Governor lauds Homestake reopening progress, state prepares for NSF site visit

BY WENDY PITLICK, Black Hills Pioneer
No Online Source

LEAD - In the shadow of the Ross Hoist Governor Mike Rounds addressed a small crowd of scientists and media as he celebrated the beginning of a new era.

For the first time since the Homestake Mine closed in 2000 the generator that powers the Ross Hoist began humming as Rounds talked of the National Science Foundations visit to Homestake this weekend. A slow smile came across the governor's face as South Dakota Science and Technology Authority Executive Director Dave Snyder said the hoist should be operable by tomorrow, just in time for the scientists' visit on Sunday.

The purpose of the governor's brief visit Friday was to tour the now Sanford Laboratory at Homestake site and get updates on work that has been accomplished to re-open the Ross Shaft. This Sunday NSF officials will visit the Homestake site to view infrastructure, facilities, and plats to determine whether Lead will be selected to host a federal deep underground science and engineering laboratory. While the NSF site selection committee is here they asked that no politicians or media be around to try and influence their decision, as they want to make the site visits between the four contenders as fair as possible.

That's why Rounds wanted to see the work on Friday. Before the NSF arrives, Rounds asked for a tour of the facility which would showcase exactly what the NSF representatives will see when they arrive.

"It's like waking a sleeping giant," Rounds said while he watched hoist operators maintain the generators' steady motor. "This is a huge milestone for us to have this up and running."

The governor's visit came on the heels of Sen. Tim Johnson's recent announcement that he has secured $10 million in Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds to assist with re-entry into the mine via the Ross Shaft.

In addition to the $10 million, Rounds reminded everyone that there is also $35 million from the state of South Dakota to rehabilitate the mine to the 4,850 foot level. If the mine is eventually selected as the federal DUSEL there will also be $50 million which South Dakota philanthropist T. Denny Sanford has earmarked to rehabilitate the mine from the 4,850 foot level down. An additional $20 million, also committed by Sanford, will be used for a science and education center, which Rounds also took time to see while he was here.

"I had an opportunity to look at the facility that will be upgraded to bring in people from all over the U.S. and to share (science) with people," Rounds said. "That's what this is all about is sharing science and doing new science."

While in town, Homestake principal investigator Dr. Kevin Lesko said the NSF will strictly be interested in the mine's existing infrastructure, facility and plats. However, the governor said one strength that will be emphasized is the state's ability to immediately put science in at the 4,850 foot level. Whereas many other sites will be starting at ground level and working down, Rounds said South Dakota has a huge advantage since the mine equipment at the 4,850 foot level has been well taken care of and is functional. "We are in a position to move forward and we are moving forward because we think it's important to show that this facility is operational," Rounds said.

However, if Homestake is not selected for the DUSEL, Rounds said the future at the 4,850 foot level is unclear. "We don't want to compete with another federally funded lab," Rounds said. "Could we operate this facility at the 4,850 foot level, yes we could. But here is the issue. Scientists in many cases will get their money from a number of different locations and the NSF is one of those locations. So if the NSF has other locations that they would have as a preferred site then they would very well be looking at other sites as opposed to this one."

But from where he stood next to the nearly-operable Ross Hoist, the governor said "from our perspective, I think we've got a heck of a head start."