FINDINGS.

SEC. 102. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The United States is among the leading nations in the world in conducting basic scientific research. (2) That leadership position strengthens the economy and national defense of the United States and provides other important benefits. (3) The Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, owned by the Homestake Mining Company of California, is approximately 8,000 feet deep and is situated in a unique physical setting that is ideal for carrying out certain types of particle physics and other research. (4) The Mine has been selected by the National Underground Science Laboratory Committee, an independent panel of distinguished scientists, as the preferred site for the construction of the National Underground Science Laboratory. (5) Such a laboratory would be used to conduct scientific research that would be funded and recognized as significant by the United States. (6) The establishment of the laboratory is in the national interest and would substantially improve the capability of the United States to conduct important scientific research. (7) For economic reasons, Homestake intends to cease operations at the Mine in 2001. (8) On cessation of operations of the Mine, Homestake intends to implement reclamation actions that would preclude the establishment of a laboratory at the Mine. (9) Homestake has advised the State that, after cessation of operations at the Mine, instead of closing the entire Mine, Homestake is willing to donate the underground portion of the Mine and certain other real and personal property of substantial value at the Mine for use as the National Underground Science Laboratory. (10) Use of the Mine as the site for the laboratory, instead of other locations under consideration, would result in a savings of millions of dollars for the Federal Government.115 STAT. 2344 (11) If the Mine is selected as the site for the laboratory, it is essential that closure of the Mine not preclude the location of the laboratory at the Mine. (12) Homestake is unwilling to donate, and the State is unwilling to accept, the property at the Mine for the laboratory if Homestake and the State would continue to have potential liability with respect to the transferred property. (13) To secure the use of the Mine as the location for the laboratory and to realize the benefits of the proposed laboratory it is necessary for the United States to— (A) assume a portion of any potential future liability of Homestake concerning the Mine; and (B) address potential liability associated with the operation of the laboratory.