State Makes a Bid for World’s Largest Atom Smasher

California has picked a site near Stockton as its entry in the nationwide competition for a federally funded atom smasher that would be the largest in the world. Four other states are believed to be in the final running for the project.

The U.S. Department of Energy has proposed building the facility, called the Superconducting Super Collider, in hopes of returning the United States to preeminence in one of the most esoteric and fundamental fields of research, the study of the basic composition of matter.

The particle accelerator, designed to break matter into its most fundamental parts, will transform the state with the winning bid into the most important center in the world for the study of high-energy physics--if the expensive project is ever funded.

A Big ‘If’

Although that is a big “if,” given today’s budgetary limitations, the project is apparently inching forward, according to officials who have kept tabs on its progress through the budgetary process and Congress. Scientists who want to see the project completed are looking toward the President’s State of the Union address Jan. 22 for some indication of the level of support within the Administration.

But the uncertainty of the funding has not dampened the enthusiasm of states across the country in the high-stakes competition for the prestigious facility.

The winner will be expected to supply the land for the site, including about 6,000 acres for the research center and an easement for another 5,000 acres so that the 60-mile-long circular tunnel could be built below the ground.

The California SSC Executive Steering Committee, chaired by UC Vice President William Baker, picked the Stockton area after another region west of Sacramento was ruled out because of potential seismic hazards. A third site in the Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base was eliminated last May for the same reason.

Massive Project

Although the cost for the land could be substantial, “the pay-back down the road could be large,” said UC spokesman Mike Lassiter. Construction costs alone are expected to run well over $3 billion, and the project would employ 20,000 workers during peak construction. The permanent staff would number about 2,500, plus about 500 scientists from around the world, he added.

Colorado, Texas, Illinois and New York are also believed to be serious contenders. Texas has reportedly geared up for a hard sell with an especially sweet package, including extensive acreage. Illinois, home of the nation’s largest accelerator, has argued that it makes sense to build the new facility at the same site as the Fermi National Laboratory near Chicago, thus using some facilities that are already available. And New York is believed to have come up with a joint project involving Canada, with Canada supplying the substantial amount of electricity needed to run the giant accelerator.