Physics
Today: Fermilab Director Pier Oddone informed the
laboratory's staff Thursday the implications of the proposed
FY08 federal budget on the facility. Congress changed
Fermilab's proposed budget from $372 million to $320 million--a
cut of $52 million. The budget cuts are because of $22 billion
in savings Congress had to make in order for the President not
to veto the budget.
All construction funding for two projects closely associated
with Fermilab, the NOVA neutrino experiment and the fusion
project ITER were removed from the federal budget. Funding for
the International Linear Collider was reduced from $60 million
to $15 million, most of which Fermilab had already spent as the
US fiscal year began October 2007.In response Oddone told staff
to expect 200 job cuts, 10 percent of the workforce, and from
February, staff will have to take two unpaid days off per
month.In a video released on the laboratory's web site Oddone
said "I have not had to deal with a problem of this magnitude
in my career," he said, "and Fermilab has not had to face a
problem like this in its history."
Related links
Pier
Oddone's Video statement to Fermilab
Fermilab
Today's page on the budget cuts
