51 research outputs found
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Potential effects of clean coal technologies on acid precipitation, greenhouse gases, and solid waste disposal
The US Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Clean Coal Technology Demonstration Program (CCTDP) was initially funded by Congress to demonstrate more efficient, economically feasible, and environmentally acceptable coal technologies. Although the environmental focus at first was on sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) because their relationship to acid precipitation, the CCTDP may also lead to reductions in carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions and in the volume of solid waste produced, compared with conventional technologies. The environmental effects of clean coal technologies (CCTs) depend upon which (if any) specific technologies eventually achieve high acceptance in the marketplace. In general, the repowering technologies and a small group of retrofit technologies show the most promise for reducing C0{sub 2} emissions and solid waste. These technologies also compare favorably with other CCTs in terms of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} reductions. The upper bound for CO{sup 2} reductions in the year 2010 is only enough to reduce global ``greenhouse`` warming potential by about 1%. However, CO{sub 2} emissions come from such variety of sources around the globe that no single technological innovation or national policy change could realistically be expected to reduce these emissions by more than a few percent. Particular CCTs can lead to either increases or decreases in the amount of solid waste produced. However, even if decreases are not achieved, much of the solid waste from clean coal technologies would be dry and therefore easier to dispose of than scrubber sludge
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Environmental effects of the US Antarctic Program`s use of balloons in Antarctica
The USAP uses balloons in Antarctica to conduct scientific research, to facilitate safe air transport, and to provide data for global weather predictions. However, there is the possibility that balloons or their payloads may adversely affect Antarctic fauna or flora. The purpose of this study is to provide background information upon which the USAP may draw when complying with its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Antarctic Treaty, and the Madrid Protocol
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The conflict of interest problem in EIS preparation
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that federal agencies prepare environmental impact statements (EISs) on proposals for major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations require that EISs be prepared directly by the lead agency or a contractor it selects. EIS contractors must execute a disclosure statement specifying that they have ``no financial or other interest`` in the outcome of the project. The intent of the ``conflict of interest`` prohibition is to ensure that the EIS is defensible, free of self-serving bias, and credible to the public. Those coming to the federal government for money, permits, or project approvals must not be placed in the position of analyzing the environmental consequences of their own proposals. This paper analyzes the conflict of interest problem faced by government contractors who maintain and operate government-owned or-controlled facilities for which EISs are required. In the US Department of Energy (DOE) system, these are referred to as ``M and O`` contractors. It also examines organizational conflicts presented by current or prospective government contractors who have a financial or other interest in the outcome of a project or program for which an EIS is prepared. In responding to these and related questions, the paper discusses and interprets the CEQ regulations and guidance on EIS preparation conflict of interest as well as leading federal court opinions. It also distinguishes ``preparers`` from ``participants`` in the EIS preparation process
Relational restorative justice pedagogy in educator professional development
What would a professional development experience rooted in the philosophy, principles, and practices of restorative justice look and feel like? This article describes how such a professional development project was designed to implement restorative justice principles and practices into schools in a proactive, relational and sustainable manner by using a comprehensive dialogic, democratic peacebuilding pedagogy. The initiative embodied a broad, transformative approach to restorative justice, grounded in participating educators’ identifying, articulating and applying personal core values. This professional development focused on diverse educators, their relationships, and conceptual understandings, rather than on narrow techniques for enhancing student understanding or changing student behaviour. Its core practice involved facilitated critical reflexive dialogue in a circle, organized around recognizing the impact of participants’ interactions on others, using three central, recurring questions: Am I honouring? Am I measuring? What message am I sending? Situated in the context of relational theory (Llewellyn, 2012), this restorative professional development approach addresses some of the challenges in implementing and sustaining transformative citizenship and peacebuilding pedagogies in schools. A pedagogical portrait of the rationale, design, and facilitation experience illustrates the theories, practices, and insights of the initiative, called Relationships First: Implementing Restorative Justice From the Ground Up
Police-initiated diversion for youth to prevent future delinquent behavior: a systematic review
BackgroundOverly punitive responses to youth misconduct may have the unintended consequence ofincreasing the likelihood of future delinquency; yet, overly lenient responses may fail to serveas a corrective for the misbehavior. Police diversion schemes are a collection of strategiespolice can apply as an alternative to court processing of youth. Police-initiated diversionschemes aim to reduce reoffending by steering youth away from deeper penetration into thecriminal justice system and by providing an alternative intervention that can help youthaddress psychosocial development or other needs that contribute to their problem behavior.ObjectivesThe objective of this review was to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of pre-courtinterventions involving police warning or counseling and release, and cautioning schemes inreducing delinquent behavior.Search methodsA combination of 26 databases and websites were searched. References of relevant reviewswere also scanned to identify studies. We also consulted with experts in the field. Searcheswere executed by two reviewers and conducted between August 2016 and January 2017.Selection criteriaOnly experimental and quasi-experimental designs were eligible for this review. All quasiexperimentaldesigns must have had a comparison group similar to the police diversionintervention group with respect to demographic characteristics and prior involvement indelinquent behavior (i.e., at similar risk for future delinquent behavior). Additionally, studiesmust have included youth participants between 12 and 17 years of age who either underwenttraditional system processing or were diverted from court processing through a police-leddiversion program. Studies were also eligible if delinquency-related outcomes, includingofficial and non-official (self-report or third-party reporting) measures of delinquency werereported.Data collection and analysisThis study used meta-analysis to synthesize results across studies. This method involvedsystematic coding of study features and conversion of study findings into effect sizesreflecting the direction and magnitude of any police-led diversion effect. There were 19independent evaluations across the 14 primary documents coded for this review. From this,we coded 67 effect sizes of delinquent behavior post diversion across 31 diversion-traditionalprocessing comparisons. We analyzed these comparisons using two approaches. The firstapproach selected a single effect size per comparison based on a decision rule and the secondused all 67 effect sizes, nesting these within comparison condition and evaluation design.ResultsThe general pattern of evidence is positive, suggesting that police-led diversion modestlyreduces future delinquent behavior of low-risk youth relative to traditional processing.Authors’ conclusionsThe findings from this systematic review support the use of police-led diversion for low-riskyouth with limited or no prior involvement with the juvenile justice system. Thus, policedepartments and policy-makers should consider diversionary programs as part of the mix ofsolutions for addressing youth crime
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Field Test Evaluation of Conservation Retrofits of Low-Income, Single-Family Buildings in Wisconsin: Audit Field Test Implementation and Results
This report describes the field test of a retrofit audit. The field test was performed during the winter of 1985-86 in four South Central Wisconsin counties. The purpose of the field test was to measure the energy savings and cost effectiveness of the audit-directed retrofit program for optimizing the programs benefit-to-cost ratio. The audit-directed retrofit program is described briefly in this report and in more detail by another report in this series (ORNL/CON-228/P3). The purpose of this report is to describe the methods and results of the field test. Average energy savings of the 20 retrofitted houses are likely (0.90 probability) to lie between 152 and 262 therms/year/house. The most likely value of the average savings is 207 therms/year/house. These savings are significantly (p < .05) smaller than the audit-predicted savings (286 therms/year/house). Measured savings of individual houses were significantly different than predicted savings for half of the houses. Each house received at least one retrofit. Thirteen of the 20 retrofitted houses received a new condensing furnace or blown-in wall insulation; all but two of the houses received one or more minor retrofits. The seven houses which received condensing furnaces saved, on average, about as much as predicted, but three of the seven houses had significantly more or less savings than predicted. The six houses which received wall insulation saved, on average, about half as much as predicted. The remaining houses which received only minor retrofits saved, on average, less than predicted, but the difference was not significant. Actual retrofit costs were close to expected costs. Overall measured energy savings averaged 15 therms/year per hundred retrofit dollars invested. Houses which received wall insulation or a condensing furnace did slightly better, and the houses which received only minor retrofits did poorly. When estimated program costs were included, average savings dropped to about 13 therms/year/per hundred dollars. The uncertainty associated with the energy savings means that these comparisons of savings and costs also have large uncertainties
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Field Test Evaluation of Conservation Retrofits of Low-Income, Single-Family Buildings: Combined Building Shell and Heating System Retrofit Audit
Revised DOE regulations allow greater flexibility in conducting DOE-funded low-income weatherization programs. Certain retrofits to heating and cooling systems for these houses are now permitted, as well as the traditional insulation and infiltration control measures. Also, different amounts of money may be spent on different houses, as long as the average expenditure per house does not exceed $1600. The expanded list of retrofit options provides an opportunity for increased energy savings, but it also complicates the process of selecting the combination of retrofits, house-by-house, that will yield maximum savings for the weatherization program. DOE asked ORNL to devise a procedure for selecting an optimum combination of building shell and heating system retrofits for single-family dwellings. To determine the best retrofits for each house that would maximize program savings, ORNL staff members developed an approach that used information from a preretrofit energy audit of candidate houses. Audit results are used to estimate annual energy savings for various retrofits for each house. Life-cycle benefits (B) are calculated, as are the estimated installation costs (C) for given retrofits in given houses. The benefit-to-cost ratios (B/Cs) are then ranked for all possible retrofits to all candidate houses, and the top-ranking B/C retrofits are selected for installation. This process maximizes program savings, and it is adaptable to varied housing types in different climates. The Audit-Directed Retrofit Program (ADRP) was field tested in a low-income housing retrofit program in Wisconsin during the winter of 1985-86. Results of the field test are reported in a companion document. This report describes the ADRP for the benefit of potential users
Re-entry Circles for the Innocent: The Psychological Benefits of Restorative Justice and Taking Responsibility in Response to Injustice
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Phase 1 environmental report for the Advanced Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed the construction and operation of the Advanced Neutron Source (ANS), a 330-MW(f) reactor, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to support neutron scattering and nuclear physics experiments. ANS would provide a steady-state source of neutrons that are thermalized to produce sources of hot, cold, and very coal neutrons. The use of these neutrons in ANS experiment facilities would be an essential component of national research efforts in basic materials science. Additionally, ANS capabilities would include production of transplutonium isotopes, irradiation of potential fusion and fission reactor materials, activation analysis, and production of medical and industrial isotopes such as {sup 252}Cf. Although ANS would not require licensing by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), DOE regards the design, construction, and operation of ANS as activities that would produce a licensable facility; that is, DOE is following the regulatory guidelines that NRC would apply if NRC were licensing the facility. Those guidelines include instructions for the preparation of an environmental report (ER), a compilation of available data and preliminary analyses regarding the environmental impacts of nuclear facility construction and operation. The ER, described and outlined in NRC Regulatory Guide 4.2, serves as a background document to facilitate the preparation of environmental impact statements (EISs). Using Regulatory Guide 4.2 as a model, this ANS ER provides analyses and information specific to the ANS site and area that can be adopted (and modified, if necessary) for the ANS EIS. The ER is being prepared in two phases. Phase 1 ER includes many of the data and analyses needed to prepare the EIS but does not include data or analyses of alternate sites or alternate technologies. Phase 2 ER will include the additional data and analyses stipulated by Regulatory Guide 4.2
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