMPM), was calculated. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed. In a population of 115 chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients, adopting enzalutamide had an annual incremental budget impact of $510,641 ($4,426 PPPY, $369 PPPM, and $0.04 PMPM). Results were most sensitive to

  10. AIR EMISSIONS FROM THE TREATMENT OF SOILS CONTAMINATED WITH PETROLEUM FUELS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report updates a 1992 report that summarizes available information on air emissions from the treatment of soils contaminated with fuels. Soils contaminated by leaks or spills of fuel products, such as gasoline or jet fuel, are a nationwide concern. Air emissions during remedi...

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

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

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

  12. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; economic uses fact sheet 01: mastication treatments and costs

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2004-01-01

    Mastication, or mulching, is a mechanical fuel treatment that changes the structure and size of fuels in the stand. This fact sheet describes the kinds of equipment available, where mastication should be used, and treatment factors affecting cost.Other publications in this...

  13. 50 CFR 600.125 - Budgeting, funding, and accounting.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Budgeting, funding, and accounting. 600.125 Section 600.125 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS Regional Fishery Management...

  14. 50 CFR 600.125 - Budgeting, funding, and accounting.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Budgeting, funding, and accounting. 600.125 Section 600.125 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS Regional Fishery Management...

  15. Allocating a 2 °C cumulative carbon budget to countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gignac, Renaud; Damon Matthews, H.

    2015-07-01

    Recent estimates of the global carbon budget, or allowable cumulative CO2 emissions consistent with a given level of climate warming, have the potential to inform climate mitigation policy discussions aimed at maintaining global temperatures below 2 °C. This raises difficult questions, however, about how best to share this carbon budget amongst nations in a way that both respects the need for a finite cap on total allowable emissions, and also addresses the fundamental disparities amongst nations with respect to their historical and potential future emissions. Here we show how the contraction and convergence (C&C) framework can be applied to the division of a global carbon budget among nations, in a manner that both maintains total emissions below a level consistent with 2 °C, and also adheres to the principle of attaining equal per capita CO2 emissions within the coming decades. We show further that historical differences in responsibility for climate warming can be quantified via a cumulative carbon debt (or credit), which represents the amount by which a given country’s historical emissions have exceeded (or fallen short of) the emissions that would have been consistent with their share of world population over time. This carbon debt/credit calculation enhances the potential utility of C&C, therefore providing a simple method to frame national climate mitigation targets in a way that both accounts for historical responsibility, and also respects the principle of international equity in determining future emissions allowances.

  16. National Jet Fuels Combustion Program - Area #6 : Referee Swirl-Stabilized Combustor Evaluation/Support.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this study is to develop, conduct, and analyze advanced laser and optical measurements in the referee combustor (WPAFB, Bldg. 490, RC 152) selected by the ASCENT National Fuel Combustion Program. We will conduct advanced spatially resolve...

  17. Global budgets in Maryland: early evidence on revenues, expenses, and margins in regulated and unregulated services.

    PubMed

    Malmmose, Margit; Mortensen, Karoline; Holm, Claus

    2018-04-02

    Maryland implemented one of the most aggressive payment innovations the nation has seen in several decades when it introduced global budgets in all its acute care hospitals in 2014. Prior to this, a pilot program, total patient revenue (TPR), was established for 8 rural hospitals in 2010. Using financial hospital report data from the Health Services Cost Review Commission from 2007 to 2013, we examined the hospitals' financial results including revenue, costs, and profit/loss margins to explore the impact of the adoption of the TPR pilot global budget program relative to the remaining hospitals in the state. We analyze financial results for both regulated (included in the global budget and subject to rate-setting) and unregulated services in order to capture a holistic image of the hospitals' actual revenue, cost and margin structures. Common size and difference-in-differences analyses of the data suggest that regulated profit ratios for treatment hospitals increased (from 5% in 2007 to 8% in 2013) and regulated expense-to-gross patient revenue ratios decreased (75% in 2007 and 68% in 2013) relative to the controls. Simultaneously, the profit margins for treatment hospitals' unregulated services decreased (- 12% in 2007 and - 17% in 2013), which reduced the overall margin significantly. This analysis therefore indicates cost shifting and less profit gain from the program than identified by solely focusing on the regulated margins.

  18. Adoption of Biosimilar Infliximab for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in the EU5: A Budget Impact Analysis Using a Delphi Panel

    PubMed Central

    Kanters, Tim A.; Stevanovic, Jelena; Huys, Isabelle; Vulto, Arnold G.; Simoens, Steven

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Introducing biosimilar infliximab for the treatment in rheumatology (rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis) and inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) may reduce treatment costs associated with biologics. This study aimed to investigate the budget impact of adopting biosimilar infliximab in five European countries, considering that the budget impact includes the adoption of biosimilar infliximab and the availability of biologic alternatives such as vedolizumab, biosimilar etanercept, biosimilar rituximab, and other relevant factors. Methods: An existing budget impact model was adapted to forecast the budget impact in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Epidemiological parameters were derived from published literature reviewed in July 2015. Current market shares of biologics were derived from Therapy Watch (2012/2013 data). Respondents in a Delphi panel, conducted in 2015 and consisting of several leading rheumatologists and gastroenterologists from different nationalities, were asked to forecast uptake of biosimilar infliximab and estimate the proportion of patients eligible for a particular type of biological treatment, including biosimilar infliximab. Scenario analyses assessed the influence of various factors, including price reductions, on the budget. Results: Uptake of biosimilar infliximab was particularly expected for naïve patients; switching patients that already received other biologics was not expected much. Market shares after 5 years of biosimilar infliximab were ~2% in rheumatology in all five countries and in gastroenterology ranged from 4% in France to over 30% in Italy. Except for France, budgets were expected to decrease for rheumatologic diseases. For gastroenterology, budgets were expected to decrease in Spain and Italy. Budgets were expected to increase substantially in the UK and Germany, due to the introduction of vedolizumab in the studied period. In France, budget was expected to

  19. Adoption of Biosimilar Infliximab for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in the EU5: A Budget Impact Analysis Using a Delphi Panel.

    PubMed

    Kanters, Tim A; Stevanovic, Jelena; Huys, Isabelle; Vulto, Arnold G; Simoens, Steven

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Introducing biosimilar infliximab for the treatment in rheumatology (rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis) and inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) may reduce treatment costs associated with biologics. This study aimed to investigate the budget impact of adopting biosimilar infliximab in five European countries, considering that the budget impact includes the adoption of biosimilar infliximab and the availability of biologic alternatives such as vedolizumab, biosimilar etanercept, biosimilar rituximab, and other relevant factors. Methods: An existing budget impact model was adapted to forecast the budget impact in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Epidemiological parameters were derived from published literature reviewed in July 2015. Current market shares of biologics were derived from Therapy Watch (2012/2013 data). Respondents in a Delphi panel, conducted in 2015 and consisting of several leading rheumatologists and gastroenterologists from different nationalities, were asked to forecast uptake of biosimilar infliximab and estimate the proportion of patients eligible for a particular type of biological treatment, including biosimilar infliximab. Scenario analyses assessed the influence of various factors, including price reductions, on the budget. Results: Uptake of biosimilar infliximab was particularly expected for naïve patients; switching patients that already received other biologics was not expected much. Market shares after 5 years of biosimilar infliximab were ~2% in rheumatology in all five countries and in gastroenterology ranged from 4% in France to over 30% in Italy. Except for France, budgets were expected to decrease for rheumatologic diseases. For gastroenterology, budgets were expected to decrease in Spain and Italy. Budgets were expected to increase substantially in the UK and Germany, due to the introduction of vedolizumab in the studied period. In France, budget was expected to

  20. Fuel treatments and fire severity: A meta-analysis

    Treesearch

    Erik J. Martinson; Philip N. Omi

    2013-01-01

    We employed meta-analysis and information theory to synthesize findings reported in the literature on the effects of fuel treatments on subsequent fire intensity and severity. Data were compiled from 19 publications that reported observed fire responses from 62 treated versus untreated contrasts. Effect sizes varied widely and the most informative grouping of studies...

  1. Model documentation Renewable Fuels Module of the National Energy Modeling System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1996-01-01

    This report documents the objectives, analaytical approach and design of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) Renewable Fuels Module (RFM) as it relates to the production of the 1996 Annual Energy Outlook forecasts. The report catalogues and describes modeling assumptions, computational methodologies, data inputs, and parameter estimation techniques. A number of offline analyses used in lieu of RFM modeling components are also described.

  2. Funding fuels management in the national park service: costs and benefits

    Treesearch

    Stephen J. Botti

    1995-01-01

    Despite a quarter of a century of prescribed burning by the National Park Service (NPS) in California, there is reason to believe that the fuels situation is getting worse rather than better. The area burned in the past 10 years has declined by 42 percent compared to the previous 10 years. The total area burned per year from wildfire and prescribed fire is...

  3. Public Notice: 2016-06, In the matter of National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 14221 has applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300f et. seq (the Act)

  4. Global Carbon Budget 2016

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Quéré, Corinne Le; Andrew, Robbie M.; Canadell, Josep G.; Sitch, Stephen; Korsbakken, Jan Ivar; Peters, Glen P.; Manning, Andrew C.; Boden, Thomas A.; Tans, Pieter P.; Houghton, Richard A.; hide

    2016-01-01

    Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere the global carbon budget is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify all major components of the global carbon budget, including their uncertainties, based on the combination of a range of data, algorithms, statistics, and model estimates and their interpretation by a broad scientific community. We discuss changes compared to previous estimates and consistency within and among components, alongside methodology and data limitations. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry (EFF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, respectively, while emissions from land-use change (ELUC), mainly deforestation, are based on combined evidence from land-cover change data, fire activity associated with deforestation, and models. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth (GATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The mean ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) is based on observations from the 1990s, while the annual anomalies and trends are estimated with ocean models. The variability in SOCEAN is evaluated with data products based on surveys of ocean CO2 measurements. The global residual terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) is estimated by the difference of the other terms of the global carbon budget and compared to results of independent dynamic global vegetation models. We compare the mean land and ocean fluxes and their variability to estimates from three atmospheric inverse methods for three broad latitude bands. All uncertainties are reported as +/- 1(sigma), reflecting the current capacity to characterize the annual estimates of each component of the global carbon budget. For the last decade available (2006-2015), EFF was 9

  5. National briefing summaries: Nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schneider, K.J.; Bradley, D.J.; Fletcher, J.F.

    Since 1976, the International Program Support Office (IPSO) at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has collected and compiled publicly available information concerning foreign and international radioactive waste management programs. This National Briefing Summaries is a printout of an electronic database that has been compiled and is maintained by the IPSO staff. The database contains current information concerning the radioactive waste management programs (with supporting information on nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle) of most of the nations (except eastern European countries) that now have or are contemplating nuclear power, and of the multinational agencies that are active in radioactivemore » waste management. Information in this document is included for three additional countries (China, Mexico, and USSR) compared to the prior issue. The database and this document were developed in response to needs of the US Department of Energy.« less

  6. 75 FR 65608 - Flathead National Forest-Swan Lake Ranger District, Montana; Wild Cramer Forest Health and Fuels...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-26

    ... and Fuels Reduction Project to harvest timber, reduce hazardous forest fuels, prescribe burn, and... National Forest System lands before they burn onto private lands; (6) provide forest products to the local... of prescribed ecosystem burning are proposed. Use of existing and construction of temporary and...

  7. GIS tools, courses, and learning pathways offered by The National Interagency Fuels, Fire, and Vegetation Technology Transfer (NIFTT)

    Treesearch

    Heather Heward; Kathy H. Schon

    2009-01-01

    As technology continues to evolve in the area of fuel and wildland fire management so does the need to have effective tools and training on these technologies. The National Interagency Fuels Coordination Group has chartered a team of professionals to coordinate, develop, and transfer consistent, efficient, science-based fuel and fire ecology assessment GIS tools and...

  8. OSTP FY 2014 Budget Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-10

    Patricia Falcone, Associate Director, National Security and International Affairs Division, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, delivers remarks during a Fiscal Year 2014 budget briefing with Dr. John P. Holdren, Director of OSTP, Charlie Bolden from NASA, Francis Collins from NIH, Cora Marrett from NSF, and Kathryn Sullivan from NOAA, at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  9. Crucial factors influencing public acceptance of fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    Sarah McCaffrey

    2009-01-01

    An important component of the wildland fire problem in the United States is the growing number of people living in high fire hazard areas. How people in these areas contribute to fire risk--or potentially decrease it--will be shaped by their attitudes and beliefs toward different fuel treatment approaches. Understanding the issues and concerns that influence public...

  10. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions, 1751 - 2008 (Version 2011)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, Thomas A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Marland, G. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Andres, Robert J. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

    2011-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2010), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2010) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  11. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions (1751 - 2010) (V. 2013)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, Thomas A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Andres, Robert J. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Marland, G.

    2013-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2013), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2012) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  12. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions (1751 - 2014) (V. 2017)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, T. A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Andres, R. J. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Marland, G. [Appalachian State University, Boone, NC (USA)

    2017-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2017), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2017) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  13. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions (1751 - 2013) (V. 2016)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, T. A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Andres, R. J. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Marland, G. [Appalachian State University, Boone, NC (USA)

    2016-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2016), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2016) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  14. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions (1751 - 2011) (V. 2015)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, T. A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Andres, R. J. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (USA); Marland, G. [Appalachian State University Boone, NC (USA)

    2015-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2014), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2014) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  15. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions (1751 - 2009) (V. 2012)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, Thomas A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Andres, Robert J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Marland, G. [Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics, Appalachian State University

    2012-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2012), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2011) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  16. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions, 1751 - 2007 (Version 2010)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, Thomas A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Marland, G. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Andres, Robert J. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

    2010-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2009), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2009) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  17. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions, 1751 - 2006 (published 2009)

    DOE Data Explorer

    Boden, Thomas A. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Marland, G. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Andres, Robert J. [CDIAC, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

    2009-01-01

    Publications containing historical energy statistics make it possible to estimate fossil fuel CO2 emissions back to 1751. Etemad et al. (1991) published a summary compilation that tabulates coal, brown coal, peat, and crude oil production by nation and year. Footnotes in the Etemad et al.(1991) publication extend the energy statistics time series back to 1751. Summary compilations of fossil fuel trade were published by Mitchell (1983, 1992, 1993, 1995). Mitchell's work tabulates solid and liquid fuel imports and exports by nation and year. These pre-1950 production and trade data were digitized and CO2 emission calculations were made following the procedures discussed in Marland and Rotty (1984) and Boden et al. (1995). Further details on the contents and processing of the historical energy statistics are provided in Andres et al. (1999). The 1950 to present CO2 emission estimates are derived primarily from energy statistics published by the United Nations (2008), using the methods of Marland and Rotty (1984). The energy statistics were compiled primarily from annual questionnaires distributed by the U.N. Statistical Office and supplemented by official national statistical publications. As stated in the introduction of the Statistical Yearbook, "in a few cases, official sources are supplemented by other sources and estimates, where these have been subjected to professional scrutiny and debate and are consistent with other independent sources." Data from the U.S. Department of Interior's Geological Survey (USGS 2008) were used to estimate CO2 emitted during cement production. Values for emissions from gas flaring were derived primarily from U.N. data but were supplemented with data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (1994), Rotty (1974), and data provided by G. Marland. Greater details about these methods are provided in Marland and Rotty (1984), Boden et al. (1995), and Andres et al. (1999).

  18. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; social issues fact sheet 17: Considering social acceptability of fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    Christine Esposito

    2006-01-01

    When making decisions about fuels treatments, forest managers need to assess not only the biological impacts of a treatment, but the social impacts as well. Social acceptability is based on value judgments by people-their notions of what is "good" and what is "better." This fact sheet discusses six questions that may be useful for framing initial...

  19. FuelCalc: A Method for Estimating Fuel Characteristics

    Treesearch

    Elizabeth Reinhardt; Duncan Lutes; Joe Scott

    2006-01-01

    This paper describes the FuelCalc computer program. FuelCalc is a tool to compute surface and canopy fuel loads and characteristics from inventory data, to support fuel treatment decisions by simulating effects of a wide range of silvicultural treatments on surface fuels and canopy fuels, and to provide linkages to stand visualization, fire behavior and fire effects...

  20. Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of interferon-free direct-acting antiviral-based regimens for hepatitis C treatment: the French case.

    PubMed

    Deuffic-Burban, S; Obach, D; Canva, V; Pol, S; Roudot-Thoraval, F; Dhumeaux, D; Mathurin, P; Yazdanpanah, Y

    2016-10-01

    We evaluated the cost-effectiveness and the budget impact of new DAA-based regimen use in France. A Markov model simulated chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment interventions with IFN-based and IFN-free regimens at stage of fibrosis ≥F3, ≥F2 or regardless of fibrosis stage, and treatment either with the least or the most expensive combination. It estimated quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). It also assessed the budget impact over 5 years of treating all CHC-screened patients, regardless of fibrosis, assuming ≤20 000 patients treated/year and priority to ≥F3. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted. For genotypes (G) 1-4, the initiation of IFN-free regardless of fibrosis was a cost-effective strategy compared to prior standard of care (SOC) initiated at stage F2: €40 400-88 300/QALY gained in G1; similar results were obtained for patients infected with G4. Considering G2-3, the most cost-effective strategy was IFN-based regimens regardless of fibrosis compared to prior SOC initiated at stage F2: €21 300 and €19 400/QALY gained, respectively; the strategy with IFN-free regimens being more effective but not cost-effective at current costs. The budget impact of treating all CHC-screened patients over 5 years would range between 3.5 and 7.2 billion €, depending on whether one considers the least or the most expensive combination of new DAAs and whether one treats G2-3 with IFN-based or IFN-free new DAAs. In France, treatment initiation with new DDAs regardless of fibrosis stage is cost-effective, but would add 3.5-7.2 billion € to an already overburdened medical care system. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Shrub resprouting response after fuel reduction treatments: comparison of prescribed burning, clearing and mastication.

    PubMed

    Fernández, Cristina; Vega, José A; Fonturbel, Teresa

    2013-03-15

    Fuel reduction treatments are commonly used to reduce the risk of severe wildfire. However, more information about the effects on plant resprouting is needed to help land managers select the most appropriate treatment. To address this question, we evaluated the resprouting ability of five shrub species after the application of different types of fuel reduction methods (prescribed burning, clearing and mastication) in two contrasting shrubland areas in northern Spain. The shrub species were Erica australis, Pterospartum tridentatum and Halimium lasianthum spp. alyssoides, Ulex gallii and Erica cinerea. For most of the species under study (E. australis, P. tridentatum, H. lasianthum spp. alyssoides and U. gallii), neither plant mortality nor the number nor length of sprouted shoots per plant differed between treatments, although in E. cinerea the number of shoots was more negatively affected by prescribed burning than by clearing or mastication. The pre-treatment plant size did not affect plant mortality or plant resprouting response, suggesting that this parameter alone is not a good indicator of plant resprouting after fuel reduction treatments. Stem minimum diameter after treatments, a proxy of treatment severity, was not related to plant mortality, number or length of resprouted shoots. The duration of temperatures higher than 300 °C during burning in plant crown had a negative effect on the length of resprouted shoots, only in E. cinerea. The results show that fuel reduction treatments did not prevent shrub response in any case. Some reflections on the applicability of treatments are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Closing the wildland fire heat budget - measurements in the field at intermediate and operational scales

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dickinson, M.; Kremens, R.; Bova, A. S.

    2012-12-01

    Closing the wildland fire heat budget involves characterizing the heat source and energy dissipation across the range of variability in fuels and fire behavior. Meeting this challenge will lay the foundation for predicting direct ecological effects of fires and fire-atmosphere coupling. Here, we focus on the relationships between the fire radiation field, as measured from the zenith, fuel consumption, and the behavior of spreading flame fronts. Experiments were conducted in 8 m x 8 m outdoor plots using pre-conditioned wildland fuels characteristic of mixed-oak forests of the eastern United States. Using dual-band radiometers with a field of view of about 18.5 m^2 at a height of 4.2 m, we found a near-linear increase in fire radiative energy density (FRED) over a range of fuel consumption between 0.15 kg m^-2 to 3.25 kg m^-2. Using an integrated heat budget, we estimate that the fraction of total theoretical combustion energy density radiated from the plot averaged 0.17, the fraction of latent energy transported in the plume averaged 0.08, and the fraction accounted for by the combination of fire convective energy transport and soil heating averaged 0.72. Future work will require, at minimum, instantaneous and time-integrated estimates of energy transported by radiation, convection, and soil heating across a range of fuels. We introduce the Rx-CADRE project through which such measurements are being made.

  3. Cryogenic thermonuclear fuel implosions on the National Ignition Facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Glenzer, S. H.; Callahan, D. A.; MacKinnon, A. J.

    2012-05-15

    The first inertial confinement fusion implosion experiments with equimolar deuterium-tritium thermonuclear fuel have been performed on the National Ignition Facility. These experiments use 0.17 mg of fuel with the potential for ignition and significant fusion yield conditions. The thermonuclear fuel has been fielded as a cryogenic layer on the inside of a spherical plastic capsule that is mounted in the center of a cylindrical gold hohlraum. Heating the hohlraum with 192 laser beams for a total laser energy of 1.6 MJ produces a soft x-ray field with 300 eV temperature. The ablation pressure produced by the radiation field compresses themore » initially 2.2-mm diameter capsule by a factor of 30 to a spherical dense fuel shell that surrounds a central hot-spot plasma of 50 {mu}m diameter. While an extensive set of x-ray and neutron diagnostics has been applied to characterize hot spot formation from the x-ray emission and 14.1 MeV deuterium-tritium primary fusion neutrons, thermonuclear fuel assembly is studied by measuring the down-scattered neutrons with energies in the range of 10 to 12 MeV. X-ray and neutron imaging of the compressed core and fuel indicate a fuel thickness of (14 {+-} 3) {mu}m, which combined with magnetic recoil spectrometer measurements of the fuel areal density of (1 {+-} 0.09) g cm{sup -2} result in fuel densities approaching 600 g cm{sup -3}. The fuel surrounds a hot-spot plasma with average ion temperatures of (3.5 {+-} 0.1) keV that is measured with neutron time of flight spectra. The hot-spot plasma produces a total fusion neutron yield of 10{sup 15} that is measured with the magnetic recoil spectrometer and nuclear activation diagnostics that indicate a 14.1 MeV yield of (7.5{+-}0.1) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 14} which is 70% to 75% of the total fusion yield due to the high areal density. Gamma ray measurements provide the duration of nuclear activity of (170 {+-} 30) ps. These indirect-drive implosions result in the highest areal

  4. 77 FR 56238 - Finance, Budget & Program. Committee Meeting of the Board of Directors; Sunshine Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-12

    ... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Finance, Budget & Program. Committee Meeting of the Board of..., Assistant Corporate Secretary, (202) 220-2376; [email protected] . AGENDA: I. Call to Order II. Executive Session... Associated Budget VI. FY 12 Corporate Milestone Report and Dashboard VII. National Foreclosure Mitigation...

  5. 76 FR 55125 - Finance, Budget & Program Committee Meeting of the Board of Directors; Sunshine Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-06

    ... NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION Finance, Budget & Program Committee Meeting of the Board of..., Assistant Corporate Secretary, (202) 220-2376; [email protected] . AGENDA: I. CALL TO ORDER II. Financial Report III. Budget Report IV. Lease Update V. Corporate Scorecard VI. National Foreclosure Mitigation...

  6. Budget update: Future is looking gloomier for science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    As the wheels of the new Republican-controlled Congress have been turning, it looks like belts are indeed going to be tighter around U.S. research and development budgets. In mid-March, the House Budget Committee voted to cut $100 billion over the next five years from federal agency budgets and published guidelines for how this could be done. NASA's Earth Observing System and the U.S. Geological Survey were again mentioned as potential targets and so was the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. If the reduction bill goes the legislative mile, the appropriations committees in each house of Congress will have to figure out where the cuts will fall. Republican and Democratic members of the House Science Committee quickly jumped into the traditional fray with their respective “Views and Estimates” on how science dollars should be doled out for fiscal year 1996. President Clinton has also jumped in the budget-cutting game with the release last week of a plan to cut $13 billion from four federal agencies over the next 5 years. In the meantime, a rescission bill for FY 1995 has been on the fast track through Congress. Here are some of the latest highlights:

  7. An aerosol optical depth climatology for NOAA's national surface radiation budget network (SURFRAD)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Augustine, John A.; Hodges, Gary B.; Dutton, Ellsworth G.; Michalsky, Joseph J.; Cornwall, Christopher R.

    2008-06-01

    A series of algorithms developed to process spectral solar measurements for aerosol optical depth (AOD) for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) national surface radiation budget network (SURFRAD) is summarized, and decadal results are presented. AOD is a measure of the extinction of the Sun's beam due to aerosols. Daily files of AOD for five spectral measurements in the visible and near-infrared have been produced for 1997-2006. Comparisons of SURFRAD daily AOD averages to NASA's Aerosol Robotic Network product at two of the stations were generally good. An AOD climatology for each SURFRAD station is presented as an annual time series of composite monthly means that represents a typical intra-annual AOD variation. Results are similar to previous U.S. climatologies in that the highest AOD magnitude and greatest variability occur in summer, the lowest AOD levels are in winter, and geographically, the highest-magnitude AOD is in the eastern United States. Springtime Asian dust intrusions show up as a secondary maximum at the western stations. A time series of nationwide annual means shows that 500-nm AOD has decreased over the United States by about 0.02 AOD units over the 10-year period. However, this decline is not statistically significant nor geographically consistent within the country. The eastern U.S. stations and westernmost station at Desert Rock, Nevada, show decreasing AOD, whereas the other two western stations show an increase that is attributed to an upsurge in wildfire activity in the last half of the decade.

  8. Proposed fiscal year 1986 budget request. Hearings before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session, February 27, March 1 and 4, 1985

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1985-01-01

    The Secretaries of Interior, Energy, and Agriculture, and representatives of the Synthetic Fuels Corporation, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission were the principal witnesses at a three-day hearing on the 1986 budget proposal. Of concern to the committee were the policy implications of budget reductions of recent years and the government's role as steward of natural resources. At issue was how to reconcile deficit reduction with other public goals and develop a national consensus on the proper role of the federal government. Among the topics under discussion were the leasing of land for energy development and timber harvesting, the strategicmore » petroleum reserve, conservation and weatherization programs, and the management of minerals, water, and other resources. There are six appendices with responses submitted for the record as well as the testimony of the witnesses.« less

  9. BUDGET IMPACT ANALYSIS OF BELIMUMAB IN TREATING SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS.

    PubMed

    Pierotti, Francesca; Palla, Iaria; Pippo, Lara; Lorenzoni, Valentina; Turchetti, Giuseppe

    2016-01-01

    The study evaluates the costs of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the budget impact due to the introduction of belimumab in the Italian setting. Adaptation to the Italian setting of a budget impact model with a time horizon of 4 years (year 0 without belimumab, years 1-3 with belimumab) to compare treatment, administration, and clinical monitoring costs of standard therapy and of the alternative scenario in which belimumab is administered in addition to the standard therapy to the subgroup of patients selected according to the label approved by the European Medicines Agency. The model takes also into account the costs of flares. Over 3 years, belimumab is able to prevent cumulatively 1,111 severe flares and 3,631 nonsevere flares with a total saving for the Italian National Health System (NHS) of approximately €6.2 million. Budget impact ranges from €4.4 million in the first year to €20.3 million in the third year. The decrease in the number of flare partially counterbalances the costs of the new technology (impact attenuation of approximately 16 percent). These data elucidate the importance to control and monitor the disease progression and to prevent exacerbations, which are the major causes of the increase in costs paid by the NHS and by the society. The financial impact could be replicate on a regional basis, to inform local decision makers. Further developments are possible as the model does not consider the additional clinical and economic benefits of reduced damage accrual and slowed disease progression.

  10. National and State Treatment Need and Capacity for Opioid Agonist Medication-Assisted Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Campopiano, Melinda; Baldwin, Grant; McCance-Katz, Elinore

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. We estimated national and state trends in opioid agonist medication-assisted treatment (OA-MAT) need and capacity to identify gaps and inform policy decisions. Methods. We generated national and state rates of past-year opioid abuse or dependence, maximum potential buprenorphine treatment capacity, number of patients receiving methadone from opioid treatment programs (OTPs), and the percentage of OTPs operating at 80% capacity or more using Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration data. Results. Nationally, in 2012, the rate of opioid abuse or dependence was 891.8 per 100 000 people aged 12 years or older compared with national rates of maximum potential buprenorphine treatment capacity and patients receiving methadone in OTPs of, respectively, 420.3 and 119.9. Among states and the District of Columbia, 96% had opioid abuse or dependence rates higher than their buprenorphine treatment capacity rates; 37% had a gap of at least 5 per 1000 people. Thirty-eight states (77.6%) reported at least 75% of their OTPs were operating at 80% capacity or more. Conclusions. Significant gaps between treatment need and capacity exist at the state and national levels. Strategies to increase the number of OA-MAT providers are needed. PMID:26066931

  11. Opportunities abound for affordable mechanical fuels treatment in dry mixed-conifer forests

    Treesearch

    Jeremy S. Fried; Theresa B. Jain

    2013-01-01

    The dry mixed-conifer forests that cover millions of acres in 12 western states experience low- to mixed-severity fire regimes; are typically heterogeneous in species composition, forest structure, and fuel dynamics; and grow quickly enough to generate concern about fuel treatment longevity. Yet compared to stands of pure ponderosa pine, there has been little research...

  12. Computerized Budget Monitoring.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stein, Julian U.; Rowe, Joe N.

    1989-01-01

    This article discusses the importance of budget monitoring in fiscal management; describes ways in which computerized budget monitoring increases accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility; outlines steps in the budget process; and presents sample reports, generated using the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet and graphics program. (IAH)

  13. Basin-scale assessment of the land surface energy budget in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction operational and research NLDAS-2 systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Youlong; Cosgrove, Brian A.; Mitchell, Kenneth E.; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Ek, Michael B.; Kumar, Sujay; Mocko, David; Wei, Helin

    2016-01-01

    This paper compares the annual and monthly components of the simulated energy budget from the North American Land Data Assimilation System phase 2 (NLDAS-2) with reference products over the domains of the 12 River Forecast Centers (RFCs) of the continental United States (CONUS). The simulations are calculated from both operational and research versions of NLDAS-2. The reference radiation components are obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Surface Radiation Budget product. The reference sensible and latent heat fluxes are obtained from a multitree ensemble method applied to gridded FLUXNET data from the Max Planck Institute, Germany. As these references are obtained from different data sources, they cannot fully close the energy budget, although the range of closure error is less than 15% for mean annual results. The analysis here demonstrates the usefulness of basin-scale surface energy budget analysis for evaluating model skill and deficiencies. The operational (i.e., Noah, Mosaic, and VIC) and research (i.e., Noah-I and VIC4.0.5) NLDAS-2 land surface models exhibit similarities and differences in depicting basin-averaged energy components. For example, the energy components of the five models have similar seasonal cycles, but with different magnitudes. Generally, Noah and VIC overestimate (underestimate) sensible (latent) heat flux over several RFCs of the eastern CONUS. In contrast, Mosaic underestimates (overestimates) sensible (latent) heat flux over almost all 12 RFCs. The research Noah-I and VIC4.0.5 versions show moderate-to-large improvements (basin and model dependent) relative to their operational versions, which indicates likely pathways for future improvements in the operational NLDAS-2 system.

  14. Basin-Scale Assessment of the Land Surface Energy Budget in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Operational and Research NLDAS-2 Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Xia, Youlong; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Cosgrove, Brian A.; Mitchell, Kenneth E.; Peters-Lidard, Christa; Ek, Michael B.; Kumar, Sujay V.; Mocko, David M.; Wei, Helin

    2015-01-01

    This paper compares the annual and monthly components of the simulated energy budget from the North American Land Data Assimilation System phase 2 (NLDAS-2) with reference products over the domains of the 12 River Forecast Centers (RFCs) of the continental United States (CONUS). The simulations are calculated from both operational and research versions of NLDAS-2. The reference radiation components are obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Surface Radiation Budget product. The reference sensible and latent heat fluxes are obtained from a multitree ensemble method applied to gridded FLUXNET data from the Max Planck Institute, Germany. As these references are obtained from different data sources, they cannot fully close the energy budget, although the range of closure error is less than 15%formean annual results. The analysis here demonstrates the usefulness of basin-scale surface energy budget analysis for evaluating model skill and deficiencies. The operational (i.e., Noah, Mosaic, and VIC) and research (i.e., Noah-I and VIC4.0.5) NLDAS-2 land surface models exhibit similarities and differences in depicting basin-averaged energy components. For example, the energy components of the five models have similar seasonal cycles, but with different magnitudes. Generally, Noah and VIC overestimate (underestimate) sensible (latent) heat flux over several RFCs of the eastern CONUS. In contrast, Mosaic underestimates (overestimates) sensible (latent) heat flux over almost all 12 RFCs. The research Noah-I and VIC4.0.5 versions show moderate-to-large improvements (basin and model dependent) relative to their operational versions, which indicates likely pathways for future improvements in the operational NLDAS-2 system.

  15. Budget increases for U.S. science agencies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    The majority of the appropriations bills for the U.S. federal budget for fiscal year 2002 have been signed by President George W. Bush, and the overall outlook for science looks good. A number of science agencies received healthy increases that are above the figures proposed by the Bush administration earlier this year.The appropriations bill for Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies (H.R. 2620) is one of the most important, as it funds both NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Signed into law by the president on November 26, the “VA-HUD” bill provides NASA with a budget of $14.8 billion. This is an increase of $540 million, or 3.8%, above FY01 levels, and 1.9% above the administration's request of $14.51 billion. The increment for NSF's $4.79-billion budget for FY02 is $372.5 million, an increase of 8.4% above the previous year's funding. This amount is $319 million more than the agency requested. The Bush administration requested an increase of only 1.3%.

  16. Fire treatment effects on vegetation structure, fuels, and potential fire severity in western U.S. forests

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stephens, S.L.; Moghaddas, J.J.; Edminster, C.; Fiedler, C.E.; Haase, S.; Harrington, M.; Keeley, J.E.; Knapp, E.E.; Mciver, J.D.; Metlen, K.; Skinner, C.N.; Youngblood, A.

    2009-01-01

    Abstract. Forest structure and species composition in many western U.S. coniferous forests have been altered through fire exclusion, past and ongoing harvesting practices, and livestock grazing over the 20th century. The effects of these activities have been most pronounced in seasonally dry, low and mid-elevation coniferous forests that once experienced frequent, low to moderate intensity, fire regimes. In this paper, we report the effects of Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) forest stand treatments on fuel load profiles, potential fire behavior, and fire severity under three weather scenarios from six western U.S. FFS sites. This replicated, multisite experiment provides a framework for drawing broad generalizations about the effectiveness of prescribed fire and mechanical treatments on surface fuel loads, forest structure, and potential fire severity. Mechanical treatments without fire resulted in combined 1-, 10-, and 100-hour surface fuel loads that were significantly greater than controls at three of five FFS sites. Canopy cover was significantly lower than controls at three of five FFS sites with mechanical-only treatments and at all five FFS sites with the mechanical plus burning treatment; fire-only treatments reduced canopy cover at only one site. For the combined treatment of mechanical plus fire, all five FFS sites with this treatment had a substantially lower likelihood of passive crown fire as indicated by the very high torching indices. FFS sites that experienced significant increases in 1-, 10-, and 100-hour combined surface fuel loads utilized harvest systems that left all activity fuels within experimental units. When mechanical treatments were followed by prescribed burning or pile burning, they were the most effective treatment for reducing crown fire potential and predicted tree mortality because of low surface fuel loads and increased vertical and horizontal canopy separation. Results indicate that mechanical plus fire, fire-only, and mechanical

  17. Elementary Music Teachers' Perceptions of the Effect of Budget Reductions on Music Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michel, Jimmy

    2018-01-01

    Since 2007, many U.S. music education programs have been negatively affected by budget reductions at the local, state, and national levels. Although researchers have studied the effect of budget reductions on music education, they have not widely examined the perspectives of teachers who have experienced these reductions. The purpose of this study…

  18. Estimation of wildfire size and risk changes due to fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    M. A. Cochrane; C. J. Moran; M. C. Wimberly; A. D. Baer; M. A. Finney; K. L. Beckendorf; J. Eidenshink; Z. Zhu

    2012-01-01

    Human land use practices, altered climates, and shifting forest and fire management policies have increased the frequency of large wildfires several-fold. Mitigation of potential fire behaviour and fire severity have increasingly been attempted through pre-fire alteration of wildland fuels using mechanical treatments and prescribed fires. Despite annual treatment of...

  19. 75 FR 16422 - Plumas National Forest, California, Keddie Ridge Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-01

    ...: fuels treatments, group selections, road improvements, and herbicide and mechanical applications in the... combination thereof: herbicide applications of chlorsulfuron, aminopyralid, or glyphosate; hand-pulling; late...

  20. Estimating the impact of state budget cuts and redirection of prevention resources on the HIV epidemic in 59 California local health departments.

    PubMed

    Lin, Feng; Lasry, Arielle; Sansom, Stephanie L; Wolitski, Richard J

    2013-01-01

    In the wake of a national economic downturn, the state of California, in 2009-2010, implemented budget cuts that eliminated state funding of HIV prevention and testing. To mitigate the effect of these cuts remaining federal funds were redirected. This analysis estimates the impact of these budget cuts and reallocation of resources on HIV transmission and associated HIV treatment costs. We estimated the effect of the budget cuts and reallocation for California county health departments (excluding Los Angeles and San Francisco) on the number of individuals living with or at-risk for HIV who received HIV prevention services. We used a Bernoulli model to estimate the number of new infections that would occur each year as a result of the changes, and assigned lifetime treatment costs to those new infections. We explored the effect of redirecting federal funds to more cost-effective programs, as well as the potential effect of allocating funds proportionately by transmission category. We estimated that cutting HIV prevention resulted in 55 new infections that were associated with $20 million in lifetime treatment costs. The redirection of federal funds to more cost-effective programs averted 15 HIV infections. If HIV prevention funding were allocated proportionately to transmission categories, we estimated that HIV infections could be reduced below the number that occurred annually before the state budget cuts. Reducing funding for HIV prevention may result in short-term savings at the expense of additional HIV infections and increased HIV treatment costs. Existing HIV prevention funds would likely have a greater impact on the epidemic if they were allocated to the more cost-effective programs and the populations most likely to acquire and transmit the infection.

  1. Modeling the effects of different fuel treatment mosaics on wildfire spread and behavior in a Mediterranean agro-pastoral area.

    PubMed

    Salis, Michele; Del Giudice, Liliana; Arca, Bachisio; Ager, Alan A; Alcasena-Urdiroz, Fermin; Lozano, Olga; Bacciu, Valentina; Spano, Donatella; Duce, Pierpaolo

    2018-04-15

    Wildfire spread and behavior can be limited by fuel treatments, even if their effects can vary according to a number of factors including type, intensity, extension, and spatial arrangement. In this work, we simulated the response of key wildfire exposure metrics to variations in the percentage of treated area, treatment unit size, and spatial arrangement of fuel treatments under different wind intensities. The study was carried out in a fire-prone 625 km 2 agro-pastoral area mostly covered by herbaceous fuels, and located in Northern Sardinia, Italy. We constrained the selection of fuel treatment units to areas covered by specific herbaceous land use classes and low terrain slope (<10%). We treated 2%, 5% and 8% of the landscape area, and identified priority sites to locate the fuel treatment units for all treatment alternatives. The fuel treatment alternatives were designed create diverse mosaics of disconnected treatment units with different sizes (0.5-10 ha, LOW strategy; 10-25 ha, MED strategy; 25-50 ha, LAR strategy); in addition, treatment units in a 100-m buffer around the road network (ROAD strategy) were tested. We assessed pre- and post-treatment wildfire behavior by the Minimum Travel Time (MTT) fire spread algorithm. The simulations replicated a set of southwestern wind speed scenarios (16, 24 and 32 km h -1 ) and the driest fuel moisture conditions observed in the study area. Our results showed that fuel treatments implemented near the existing road network were significantly more efficient than the other alternatives, and this difference was amplified at the highest wind speed. Moreover, the largest treatment unit sizes were the most effective in containing wildfire growth. As expected, increasing the percentage of the landscape treated and reducing wind speed lowered fire exposure profiles for all fuel treatment alternatives, and this was observed at both the landscape scale and for highly valued resources. The methodology presented in

  2. ANAB, Certification and Scope of Accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025:2005) for the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This document certifies that the EPA National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory has been assessed by the ANSI-ASQ National Accredation Board and accredited in meeting ISO-IEC 17025:2005 quality standards.

  3. Upward revision of global fossil fuel methane emissions based on isotope database.

    PubMed

    Schwietzke, Stefan; Sherwood, Owen A; Bruhwiler, Lori M P; Miller, John B; Etiope, Giuseppe; Dlugokencky, Edward J; Michel, Sylvia Englund; Arling, Victoria A; Vaughn, Bruce H; White, James W C; Tans, Pieter P

    2016-10-06

    Methane has the second-largest global radiative forcing impact of anthropogenic greenhouse gases after carbon dioxide, but our understanding of the global atmospheric methane budget is incomplete. The global fossil fuel industry (production and usage of natural gas, oil and coal) is thought to contribute 15 to 22 per cent of methane emissions to the total atmospheric methane budget. However, questions remain regarding methane emission trends as a result of fossil fuel industrial activity and the contribution to total methane emissions of sources from the fossil fuel industry and from natural geological seepage, which are often co-located. Here we re-evaluate the global methane budget and the contribution of the fossil fuel industry to methane emissions based on long-term global methane and methane carbon isotope records. We compile the largest isotopic methane source signature database so far, including fossil fuel, microbial and biomass-burning methane emission sources. We find that total fossil fuel methane emissions (fossil fuel industry plus natural geological seepage) are not increasing over time, but are 60 to 110 per cent greater than current estimates owing to large revisions in isotope source signatures. We show that this is consistent with the observed global latitudinal methane gradient. After accounting for natural geological methane seepage, we find that methane emissions from natural gas, oil and coal production and their usage are 20 to 60 per cent greater than inventories. Our findings imply a greater potential for the fossil fuel industry to mitigate anthropogenic climate forcing, but we also find that methane emissions from natural gas as a fraction of production have declined from approximately 8 per cent to approximately 2 per cent over the past three decades.

  4. Random location of fuel treatments in wildland community interfaces: a percolation approach

    Treesearch

    Michael Bevers; Philip N. Omi; John G. Hof

    2004-01-01

    We explore the use of spatially correlated random treatments to reduce fuels in landscape patterns that appear somewhat natural while forming fully connected fuelbreaks between wildland forests and developed protection zones. From treatment zone maps partitioned into grids of hexagonal forest cells representing potential treatment sites, we selected cells to be treated...

  5. Audit of the global carbon budget: estimate errors and their impact on uptake uncertainty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballantyne, A. P.; Andres, R.; Houghton, R.; Stocker, B. D.; Wanninkhof, R.; Anderegg, W.; Cooper, L. A.; DeGrandpre, M.; Tans, P. P.; Miller, J. B.; Alden, C.; White, J. W. C.

    2015-04-01

    Over the last 5 decades monitoring systems have been developed to detect changes in the accumulation of carbon (C) in the atmosphere and ocean; however, our ability to detect changes in the behavior of the global C cycle is still hindered by measurement and estimate errors. Here we present a rigorous and flexible framework for assessing the temporal and spatial components of estimate errors and their impact on uncertainty in net C uptake by the biosphere. We present a novel approach for incorporating temporally correlated random error into the error structure of emission estimates. Based on this approach, we conclude that the 2σ uncertainties of the atmospheric growth rate have decreased from 1.2 Pg C yr-1 in the 1960s to 0.3 Pg C yr-1 in the 2000s due to an expansion of the atmospheric observation network. The 2σ uncertainties in fossil fuel emissions have increased from 0.3 Pg C yr-1 in the 1960s to almost 1.0 Pg C yr-1 during the 2000s due to differences in national reporting errors and differences in energy inventories. Lastly, while land use emissions have remained fairly constant, their errors still remain high and thus their global C uptake uncertainty is not trivial. Currently, the absolute errors in fossil fuel emissions rival the total emissions from land use, highlighting the extent to which fossil fuels dominate the global C budget. Because errors in the atmospheric growth rate have decreased faster than errors in total emissions have increased, a ~20% reduction in the overall uncertainty of net C global uptake has occurred. Given all the major sources of error in the global C budget that we could identify, we are 93% confident that terrestrial C uptake has increased and 97% confident that ocean C uptake has increased over the last 5 decades. Thus, it is clear that arguably one of the most vital ecosystem services currently provided by the biosphere is the continued removal of approximately half of atmospheric CO2 emissions from the atmosphere

  6. Audit of the global carbon budget: estimate errors and their impact on uptake uncertainty

    DOE PAGES

    Ballantyne, A. P.; Andres, R.; Houghton, R.; ...

    2015-04-30

    Over the last 5 decades monitoring systems have been developed to detect changes in the accumulation of carbon (C) in the atmosphere and ocean; however, our ability to detect changes in the behavior of the global C cycle is still hindered by measurement and estimate errors. Here we present a rigorous and flexible framework for assessing the temporal and spatial components of estimate errors and their impact on uncertainty in net C uptake by the biosphere. We present a novel approach for incorporating temporally correlated random error into the error structure of emission estimates. Based on this approach, we concludemore » that the 2σ uncertainties of the atmospheric growth rate have decreased from 1.2 Pg C yr ₋1 in the 1960s to 0.3 Pg C yr ₋1 in the 2000s due to an expansion of the atmospheric observation network. The 2σ uncertainties in fossil fuel emissions have increased from 0.3 Pg C yr ₋1 in the 1960s to almost 1.0 Pg C yr ₋1 during the 2000s due to differences in national reporting errors and differences in energy inventories. Lastly, while land use emissions have remained fairly constant, their errors still remain high and thus their global C uptake uncertainty is not trivial. Currently, the absolute errors in fossil fuel emissions rival the total emissions from land use, highlighting the extent to which fossil fuels dominate the global C budget. Because errors in the atmospheric growth rate have decreased faster than errors in total emissions have increased, a ~20% reduction in the overall uncertainty of net C global uptake has occurred. Given all the major sources of error in the global C budget that we could identify, we are 93% confident that terrestrial C uptake has increased and 97% confident that ocean C uptake has increased over the last 5 decades. Thus, it is clear that arguably one of the most vital ecosystem services currently provided by the biosphere is the continued removal of approximately half of atmospheric CO 2 emissions from

  7. TRACKING THE EMISSION OF CARBON DIOXIDE BY NATION, SECTOR, AND FUEL TYPE: A TRACE GAS ACCOUNTING SYSTEM (TGAS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The paper describes a new way to estimate an efficient econometric model of global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) by nation, sector, and fuel type. Equations for fuel intensity are estimated for coal, oil, natural gas, electricity, and heat for six sectors: agricultural, indus...

  8. Using referrals and priority-setting rules to risk adjust budgets: the case of regional psychiatric centers.

    PubMed

    Holman, Per Arne; Grepperud, Sverre; Tanum, Lars

    2011-03-01

    An important objective of many health care systems is to ensure equal access to health care services. One way of achieving this is by having universal coverage (low or absent out-of-pockets payments) combined with tax-financed transfers (block grants) to providers with a catchment area responsibility. However, a precondition for equal access in such systems is that providers have similar capacities -- meaning that budgets must be perfectly adjusted for variations in treatment costs not being under the control of providers (risk adjustment). This study presents a method that can be applied to adjust global budgets for variation in health risks. The method is flexible in the sense that it takes into account the possibility that variation in needs may depend on the degree of rationing in supplying health care services. The information being available from referrals is used to risk-adjust budgets. An expert panel ranks each individual on the basis of need. The ranking is performed according to priority-setting criteria for health care services. In addition, the panel suggests an adequate treatment profile (treatment category and treatment intensity) for each referral reviewed. By coupling the treatment profiles with cost information, risk-adjusted budgets are derived. Only individuals found to have a sufficiently high ranking (degree of need) will impact the derived risk-adjusted formula. The method is applied to four Regional Psychiatric Centers (RPC) supplying (i) outpatient services, (ii) day-patient care, and (iii) inpatient treatment for adults. The budget reallocations needed (positive and negative) to achieve an equal capacity across providers range between 10% and 42% of the current budgets. Our method can identify variations across providers when it comes to actual capacity and suggests budget reallocations that make the capacities to be equal across providers. In the case of the Regional Psychiatric Centers (RPCs) considered in this analysis, significant

  9. Seasonal Avifauna Reponses to Fuel Reduction Treatments in the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina: Results From Phase 1 of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study

    Treesearch

    Laura A. Zebehazy; J. Drew Lanham; Thomas A. Waldrop

    2004-01-01

    We examined avian species and assemblage responses to prescribed burns and thinning in a southeastern Piedmont pine and mixed pine-hardwood forest as part of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study (NFFS) examining the effects of fuel reduction on forest health. Point counts conducted during the non-breeding and breeding seasons of 2000-2002 showed that winter bird...

  10. OSTP FY 2014 Budget Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-04-10

    Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., delivers remarks during a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Fiscal Year 2014 budget briefing held with with Dr. John P. Holdren, Director of OSTP, Patricia Falcone of OSTP, Charlie Bolden from NASA, Cora Marrett from NSF, and Kathryn Sullivan from NOAA, at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  11. Big emitting nations and the 2°C target:beyond integrated assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bows-Larkin, Alice; Sharmina, Maria; Kuriakose, Jaise; Anderson, Kevin

    2015-04-01

    within and between the energy and climate systems, a more transparent and dynamic framing based on highly constrained cumulative carbon budgets is proposed. Building on previous assessments that use a similar approach by authors Anderson and Bows, this analysis looks beyond the contested 'Annex 1' and 'non-Annex 1' division to backcast what the remaining CO2 budget implies for the world's top emitting nations. The analysis takes the top 25 nations, responsible for 85% of global CO2, and groups these nations on the basis of similarities within their energy systems. Using a range of explicit variables a suite of scenarios for these groups, as well as the 'rest of the world', 'deforestation' and 'bunker fuel CO2' are then developed, all constrained within a range of 2°C carbon budgets. By varying the levels of near-term emissions from each group's energy system, under a highly constrained CO2 budget, important sensitivities are revealed. Results demonstrate the significance of the coming 1-5 years' levels of emissions of the highest emitting groups and the importance of bunker-fuel emissions in shaping our collective futures. They also illustrate that only non-marginal futures with radical transitions across all energy systems can now be reconciled with the 2°C policy objective.

  12. Budget Analysis: Review of the Governor's Proposed Budget, 1999-00.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York State Office of the Comptroller, Albany.

    This report provides an overview of the 1999-2000 executive budget for New York State. The budget calls for $72.7 billion in all funds spending and proposes that a $1.8 billion surplus from the 1998-99 fiscal year be used to fill budget gaps in fiscal years 2000-01 and 2001-02. The report focuses on spending for education, health and social…

  13. Plan Your Advertising Budget.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Britt, Steuart-Henderson

    1979-01-01

    Methods for establishing an advertising budget are reviewed. They include methods based on percentage of sales or profits, unit of sales, and objective and task. Also discussed are ways to allocate a promotional budget. The most common breakdowns are: departmental budgets, total budget, calendar periods, media, and sales area. (JMD)

  14. U.S. science and technology under budget stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bell, Peter M.

    A set of hearings was held a few weeks ago by the House Science and Technology Committee, Don Fuqua, chairman, during which White House science advisor George A. Keyworth II ‘reiterated the Reagan Administration's wisdom of the marketplace philosophy’ (Chemical and Engineering News, Dec. 14, 1981). National Academy of Sciences President Frank Press responded to Keyworth's continuing statements on the ‘hard choices’ ahead with a proposed ‘compact’ among the public, private and academic research sectors. Representatives of the science R & D community are hanging on every word released from the White House, hoping to find some solace from the picture of disastrous budget cuts that appears to be emerging in all sectors. The budget cuts, cumulative for fiscal years 1982 and 1983, do not, in notable examples, leave room for hard choices; dismantling of entire programs appears to be expected. Two examples are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) planetary scientific program and the programs of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When NASA's program was recently described as ‘planetary science in extremis,’ the meaning intended was ‘near death,’ not ‘in the extreme’ (Science, Dec. 18, 1981). In the same light, Douglas M. Castle, former EPA director, defined ‘EPA under siege:’ ‘It's hard to find a rational explanation for [the 1983 fiscal year budget proposed by OMB] except that [the current EPA administrators] are, in fact, a wrecking crew’ (Environmental Science and Technology, December 1981). Meanwhile, the so-called ‘research universities’ in the United States are turning to more practical and applied avenues to secure funds for their R & D budgets. According to science policy analyst, Wil Lepkowski, ‘The practical goals of technology are fast swallowing academic science, and nothing seems likely to be the same again.’ (Chem. Eng. News, Nov. 23, 1981).

  15. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Propane Fueling Infrastructure Development

    Science.gov Websites

    availability is the foundation for the acceptance of any fuel. Fleets depend on being able to locate fuel fuel systems and containers in vehicles, and the National Fire Prevention Association's NFPA 58

  16. National briefing summaries: Nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schneider, K.J.; Lakey, L.T.; Silviera, D.J.

    The National Briefing Summaries is a compilation of publicly available information concerning the nuclear fuel cycle and radioactive waste management strategies and programs of 21 nations, including the United States and three international agencies that have publicized their activities in this field. It presents available highlight information with references that may be used by the reader for additional information. The information in this document is compiled primarily for use by the US Department of Energy and other US federal agencies and their contractors to provide summary information on radioactive waste management activities in other countries. This document provides an awarenessmore » to managers and technical staff of what is occurring in other countries with regard to strategies, activities, and facilities. The information may be useful in program planning to improve and benefit United States' programs through foreign information exchange. Benefits to foreign exchange may be derived through a number of exchange activities.« less

  17. Bill sets NSF on path to double its budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    The US. National Science Foundation (NSF) is one step closer to having its budget more than doubled over the next five years, thanks to legislation approved 14 November by both houses of Congress.President George W. Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.

  18. TOWARD ERROR ANALYSIS OF LARGE-SCALE FOREST CARBON BUDGETS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Quantification of forest carbon sources and sinks is an important part of national inventories of net greenhouse gas emissions. Several such forest carbon budgets have been constructed, but little effort has been made to analyse the sources of error and how these errors propagate...

  19. Who needs budgets?

    PubMed

    Hope, Jeremy; Fraser, Robin

    2003-02-01

    Budgeting, as most corporations practice it, should be abolished. That may sound radical, but doing so would further companies' long-running efforts to transform themselves into developed networks that can nimbly adjust to market conditions. Most other building blocks are in place, but companies continue to restrict themselves by relying on inflexible budget processes and the command-and-control culture that budgeting entails. A number of companies have rejected the foregone conclusions embedded in budgets, and they've given up the self-interested wrangling over what the data indicate. In the absence of budgets, alternative goals and measures--some financial, such as cost-to-income ratios, and some nonfinancial, such as time to market-move to the foreground. Companies that have rejected budgets require employees to measure themselves against the performance of competitors and against internal peer groups. Because employees don't know whether they've succeeded until they can look back on the results of a given period, they must use every ounce of energy to ensure that they beat the competition. A key feature of many companies that have rejected budgets is the use of rolling forecasts, which are created every few months and typically cover five to eight quarters. Because the forecasts are regularly revised, they allow companies to continuously adapt to market conditions. The forecasting practices of two such companies, both based in Sweden, are examined in detail: the bank Svenska Handelsbanken and the wholesaler Ahlsell. Though the first companies to reject budgets were located in Northern Europe, organizations that have gone beyond budgeting can be found in a range of countries and industries. Their practices allow them to unleash the power of today's management tools and realize the potential of a fully decentralized organization.

  20. Clash over NOAA budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richman, Barbara T.

    At the April 26 hearing on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) budget by a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, Sen. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr . (R-Conn.), decried the budget cuts proposed by NOAA and the Reagan Administration. ‘I think it would be almost criminal’ to agree to the proposed cuts, Weicker said, adding that although he understands the broad policy to trim the budget, the proposed cuts amounted to ‘piecemeal emasculation … I won't be part of it.’‘I cannot help but note with regret that for the third year in a row the Administration proposed drastic reductions in oceans-related research and development,’ said Weicker during the hearing conducted by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, and the Judiciary. ‘The proposed 37% cut in funding for fisheries programs combined with a 40% cut in other oceans and coastal activities would add up to an $85 million loss for NOAA's oceans programs. To make cuts of this magnitude would be, in effect, to write off the great potential the oceans have for feeding our people and helping to power our economy,’ the Connecticut senator said. ‘In short, the potential of the oceans as well as the pressures placed upon them have never been so great—and they will be even greater tomorrow. In the face of Administration indifference and outright hostility, Congress must maintain its commitment to the oceans and to the positive contributions they can make to our future.’

  1. Top-Down Assessment of the Asian Carbon Budget Since the Mid 1990s

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thompson, R.; Canadell, J.; Patra, P. K.; Chevallier, F.; Maksyutov, S. S.; Law, R. M.; Ziehn, T.; van der Laan-Luijkx, I. T.; Peters, W.; Ganshin, A.; Zhuravlev, R.; Maki, T.; Nakamura, T.; Shirai, T.; Ishizawa, M.; Saeki, T.; Poulter, B.; Ciais, P.

    2015-12-01

    Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principle driver of anthropogenic climate change. Asia is an important region for the global carbon budget, with four of the world's ten largest national emitters of CO2, but it is also a region with considerable uncertainty in both anthropogenic emissions and land biosphere fluxes of CO2. Furthermore, Asia has undergone rapid economic growth over the past two decades, which has been associated with large increases in fossil fuel emissions, 190% for India and 240% for China between 1990 and 2010. We have used an ensemble of seven atmospheric CO2 inversions and three standard fossil fuel and cement fluxes, based on the inventories of CDIAC, EDGAR and IEA, to determine the land biosphere fluxes for East, South and Southeast Asia, and to ascertain the robustness and overall uncertainty of the results. We find that the East Asian land biosphere was on average a carbon sink of -0.35 ± 0.37 PgC y-1 (median and MAD), or equivalently 17 ± 18% of East Asia's fossil fuel and cement emissions, over 1996 - 2012. Between 1996 - 2001 and 2008 - 2012, we find an increase in the sink of 0.74 ± 0.28 PgC y-1, however the magnitude of this is contingent on the assumed increase in fossil fuel emissions. For South Asia, we find that on average the land biosphere was close to carbon neutral, -0.01 ± 0.20 PgC y-1 over 1996 - 2012 and that there was no significant trend. For Southeast Asia, we find no evidence for a trend in the land biosphere flux over 1996 - 2012 and we cannot determine any difference from carbon neutrality (as assumed a priori by most inversions) with a flux of 0.06 ± 0.29 PgC y-1, throughout this period despite extensive tropical deforestation.

  2. Debating personal health budgets

    PubMed Central

    Alakeson, Vidhya; Boardman, Jed; Boland, Billy; Crimlisk, Helen; Harrison, Charlotte; Iliffe, Steve; Khan, Masood; O'Shea, Rory; Patterson, Janet

    2016-01-01

    Personal health budgets (PHBs) were piloted in the National Health Service (NHS) in England between 2009 and 2012 and were found to have greater positive effects on quality of life and psychological well-being for those with mental health problems than commissioned service, as well as reducing their use of unplanned care. The government intends to extend PHBs in England for long-term conditions, including mental health, from April 2015. Given the importance of engaging clinicians in the next phase of PHB development, we provide an overview of the approach, synthesise the evidence from the national pilot and debate some of the opportunities and challenges. Balancing individual choice and recovery with concerns for risk, equity and the sustainability of existing community services is the central tension underpinning this innovation in mental health service delivery. PMID:26958358

  3. HIV incidence and CDC's HIV prevention budget: an exploratory correlational analysis.

    PubMed

    Holtgrave, David R; Kates, Jennifer

    2007-01-01

    The central evaluative question about a national HIV prevention program is whether that program affects HIV incidence. Numerous factors may influence incidence, including public investment in HIV prevention. Few studies, however, have examined the relationship between public investment and the HIV epidemic in the United States. This 2006 exploratory analysis examined the period from 1978 through 2006 using a quantitative, lagged, correlational analysis to capture the relationship between national HIV incidence and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's HIV prevention budget in the United States over time. The analyses suggest that early HIV incidence rose in advance of the nation's HIV prevention investment until the mid-1980s (1-year lag correlation, r=0.972, df=2, p <0.05). From that point on, it appears that the nation's investment in HIV prevention became a strong correlate of HIV incidence (1-year lag correlation, r=-0.905, df=18, p <0.05). This exploratory study provides correlational evidence of a relationship between U.S. HIV incidence and the federal HIV prevention budget over time, and calls for further analysis of the role of funding and other factors that may influence the direction of a nation's HIV epidemic.

  4. Microbial fuel cells as pollutant treatment units: Research updates.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Quanguo; Hu, Jianjun; Lee, Duu-Jong

    2016-10-01

    Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are a device that can convert chemical energy in influent substances to electricity via biological pathways. Based on the consent that MFC technology should be applied as a waste/wastewater treatment unit rather than a renewable energy source, this mini-review discussed recent R&D efforts on MFC technologies for pollutant treatments and highlighted the challenges and research and development needs. Owing to the low power density levels achievable by larger-scale MFC, the MFC should be used as a device other than energy source such as being a pollutant treatment unit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Quantifying and predicting fuels and the effects of reduction treatments along successional and invasion gradients in sagebrush habitats

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Shinneman, Douglas; Pilliod, David S.; Arkle, Robert; Glenn, Nancy F.

    2015-01-01

    Sagebrush shrubland ecosystems in the Great Basin are prime examples of how altered successional trajectories can create dynamic fuel conditions and, thus, increase uncertainty about fire risk and behavior. Although fire is a natural disturbance in sagebrush, post-fire environments are highly susceptible to conversion to an invasive grass-fire regime (often referred to as a “grass-fire cycle”). After fire, native shrub-steppe plants are often slow to regenerate, whereas nonnative annuals, especially cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), can establish quickly and outcompete native species. Once fire-prone annuals become established, fire occurrences increase, further promoting dominance of nonnative species. The invasive grass-fire regime also alters nutrient and hydrologic cycles, pushing ecosystems beyond ecological thresholds toward steady-state, fire-prone, nonnative communities. These changes affect millions of hectares in the Great Basin and increase fire risk, decrease habitat quality and biodiversity, accelerate soil erosion, and degrade rangeland resources for livestock production. In many sagebrush landscapes, constantly changing plant communities and fuel conditions hinder attempts by land managers to predict and control fire behavior, restore native communities, and provide ecosystem services (e.g., forage production for livestock). We investigated successional and nonnative plant invasion states and associated fuel loads in degraded sagebrush habitat in a focal study area, the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (hereafter the NCA), in the Snake River Plain Ecoregion of southern Idaho. We expanded our inference by comparing our findings to similar data collected throughout seven major land resource areas (MLRAs) across the Great Basin (JFSP Project “Fire Rehabilitation Effectiveness: A Chronosequence Approach for the Great Basin” [09-S-02-1]). 4 We used a combination of field

  6. Global Inventory of Gas Geochemistry Data from Fossil Fuel, Microbial and Burning Sources, version 2017

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sherwood, Owen A.; Schwietzke, Stefan; Arling, Victoria A.; Etiope, Giuseppe

    2017-08-01

    The concentration of atmospheric methane (CH4) has more than doubled over the industrial era. To help constrain global and regional CH4 budgets, inverse (top-down) models incorporate data on the concentration and stable carbon (δ13C) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotopic ratios of atmospheric CH4. These models depend on accurate δ13C and δ2H end-member source signatures for each of the main emissions categories. Compared with meticulous measurement and calibration of isotopic CH4 in the atmosphere, there has been relatively less effort to characterize globally representative isotopic source signatures, particularly for fossil fuel sources. Most global CH4 budget models have so far relied on outdated source signature values derived from globally nonrepresentative data. To correct this deficiency, we present a comprehensive, globally representative end-member database of the δ13C and δ2H of CH4 from fossil fuel (conventional natural gas, shale gas, and coal), modern microbial (wetlands, rice paddies, ruminants, termites, and landfills and/or waste) and biomass burning sources. Gas molecular compositional data for fossil fuel categories are also included with the database. The database comprises 10 706 samples (8734 fossil fuel, 1972 non-fossil) from 190 published references. Mean (unweighted) δ13C signatures for fossil fuel CH4 are significantly lighter than values commonly used in CH4 budget models, thus highlighting potential underestimation of fossil fuel CH4 emissions in previous CH4 budget models. This living database will be updated every 2-3 years to provide the atmospheric modeling community with the most complete CH4 source signature data possible. Database digital object identifier (DOI): https://doi.org/10.15138/G3201T.

  7. A fuel treatment reduces potential fire severity and increases suppression efficiency in a Sierran mixed conifer forest

    Treesearch

    Jason J. Moghaddas

    2006-01-01

    Fuel treatments are being widely implemented on public and private lands across the western U.S. While scientists and managers have an understanding of how fuel treatments can modify potential fire behavior under modeled conditions, there is limited information on how treatments perform under real wildfire conditions in Sierran mixed conifer forests. The Bell Fire...

  8. Budgeting Approaches in Community Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palmer, James C.

    2014-01-01

    Several budgeting approaches have been initiated as alternatives to the traditional, incremental process. These include formula budgeting; zero-base budgeting; planning, programming, and budgeting systems; and responsibility center budgeting. Each is premised on assumptions about how organizations might best make resource allocation decisions.…

  9. Objectives and considerations for wildland fuel treatment in forested ecosystems of the interior western United States

    Treesearch

    Elizabeth D. Reinhardt; Robert E. Keane; David E. Calkin; Jack D. Cohen

    2008-01-01

    Many natural resource agencies and organizations recognize the importance of fuel treatments as tools for reducing fire hazards and restoring ecosystems. However, there continues to be confusion and misconception about fuel treatments and their implementation and effects in fire-prone landscapes across the United States. This paper (1) summarizes objectives, methods,...

  10. Budgeting for Exploration: the History and Political Economy of Planetary Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Callahan, Jason

    2013-10-01

    The availability of financial resources continues to be one of the greatest limiting factors to NASA’s planetary science agenda. Historians and members of the space science community have offered many explanations for the scientific, political, and economic actions that combine to form NASA’s planetary science efforts, and this essay will use budgetary and historical analysis to examine how each of these factors have impacted the funding of U.S. exploration of the solar system. This approach will present new insights into how the shifting fortunes of the nation’s economy or the changing priorities of political leadership have affected government investment in science broadly, and space science specifically. This paper required the construction of a historical NASA budget data set displaying layered fiscal information that could be compared equivalently over time. This data set was constructed with information collected from documents located in NASA’s archives, the Library of Congress, and at the Office of Management and Budget at the White House. The essay will examine the effects of the national gross domestic product, Federal debt levels, the budgets of other Federal agencies engaged in science and engineering research, and party affiliation of leadership in Congress and the White House on the NASA budget. It will also compare historic funding levels of NASA’s astrophysics, heliophysics, and Earth science efforts to planetary science funding. By examining the history of NASA’s planetary science efforts through the lens of the budget, this essay will provide a clearer view of how effectively the planetary science community has been able to align its goals with national science priorities.

  11. [HAS budget impact analysis guidelines: A new decision-making tool].

    PubMed

    Ghabri, Salah; Poullié, Anne-Isabelle; Autin, Erwan; Josselin, Jean-Michel

    2017-10-02

    Budget impact analysis (BIA) provides short and medium-term estimates on changes in budgets and resources resulting from the adoption of new health interventions. The objective of this article is to present the main messages of the newly developed French National Authority for Health (HAS) guidelines on budget impact analysis : issues, recommendations and perspectives. The HAS guidelines development process was based on data derived from a literature review on BIA (search dates : January 2000 to June 2016), an HAS retrospective investigation, a public consultation, international expert advice, and approval from the HAS Board and the Economic and Public Health Evaluation Committee. Based on its research findings, HAS developed its first BIA guidelines, which include recommendations on the following topics : BIA definition, perspective, populations, time horizon, compared scenarios, budget impact models, costing, discounting, choice of clinical data, reporting of results and uncertainty analysis. The HAS BIA guidelines are expected to enhance the usefulness of BIA as an essential part of a comprehensive economic assessment of healthcare interventions, which itself includes cost-effectiveness analysis and equity of access to healthcare.

  12. Budgeting Time to Teach about the School Budget

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weiss, Dale

    2011-01-01

    As a teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) for the past 16 years, the author has grown used to dismal budget cut news arriving each February. Although cuts are always frustrating and their results burdensome, the school has been able to "hang on" reasonably well. This year, however, the budget cuts were extreme. In this article,…

  13. Strategic Budgeting.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Dennis P.

    1993-01-01

    An approach to college budgeting that encompasses strategic as well as operational decisions is proposed. Strategic decisions focus on creation and maintenance of institutional capacity, whereas operational decisions focus on use of that capacity to accomplish specific purposes. Strategic budgeting must emphasize institutional assets and their…

  14. Home - House Budget Committee

    Science.gov Websites

    Initiatives Hearings Full Menu About Toggle Links Members History Staff Rules & Budget Law News Toggle Staff Rules & Budget Law News Press Releases Budget Digests HBC Publications Op-Eds Speeches &

  15. Fuels Performance: Navigating the Intersection of Fuels and Combustion (Brochure)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    2014-12-01

    Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the only national laboratory dedicated 100% to renewable energy and energy efficiency, recognize that engine and infrastructure compatibility can make or break the impact of even the most promising fuel. NREL and its industry partners navigate the intersection of fuel chemistry, ignition kinetics, combustion, and emissions, with innovative approaches to engines and fuels that meet drivers' expectations, while minimizing petroleum use and GHGs.

  16. Assessing mitigation of wildfire severity by fuel treatments - An example from the coastal plain of Mississippi

    Treesearch

    Erik J. Martinson; Philip N. Omi

    2006-01-01

    Fuel treatments such as prescribed fire are a controversial tenet of wildfire management. Despite a well-established theoretical basis for their use, scant empirical evidence currently exists on fuel treatment effectiveness for mitigating the behavior and effects of extreme wildfire events. We report the results of a fire severity evaluation of an escaped prescribed...

  17. Pre-wildfire fuel reduction treatments result in more resilient forest structure a decade after wildfire

    Treesearch

    Camille Stevens-Rumann; Kristen Shive; Peter Fule; Carolyn H. Sieg

    2013-01-01

    Increasing size and severity of wildfires have led to an interest in the effectiveness of forest fuels treatments on reducing fire severity and post-wildfire fuels. Our objective was to contrast stand structure and surface fuel loadings on treated and untreated sites within the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Fire area. Data from 140 plots on seven paired treated-untreated sites...

  18. Understory response to fuel reduction treatments in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon.

    Treesearch

    Kerry L. Metlen; Carl E. Fiedler; Andrew. Youngblood

    2004-01-01

    Understory response to fuel reduction treatments was evaluated in fire-adapted ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir forests in northeastern Oregon. Treatments included: no management (control), prescribed fall burning (burn), low thinning (thin), and low thinning followed by prescribed fall burning (thin/burn), replicated four times in a completely randomized design. Treatment...

  19. Health care costs attributable to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    Sørensen, J

    2004-01-01

    A 'programme budget' for the resources used in the treatment and care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was developed with a view of helping decision-makers assess the appropriateness of the current use of resources and to discuss future resource allocation. The programme budget was developed using data from several national administrative registers. Patients with RA were identified by hospital diagnostic codes. The incremental cost of treating RA was defined as the difference in resource use for patients with and without RA. Incremental mortality due to RA was defined in similar way. Cost data were estimated for 5-year age groups. Patients with RA used on average 3.2 times as many health care resources as people without RA. The average 1997 incremental costs of primary and hospital care were EUR 253 and EUR 2.660 per patient respectively, corresponding to a national incremental cost of EUR 30 million (2000 price level). RA resulted in an annual loss of 1,549 life years. The programme budget approach is a useful tool in resource allocation decision-making, but discussions of alternative resource allocations must be based on robust studies of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in the treatment of patients with RA.

  20. Tradable credits system design and cost savings for a national low carbon fuel standard for road transport

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rubin, Jonathan; Leiby, Paul N.

    2012-06-11

    This research examines the economic implications of different designs for a national low carbon fuel standard (NLCFS) for the road transportation sector. A NLCFS based on the average Carbon Intensity (CI) of all fuels sold in the gasoline and diesel markets will generate an incentive for fuel suppliers to reduce the measured CI of their petroleum fuels. The economic impacts of a NLCFS are fundamentally determined by: the availability of low carbon fuels; the compliance path; the reference level CI of the fuel baseline; and the degree of flexibility in the credit system. To quantitatively examine the implications of amore » NLCFS, we created the Transportation Regulation and Credit Trading (TRACT) Model. With TRACT, we model a NLCFS credit trading system among profit maximizing fuel suppliers for light- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel use for the United States from 2012 - 2030. Given the wide range of cost and availability of biofuels, we find that credit trading across gasoline and diesel fuel markets combined with credit banking can significantly reduce compliance costs and stabilize credit prices. We make policy recommendations on how to combine a NLCFS with other existing regulations for transportation fuels.« less

  1. ENERGY PRODUCTION AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AT SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS USING FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The paper discusses energy production and pollution prevention at sewage treatment plants using fuel cell power plants. Anaerobic digester gas (ADG) is produced at waste water treatment plants during the anaerobic treatment of sewage to reduce solids. The major constituents are...

  2. Response of soricid populations to repeated fire and fuel reduction treatments in the southern Appalachain Mountains

    Treesearch

    Charlotte E Matthews; Christopher E Moorman; Cathryn H Greenberg

    2009-01-01

    Fuel hazards have increased in forests across the United States because offire exclusion during the 20th century. Treatments used to reduce fuel buildup Illay affect wildlife. such as shrews. living 011 the forest floor. especially when treatments are applied repeatedly. From mid-May to mid-August 2006 and 2007.  we used drift fences...

  3. Fuel treatment effects on tree mortality following wildfire in dry mixed conifer forests, Washington State, USA

    Treesearch

    Susan J. Prichard; Maureen C. Kennedy

    2012-01-01

    Fuel reduction treatments are increasingly used to mitigate future wildfire severity in dry forests, but few opportunities exist to assess their effectiveness. We evaluated the influence of fuel treatment, tree size and species on tree mortality following a large wildfire event in recent thin-only, thin and prescribed burn (thin-Rx) units. Of the trees that died within...

  4. Global Carbon Budget 2016

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le Quéré, Corinne; Andrew, Robbie M.; Canadell, Josep G.; Sitch, Stephen; Korsbakken, Jan Ivar; Peters, Glen P.; Manning, Andrew C.; Boden, Thomas A.; Tans, Pieter P.; Houghton, Richard A.; Keeling, Ralph F.; Alin, Simone; Andrews, Oliver D.; Anthoni, Peter; Barbero, Leticia; Bopp, Laurent; Chevallier, Frédéric; Chini, Louise P.; Ciais, Philippe; Currie, Kim; Delire, Christine; Doney, Scott C.; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Gkritzalis, Thanos; Harris, Ian; Hauck, Judith; Haverd, Vanessa; Hoppema, Mario; Klein Goldewijk, Kees; Jain, Atul K.; Kato, Etsushi; Körtzinger, Arne; Landschützer, Peter; Lefèvre, Nathalie; Lenton, Andrew; Lienert, Sebastian; Lombardozzi, Danica; Melton, Joe R.; Metzl, Nicolas; Millero, Frank; Monteiro, Pedro M. S.; Munro, David R.; Nabel, Julia E. M. S.; Nakaoka, Shin-ichiro; O'Brien, Kevin; Olsen, Are; Omar, Abdirahman M.; Ono, Tsuneo; Pierrot, Denis; Poulter, Benjamin; Rödenbeck, Christian; Salisbury, Joe; Schuster, Ute; Schwinger, Jörg; Séférian, Roland; Skjelvan, Ingunn; Stocker, Benjamin D.; Sutton, Adrienne J.; Takahashi, Taro; Tian, Hanqin; Tilbrook, Bronte; van der Laan-Luijkx, Ingrid T.; van der Werf, Guido R.; Viovy, Nicolas; Walker, Anthony P.; Wiltshire, Andrew J.; Zaehle, Sönke

    2016-11-01

    Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere - the "global carbon budget" - is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify all major components of the global carbon budget, including their uncertainties, based on the combination of a range of data, algorithms, statistics, and model estimates and their interpretation by a broad scientific community. We discuss changes compared to previous estimates and consistency within and among components, alongside methodology and data limitations. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry (EFF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, respectively, while emissions from land-use change (ELUC), mainly deforestation, are based on combined evidence from land-cover change data, fire activity associated with deforestation, and models. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth (GATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The mean ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) is based on observations from the 1990s, while the annual anomalies and trends are estimated with ocean models. The variability in SOCEAN is evaluated with data products based on surveys of ocean CO2 measurements. The global residual terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) is estimated by the difference of the other terms of the global carbon budget and compared to results of independent dynamic global vegetation models. We compare the mean land and ocean fluxes and their variability to estimates from three atmospheric inverse methods for three broad latitude bands. All uncertainties are reported as ±1σ, reflecting the current capacity to characterise the annual estimates of each component of the global carbon budget. For the last decade available (2006-2015), EFF was 9

  5. Fuel treatments alter native plant composition and increase non-native plant cover

    Treesearch

    Suzanne Owen

    2010-01-01

    Slash-pile burning and mechanical mastication are commonly prescribed fuel treatments for wildfire mitigation. Researchers from Flagstaff, AZ, and Spain recently published an article in Forest Ecology and Management that compared effects of the treatments on understory plant composition in Colorado pinyon-juniper woodlands (Owen and others 2009). Results showed that...

  6. 77 FR 33158 - Plumas National Forest, California, Sugarloaf Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-05

    ... to the economic stability of rural communities through: fuels treatments; group selections (GS); area... (DFPZs), modify fire behavior, promote forest and watershed health, while contributing to the economic stability of rural communities in Plumas County, CA. Fire behavior needs to be modified in selected forest...

  7. Fuel Treatment Effects on Water Use Efficiency in Western Pine Forests Under Fire Suppression Evaluated Using Tree Ring Carbon Isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, A. H.; Belmecheri, S.; Harris, L. B.

    2016-12-01

    We identified variation on water use efficiency interpreted from carbon 13 in tree ring cellulose in dense ponderosa pines forests in Washington and Arizona. Historically, these forests burned every decade until fires were suppressed beginning in the early twentieth century. The reduction in fire caused large increases in forest density and forest biomass and potential for intense fire. Forests with hazardous fuels are common in the western United States and these types of forests are treated with mechanical thinning and mechanical thinning and burning to reduce hazardous fuels and fire intensity. At each site we extracted tree ring samples from five trees in each treatment type and a control to identify the effects of fuel treatment of concentration of carbon 13 in tree ring cellulose. Water use efficiency as measured by carbon 13 increased after fuel treatments. Treatment effects were larger for the mechanical plus burn treatment than for the mechanical treatment in each study area compared to the control stands Our results suggest that fuel treatments reduce sensitivity of tree growth to climate and increase water use efficiency. Since tree ring carbon 13 is related to plant productivity, carbon 13 in tree rings can be used as a metric of change in ecosystem function for evaluating fuel treatments.

  8. Fuel loads, fire regimes, and post-fire fuel dynamics in Florida Keys pine forests

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sah, J.P.; Ross, M.S.; Snyder, J.R.; Koptur, S.; Cooley, H.C.

    2006-01-01

    In forests, the effects of different life forms on fire behavior may vary depending on their contributions to total fuel loads. We examined the distribution of fuel components before fire, their effects on fire behavior, and the effects of fire on subsequent fuel recovery in pine forests within the National Key Deer Refuge in the Florida Keys. We conducted a burning experiment in six blocks, within each of which we assigned 1-ha plots to three treatments: control, summer, and winter burn. Owing to logistical constraints, we burned only 11 plots, three in winter and eight in summer, over a 4-year period from 1998 to 2001. We used path analysis to model the effects of fuel type and char height, an indicator of fire intensity, on fuel consumption. Fire intensity increased with surface fuel loads, but was negatively related to the quantity of hardwood shrub fuels, probably because these fuels are associated with a moist microenvironment within hardwood patches, and therefore tend to resist fire. Winter fires were milder than summer fires, and were less effective at inhibiting shrub encroachment. A mixed seasonal approach is suggested for fire management, with burns applied opportunistically under a range of winter and summer conditions, but more frequently than that prevalent in the recent past. ?? IAWF 2006.

  9. Fiscal Year 2015 Budget of the U.S. Government

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, 2014

    2014-01-01

    For the last several years, manufactured crises in Washington have hindered, rather than helped, economic growth and opportunity. Earlier this year, however, Democrats and Republicans came together to produce a 2014 budget that invests in key areas of innovation, education, and infrastructure--investments that will help grow the nation's economy,…

  10. SCALE UP OF CERAMIC WASTE FORMS FOR THE EBR-II SPENT FUEL TREATMENT PROCESS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Matthew C. Morrison; Kenneth J. Bateman; Michael F. Simpson

    2010-11-01

    ABSTRACT SCALE UP OF CERAMIC WASTE FORMS FOR THE EBR-II SPENT FUEL TREATMENT PROCESS Matthew C. Morrison, Kenneth J. Bateman, Michael F. Simpson Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 The ceramic waste process is the intended method for disposing of waste salt electrolyte, which contains fission products from the fuel-processing electrorefiners (ER) at the INL. When mixed and processed with other materials, the waste salt can be stored in a durable ceramic waste form (CWF). The development of the CWF has recently progressed from small-scale testing and characterization to full-scale implementation and experimentation using surrogate materialsmore » in lieu of the ER electrolyte. Two full-scale (378 kg and 383 kg) CWF test runs have been successfully completed with final densities of 2.2 g/cm3 and 2.1 g/cm3, respectively. The purpose of the first CWF was to establish material preparation parameters. The emphasis of the second pre-qualification test run was to evaluate a preliminary multi-section CWF container design. Other considerations were to finalize material preparation parameters, measure the material height as it consolidates in the furnace, and identify when cracking occurs during the CWF cooldown process.« less

  11. Preliminary Effects of Prescribed Burning and Thinning as Fuel Reduction Treatments on the Piedmont Soils of the Clemson Experimental Forest

    Treesearch

    Victor B. Shelburne; M. Forbes Boyle; Darren J. Lione; Thomas A. Waldrop

    2004-01-01

    This study is a component of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate (NFFS) Study which is an integrated national network of long-term interdisciplinary research to facilitate broad applicability of fuel impacts. This part of the NFFS study in the Piedmont of South Carolina studied three ways of reducing fuel loads (prescribed burning, thinning, and the two in combination...

  12. Forest wildfire, fuel reduction treatments, and landscape carbon stocks: a sensitivity analysis

    Treesearch

    John L. Campbell; Alan A. Ager

    2013-01-01

    Fuel reduction treatments prescribed in fire-suppressed forests of western North America pose an apparent paradox with respect to terrestrial carbon management. Such treatments have the immediate effect of reducing forest carbon stocks but likely reduce future carbon losses through the combustion and mortality caused by high-severity wildfires. Assessing the long-term...

  13. Model documentation renewable fuels module of the National Energy Modeling System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1995-06-01

    This report documents the objectives, analytical approach, and design of the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) Renewable Fuels Module (RFM) as it relates to the production of the 1995 Annual Energy Outlook (AEO95) forecasts. The report catalogs and describes modeling assumptions, computational methodologies, data inputs, and parameter estimation techniques. A number of offline analyses used in lieu of RFM modeling components are also described. The RFM consists of six analytical submodules that represent each of the major renewable energy resources -- wood, municipal solid waste (MSW), solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and alcohol fuels. The RFM also reads in hydroelectric facility capacities and capacity factors from a data file for use by the NEMS Electricity Market Module (EMM). The purpose of the RFM is to define the technological, cost, and resource size characteristics of renewable energy technologies. These characteristics are used to compute a levelized cost to be competed against other similarly derived costs from other energy sources and technologies. The competition of these energy sources over the NEMS time horizon determines the market penetration of these renewable energy technologies. The characteristics include available energy capacity, capital costs, fixed operating costs, variable operating costs, capacity factor, heat rate, construction lead time, and fuel product price.

  14. Target fuel quality standards performance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hublin, M.; Renault, S.A.

    Concerned by a large number of in-service incident due to insufficient quality of market fuels that happened in the 1980s in France and Europe, the two major French car manufacturers-PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault-decided to define new technical requirements for these fuels. By publishing the fuel charter in July 1989, a whole fuel quality monitoring system was established. Forthcoming fuel refiners and distributors were invited to produce and sell fuels of higher quality. Major French distributors joined the charter, and soon, an improvement on French market fuels was observed. Undoubtedly, the two oil crises, in 1973 and 1979, have boostedmore » technological progress of combustion engines, improving specific power, operating noise, exhaust emissions and fuel consumption. That technological progress was achieved by defining and carrying out research that contributed to a better understanding of combustion engines. Continuous and gradual evolution in the design of engines was achieved in areas such as: combustion, internal air motion, multi-valve technology, fuel injection, engine management systems, friction reduction and after-treatment devices. As long as national fuel specifications define fuel characteristics in a rough and insufficient way, there will be the need for quality fuel certification. Different countries, bearing different cultures, will probably produce slightly different variations, but will continue to exist and increase in number. Fuel quality is a key issue for the future to guarantee trouble-free and comfortable vehicle operation and also to maintain its original emissions characteristics.« less

  15. Cumulative watershed effects of fuel management in the Eastern United States

    Treesearch

    Russell LaFayette; Maureen T. Brooks; John P. Potyondy; Lisa Audin; Suzanne L. Krieger; Carl C. Trettin

    2012-01-01

    As a result of effective fire suppression activities over the last 75 years and a reduction in timber harvesting on the national forests, biomass has accumulated increasing the susceptibility of large and more severe wildfires. Reducing accumulated fuels is now a major management objective on the national forests. A combination of traditional silvicultural treatments...

  16. Review of fuel treatment effectiveness in forests and rangelands and a case study from the 2007 megafires in central, Idaho, USA

    Treesearch

    Andrew T. Hudak; Ian Rickert; Penelope Morgan; Eva Strand; Sarah A. Lewis; Peter R. Robichaud; Chad Hoffman; Zachary A. Holden

    2011-01-01

    This report provides managers with the current state of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of fuel treatments for mitigating severe wildfire effects. A literature review examines the effectiveness of fuel treatments that had been previously applied and were subsequently burned through by wildfire in forests and rangelands. A case study focuses on WUI fuel treatments...

  17. Top–down assessment of the Asian carbon budget since the mid 1990s

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, R. L.; Patra, P. K.; Chevallier, F.; Maksyutov, S.; Law, R. M.; Ziehn, T.; van der Laan-Luijkx, I. T.; Peters, W.; Ganshin, A.; Zhuravlev, R.; Maki, T.; Nakamura, T.; Shirai, T.; Ishizawa, M.; Saeki, T.; Machida, T.; Poulter, B.; Canadell, J. G.; Ciais, P.

    2016-01-01

    Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principal driver of anthropogenic climate change. Asia is an important region for the global carbon budget, with 4 of the world's 10 largest national emitters of CO2. Using an ensemble of seven atmospheric inverse systems, we estimated land biosphere fluxes (natural, land-use change and fires) based on atmospheric observations of CO2 concentration. The Asian land biosphere was a net sink of −0.46 (−0.70–0.24) PgC per year (median and range) for 1996–2012 and was mostly located in East Asia, while in South and Southeast Asia the land biosphere was close to carbon neutral. In East Asia, the annual CO2 sink increased between 1996–2001 and 2008–2012 by 0.56 (0.30–0.81) PgC, accounting for ∼35% of the increase in the global land biosphere sink. Uncertainty in the fossil fuel emissions contributes significantly (32%) to the uncertainty in land biosphere sink change. PMID:26911442

  18. Effect of landscape-level fuel treatments on carbon emissions and storage over a 50 yr time cycle

    Treesearch

    K. Osborne; C. Dicus; C. Isbell; Alan Ager; D. Weise; M. Landram

    2011-01-01

    We investigated how multiple fuel treatment types, organized in varying spatial arrangements, and at increasing proportions of a mixed-conifer forest in the Klamath Mountains of northern California (~20,000 ha) variably affect carbon sequestration and emissions over a 50 year time period. Preliminary analysis of three fuel treatment scenarios (fire only, mechanical...

  19. Fuel treatment effectiveness in forests of the upper Atlantic Coastal Plain—an evaluation at two spatial scales

    Treesearch

    Roger D. Ottmar; Susan J. Prichard

    2012-01-01

    Fuel treatment effectiveness in Southern forests has been demonstrated using fire behavior modeling and observations of reduced wildfire area and tree damage. However, assessments of treatment effectiveness may be improved with a more rigorous accounting of the fuel characteristics. We present two case studies to introduce a relatively new approach to characterizing...

  20. Guide to fuel treatments in dry forests of the Western United States: assessing forest structure and fire hazard.

    Treesearch

    Morris C. Johnson; David L. Peterson; Crystal L. Raymond

    2007-01-01

    Guide to Fuel Treatments analyzes a range of fuel treatments for representative dry forest stands in the Western United States with overstories dominated by ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and pinyon pine (Pinus edulis). Six silvicultural options (no thinning; thinning...

  1. Feasibility and cost-effectiveness of standardised second-line drug treatment for chronic tuberculosis patients: a national cohort study in Peru.

    PubMed

    Suárez, Pedro G; Floyd, Katherine; Portocarrero, Jaime; Alarcón, Edith; Rapiti, Elisabetta; Ramos, Gilbert; Bonilla, Cesar; Sabogal, Ivan; Aranda, Isabel; Dye, Christopher; Raviglione, Mario; Espinal, Marcos A

    2002-06-08

    There are no data on the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of using second-line drugs to treat patients with chronic tuberculosis, many of whom are infected with multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in low or middle-income countries. A national programme to treat chronic tuberculosis patients with a directly observed standardised 18-month daily regimen, consisting of kanamycin (3 months only), ciprofloxacin, ethionamide, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, was established in Peru in 1997. Compliance and treatment outcomes were analysed for the cohort started on treatment between October, 1997, and March, 1999. Total and average costs were assessed. Cost-effectiveness was estimated as the cost per DALY gained. 466 patients were enrolled; 344 were tested for drug susceptibility and 298 (87%) had MDR tuberculosis. 225 patients (48%) were cured, 57 (12%) died, 131 (28%) did not respond to treatment, and 53 (11%) defaulted. Of the 413 (89%) patients who complied with treatment, 225 (55%) were cured. Among MDR patients, resistance to five or more drugs was significantly associated with an unfavourable outcome (death, non-response to treatment, or default; odds ratio 3.37, 95% CI 1.32-8.60; p=0.01). The programme cost US $0.6 million per year, 8% of the National Tuberculosis Programme budget, and US $2381 per patient for those who completed treatment. The mean cost per DALY gained was $211 ($165 at drug prices projected for 2002). Treating chronic tuberculosis patients with high levels of MDR with second-line drugs can be feasible and cost-effective in middle-income countries, provided a strong tuberculosis control programme is in place.

  2. Fuel-reduction treatment effects on avian community structure and diversity

    Treesearch

    Sarah R. Hurteau; Thomas D. Sisk; William M. Block; Brett D. Dickson

    2008-01-01

    We assessed responses of the breeding bird community to mechanical thinning and prescribed surface fire, alone and in combination, between 2000 and 2006 in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in northern Arizona, USA. Fuel-reduction treatments did not affect species richness or evenness, and effects on density of 5 commonly detected species...

  3. Chemical Reactivity Testing for the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program. Quality Assurance Project Plan

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Newsom, H.C.

    This quality assurance project plan (QAPjP) summarizes requirements used by Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Incorporated (LMES) Development Division at Y-12 for conducting chemical reactivity testing of Department of Energy (DOE) owned spent nuclear fuel, sponsored by the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP). The requirements are based on the NSNFP Statement of Work PRO-007 (Statement of Work for Laboratory Determination of Uranium Hydride Oxidation Reaction Kinetics.) This QAPjP will utilize the quality assurance program at Y-12, QA-101PD, revision 1, and existing implementing procedures for the most part in meeting the NSNFP Statement of Work PRO-007 requirements, exceptions will be noted.

  4. Understanding the Budget Battle.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hritz, Townley

    1996-01-01

    Describes Head Start's financial uncertainty for the future due to the government's budget battle. Presents information on the key points in the budget process, how that process got off track in fiscal year 1996, the resulting government shutdowns, and how Head Start can prepare for the 1997 budget debates. (MOK)

  5. Budget transparency on maternal health spending: a case study in five Latin American countries.

    PubMed

    Malajovich, Laura; Alcalde, Maria Antonieta; Castagnaro, Kelly; Barroso, Carmen

    2012-06-01

    Progress in reducing maternal mortality has been slow and uneven, including in Latin America, where 23,000 women die each year from preventable causes. This article is about the challenges civil society organizations in Latin America faced in assessing budget transparency on government spending on specific aspects of maternity care, in order to hold them accountable for reducing maternal deaths. The study was carried out by the International Planned Parenthood, Western Hemisphere Region and the International Budget Partnership in five Latin American countries--Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and Peru. It found that only in Peru was most of the information they sought available publicly (from a government website). In the other four countries, none of the information was available publicly, and although it was possible to obtain at least some data from ministry and health system sources, the search process often took a complex course. The data collected in each country were very different, depending not only on the level of budget transparency, but also on the existence and form of government data collection systems. The obstacles that these civil society organizations faced in monitoring national and local budget allocations for maternal health must be addressed through better budgeting modalities on the part of governments. Concrete guidelines are also needed for how governments can better capture data and track local and national progress. Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. FUEL3-D: A Spatially Explicit Fractal Fuel Distribution Model

    Treesearch

    Russell A. Parsons

    2006-01-01

    Efforts to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of fuels treatments are hampered by inconsistencies between the spatial scale at which fuel treatments are implemented and the spatial scale, and detail, with which we model fire and fuel interactions. Central to this scale inconsistency is the resolution at which variability within the fuel bed is considered. Crown...

  7. 42 CFR 457.140 - Budget.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Budget. 457.140 Section 457.140 Public Health... Child Health Insurance Programs and Outreach Strategies § 457.140 Budget. The State plan, or plan amendment that has a significant impact on the approved budget, must include a budget that describes the...

  8. Increasing Fuel Costs Hit Hard: Districts Change Policies to Offset Rising Prices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ash, Katie

    2008-01-01

    This article reports that with fuel prices soaring nationwide, reaching more than $4 for each gallon of gas or diesel, school districts are struggling to supplement transportation-budget shortfalls and find ways to offset the increasing costs as a new school year approaches. Now districts--most of whose buses run on diesel fuel--are scrambling to…

  9. Biogas and Fuel Cells Workshop Summary Report: Proceedings from the Biogas and Fuel Cells Workshop, Golden, Colorado, June 11-13, 2012

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    2013-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) held a Biogas and Fuel Cells Workshop June 11-13, 2012, in Golden, Colorado, to discuss biogas and waste-to-energy technologies for fuel cell applications. The overall objective was to identify opportunities for coupling renewable biomethane with highly efficient fuel cells to produce electricity; heat; combined heat and power (CHP); or combined heat, hydrogen and power (CHHP) for stationary or motive applications. The workshop focused on biogas sourced from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), landfills, and industrial facilities that generate or process large amounts of organic waste, including large biofuel production facilitiesmore » (biorefineries).« less

  10. Pyroprocessing of Oxidized Sodium-Bonded Fast Reactor Fuel -- an Experimental Study of Treatment Options for Degraded EBR-II Fuel

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    S. D. Herrmann; L. A. Wurth; N. J. Gese

    An experimental study was conducted to assess pyrochemical treatment options for degraded EBR-II fuel. As oxidized material, the degraded fuel would need to be converted back to metal to enable electrorefining within an existing electrometallurgical treatment process. A lithium-based electrolytic reduction process was studied to assess the efficacy of converting oxide materials to metal with a particular focus on the impact of zirconium oxide and sodium oxide on this process. Bench-scale electrolytic reduction experiments were performed in LiCl-Li2O at 650 °C with combinations of manganese oxide (used as a surrogate for uranium oxide), zirconium oxide, and sodium oxide. The experimentalmore » study illustrated how zirconium oxide and sodium oxide present different challenges to a lithium-based electrolytic reduction system for conversion of select metal oxides to metal.« less

  11. Advance Appropriations: A Needless and Confusing Education Budget Technique. Federal Education Budget Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delisle, Jason

    2007-01-01

    This report argues that advance appropriations serve no functional purpose for schools, but they create a loss of transparency, comparability, and simplicity in federal education budgeting. It allocates spending before future budgets have been established. The approach was originally used to skirt spending limits and budget procedures in place…

  12. 77 FR 33980 - National Appeals Office Rules of Procedure

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-08

    ... National Appeals Office (NAO), a division of NMFS' Office of Management and Budget within NOAA. NAO's... Section 303A of the Magnuson-Steven Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The proposed procedures could... Goodman, National Appeals Office, Office of Management and Budget, NMFS, 1315 East West Hwy., Room 9553...

  13. Baseline budgeting for continuous improvement.

    PubMed

    Kilty, G L

    1999-05-01

    This article is designed to introduce the techniques used to convert traditionally maintained department budgets to baseline budgets. This entails identifying key activities, evaluating for value-added, and implementing continuous improvement opportunities. Baseline Budgeting for Continuous Improvement was created as a result of a newly named company president's request to implement zero-based budgeting. The president was frustrated with the mind-set of the organization, namely, "Next year's budget should be 10 to 15 percent more than this year's spending." Zero-based budgeting was not the answer, but combining the principles of activity-based costing and the Just-in-Time philosophy of eliminating waste and continuous improvement did provide a solution to the problem.

  14. ATR Spent Fuel Options Study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Connolly, Michael James; Bean, Thomas E.; Brower, Jeffrey O.

    The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a materials and fuels test nuclear reactor that performs irradiation services for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Naval Reactors, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and other research programs. ATR achieved initial criticality in 1967 and is expected to operate in support of needed missions until the year 2050 or beyond. It is anticipated that ATR will generate approximately 105 spent nuclear fuel (SNF) elements per year through the year 2050. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) currently stores 2,008 ATR SNF elements in dry storage, 976 in wet storage,more » and expects to have 1,000 elements in wet storage before January 2017. A capability gap exists at INL for long-term (greater than the year 2050) management, in compliance with the Idaho Settlement Agreement (ISA), of ATR SNF until a monitored retrievable geological repository is open. INL has significant wet and dry storage capabilities that are owned by the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) and operated and managed by Fluor Idaho, which include the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center’s (INTEC’s) CPP-666, CPP-749, and CPP-603. In addition, INL has other capabilities owned by DOE-NE and operated and managed by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), which are located at the Materials and Fuel Complex (MFC). Additional storage capabilities are located on the INL Site at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF). Current INL SNF management planning, as defined in the Fluor Idaho contract, shows INTEC dry fuel storage, which is currently used for ATR SNF, will be nearly full after transfer of an additional 1,000 ATR SNF from wet storage. DOE-NE tasked BEA with identifying and analyzing options that have the potential to fulfill this capability gap. BEA assembled a team comprised of SNF management experts from Fluor Idaho, Savannah River Site (SRS), INL/BEA, and the MITRE Corp with an objective of developing and

  15. Carbon sequestration in forests as a national policy issue

    Treesearch

    Linda S. Heath; Linda A. Joyce

    1997-01-01

    The United States' 1993 Climate Change Action Plan called upon the forestry sector to sequester an additional 10 million metric tons/yr by the year 2000. Forests are currently sequestering carbon and may provide opportunities to mitigate fossil fuel emissions in the near-term until fossil fuel emissions can be reduced. Using the analysis of carbon budgets based on...

  16. National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    NVFEL is the primary EPA research laboratory used for fuel and emissions testing. The laboratory supports emission standards for motor vehicles, engines, and fuels, as well as the development of automotive technology.

  17. Reform of Budgeting for Acquisition: Lessons from Private Sector Capital Budgeting for the Department of Defense

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-04-30

    Åèìáëáíáçå= oÉëÉ~êÅÜ=póãéçëáìã= REFORM OF BUDGETING FOR ACQUISITION: LESSONS FROM PRIVATE SECTOR CAPITAL BUDGETING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Reform of Budgeting for Acquisition: Lessons from Private Sector Capital Budgeting for the Department of Defense 5a. CONTRACT...Reform of Budgeting for Acquisition: Lessons from Private Sector Capital Budgeting for the Department of Defense Presenter: Jerry McCaffery, PhD, serves

  18. Simulating avian species and foraging group responses to fuel reduction treatments in coniferous forests

    Treesearch

    Angela M. White; Elise F. Zipkin; Patricia N. Manley; Matthew D. Schlesinger

    2013-01-01

    Over a century of fire suppression activities have altered the structure and composition of mixed conifer forests throughout the western United States. In the absence of fire, fuels have accumulated in these forests causing concerns over the potential for catastrophic wildfires. Fuel reduction treatments are being used on federal and state lands to reduce the threat of...

  19. Treatment Programs in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network

    PubMed Central

    McCarty, Dennis; Fuller, Bret; Kaskutas, Lee Ann; Wendt, William W.; Nunes, Edward V.; Miller, Michael; Forman, Robert; Magruder, Kathryn M.; Arfken, Cynthia; Copersino, Marc; Floyd, Anthony; Sindelar, Jody; Edmundson, Eldon

    2008-01-01

    Drug abuse treatment programs and university-based research centers collaborate to test emerging therapies for alcohol and drug disorders in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Programs participating in the CTN completed organizational (n = 106 of 112; 95% response rate) and treatment unit surveys (n = 348 of 384; 91% response rate) to describe the levels of care, ancillary services, patient demographics, patient drug use and co-occurring conditions. Analyses describe the corporations participating in the CTN and provide an exploratory assessment of variation in treatment philosophies. A diversity of treatment centers participate in the CTN; not for profit organizations with a primary mission of treating alcohol and drug disorders dominate. Compared to N-SSATS (National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services), programs located in medical settings are over-represented and centers that are mental health clinics are under-represented. Outpatient, methadone, long-term residential and inpatient treatment units differed on patients served and services proved. Larger programs with higher counselor caseloads in residential settings reported more social model characteristics. Programs with higher social model scores were more likely to offer self-help meetings, vocational services and specialized services for women. Conversely, programs with accreditation had less social model influence. The CTN is an ambitious effort to engage community-based treatment organizations into research and more fully integrate research and practice. PMID:17875368

  20. Neutron Focusing Mirrors for Neutron Radiography of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel at Idaho National Laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rai, Durgesh K.; Wu, Huarui; Abir, Muhammad; Giglio, Jeffrey; Khaykovich, Boris

    Post irradiation examination (PIE) of samples irradiated in nuclear reactors is a challenging but necessary task for the development on novel nuclear power reactors. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has neutron radiography capabilities, which are especially useful for the PIE of irradiated nuclear fuel. These capabilities are limited due to the extremely high gamma-ray radiation from the irradiated fuel, which precludes the use of standard digital detectors, in turn limiting the ability to do tomography and driving the cost of the measurements. In addition, the small 250 kW Neutron Radiography Reactor (NRAD) provides a relatively weak neutron flux, which leads to low signal-to-noise ratio. In this work, we develop neutron focusing optics suitable for the installation at NRAD. The optics would separate the sample and the detector, potentially allowing for the use of digital radiography detectors, and would provide significant intensity enhancement as well. The optics consist of several coaxial nested Wolter mirrors and is suited for polychromatic thermal neutron radiation. Laboratory Directed Research and Development program of Idaho National Laboratory.

  1. Long-term effects of fuel treatments on aboveground biomass accumulation in ponderosa pine forests of the northern Rocky Mountains

    Treesearch

    Kate A. Clyatt; Christopher R. Keyes; Sharon M. Hood

    2017-01-01

    Fuel treatments in ponderosa pine forests of the northern Rocky Mountains are commonly used to modify fire behavior, but it is unclear how different fuel treatments impact the subsequent production and distribution of aboveground biomass, especially in the long term. This research evaluated aboveground biomass responses 23 years after treatment in two silvicultural...

  2. Strategic Placement of Treatments (SPOTS): Maximizing the Effectiveness of Fuel and Vegetation Treatments on Problem Fire Behavior and Effects

    Treesearch

    Diane M. Gercke; Susan A. Stewart

    2006-01-01

    In 2005, eight U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management interdisciplinary teams participated in a test of strategic placement of treatments (SPOTS) techniques to maximize the effectiveness of fuel treatments in reducing problem fire behavior, adverse fire effects, and suppression costs. This interagency approach to standardizing the assessment of risks and...

  3. The relationship between budget allocated and budget utilized of faculties in an academic institution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aziz, Wan Noor Hayatie Wan Abdul; Aziz, Rossidah Wan Abdul; Shuib, Adibah; Razi, Nor Faezah Mohamad

    2014-06-01

    Budget planning enables an organization to set priorities towards achieving certain goals and to identify the highest priorities to be accomplished with the available funds, thus allowing allocation of resources according to the set priorities and constraints. On the other hand, budget execution and monitoring enables allocated funds or resources to be utilized as planned. Our study concerns with investigating the relationship between budget allocation and budget utilization of faculties in a public university in Malaysia. The focus is on the university's operations management financial allocation and utilization based on five categories which are emolument expenditure, academic or services and supplies expenditure, maintenance expenditure, student expenditure and others expenditure. The analysis on financial allocation and utilization is performed based on yearly quarters. Data collected include three years faculties' budget allocation and budget utilization performance involving a sample of ten selected faculties of a public university in Malaysia. Results show that there are positive correlation and significant relationship between quarterly budget allocation and quarterly budget utilization. This study found that emolument give the highest contribution to the total allocation and total utilization for all quarters. This paper presents some findings based on statistical analysis conducted which include descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.

  4. Estimating the avoided fuel-reatment costs of wildfire

    Treesearch

    Geoffrey H. Donovan; Thomas C. Brown

    2008-01-01

    Although the importance of wildfire to fire-adapted ecosystems is widely recognized, wildfire management has historically placed less emphasis on the beneficial effects of wildfire. We estimate the avoided fuel treatment cost for 10 ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) stands on the Umatilla National Forest in the Pacific Northwest. Results show that...

  5. Biomass fuel use for cooking in Sri Lanka: analysis of data from national demographic health surveys.

    PubMed

    Nandasena, Sumal; Wickremasinghe, Ananda R; Sathiakumar, Nalini

    2012-12-01

    Biomass cooking fuel is the main source of indoor air pollution in the majority of households in the developing world. Sri Lanka is an island of about 20 million population with urban, rural, and estate population of 14.6%, 80.0%, and 5.4%, respectively. This study describes biomass fuel use for cooking in Sri Lanka. We analyzed data from two national Demographic Health Surveys (2000 and 2007) to identify the use and determinants of cooking fuels in Sri Lankan households. The results are based on a sample of 8,169 households in 2000 and 19,862 households in 2007. Wood was the principal cooking fuel used in 78.3% and 78.5% of households in 2000 and 2007, respectively. In 2007, 96.3% of estate sector households used firewood as compared to 84.2% in the rural and 34.6% in the urban sectors. Similar trends were noted in 2000 as well. The shift from firewood to cleaner fuels in Sri Lanka is negligible from 2000 to 2007. Improving the quality of life of the population does not necessarily predict a shift towards the use of cleaner cooking fuels in Sri Lanka. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Biomass Fuel Use for Cooking in Sri Lanka: Analysis of Data from National Demographic Health Surveys

    PubMed Central

    Nandasena, Sumal; Wickremasinghe, Ananda Rajitha; Sathiakumar, Nalini

    2011-01-01

    Background Biomass cooking fuel is the main source of indoor air pollution in the majority of households in the developing world. Sri Lanka is an island of about 20 million population with urban, rural and estate population of 14.6%, 80.0% and 5.4%, respectively. This study describes biomass fuel use for cooking in Sri Lanka. Methods We analyzed data from two national Demographic Health Surveys (2000 and 2007) to identify the use and determinants cooking fuels in Sri Lankan households. The results are based on a sample of 8,169 households in 2000 and 19,862 households in 2007. Results Wood was the principal cooking fuel used in 78.3% and 78.5% of households in 2000 and 2007, respectively. In 2007, 96.3% of estate sector households used firewood as compared to 84.2% in the rural and 34.6% in the urban sectors. Similar trends were noted in 2000 as well. Conclusions The shift from firewood to cleaner fuels in Sri Lanka is negligible from 2000 to 2007. Improving the quality of life of the population does not necessarily predict a shift towards the use of cleaner cooking fuels in Sri Lanka. PMID:22068890

  7. 13 CFR 130.460 - Budget justification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Budget justification. 130.460... CENTERS § 130.460 Budget justification. The SBDC Director, as a part of the renewal application, or the... submit to the SBA Project Officer the budget justification for the upcoming budget period. The budget...

  8. AGU testifies on NASA Budget

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simarski, Lynn Teo

    Witnesses from outside the U.S. government—including Frank Eden, representing AGU—testified about the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's budget on March 12 before the House Science Committee's subcommittee on space. One major topic of the hearing was familiar: what should NASA's top priority be, space science or human exploration of space.“Obviously this committee has a huge job of trying to set priorities—consistent with the budget restraints—that will end up giving the American taxpayer the most bang for his buck, as well as providing direction for our space program,” said F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.), the subcommittee's ranking Republican. Another recurring topic, cited by the subcommittee's new chairman, Ralph M. Hall (D-Tex.), as well as by other committee members, was how to translate NASA-developed technologies into commercial gain for the U.S. in the global marketplace. Hall and others also posed a number of questions on a topic the chairman called a special concern of his: whether it would be economically and scientifically plausible for the U.S. to use the Soviet space station Mir for certain activities, such as medical applications.

  9. Reductions of budgets, staffing, and programs among local health departments: results from NACCHO's economic surveillance surveys, 2009-2013.

    PubMed

    Ye, Jiali; Leep, Carolyn; Newman, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    To provide an overview of budget cuts, job losses, and program reductions among local health departments (LHDs) and to examine the association between LHD infrastructure characteristics and the likelihood of budget cuts. Data from 4 waves of the economic surveillance survey (July-August 2009, September-November 2010, January-February 2012, and January-March 2013) conducted by the National Association of County & City Health Officials were analyzed to assess cuts to budgets, jobs, and programs since 2009. Data from the 2013 National Profile of Local Health Departments survey were used to assess the infrastructural characteristics associated with budget cuts. When asked in early 2013, more than a quarter of LHDs (26.9%) reported a reduced budget, continuing the trend of a substantial proportion of LHDs experiencing financial hardship in recent years. The percentages of LHDs that made cuts to programmatic areas fluctuated from year to year but have never been lower than 40%. Maternal and child health services were among areas most often cut during all 4 time points of the survey. Governance type, total expenditures, and percentage of revenues from local sources were significantly associated with LHD budget cuts. Cuts in LHD budgets, staff, and activities have been widespread for a period that lasted long after the official end of the Great Recession. There is a great need for substantive and consistent funding to ensure the retention of the workforce and the delivery of essential public health services.

  10. Electrometallurgical treatment demonstration at ANL-West

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goff, K. M.; Benedict, R. W.; Johnson, S. G.

    2000-03-20

    Electrometallurgical treatment (EMT) was developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to ready sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel for geological disposal. A demonstration of this technology was successfully completed in August 1999. EMT was used to condition irradiated EBR-II driver and blanket fuel at ANL-West. The results of this demonstration, including the production of radioactive high-level waste forms, are presented.

  11. A strategic assessment of forest biomass and fuel reduction treatments in western states

    Treesearch

    Bob Rummer; Jeff Prestemon; Dennis May; Pat Miles; John Vissage; Ron McRoberts; Greg Liknes; Wayne D. Shepperd; Dennis Ferguson; William Elliot; Sue Miller; Steve Reutebuch; Jamie Barbour; Jeremy Fried; Bryce Stokes; Edward Bilek; Ken Skog

    2003-01-01

    In the 15 western states there are at least 28 million acres of forest that could benefit from some type of mechanical treatment to reduce hazardous fuel loading. It is estimated that about 60 percent of this area could be operationally accessible for treatment with a total biomass treatment volume of 345 million bone dry tons (bdt). Two-thirds of this forest area is...

  12. Fuel treatment prescriptions alter spatial patterns of fire severity around the wildland-urban interface during the Wallow Fire, Arizona, USA

    Treesearch

    Maureen C. Kennedy; Morris C. Johnson

    2014-01-01

    Fuel reduction treatments are implemented in the forest surrounding the wildland–urban interface (WUI) to provide defensible space and safe opportunity for the protection of homes during a wildfire. The 2011 Wallow Fire in Arizona USA burned through recently implemented fuel treatments in the wildland surrounding residential communities in the WUI, and those fuel...

  13. Public Budgeting: The Compromises Among the Sound Budgeting Principles in Contingency Funding

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-01

    sound decisions (including the full financial costs and benefits of the budget decisions, and the impacts thereof) and be made accessible to all...is also seen when all relevant data and costs projections result, in a timely manner, in a budget document that is accessible by the public . A medium...include all relevant data and costs projections, and makes information accessible to the public for review in a timely manner. The budget

  14. Chemical reactivity testing for the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program. Revision 2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Koester, L.W.

    This quality assurance project plan (QAPjP) summarizes requirements used by Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Incorporated (LMES) Development Division at Y-12 for conducting chemical reactivity testing of Department of Energy (DOE) owned spent nuclear fuel, sponsored by the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP). The requirements are based on the NSNFP Statement of work PRO-007 (Statement of Work for Laboratory Determination of Uranium Hydride Oxidation Reaction Kinetics.) This QAPjP will utilize the quality assurance program at Y-12, Y60-101PD, Quality Program Description, and existing implementing procedures for the most part in meeting the NSNFP Statement of Work PRO-007 requirements, exceptions will bemore » noted. The project consists of conducting three separate series of related experiments, ''Passivation of Uranium Hydride Powder With Oxygen and Water'', '''Passivation of Uranium Hydride Powder with Surface Characterization'', and ''Electrochemical Measure of Uranium Hydride Corrosion Rate''.« less

  15. SOUTH ELEVATION OF IRRADIATED FUEL STORAGE FACILITY LOCATED IN FUEL ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    SOUTH ELEVATION OF IRRADIATED FUEL STORAGE FACILITY LOCATED IN FUEL STORAGE BUILDING (CPP-603). PHOTO TAKEN LOOKING NORTH. INL PHOTO NUMBER HD-54-15-2. Mike Crane, Photographer, 8/2005 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, Fuel Reprocessing Complex, Scoville, Butte County, ID

  16. NORTH ELEVATION OF IRRADIATED FUEL STORAGE FACILITY LOCATED IN FUEL ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    NORTH ELEVATION OF IRRADIATED FUEL STORAGE FACILITY LOCATED IN FUEL STORAGE BUILDING (CPP-603). PHOTO TAKEN LOOKING SOUTH. INL PHOTO NUMBER HD-54-16-1. Mike Crane, Photographer, 8/2005 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, Fuel Reprocessing Complex, Scoville, Butte County, ID

  17. DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT RESEARCH AT SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rigali, Mark J.; Miller, James E.; Altman, Susan J.

    Water is the backbone of our economy - safe and adequate supplies of water are vital for agriculture, industry, recreation, and human consumption. While our supply of water today is largely safe and adequate, we as a nation face increasing water supply challenges in the form of extended droughts, demand growth due to population increase, more stringent health-based regulation, and competing demands from a variety of users. To meet these challenges in the coming decades, water treatment technologies, including desalination, will contribute substantially to ensuring a safe, sustainable, affordable, and adequate water supply for the United States. This overview documentsmore » Sandia National Laboratories' (SNL, or Sandia) Water Treatment Program which focused on the development and demonstration of advanced water purification technologies as part of the larger Sandia Water Initiative. Projects under the Water Treatment Program include: (1) the development of desalination research roadmaps (2) our efforts to accelerate the commercialization of new desalination and water treatment technologies (known as the 'Jump-Start Program),' (3) long range (high risk, early stage) desalination research (known as the 'Long Range Research Program'), (4) treatment research projects under the Joint Water Reuse & Desalination Task Force, (5) the Arsenic Water Technology Partnership Program, (6) water treatment projects funded under the New Mexico Small Business Administration, (7) water treatment projects for the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), (8) Sandia- developed contaminant-selective treatment technologies, and finally (9) current Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) funded desalination projects.« less

  18. Mulching fuels treatments promote understory plant communities in three Colorado, USA, coniferous forest types

    Treesearch

    Paula J. Fornwalt; Monique E. Rocca; Michael Battaglia; Charles C. Rhoades; Michael G. Ryan

    2017-01-01

    Mulching fuels treatments have been increasingly implemented by forest managers in the western USA to reduce crown fire hazard. These treatments use heavy machinery to masticate or chip unwanted shrubs and small-diameter trees and broadcast the mulched material on the ground. Because mulching treatments are relatively novel and have no natural analog, their ecological...

  19. Checklist for transition to new highway fuel(s).

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Risch, C.; Santini, D.J.

    2011-12-15

    Transportation is vital to the U.S. economy and society. As such, U.S. Presidents have repeatedly stated that the nation needs to reduce dependence on petroleum, especially for the highway transportation sector. Throughout history, highway transportation fuel transitions have been completed successfully both in United States and abroad. Other attempts have failed, as described in Appendix A: Historical Highway Fuel Transitions. Planning for a transition is critical because the changes can affect our nation's ability to compete in the world market. A transition will take many years to complete. While it is tempting to make quick decisions about the new fuel(s)more » of choice, it is preferable and necessary to analyze all the pertinent criteria to ensure that correct decisions are made. Doing so will reduce the number of changes in highway fuel(s). Obviously, changes may become necessary because of occurrences such as significant technology breakthroughs or major world events. With any and all of the possible transitions to new fuel(s), the total replacement of gasoline and diesel fuels is not expected. These conventional fuels are envisioned to coexist with the new fuel(s) for decades, while the revised fuel and vehicle infrastructures are implemented. The transition process must analyze the needs of the primary 'players,' which consist of the customers, the government, the fuel industry, and the automotive industry. To maximize the probability of future successes, the prime considerations of these groups must be addressed. Section 2 presents a succinct outline of the Checklist. Section 3 provides a brief discussion about the groupings on the Checklist.« less

  20. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; forest structure and fire hazard fact sheet 01: forest structure and fire hazard overview

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2004-01-01

    Many managers and policymakers guided by the National Environmental Policy Act process want to understand the scientific principles on which they can base fuel treatments for reducing the size and severity of wildfires. These Forest Structure and Fire Hazard fact sheets discuss how to estimate fire hazard, how to visualize fuel treatments, and how the role of...

  1. Net mitigation potential of straw return to Chinese cropland: estimation with a full greenhouse gas budget model.

    PubMed

    Lu, Fei; Wang, Xiaoke; Han, Bing; Ouyang, Zhiyun; Duan, Xiaonan; Zheng, Hua

    2010-04-01

    Based on the carbon-nitrogen cycles and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and emission processes related to straw return and burning, a compound greenhouse gas budget model, the "Straw Return and Burning Model" (SRBM), was constructed to estimate the net mitigation potential of straw return to the soil in China. As a full GHG budget model, the SRBM addressed the following five processes: (1) soil carbon sequestration, (2) mitigation of synthetic N fertilizer substitution, (3) methane emission from rice paddies, (4) additional fossil fuel use for straw return, and (5) CH4 and N2O emissions from straw burning in the fields. Two comparable scenarios were created to reflect different degrees of implementation for straw return and straw burning. With GHG emissions and mitigation effects of the five processes converted into global warming potential (GWP), the net GHG mitigation was estimated. We concluded that (1) when the full greenhouse gas budget is considered, the net mitigation potential of straw return differs from that when soil carbon sequestration is considered alone; (2) implementation of straw return across a larger area of cropland in 10 provinces (i.e., Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan) will increase net GHG emission; (3) if straw return is promoted as a feasible mitigation measure in the remaining provinces, the total net mitigation potential before soil organic carbon (SOC) saturation will be 71.89 Tg CO2 equivalent (eqv)/yr, which is equivalent to 1.733% of the annual carbon emission from fossil fuel use in China in 2003; (4) after SOC saturation, only 13 of 21 provinces retain a relatively small but permanent net mitigation potential, while in the others the net GHG mitigation potential will gradually diminish; and (5) the major obstacle to the feasibility or permanence of straw return as a mitigation measure is the increased CH4 emission from rice paddies. The paper also suggests that comparable

  2. FTM-West : fuel treatment market model for U.S. West

    Treesearch

    Peter J. Ince; Andrew Kramp; Henry Spelter; Ken Skog; Dennis Dykstra

    2006-01-01

    This paper presents FTM–West, a partial market equilibrium model designed to project future wood market impacts of significantly expanded fuel treatment programs that could remove trees to reduce fire hazard on forestlands in the U.S. West. FTM–West was designed to account for structural complexities in marketing and utilization that arise from unconventional size...

  3. Evaluating wildland fire danger and prioritizing vegetation and fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    Paul F. Hessburg; Keith M. Reynolds; Robert E. Keane; Kevin M. James; R. Brion Salter

    2010-01-01

    We present a prototype decision support system for evaluating wild-land fire danger and prioritizing subwatersheds for vegetation and fuels treatment. We demonstrate the use of the system with an example from the Rocky Mountain region in the State of Utah, which represents a planning area of about 4.8 million ha and encompasses 575 complete subwatersheds. In a logic...

  4. Evaluating wildland fire danger and prioritizing vegetation and fuels treatments

    Treesearch

    Paul F. Hessburg; Keith M. Reynolds; Robert E. Keane; Kevin M. James; R. Brion Salter

    2008-01-01

    We present a decision-support application that evaluates danger of severe wildland fire and prioritizes subwatersheds for vegetation and fuels treatment. We demonstrate the use of the system with an example from the Rocky Mountain region in Utah; a planning area of 4.8 million ha encompassing 575 subwatersheds. In a logic model, we evaluate fire danger as a function of...

  5. The National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study: Retention Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orwin, Rob; Williams, Valerie

    This study focuses on programmatic factors that predict retention for individuals in drug and alcohol treatment programs through secondary analysis of data from the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES). It addresses the relationships between completion rates, lengths of stay, and treatment modality. It examines the effect of…

  6. Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; forest structure and fire hazard fact sheet 06: Guide to fuel treatments in dry forests of the Western United States: assessing forest structure and fire hazard

    Treesearch

    Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

    2005-01-01

    The Guide to Fuel Treatments analyzes a range of potential silvicultural thinnings and surface fuel treatments for 25 representative dry-forest stands in the Western United States. The guide provides quantitative guidelines and visualization for treatment based on scientific principles identified for reducing potential crown fires. This fact sheet identifies the...

  7. Sustainable wastewater treatment: how might microbial fuel cells contribute.

    PubMed

    Oh, Sung T; Kim, Jung Rae; Premier, Giuliano C; Lee, Tae Ho; Kim, Changwon; Sloan, William T

    2010-01-01

    The need for cost-effective low-energy wastewater treatment has never been greater. Clean water for our expanding and predominantly urban global population will be expensive to deliver, eats into our diminishing carbon-based energy reserves and consequently contributes to green house gases in the atmosphere and climate change. Thus every potential cost and energy cutting measure for wastewater treatment should be explored. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) could potentially yield such savings but, to achieve this, requires significant advances in our understanding in a few critical areas and in our designs of the overall systems. Here we review the research which might accelerate our progress towards sustainable wastewater treatment using MFCs: system control and modelling and the understanding of the ecology of the microbial communities that catalyse the generation of electricity. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Proposed Budget for U.S. Geological Survey: A Mixed Bag of Increases and Cuts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Showstack, Randy

    2011-03-01

    Under the Obama administration's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) would receive $1.1 billion, a scant $6.1 million more than the 2010 enacted budget. Within the agency, which is part of the Department of the Interior (DOI), some key initiatives slated for new or increased funding include the National Land Imaging Program, the USGS portion of the America's Great Outdoors Initiative, and DOI Climate Science Centers. However, the request also includes $89.1 million in program reductions and the elimination of some programs. With Congress currently considering a budget continuing resolution to fund the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year, 2011, USGS faces possible additional cuts.

  9. Budget goal commitment, clinical managers' use of budget information and performance.

    PubMed

    Macinati, Manuela S; Rizzo, Marco G

    2014-08-01

    Despite the importance placed on accounting as a means to influence performance in public healthcare, there is still a lot to be learned about the role of management accounting in clinical managers' work behavior and their link with organizational performance. The article aims at analyzing the motivational role of budgetary participation and the intervening role of individuals' mental states and behaviors in influencing the relationship between budgetary participation and performance. According to the goal-setting theory, SEM technique was used to test the relationships among variables. The data were collected by a survey conducted in an Italian hospital. The results show that: (i) budgetary participation does not directly influence the use of budget information, but the latter is encouraged by the level of budget goal commitment which, as a result, is influenced by the positive motivational consequences of participative budgeting; (ii) budget goal commitment does not directly influence performance, but the relationship is mediated by the use of budget information. This study contributes to health policy and management accounting literature and has significant policy implications. Mainly, the findings prove that the introduction of business-like techniques in the healthcare sector can improve performance if attitudinal and behavioral variables are adequately stimulated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Interim Budget Plan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Student Financial Assistance (ED), Washington, DC.

    This report provides the interim budget plan of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) for fiscal year 2000. It reviews factors influencing OSFA's budget request, including legislative requirements, recent accomplishments, the need to maintain both the Direct Loan and Federal Family Education Loan…

  11. Beyond carbon budgets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peters, Glen P.

    2018-06-01

    The remaining carbon budget consistent with limiting warming to 1.5 °C allows 20 more years of current emissions according to one study, but is already exhausted according to another. Both are defensible. We need to move on from a unique carbon budget, and face the nuances.

  12. Budget Impact of Introducing Linagliptin into Bosnia and Herzegovina Health Insurance Drug Reimbursement List in 2016-2018.

    PubMed

    Catic, Tarik; Lekic, Lana; Zah, Vlad; Tabakovic, Vedad

    2017-09-01

    Diabetes is reaching epidemiological scales worldwide. Beside health implications diabetes bears significant financial impact on health systems. Different treatment options aiming to prevent diabetes complications are available. Dipeptidyl-peptidase-IV (DPP-4) inhibitors like linagliptin are usually add-on therapy to metformin in order to achieve glycemic control. Expenditure for oral antidiabetic medicines in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is low accounting for only 2.53% of the total drug market expenditure. Linagliptin is not reimbursed in B&H mainly due to it's perception of high cost medication. To assess budget impact (BI) of introducing linagliptin into health insurance reimbursement list in B&H through development of the budget impact model (BIM). Budget impact model was developed using Microsoft Excel 2010 based on current legislation and practice in B&H. Local epidemiology data and data on drug consumption from government reports in 2014 were used. Two scenarios with three-year time horizon have been developed: 1) without and 2) with linagliptin reimbursed and compared. Inclusion of linagliptin into reimbursement list in Canton Sarajevo and Canton Tuzla would have positive budget impact on national level of B&H resulting in total savings of 18,194€, 235,570€ and 699,472€, in 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. Introduction of linagliptin into reimbursement list would decrease total costs for DPP-4 inhibitors and is favorable for positive decision on reimbursement in B&H. Applying BIM in decision making would assure better allocation and planning of resources at any region or administrative level in B&H.

  13. Region-wide ecological responses of arid Wyoming big sagebrush communities to fuel treatments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pyke, David A.; Shaff, Scott E.; Lindgren, Andrew I.; Schupp, Eugene W.; Doescher, Paul S.; Chambers, Jeanne C.; Burnham, Jeffrey S.; Huso, Manuela M.

    2014-01-01

    If arid sagebrush ecosystems lack resilience to disturbances or resistance to annual invasives, then alternative successional states dominated by annual invasives, especially cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), are likely after fuel treatments. We identified six Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young) locations (152–381 mm precipitation) that we believed had sufficient resilience and resistance for recovery. We examined impacts of woody fuel reduction (fire, mowing, the herbicide tebuthiuron, and untreated controls, all with and without the herbicide imazapic) on short-term dominance of plant groups and on important land health parameters with the use of analysis of variance (ANOVA). Fire and mowing reduced woody biomass at least 85% for 3 yr, but herbaceous fuels were reduced only by fire (72%) and only in the first year. Herbaceous fuels produced at least 36% more biomass with mowing than untreated areas during posttreatment years. Imazapic only reduced herbaceous biomass after fires (34%). Tebuthiuron never affected herbaceous biomass. Perennial tall grass cover was reduced by 59% relative to untreated controls in the first year after fire, but it recovered by the second year. Cover of all remaining herbaceous groups was not changed by woody fuel treatments. Only imazapic reduced significantly herbaceous cover. Cheatgrass cover was reduced at least 63% with imazapic for 3 yr. Imazapic reduced annual forb cover by at least 45%, and unexpectedly, perennial grass cover by 49% (combination of tall grasses and Sandberg bluegrass [Poa secunda J. Presl.]). Fire reduced density of Sandberg bluegrass between 40% and 58%, decreased lichen and moss cover between 69% and 80%, and consequently increased bare ground between 21% and 34% and proportion of gaps among perennial plants > 2 m (at least 28% during the 3 yr). Fire, mowing, and imazapic may be effective in reducing fuels for 3 yr, but each has potentially undesirable consequences

  14. Budget process bottlenecks for immunization financing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

    PubMed

    Le Gargasson, Jean-Bernard; Mibulumukini, Benoît; Gessner, Bradford D; Colombini, Anaïs

    2014-02-19

    In Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the availability of domestic resources for the immunization program is limited and relies mostly on external donor support. DRC has introduced a series of reforms to move the country toward performance-based management and program budgets. The objectives of the study were to: (i) describe the budget process norm, (ii) analyze the budget process in practice and associated bottlenecks at each of its phases, and (iii) collect suggestions made by the actors involved to improve the situation. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through: a review of published and gray literature, and individual interviews. Bottlenecks in the budget process and disbursement of funds for immunization are one of the causes of limited domestic resources for the program. Critical bottlenecks include: excessive use of off-budget procedures; limited human resources and capacity; lack of motivation; interference from ministries with the standard budget process; dependency toward the development partner's disbursements schedule; and lack of budget implementation tracking. Results show that the health sector's mobilization rate was 59% in 2011. For the credit line specific to immunization program activities, the mobilization rate for the national Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) was 26% in 2011 and 43% for vaccines (2010). The main bottleneck for the EPI budget line (2011) and vaccine budget line (2011) occurs at the authorization phase. Budget process bottlenecks identified in the analysis lead to a low mobilization rate for the immunization program. The bottlenecks identified show that a poor flow of funds causes an insufficient percentage of already allocated resources to reach various health system levels. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Model Error Budgets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Briggs, Hugh C.

    2008-01-01

    An error budget is a commonly used tool in design of complex aerospace systems. It represents system performance requirements in terms of allowable errors and flows these down through a hierarchical structure to lower assemblies and components. The requirements may simply be 'allocated' based upon heuristics or experience, or they may be designed through use of physics-based models. This paper presents a basis for developing an error budget for models of the system, as opposed to the system itself. The need for model error budgets arises when system models are a principle design agent as is increasingly more common for poorly testable high performance space systems.

  16. Decision support tools to improve the effectiveness of hazardous fuel reduction treatments in the New Jersey Pine Barrens

    Treesearch

    Kenneth L. Clark; Nicholas Skowronski; John Hom; Matthew Duveneck; Yude Pan; Stephen Van Tuyl; Jason Cole; Matthew Patterson; Stephen Maurer

    2009-01-01

    Our goal is to assist the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and federal wildland fire managers in the New Jersey Pine Barrens evaluate where and when to conduct hazardous fuel reduction treatments. We used remotely sensed LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging System) data and field sampling to estimate fuel loads and consumption during prescribed fire treatments. This...

  17. Protecting the source: Tools to evaluate fuel treatment cost vs. water quality protection

    Treesearch

    Brian Cooke; William Elliot; Mary Ellen Miller; Mark Finney; Matthew Thompson

    2016-01-01

    High-intensity wildfires are one of the leading causes of severe soil erosion in western U.S. watersheds. This erosion can lead to disruptive deposits of sediment in reservoirs and water supply systems. Fuel treatments such as controlled burns and forest thinning can reduce wildfire intensity and help preserve topsoil. But while these treatments are generally...

  18. 75 FR 44936 - Ochoco National Forest, Lookout Mountain Ranger District; Oregon; Howard Elliot Johnson Fuels and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-30

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Ochoco National Forest, Lookout Mountain Ranger District; Oregon; Howard Elliot Johnson Fuels and Vegetation Management Project EIS Correction In notice document 2010-17803 beginning on page 43138 in the issue of Friday, July 23, 2010 make the following correction...

  19. Global carbon budget 2013

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le Quéré, C.; Peters, G. P.; Andres, R. J.; Andrew, R. M.; Boden, T. A.; Ciais, P.; Friedlingstein, P.; Houghton, R. A.; Marland, G.; Moriarty, R.; Sitch, S.; Tans, P.; Arneth, A.; Arvanitis, A.; Bakker, D. C. E.; Bopp, L.; Canadell, J. G.; Chini, L. P.; Doney, S. C.; Harper, A.; Harris, I.; House, J. I.; Jain, A. K.; Jones, S. D.; Kato, E.; Keeling, R. F.; Klein Goldewijk, K.; Körtzinger, A.; Koven, C.; Lefèvre, N.; Maignan, F.; Omar, A.; Ono, T.; Park, G.-H.; Pfeil, B.; Poulter, B.; Raupach, M. R.; Regnier, P.; Rödenbeck, C.; Saito, S.; Schwinger, J.; Segschneider, J.; Stocker, B. D.; Takahashi, T.; Tilbrook, B.; van Heuven, S.; Viovy, N.; Wanninkhof, R.; Wiltshire, A.; Zaehle, S.

    2014-06-01

    Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and a methodology to quantify all major components of the global carbon budget, including their uncertainties, based on the combination of a range of data, algorithms, statistics and model estimates and their interpretation by a broad scientific community. We discuss changes compared to previous estimates, consistency within and among components, alongside methodology and data limitations. CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel combustion and cement production (EFF) are based on energy statistics, while emissions from land-use change (ELUC), mainly deforestation, are based on combined evidence from land-cover change data, fire activity associated with deforestation, and models. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth (GATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The mean ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) is based on observations from the 1990s, while the annual anomalies and trends are estimated with ocean models. The variability in SOCEAN is evaluated for the first time in this budget with data products based on surveys of ocean CO2 measurements. The global residual terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) is estimated by the difference of the other terms of the global carbon budget and compared to results of independent dynamic global vegetation models forced by observed climate, CO2 and land cover change (some including nitrogen-carbon interactions). All uncertainties are reported as ±1σ, reflecting the current capacity to characterise the annual estimates of each component of the global carbon budget. For the last decade available (2003-2012), EFF was 8.6 ± 0.4 GtC yr-1, ELUC 0.9 ± 0.5 GtC yr-1, GATM 4.3 ± 0.1 GtC yr-1

  20. A strategic assessment of forest biomass and fuel reduction treatments in Western States

    Treesearch

    USDA Forest Service; Bob Rummer; Jeff Prestemon; Dennis May; Pat Miles; John Vissage; Ron McRoberts; Greg Liknes; Wayne D. Shepperd; Dennis Ferguson; William Elliot; Sue Miller; Steve Reutebuch; Jamie Barbour; Jeremy Fried; Bryce Stokes; Edward Bilek; Ken Skog

    2005-01-01

    This assessment characterizes, at a regional scale, forest biomass that can potentially be removed to implement the fuel reduction and ecosystem restoration objectives of the National Fire Plan for the Western United States. The assessment area covers forests on both public and private ownerships in the region and describes all standing tree volume including stems,...