In a report released last week, the General Accounting Of-fice (GAO) found continuing management problems at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), a huge laser facility being built at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. NIF is a key part of the Department of Energy's multi-billion-dollar stockpile stewardship program, intended to ensure the viability of nuclear weapons without nuclear testing. The new report is a follow-up to one that GAO released a year ago. Among the problems GAO cited are basic disagreements between the three U.S. nuclear weapons labs over the size, deployment, and research role of NIF. For instance, Los Alamos National Laboratory officials believe that using plutonium in NIF and achieving repeatable thermonuclear ignition is critical to NIF's value in weapons work, yet NIF has not been approved for plutonium use and its ability to achieve nuclear ignition is uncertain, the report says. Also, Sandia National Laboratory officials doubt NIF can certify that weapons can survive in hostile, radioactive environments and instead will rely on computer simulations and existing research facilities. The report notes that NIF is expected to be complete in 2008 at a cost of $4.2 billion—six years later than and $1.4 billion over original estimates. The report also says Lawrence Livermore's operating cost estimates are optimistic because they assume NIF will be exempt from a 6% contribution to the "laboratory-directed research and development" program, a tax expected of all programs.
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NIST develops standard for MS of polymers
The National Institute of Standards & Technology is working to develop a new international standard method for determining the molecular mass distribution of synthetic polymers using mass spectrometry. A standard method for polymers is important because the distribution of molecular chain lengths in a polymer affects the processing of materials and the properties of the final product. NIST researchers, working within the international Versailles Project on Advanced Materials & Standards, are using time-of-flight matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization MS, which ablates the sample surface, producing charged polymers in the vapor state and allowing direct measurement of the mass distribution. NIST is chairing this work, which includes laboratories in Japan, Germany, Italy, and Canada.
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Groups oppose state emissions trading schemes
Environmental groups are asking EPA not to approve open-market air pollution emissions trading in four states until several issues are resolved. The organizations include Environmental Defense, a group that has promoted the use of emissions trading. They say the state efforts, unlike the federal acid rain cap-and-trade program, lack credible monitoring to determine whether they are actually reducing air pollution and include no consequences if the trading systems don't work as planned. In addition, the programs fail to protect minority and poor communities against having their air quality worsen due to emissions trading, the groups say. The environmental organizations are targeting proposed emissions trading programs in Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, and New Hampshire that EPA is on the verge of approving. These programs would allow a company to exceed its permitted emissions limits if it purchases allowances for common air pollutants from firms that are reducing emissions to levels below permit limits. The EPA inspector general is investigating the groups' concerns about monitoring and enforcement.
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Federal Commons plan for grants moves forward
An implementation plan for Federal Commons, an electronic grant application system, has been submitted to the White House Office of Management & Budget and Congress by the Department of Health & Human Services. Similar to the NIH electronic research management site— NIH Commons—Federal Com nmons will allow users to check the status of grant application proposals. It also will serve as an administration and reporting system for 26 federal R&D agencies. According to the implementation plan, "Federal Commons is intended to provide a Web-based gateway and a searchable synopsis of grant programs and funding opportunities." The system is being phased in in stages; for example, a pilot module for electronic data interchange is scheduled for November. By May 2002, testing of an "agency integration" tool kit will begin, and by September 2002, pilot testing of a post-award financial reporting module is scheduled. Overall, the goal of Federal Commons is to make it easier for states, universities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to apply for federal grants and cooperative agreements.
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GOVERNMENT & POLICY ROUNDUP
•The U.S. Supreme Court last week refused to review a 1998 EPA rule that governs use and disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls. The high court rejected a suit by General Electric Co. and a group of electric utilities that challenged parts of the rule as overly restrictive. The Supreme Court's move lets stand an appellate ruling in 2000 that upheld nearly all of the rule.
•Focused attention of world leaders is needed to overcome substantial problems facing disposal of spent nuclear fuel and waste, says a new report by the National Academies' National Research Council. In the future, such waste programs must direct attention to gaining public support, says the report prepared by a group of international scientists.
•As the Senate debates amendments to the Administration omnibus education bill, the House Science Committee has marked up two bills, H.R. 100 and H.R. 1858, specifically designed to improve math, science, and engineering educational programs.
