What is the status of the Homestake Mine proposal and why is the University of Washington now focused on the Cascades site?
A6a: In its May 2003 National Science Foundation Site Panel Report, the NSF Site Panel reviewed three early DUSEL proposals, including the one UW Physicists had submitted for the Homestake mine in South Dakota. While recommending Homestake, the panel also unanimously called for the continued maintenance of the mine, pointing out the significant damage that would otherwise occur: “Important reasons to continue pumping include maintenance of mine stability, avoidance of equipment replacement or damage, consistency with existing operating approvals, and preservation of the rock mass.” The panel expressed concern that flooding could destabilize the mine. Ten days after the release of the report, the mine owner dismantled the pumps. The area of the mine designated for DUSEL flooded in January 2004. The mine currently contains 2 million tons of water and is unventilated. The water is rising at a rate in excess of 100,000 tons per month. The flooding prompted the University of Washington to c
