U.S. Geological Survey Report Released: Toxicity, sublethal effects, and potential modes of action of select fungicides on freshwater fish and invertebrates

Today, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report, titled Toxicity, sublethal effects, and potential modes of action of select fungicides on freshwater fish and invertebrates, Open-File Rep. 2012-1213.  According to the abstract for the 49 page report, available here,

[d]espite decades of agricultural and urban use of fungicides and widespread detection of these pesticides in surface waters, relatively few data are available on the effects of fungicides on fish and invertebrates in the aquatic environment. Nine fungicides are reviewed in this report: azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorothalonil, fludioxonil, myclobutanil, fenarimol, pyraclostrobin, pyrimethanil, and zoxamide. These fungicides were identified as emerging chemicals of concern because of their high or increasing global use rates, detection frequency in surface waters, or likely persistence in the environment. A review of the literature revealed significant sublethal effects of fungicides on fish, aquatic invertebrates, and ecosystems, including zooplankton and fish reproduction, fish immune function, zooplankton community composition, metabolic enzymes, and ecosystem processes, such as leaf decomposition in streams, among other biological effects. Some of these effects can occur at fungicide concentrations well below single-species acute lethality values (48- or 96-hour concentration that effects a response in 50 percent of the organisms, that is, effective concentration killing 50 percent of the organisms in 48 or 96 hours) and chronic sublethal values (for example, 21-day no observed adverse effects concentration), indicating that single-species toxicity values may dramatically underestimate the toxic potency of some fungicides. Fungicide modes of toxic action in fungi can sometimes reflect the biochemical and (or) physiological effects of fungicides observed in vertebrates and invertebrates; however, far more studies are needed to explore the potential to predict effects in nontarget organisms based on specific fungicide modes of toxic action. Fungicides can also have additive and (or) synergistic effects when used with other fungicides and insecticides, highlighting the need to study pesticide mixtures that occur in surface waters. For fungicides that partition to organic matter in sediment and soils, it is particularly important to determine their effects on freshwater mussels and other freshwater benthic invertebrates in contact with sediments, as available toxicity studies with pelagic species, mainly Daphnia magna, may not be representative of these benthic organisms. Finally, there is a critical need for studies of the chronic effects of fungicides on reproduction, immunocompetence, and ecosystem function; sublethal endpoints with population and community-level relevance.

U.S. Geological Survey Report Released: A history of Herpetologists and Herpetology in the U.S. Department of the Interior

Today the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a unique environmental history monograph titled A history of Herpetologists and Herpetology in the U.S. Department of the Interior (2012) (available here).  According to the abstract,

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has a long and distinguished history of employing herpetologists to conduct basic and applied research to better manage amphibian and reptile populations on public lands and even outside the boundaries of the United States. This history extends back over 125 years with roots in the U.S. Biological Survey, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and later, the National Biological Service. In more recent times, the DOI employed more professional herpetologists than any single organization in the world, especially in the U.S. Geological Survey. In 1938, Henry Fitch was the first Interior scientist hired who conducted substantial herpetological research. William and Lucille Stickel of the Fish and Wildlife Service conducted herpetological research throughout the period from the 1940s-1980s but most DOI herpetologists were hired from 1975-80 with another hiring spike from 2000-2005. The former spike was congruent with early versions of the Endangered Species Act while the latter reflected growing recognition of global amphibian decline and the creation of the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative in DOI. Collectively, these herpetologists produced hundreds of books, scientific publications and other scholarly publications, many of which are classics in the literature. In addition, many have served as officers and on the boards of numerous scientific societies particularly those specializing in amphibian and reptile research. The DOI shows a continuing commitment to funding herpetological research by hiring young scientists to replace the aging ranks of herpetologists who started their careers in the 1970s. This commitment is critical given the global decline of both amphibians and reptiles, including those found on public lands in the United States.

National Academy of Sciences Report Released: Assessment of Agent Monitoring Strategies for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants

This week, the National Academies Press (NAP) released a report produced by the Committee on Assessment of Agent Monitoring Strategies for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants; Board on Army Science and Technology; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; and the National Research Council titled, Assessment of Agent Monitoring Strategies for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants (2012). The 171 page report is available free for download (with registration). According to the description, 

January 2012 saw the completion of the U.S. Army's Chemical Materials Agency's (CMA's) task to destroy 90 percent of the nation's stockpile of chemical weapons. CMA completed destruction of the chemical agents and associated weapons deployed overseas, which were transported to Johnston Atoll, southwest of Hawaii, and demilitarized there. The remaining 10 percent of the nation's chemical weapons stockpile is stored at two continental U.S. depots, in Lexington, Kentucky, and Pueblo, Colorado. Their destruction has been assigned to a separate U.S. Army organization, the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (ACWA) Element.

ACWA is currently constructing the last two chemical weapons disposal facilities, the Pueblo and Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants (denoted PCAPP and BGCAPP), with weapons destruction activities scheduled to start in 2015 and 2020, respectively. ACWA is charged with destroying the mustard agent stockpile at Pueblo and the nerve and mustard agent stockpile at Blue Grass without using the multiple incinerators and furnaces used at the five CMA demilitarization plants that dealt with assembled chemical weapons - munitions containing both chemical agents and explosive/propulsive components. The two ACWA demilitarization facilities are congressionally mandated to employ noncombustion-based chemical neutralization processes to destroy chemical agents.

In order to safely operate its disposal plants, CMA developed methods and procedures to monitor chemical agent contamination of both secondary waste materials and plant structural components. ACWA currently plans to adopt these methods and procedures for use at these facilities. The Assessment of Agent Monitoring Strategies for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants report also develops and describes a half-dozen scenarios involving prospective ACWA secondary waste characterization, process equipment maintenance and changeover activities, and closure agent decontamination challenges, where direct, real-time agent contamination measurements on surfaces or in porous bulk materials might allow more efficient and possibly safer operations if suitable analytical technology is available and affordable.

National Academy of Sciences Report Released: Sustainability Considerations for Procurement Tools and Capabilities: Summary of a Workshop

This week, the National Academies Press (NAP) released a report produced by the Committee on Fostering Sustainability Considerations into Public and Private Sector Procurement Tools and Capabilities; Science and Technology for Sustainability Program; Policy and Global Affairs; Computer Science and Telecommunications Board; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; and the National Research Council titled, Sustainability Considerations for Procurement Tools and Capabilities: Summary of a Workshop (2012). The 72 page report is available free for download (with registration). According to the description, this document was generated as a result of a

two-day workshop that explored ways to better incorporate sustainability considerations into procurement tools and capabilities across the public and private sectors. The workshop was designed to help participants assess the current landscape of green purchasing tools, identify emerging needs for enhanced or new tools and opportunities to develop them, identify potential barriers to progress, and explore potential solutions. The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to discuss challenges related to sustainable purchasing and to developing new procurement tools. Sustainability Considerations for Procurement Tools and Capabilities reviews the presenters' recommendations and tools currently used in sustainable procurement, such as databases for ecolabels and standards, codes, or regulations and other nontechnological tools such as policies, frameworks, rating systems, and product indexes.

Columbia University Center for Climate Change Law Event: The Future of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

The Future of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Monday, October 22, 2012 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Columbia Law School, Jerome Greene Hall, Room 106

The Earth Institute, the Center for Climate Change Law, the Environmental Law Institute and the Environmental Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, the Environmental Law Committee and the Energy Committee of the New York League of Conservation Voters present "The Future of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative," with
Michael B. Gerrard, Moderator, Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice; Director, Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School
Gavin J. Donahue, President & Chief Executive Officer, Independent Power Producers of New York
Ross Gould, Air & Energy Program Director, Environmental Advocates of New York
Jared Snyder, Assistant Commissioner for Air Resources, Climate Change and Energy, New York Department of Environmental Conservation
Robert N. Stavins, Albert Pratt Professor of Business and Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University;
Susan F. Tierney, Managing Principal, Analysis Group

The event is free and open to the public; seating is limited. RSVP to climatechange@law.columbia.edu

For more information on the Center for Climate Change Law visit www.law.columbia.edu/centers/climatechange

For more information on the Earth Institute visit www.earth.columbia.edu

U.S. Geological Survey Reports Released Related to Groundwater Sampling Near Pavillion, Wyoming

Today the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released two reports related to groundwater quality sampling near Pavillion, Wyoming titled Groundwater-quality and quality-control data for two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, April and May 2012, USGS Data Series: 718 (2012) (report available here) and Sampling and analysis plan for the characterization of groundwater quality in two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, USGS Open-File Report: 2012-1197 (report available here).  Both reports were prepared in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and address issues related to the first documented correlation between groundwater contamination and hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.

Related Resources

Groundwater Investigation Pavillion, EPA (last visited Sept. 27, 2012).
 
Press Release, EPA, EPA Releases Draft Findings of Pavillion, Wyoming Ground Water Investigation for Public Comment and Independent Scientific Review (Dec. 8, 2011).  
 
EPA, Draft Report Investigation of Groundwater Contamination Near Pavillion, Wyoming (2011).
 
Fractured Science – Examining EPA’s Approach to Ground Water Research: The Pavillion Analysis Before the H. Energy and Envt. Subcomm., 112th Cong. (2012).

Kirk Johnson, E.P.A. Links Tainted Water in Wyoming to Hydraulic Fracturing for Natural Gas, NY Times (Dec. 8, 2011).

U.S. Geological Survey Report Released: Fluvial transport of mercury, organic carbon, suspended sediment, and selected major ions in contrasting stream basins in South Carolina and New York, October 2004 to September 2009

Today the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report, titled Fluvial transport of mercury, organic carbon, suspended sediment, and selected major ions in contrasting stream basins in South Carolina and New York, October 2004 to September 2009, Sci. Invest'n Rep. 2012-5173.  The 140 page report available here, authored by Celeste A. Journey et al., was conducted to provide

[a] spatially extensive assessment of the environmental controls on mercury transport and bioaccumulation in stream ecosystems in New York and South Carolina was conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program and included the determination of fluvial transport of mercury and associated constituents during water years 2005–2009. (A water year extends from October of one calendar year to September of the next calendar year.) In the Coastal Plain region of South Carolina, the study area included the Edisto River and its headwater tributary, McTier Creek. In the Adirondack region of New York, the study area included the upper Hudson River and its headwater tributary, Fishing Brook. Median concentrations of filtered total mercury rangedfrom 1.55 nanograms per liter (ng/L) at the Hudson River site to 2.77 ng/L at the Edisto River site. The Edisto River site had the greatest median filtered methylmercury concentration, at 0.32 ng/L, and the Hudson River site had the least median filtered methylmercury concentration, at 0.07 ng/L.

The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy presents: The Policy Workshop Webinar Series: Emerging Issues in Shale Gas Development

The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy presents:     The Policy Workshop Webinar Series: Emerging Issues in Shale Gas Development   Environmental Implications of Shale-Gas Development: Frack versus Fiction Wednesday, October 10, 2012 | 4:00-5:00 PM EDT  Speaker: Dr. Jim Saiers, Professor of Hydrology, Yale University    Register here: https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/856567871

The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy invites you to participate in our second annual policy workshop webinar series, Emerging Issues in Shale Gas Development. Natural gas extraction generally, and shale gas extraction in particular, has become a highly charged issue as stakeholders debate its effects on environmental and public health and its role in our future energy mix. This webinar series seeks to answer important questions about extraction, the environment, and the future of energy by grounding that debate with expert speakers from a variety of disciplines.    Dr. Jim Saiers, Professor of Hydrology at Yale University, will launch the series with an overview of the environmental implications of shale gas development.   His presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience.  Presentation Abstract:  Is U.S. shale gas a blessing or a curse? In this presentation, Professor Saiers will evaluate several of the claims made by proponents and opponents of shale-gas development in light of available evidence. More generally, he will present a primer on shale gas, focusing on the effects of shale-gas extraction and its attendant activities on the environment. This primer will cover the nature and supplies of shale gas and the history of the fracking methods used to unlock this resource. Professor Saiers will, through the course of the presentation, distinguish between what is known, only suspected, and unknown, leaving you to decide whether shale gas is a blessing or a curse, if it's too early to judge, or if its future defies this either/or characterization.   About the Speaker: Professor Saiers studies the circulation of water and the movement of waterborne chemicals in surface and subsurface environments. One element of his research centers on quantifying the effects that interactions between hydrological and geochemical processes have on the migration of contaminants in groundwater. Another focus is on the dynamics of surface water and groundwater flow in wetlands and the response of fluid flow characteristics to changes in climate and water management practices. His work couples field observations and laboratory-scale experimentation with mathematical modeling.   About the Series: Hosted and sponsored by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, our second annual webinar series highlights emerging issues in shale gas development. The series is publicly available online and promoted to both domestic and international academic and policy communities, including governmental officials, think tank analysts, climate change advocates, professors, and students. The webinar format enables interested parties to access and participate in these presentations from anywhere in the world.    The series is free and open to the public.    The next presentation is scheduled for Thursday, November 8, at 12:00 PM EST. Dr. Ramón Alvarez, a senior scientist in Environmental Defense Fund's Texas office, will discuss the ongoing efforts to better quantify the methane losses associated with natural gas production. Registration is available online at  https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/790770447. For more information visit the Center website.     Follow the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy on Facebook and Twitter!        ***    To register for the October 10 event: 1. Go to https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/856567871    2. Click "Register." 3. On the registration form, enter your information and then click "Submit." Once the host approves your registration, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event.    A recording of the presentation will be posted online for public access after the event.   System Requirements: PC-based attendees Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server Mac-based attendees Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer Mobile attendees iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet

Congressional Research Service Report Released: Residential Energy Tax Credits: Overview and Analysis

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, just issued the report Residential Energy Tax Credits: Overview and Analysis (Sept. 25, 2012). The 27 page report authored by Margot L. Crandall-Hollick  and Molly F. Sherlock,

explores one policy option for promoting residential energy efficiency: tax credits. It begins by providing an overview of the current residential energy-efficiency tax credits (appendices to this report provide a more detailed legislative history). The report then goes on to provide an economic rationale for residential energy-efficiency tax incentives, introducing the concept of “market failures” and “market barriers” which may lead to suboptimal or “economically inefficient” investment in energy-efficiency technologies. That section summarizes various market failures and market barriers in the residential energy sector and outlines ways tax incentives correct them. The final sections of this report provide an economic analysis of the primary tax incentives for residential energy efficiency and briefly review various policy options.

 

Congressional Research Service Report Released: Waiver Authority Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, just issued the report Waiver Authority Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) (Sept. 25, 2012). The 9 page report authored by Brent D. Yacobucci provides "a brief overview of the RFS [renewable fuel standard] program and discusses the process and criteria for EPA to approve a waiver petition."

Congressional Research Service Report Released: Energy Policy: Election Year Issues and Legislative Proposals

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, just issued the report Energy Policy: Election Year Issues and Legislative Proposals (Sept. 24, 2012). The 12 page report authored by Carl E. Behrens discusses energy policy legislation that has been proposed in the 112th Congress as well as the differences in positions between  President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney's proposed policies.

National Academy of Sciences Report Released: The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate: A Workshop Report

This week, the National Academies Press (NAP) released a report produced by the Committee on the Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate; Space Studies Board; Division on Engineering and Physical Science; National Research Council titled, The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate: A Workshop Report (2012). The 70 page report is available free for download (with registration here).  According to the description,

On September 8-9, 2011, experts in solar physics, climate models, paleoclimatology, and atmospheric science assembled at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado for a workshop to consider the Sun's variability over time and potential Sun-climate connection.

While it does not provide findings, recommendations, or consensus on the current state of the science, The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth's Climate: A Workshop Report briefly introduces the primary topics discussed by presenters at the event. As context for these topics, the summary includes background information on the potential Sun-climate connection, the measurement record from space, and potential perturbations of climate due to long-term solar variability. This workshop report also summarizes some of the science questions explored by the participants as potential future research endeavors.

International Energy Agency Report Released: Key World Energy Statistics for 2012

Recently, the International Energy Agency released its Key World Energy Statistics for 2012.  The 80 page ready-reference, which has been published annually since 1997, provides a summary of  "data on supply, transformation and consumption of all major energy sources."  The report which is available here as a free downloadable pdf is also supposedly available as an app for iTunes, however, a quick search only revealed the 2011 version.  Previous versions of the statistical report are available below:

Reports:

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

(1997-2005 available in print)

Congressional Research Service Report Released: Clean Water Act and Pollutant Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, just issued the report Clean Water Act and Pollutant Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) (Sept. 21, 2012). The 22 page report authored by Claudia Copeland discusses the basic program in Section 303(d) of the Act as well as recent developments and challenges.  Included in this report are sections discussing nonpoint source, mercury, stormwater, ocean acidification, climate change and multi-jurisdicational TMDLs.  All-in-all an excellent overview for the novice Clean Water Act practitioner.

New Library Acquisitions - Week of September 17th

Featured Book: 

Kimberly K. Smith, Governing Animals: Animal Welfare and the Liberal State (2012). This work of political theory examines the current state of animal welfare in the U.S. through the lens of a discussion of whether or not liberal political policies can adequately address twenty-first century views of companion animals and livestock.  In her argument, the author, Kimberly Smith begins with an overview of the historical relationship between Americans and animals and continues through issues of contract, property and representation, ending with proposals for reform.

 

New Library Acquisitions:

ANIMAL LAW.

Governing animals : animal welfare and the liberal state / Kimberly K. Smith

 

AQUACULTURE.

Aquaculture production systems / editor, James H. Tidwell

 

BIODIVERSITY.

Intellectual property and biodiversity : rights to animal genetic resources / Michelangelo Temmerman

BIOFUELS.

Biological sludge minimization and biomaterials/bioenergy recovery technologies / edited by Etienne Paul, Yu Liu

 

CLEAN WATER ACT.

Clean Water Act / Joel M. Gross, Kerri L. Stelcen

 

CLIMATE CHANGE.

The law of adaptation to climate change : U.S. and international aspects / Michael B. Gerrard, Katrina F. Kuh, editers

 

Climate change and society / John Urry

 

Valuing climate change mitigation : applying state preferences in the presence of uncertainty / Sonia Akter, Jeff Bennett

 

Living in a dangerous climate : climate change and human evolution / Renée Hetherington

 

Rethinking climate change research : clean technology, culture and communication / [edited by] Pernille Almlund, Per Homann Jespersen and Søren Riis

 

An inconvenient deliberation : the precautionary principle's contribution to the uncertainties surrounding climate change liability / Miriam Haritz

 

ECONOMICS.

Environmental economics for watershed restoration / edited by Hale W. Thurston, Matthew T. Heberling, Alyse Schrecongost

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

Human rights, natural resource, and investment law in a globalised world: shades of grey in the shadow of the law / Lorenzo Cotula

FOOD & DRUGS.

Food / Jennifer Clapp

 

GENETICS.

Genetic resources and traditional knowledge : case studies and conflicting interests / edited by Tania Bubela, E. Richard Gold

 

LAND USE.

Land use planning and development regulation law / by Julian Conrad Juergensmeyer and Thomas E. Roberts

 

Land surveys : a guide for lawyers and other professionals / Mitchell G. Williams, editor

 

Development by agreement : a tool kit for land developers and local governments / David L. Callies, Cecily Talbert Barclay, Julie A. Tappendorf

 

Land use policies for sustainable development : exploring integrated assessment approaches / edited by Desmond McNeill, Ingrid Nesheim, Floor Brouwer

 

MINING.

Mine wastes : characterization, treatment and environmental impacts / Bernd G. Lottermoser

 

NANOTECHNOLOGY.

Nanotechnology law : best practices / Lorna Brazell

NATIVE AMERICAN LANDS.

Buying America from the Indians : Johnson v. McIntosh and the history of native land rights / Blake A. Watson

 

NEPA.

Environmental impact assessment in practice / Nick Harvey, Beverley Clarke

 

PHILOSOPHY.

How to think seriously about the planet : the case for an environmental conservatism / Roger Scruton

 

POLICY.

Environmental policy : new directions for the twenty-first century / edited by Norman J. Vig, Michael E. Kraft

 

Environmental decision-making in context : a toolbox / Chad J. McGuire

POPULAR CULTURE.

The case of the green turtle : an uncensored history of a conservation icon / Alison Rieser

 

RECREATION.

Colorado powder keg : ski resorts and the environmental movement / Michael W. Childers

 

RECYCLING.

E-waste management : from waste to resource / edited by Klaus Hieronymi, Ramzy Kahhat and Eric Williams

 

SCIENCE.

Geospatial techniques for managing environmental resources / edited by Jay Krishna Thakur ... [et al.]

Encyclopedic dictionary of hydrogeology / D.J. Poehls and Gregory J. Smith

 

TECHNOLOGY.

Invention and transfer of environmental technologies

 

WATER LAW.

Challenges to international waters [electronic resource] : regional assessments in a global perspective

 

WETLANDS.

Heavy metal pollution and its phytoremediation through wetland plants / Prabhat Kumar Rai

Congressional Research Service Report Released: Energy Tax Incentives: Measuring Value Across Different Types of Energy Resources

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, just issued the report Energy Tax Incentives: Measuring Value Across Different Types of Energy Resources (Sept. 18, 2012). The 27 page report authored by Molly F. Sherlock provides,

an analysis of the value of energy tax incentives relative to primary energy production levels. Relative to their share in overall energy production, renewables receive more federal financial support through the tax code than energy produced using fossil energy resources. Within the renewable energy sector, relative to the level of energy produced, biofuels receive the most tax-related financial support.

Congressional Research Service Report Released: Carbon Tax: Deficit Reduction and Other Considerations

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), the public policy research arm of Congress, just issued the report Carbon Tax: Deficit Reduction and Other Considerations (Sept. 17, 2012). The 37 page report authored by Jonathan L. Ramseur, Jane A. Leggett and Molly F. Sherlock discusses the possibilities and difficulties associated with implementing a carbon tax at the federal level as an alternative for raising revenue.  For more information see CRS Report: Reducing the Budget DeficitTax Policy Options (July 13, 2011).

Spotlight: U.S. Geological Survey Publications Warehouse

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Publications Warehouse "provides access to over 100,000 publications written by USGS scientists over the century-plus history of the bureau" and is an excellent place for researchers to visit when looking for both current and historic environmental and natural resource related information.  With both a Basic and Advanced (click the Advanced button) database search option, the USGS's collection has select full text pdf versions of reports available online for free dating back to the 1880s.  Searchable by Publication Type, Title, Author, Year, Journal,  Contributing Office, and Report, researchers should be aware that reports usually correspond to a particular series.   In addition a complete breakdown of the contents of the database is available here.  Of interest, the USGS also has a dedicated search of their Energy Resources available here which also has select full text access to publications dating back to 1931.

GAO Report Released: Spent Nuclear Fuel, Accumulating Quantities at Commercial Reactors Present Storage and Other Challenges

Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its report, titled Spent Nuclear Fuel Accumulating Quantities at Commercial Reactors Present Storage and Other Challenges GAO-12-797 (Aug. 15, 2012). This 66 page report, available here, was conducted by the GAO because,

[s]pent nuclear fuel, the used fuel removed from nuclear reactors, is one of the most hazardous substances created by humans. Commercial spent fuel is stored at reactor sites; about 74 percent of it is stored in pools of water, and 26 percent has been transferred to dry storage casks. The United States has no permanent disposal site for the nearly 70,000 metric tons of spent fuel currently stored in 33 states. GAO was asked to examine (1) the amount of spent fuel expected to accumulate before it can be moved from commercial nuclear reactor sites, (2) the key risks posed by stored spent fuel and actions to help mitigate these risks, and (3) key benefits and challenges of moving spent nuclear fuel out of wet storage and ultimately away from commercial nuclear reactors. GAO reviewed NRC documents and studies on spent fuel’s safety and security risks and industry data, interviewed federal and state government officials and representatives from industry and other groups, and visited reactor sites.