Nation

DOE Issues Safety Assessments For Diesel-Operated Equipment Underground At WIPP

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WIPP News:

The Office of Nuclear Safety and Environmental Assessments, within the U.S. Department of Energy’s independent Office of Enterprise Assessments (EA), recently issued reports following reviews conducted on the WIPP Recovery Plan for Operating Diesel Equipment with available underground airflows and the Conduct of Maintenance and associated planned program enhancements.

The onsite portions of the reviews were completed in October 2014.

The EA reports identified concerns associated with the ventilation plans and engineering approach to the evaluation of diesel equipment Read More

Heinrich Backs Reforms To Prevent Use Of Torture

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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, is supporting a series of reforms to prevent the future use of torture.

The recommendations, which were derived from the committee’s five-year review of the CIA’s detention and interrogation program, were outlined in a letter from Chairman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent to President Obama last week.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Senator Heinrich made the following statement today:

“In her letter to the President, Senator Feinstein Read More

STEM Opportunities For Middle School Teachers

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Gaithersburg Campus. Courtesy/NIST

NIST News:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is soliciting applications from eligible public school districts and accredited private educational institutions in the U.S. and its territories nominating middle school science teachers to participate in the 2015 NIST Summer Institute Program.

The two week workshop will provide selected middle school teachers hands on activities, lectures, tours, and visits with NIST scientists and engineers at the NIST Campus in Gaithersburg, Md. More information on the NIST Middle School Read More

Journalist And Diplomat Bill Stewart Featured Speaker At CIR 50th Anniversary Gala Jan. 15

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Bill Stewart

CIR News:

Bill Stewart, a former U.S. Foreign Service officer and internationally-known journalist, will deliver an important speech entitled “Obama’s Foreign Policy: The Last Two Years.”

His presentation is at The Council on International Relations’ 50th Anniversary Celebratory Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan.15 at La Terraza in La Fonda Hotel, 100 E. San Francisco St. in Santa Fe.

Seating is limited, and tickets are going fast. Reservations must be made by Jan. 9. Ticket prices are $100 for members, $125 for non-members, and tables may be purchased Read More

IRS Begins Accepting Tax Returns Jan. 20

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IRS News:

PHOENIX – Following the passage of the extenders legislation, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) anticipates opening the 2015 filing season as scheduled.

The IRS will begin accepting tax returns electronically Jan. 20. Paper tax returns will begin processing at the same time.

The decision follows Congress renewing a number of “extender” provisions of the tax law that expired at the end of 2013. These provisions were renewed by Congress through the end of 2014. The final legislation was signed into law Dec. 19, 2014.

“We have reviewed the late tax law changes Read More

DOE’s New Energy Efficiency Standards Will Help Americans Save Money, Reduce Carbon Pollution

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DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In support of the President’s Climate Action Plan, the Energy Department has announced two new energy efficiency standards.

The new standards for general service fluorescent lamps (GSFLs) and automatic commercial ice makers (ACIMs) are the ninth and tenth standards to be finalized in 2014. Altogether, the 10 standards finalized this year will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 435 million metric tons and save American families and businesses $78 billion in electricity bills through 2030.

“As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, the Read More

Robot Explores Under-Ice Habitats In The Arctic

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Nereid Under Ice vehicle being deployed from the Polarstern during summer 2014. Photo by Chris German, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

EOS News:

  • The Nereid Under Ice vehicle is helping scientists to explore regions under Arctic sea ice and the biological phenomena that are present there.
 
By RANDY SHOWSTACK
Earth & Space Science News

A new underwater vehicle has successfully demonstrated that it can explore physical and biological phenomena in undisturbed areas beneath sea ice. It has also shown that a thriving biological realm of algae and other creatures exists

Read More

Expanding Mission, Budget Cuts, Retirements At Root Of Secret Service Problems

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Secret Service vest. Courtesy/U.S. Secret Service

HSNW News:

A series of recent security lapses at the White House may be attributed to an expansion of U.S. Secret Service duties ordered by Congress and the White House during the George W. Bush administration, according to a new DHS review of the agency.

Officials familiar with the agency’s administrative inner-workings also note that budget cuts forced the agency to ration services while simultaneously dealing with a wave of early retirements from seasoned staff members.

Formerly, Secret Service agents had been awarded the same Read More

Interior Secretary Announces Wildlife And Climate Studies

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Secretary Sally Jewell. Photo by Tami Heilemann

DOI News:

Research Will Provide Land and Wildlife Managers with Tools to Adapt to Climate Change

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell has announced that Interior’s Southwest Climate Science Center is awarding nearly $1 million to universities and other partners for research to guide managers of parks, refuges and other cultural and natural resources in planning how to help species and ecosystems adapt to climate change.

“These climate studies are designed to help address regional concerns associated with climate

Read More

Big Win: Manhattan Project National Historical Park Established!

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Courtesy/NTHP

 

By Nancy Tinker, Senior Field Officer, and Denise Ryan, Director of Public Lands Policy

Big news on the National Treasure front — the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act was passed in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 on Friday, December 12, 2014.

With this action, Congress has authorized the establishment of a new National Park commemorating the history of the Manhattan Project. Comprised of the three laboratories whose work was dedicated to accomplishing the Manhattan Project’s mission, the new national Read More