| Lab re-allocates Sanford dollars from education fund to facility outfitting |
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| Written by Wendy Pitlick |
| Tuesday, 22 June 2010 |
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LEAD A portion of funds from T. Denny Sanford’s $20 million gift for development of a science and education center at the DUSEL have been re-allocated, and will be used to outfit the Sanford Lab, officials decided Thursday.
Due to a shortage of money for outfitting the Davis Cavern with utilities to accommodate early science experiments, Sanford has authorized the S.D. Science and Technology Authority to shift $7.5 million from the education center fund to the interim-lab development fund. On Thursday Sanford Lab Executive Director Ron Wheeler told members of the S.D. Science and Technology Authority Board that education money will be replaced with funds from the $15 million donation Sanford has pledged for pumping down to the 8,000 foot level if DUSEL is approved. In 2006 Sioux Falls philanthropist Sanford announced his donation of $70 million to the project to build a deep underground science and engineering laboratory in Lead. That money was divided in chunks for various aspects of the project, and Sanford established specific milestones to be met for each portion. The donation included $35 million for re-entry into the former Homestake Mine and development of the state’s interim laboratory, which would be dubbed the Sanford Lab; $20 million for development of the Sanford Center for Science Education; and $15 million for lab development down to 8,000 feet underground if the DUSEL is approved. S.D. Science and Technology Authority Board Member Pat Lebrun asked the board to send a letter of appreciation to Sanford for his flexibility with the funds. “This project is in deep trouble without his assistance,” she said. During the last legislative session the S.D. Science and Technology Authority received $5.4 million in operations funding to carry the project from December 2010 to May 2011, when federal funding is expected to take over. It took three votes to approve that funding. A letter from the National Science Foundation stating the agency’s intent to fund operations after May 2011 helped put legislator’s minds at ease that the $5.4 million would be one-time-only funding. Citing the federal commitment, Wheeler said now it is more important than ever to keep the Congressional delegation informed about what is happening at the lab in order to ensure federal funding comes through. Dr. Kevin Lesko, principal investigator for the DUSEL proposal, said his team has just submitted a Transition Funding Proposal, which would provide the federal money for operations from April 2011 to April 2012. Lesko said he hopes to hear back about the funding this summer. “This is a significant milestone for the project in that it is the first combined proposal and effort to oversee the design work of DUSEL and take over some of the operational aspects for underground,” Lesko said. Wheeler reported that the operating budget for the Sanford Lab in fiscal year 2011 is about $13.9 million. The budget to rehabilitate the mine for lab construction and provide infrastructure is at about $27.5 million, while the early implementation program to accommodate science experiments is budgeted at $7.5 million. The amendment to the Sanford donation agreement will add another $7.5 million to the infrastructure budget in order to provide heating, cooling, electricity, and other utilities to the lab space that will be housed in the Davis Cavern at the 4,850-foot level. While they have not yet approved contracts for the lab outfitting, officials said they hope to have the project completed by October of 2011. |
