Funds are part of $1.2 billion from Recovery Act to be disbursed by Department of Energy’s Office of Science
Batavia, Ill.—In the first installment of funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science under President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, DOE’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory will receive $34.9 million.
The funds are part of $1.2 billion announced by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today from funding allocated under the Recovery Act to DOE’s Office of Science. The funds will support an array of Office of Science-sponsored construction, laboratory infrastructure, and research projects across the nation. The Secretary made the announcement during a visit to Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton, NY.
“Leadership in science remains vital to America’s economic prosperity, energy security, and global competitiveness,” said Secretary Chu. “These projects not only provide critically needed short-term economic relief but also represent a strategic investment in our nation’s future. They will create thousands of jobs and breathe new life into many local economies, while helping to accelerate new technology development, renew our scientific and engineering workforce, and modernize our nation’s scientific infrastructure.”
The Fermilab allocation is part of $1.2 billion that Secretary Chu announced is being disbursed now in the first installment of a total of $1.6 billion allocated to the DOE Office of Science by Congress under the Recovery Act legislation. Officials are working on details remaining to enable approval and release of the balance of $371 million.
Fermilab will invest the funds in critical scientific infrastructure to strengthen the nation’s global scientific leadership as well as to provide immediate economic relief to local communities. The laboratory will use $25 million for construction and improvement projects that will generate engineering and construction jobs in Illinois businesses and pay for materials and services purchased from U.S. companies. The laboratory will devote the remaining $9.9 million to purchasing key high-tech components from U.S. companies for the NOvA neutrino project, allowing these firms to retain and hire workers.
In addition to the $34.9 million for Fermilab, the initial round of Office of Science funding provides $40.1 million to the University of Minnesota for construction of the Fermilab-managed NOvA neutrino experiment. The NOvA funding for Minnesota will generate an estimated 60-plus construction jobs and procurements for concrete, steel, road-building materials and mechanical and electrical equipment from U.S. firms.
“At Fermilab, we are committed to put Recovery Act funding to work in the way the nation intends: to strengthen our country’s long-term future by investment in basic science and to provide immediate economic help for our local communities and the nation by creating jobs and buying materials and services,” said Fermilab Director Pier Oddone. “We are ready to move forward today.”
DOE’s news release is available at www.energy.gov
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