Possible Fermilab cuts could have major impact

Possible Fermilab cuts could have major impact

The economic impact of the proposed layoffs at Fermi Accelerator Laboratory highlights the importance of the science facility to the suburban business community.

While there is a possibility that Congress may pass a last-minute bill restoring funding, the expected layoffs of about 140 people—down from the original estimate of 200—at the premier physics facility in Batavia could send a negative ripple through the suburban economy, according to area business executives and local government officials.

Fermilab officials remained hopeful that the cuts would be rescinded by a U.S. Senate vote scheduled for late May that would add $100 million to the budget for the Office of Science. Included would be $55 million for fusion energy sciences and $45 million for high energy physics, according to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Another $150 million would go toward federal science research.

Even then, it’s only the first step in possible restoration of funding. The revised budget was scheduled to be considered by a conference committee with the Senate and the House of Representatives which did not include the money in its version of the bill. And the White House would have to give its approval.

According to figures on its Web site, the facility had a $146 million payroll and spent about $70 million for goods and services provided by businesses located across Illinois.

The overall budget was about $344 million for 1,900 employees, who include about 900 physicists, engineers and computer professionals. Another 2,300 scientists and students, from across the United States and around the world, spend time at Fermilab to carry out research.

In addition to the proposed layoffs, employees have been required since February to take an unpaid week off every two months.

Statistics indicate that 90 percent of the employees live in the Fox Valley or western DuPage County. Payroll for 2007 was $150.7 million. Illinois income tax withheld was $4 million. The percentage of total purchases in Illinois was 59 percent of the $70,340,000 total.

The possible layoff of employees would be by far the largest in the history of Fermilab, according to Judy Jackson, director of the Office of Communication.

“We don’t know when the layoffs could take effect,” she said. “We hope the funding cuts would not be permanent.”

She said the number of people who have retired and resigned recently have reduced the initial number of 200 to about 140. Layoff plans were submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The multiplier effect of these possible cutbacks was noted by Chris Aiston, director of economic development for Kane County, which shares the facility with DuPage County.

“The multiplier effect goes far beyond the proposed job cuts. The cuts would affect area companies which supply materials and services to Fermilab. The total effect could be huge.”

He hoped the impact will be short-lived and the lab will be able to get back to original funding levels. Aiston said if that is not the case, then there could be damage to the area’s scientific business reputation, which was enhanced recently with state approval for the building of a proton cancer treatment facility by Northern Illinois University in the DuPage National Technology Park in West Chicago.

The executive director of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, Roger Breisch, said the proposed cuts would create economic vibrations beyond Batavia to the whole Fox Valley.

“It is a shame the federal government does not want to invest enough funds in scientific research,” he said. “I wonder about what will happen in the coming years.”

An official from DuPage County, which shares the facility with Kane County, also pointed to a troubling trend which is reflected by a change in the U.S. Congress.

“We have been working with Congress to bring funds here for the latest physics research, which is in competition with areas in Europe,” said Tom Cuculich, the county’s director of economic development and planning.

The DuPage official said the economic impact of Fermilab has been huge in the county in recent years. He said a lot of the lab employees reside in the county because of the good schools desired by families.

Also, there are many county businesses which supply all types of good and services from printing to large construction.

“Fermilab has deep roots in DuPage County and is essential for keeping a viable and growing economy in the county.”

A DuPage Workforce Board report states that the lab is driving innovation in DuPage County. Located in western DuPage County, Fermilab is the largest U.S. laboratory for research in high-energy physics in the United States and is second in the world only to CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. “The technology developed at Fermilab has extraordinary real-life applications for cancer treatment, to the development of the World Wide Web, to environmental research.”

Also pointing to the important nature of the work at Fermilab was a letter from Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Durbin and U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-13th) to Jim Nussle, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The letter called on him to increase funding for the High Energy Physics (HEP) program, which supports research at Fermilab and at several other laboratories and universities across the United States that are doing vital, cutting-edge research.

The spending bill that was approved earlier by Congress provided the HEP program with $88 million less that was requested. The three Illinois legislators said this challenges Fermilab’s ability to remain one of the world’s preeminent research facilities after it has achieved outstanding success in research on neutrinos, the high energy frontier, and particle astrophysics.

“Disruptive funding shortfalls have ripple effects throughout the American scientific community, displacing today’s scientists and discouraging tomorrows. We must work together to restore funding in basic physics research to maintain America’s role as the innovator in technology, to retain our leading scientific institutions and their skilled workforces, and to provide opportunities for future scientists.

“While we recognize the formidable challenges you face regarding the demands of the federal budget, we respectfully encourage you to increase the funding request for the Office of Science, particularly for the HEP program, in the President’s FY2009 Budget.”

Dan McLeister, Contributing Writer

Posted on Monday, June 02, 2008 (Archive on Monday, June 09, 2008)
Posted by jstoltz Contributed by jstoltz

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