Thomas Daschle: “today Senator Johnson and I are introducing the Homestake Mine Conveyance Act of 2001 to enable the construction of a…”

“today Senator Johnson and I are introducing the Homestake Mine Conveyance Act of 2001 to enable the construction of a new, world-renowned science laboratory in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Last Year, the Homestake Mining Company announced it is closing its gold mine in Lead, SD after 125 years of operation. This mine has been an important part of the economy in the Black Hills, and its closure presented South Dakota with a serious challenge. New opportunities for Lead became possible, however, when we learned that a group of prominent scientists had identified the mine as a potential site to establish a national underground science laboratory. Composed of some of the foremost researchers in the country, the National Underground Science Laboratory Committee found that Homestake's unique combination of depth, geologic stability and outstanding infrastructure made it an ideal location for an underground laboratory that could support groundbreaking new scientific research. In just the last few months, a $281 million proposal to construct the laboratory has been submitted to the National Science Foundation. As I learned, tiny particles known as neutrinos hold the answer to fundamental questions about the nature of the universe.”