For Immediate Release
Contact: Betsy Hart 202-226-8555

Herseth Sandlin Hosts Congressional DUSEL Briefing

Washington, DC {November 3, 2009}- Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Rep. Bill Foster (IL-14) co-hosted a congressional briefing for Members of Congress and their staff on the proposed Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) which would be located at the Homestake Mine in Lead, SD. At the briefing, personnel from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science and the National Science Foundations provided a progress update on the DUSEL.

Rep. Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL) and Rep. Bill Foster (IL-14) with personnel from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy

"The DUSEL project at Homestake not only promises to advance our understanding in particle physics and other scientific disciplines, but it will also foster a thriving community of world-class scientists and research professionals in South Dakota," said Rep. Herseth Sandlin. "Today’s briefing gave Members of Congress and their staff an opportunity to learn about the project from NSF and DOE staff and will help to build Congressional support for the DUSEL."

The DUSEL would advance understanding in a number of scientific disciplines, including: particle and nuclear physics, geology, hydrology, geo-engineering, biology, and biochemistry. The completed DUSEL facility would most immediately offer a step forward for the U.S. particle physics program by exploring the properties of neutrino particles.

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