The Governor Continues to Back Construction of Rare Isotope Facility in Illinois
CHICAGO – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today praised a recent report released by the Rare Isotope Science Assessment Committee (RISAC), which concluded that the construction of a rare isotope facility, which has implications in medical research, homeland security and material science, should be a top priority for the United States. The Governor maintained Illinois’ commitment to building this type of facility at Argonne National Laboratory, which he established through the creation of the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) for Illinois Task Force, a high profile, public-private group charged with bringing this important facility to Illinois.
“We are very pleased with the Rare Isotope Science Assessment Committee’s report, which supports this remarkable research opportunity that will result in the development of new advancements in medicine and biology, electronics, materials and the environment. We need to ensure that this project receives a long-term commitment so that we can unlock the incredible, unimaginable potential of tomorrow. The State of Illinois is committed to aggressively pursuing this truly unique opportunity, and we will continue making the case for why this project belongs in Illinois,” said Gov. Blagojevich.
More than a decade ago, U.S. physicists proposed that a new type of accelerator be built to investigate the structure of atomic nuclei and answer a number of fundamental questions about the origins of our universe. Although the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) agreed to support such a project, it recently announced that the expected funding would be reduced by half from the initially conceived $1 billion RIA project. RISAC is an independent panel of leading scientists convened by the National Research Council of the National Academies at the request of DOE and the National Science Foundation (NSF), charged with evaluating the science goals that could be achieved by a similar project of reduced scope, in the context of nuclear physics, both nationally and internationally. The assessment concluded that the construction of a rare isotope facility should be a top priority, providing unmatched capabilities and answers toward advances in medical research, energy production, national security and industrial processing.
The Governor’s RIA for Illinois Task Force, launched in December 2004, was established to help demonstrate why the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory would provide the ideal home for this world-class facility. The Task Force is chaired by James R. Thompson, former Governor of Illinois, and William Daley, JPMorgan Chase Chairman of the Midwest, and includes representatives from the state’s business, civic, government, health care, academic and labor communities. The Governor and the Task Force Co-Chairs traveled to Washington, D.C. in April 2005 to meet with USDOE Secretary Samuel Bodman and other key officials in support of advancing RIA and to discuss Illinois’ many advantages. In addition to being a world renowned research facility with unmatched scientific talent, Argonne’s existing infrastructure would enable it to host the project for an estimated $100 million lower than other competing sites.
The state’s congressional delegation has been at the forefront of the effort to win RIA, with U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL), in whose district Argonne is located and who chairs a key congressional subcommittee, leading the way. U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) have also been instrumental in marshalling support for RIA.
“A rare isotope facility would provide a leading-edge research center for our universities and our industries, resulting in the development of new products in a variety of fields that would help us change our world in ways that are almost impossible to imagine. Gov. Blagojevich and I will continue to actively advocate for the development of this important facility, and we still believe it is the right decision for the country to bring it here to Illinois,” Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Jack Lavin said.
Argonne is located about 25 miles southwest of Chicago’s Loop, surrounded by DuPage County Forest Preserve land. A rare isotope facility would be the leading center for the creation and study of “rare isotopes,” radioactive species with such short lifetimes that they no longer exist in nature. Its capabilities, unmatched anywhere in the world, will allow scientists to study the generation of energy in the stars and test new ideas about the fundamental forces of nature that govern the universe. Log onto www.riaforillinois.com for more information on the RIA project.
For more information on the report visit: http://www.nationalacademies.org/morenews/20061208.html