If I wanted to build a scientific lab of this nature what would I need ?  

Has the government ever told the public what they are doing before they have already done it?

Below, New developments:  Hard Rock Drilling, geo-thermal?

1. A controlled, protected environment devoid of outside or external influences.
   a.  Location:  6000 feet below a mountain of granite.
   b.  Although there are other alternatives.
2. For me to drill through this medium and for extended periods of time I would need massive amounts of sustainable water for the drills.  The Icicle Creek drainage would not provide this source.
   a.  Dam Lake Wenatchee .  Chelan County proposal 2000-2004.
3. Environmental controls.  I would leave the two remaining dams adjacent to the fish hatchery to provide a natural catch basin for trapping sediment washing down the creek and to provide an affordable dredging site.  Dam removal was immanent; sudden, abrupt, temporary reversal by governmental agencies
4. I would need unlimited electrical power.  Rocky Reach and Wells dams; Chelan County P.U.D.
5. I would need a secure, very large, communications infrastructure.  I would have the local P.U.D. spend 90 million dollars and build a new fiber optic system with tax payer’s money.  This fiber optic system would be linked to the secure, satellite dish array located north of Lake Chelan Washington.  Chelan County P.U.D. is in the process of completing a massive fiber optic network.
6. I would have communication towers installed on every hill top and bluff between the site and the fiber optic network along major arterials.  2000-2004 towers were installed on all ridges and hill tops along SR-2.
7. I would pick a site that has not been mapped by other countries; a defensible site.
   a.  As in the 90’s when Russia offered their very large water cargo planes to fight fires in the Cascade mountain range, they were turned down because of concerns of pilots mapping and flying in this virtually uncharted portion of the Cascade mountain range.
   b.  I would stop any sightseeing helicopter flights up the Icicle Valley immediately; Cascade Helicopter told to stop scenic flights.  Put out a cease and desist order for any company attempting fly-overs of the immediate site area.
8. I would test the deployment of local National Guard soldiers and their ability to block main arterials into and out of this site.
   a.  As in the 90’s, I would use this fire season for the test.  Fires of 94, armed soldiers blocked main arterials and intersections to and from Leavenworth, and Lake Wenatchee, Wa.
9. Transportation:  Logistics.
   a.  Air protection and cargo transport.  I would allocate Pangborn airport funding and jurisdiction to acquire adjacent orchard property to extend the airport at least 800 feet to the north to provide required distance for military jets, and larger sensitive aircraft to land.  2002-2004 Pangborn received funding for the extension of 800 feet to the north and the acquisition of orchard property to facilitate larger, faster planes.
   b.  I would allocate funding for resurfacing and the facilities maintenance and upgrading to Cashmere airport in the immediate future for V.I.P. transportation.  2004, Cashmere airport received funding for upgrading.
10. Security: 
    a.  I would have an F.B.I. office inserted into the local jurisdiction; Wenatchee , Wa .  2002-F.B.I. office in Wenatchee, Wa.
    b.  I would expand and create a major WSHP ( Washington State Hi-way Patrol) immediate response hub at a major hi-way/arterial intersection.  Olds Station , Washington.   2004-Construction ongoing.
11. I would need to build close to a major rail line.  Preferable with a spur.  A spur exists north of Leavenworth , Wa .
    a.  Alternate mode of materials delivery to site jurisdiction.
    b.  Alternate means of disseminating millions of tons of ‘fines’ and tailings from the drilling process.
    c.  Take the ‘tailings’ to the military weapons reserve at Yakima , Wa .   Or, north to the Okanogan Valley .
12. I would make monies available for major arterial upgrades to facilitate traffic and equipment movement while keeping local disruption to a minimum.  1999-On going.
    a.  Build a cloverleaf or similar ramp system at the Bluett Pass and State Route 2 intersection.  2004-Aproved by legislature.
    b.  Widen Bluett Pass and appropriate upgrades.  2004-completed.
    c.  Widen and upgrade SR-2 to Leavenworth .  2003-completed.
    d.  Install trucking inspection stations on main arterials before this cargo traffic can reach the site jurisdiction.  SR-2, east of East Wenatchee , Wa .  Startup, Sultan SR-2.  Bluett Pass , etc.  2004-being completed.
    e.  Install cameras on all light and signal standards at major arterial intersections.  2004- completed.
    f.  Install traffic lights on arterials approaching the site jurisdiction in order to facilitate traffic control and to monitor users.  2003-completed.
13. Housing: 
    a.  I would have local governments which accept federal funding to alter local growth management procedures and agricultural zoning laws to facilitate the accommodation of land acquisition for the construction of housing for scientists and support personnel in close proximity to site jurisdiction.   Phlugraph, 60 acres.  Peshastin and/or Monitor, Wa.
    b.  I would have local P.U.D. provide a support hub close to the site jurisdiction with county support facilities.  Peshastin , Wa .   2003-2004 approved.
    c.  I would acquire/lease  the Sleeping Lady resort located on the Icicle river to place the proposed 80,000 feet of support building, offices,  and interpretive center close to the site entrance.  This facility would provide substantial funding, assistance, space, and autonomy for environmental studies in an effort to maintain, oversee, and protect this environmentally sensitive area.  This facility will be a local environmental hub east of the Cascade mountain range.    This hub will have full use of the facility including but not limited to cafeteria, conference facilities, office space, lab space, and access to pertinent personnel and records of site/lab progressions and logistics.  Administrators will have voting authority.
    d.  Alternate, P.U.D. hub in Peshastin, Wa.
    e.  Alternate, old packing shed adjacent to SR-2 and Front Street, Leavenworth, Wa.
14. I would need to pick a site which is not in a protected wilderness area to appease environmentalists and minimize opposition; but never-the-less every avenue will be explored to co-exist.  I would start this proposal years before a proposal is due,  and not tell the locals until a proposal to NSF is eminent.  They will only have a few months to garner any opposition.
    a.  Mount Cashmere , Washington is adjacent to; but is primarily not in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area.
15. Support personnel:  Regarding wages, medical, dental benefits  a facility of this magnitude has the ability to, and most likely will,  drain the local core business infrastructure of experienced workers and support personnel.  This  phenomena and perception will have to be addressed with local government and steps taken to assure local businesses remain sustaining.  Although, to this date efforts to provide workers, affordable workers housing, and/or funding to expand school facilities and city support facilities remains challenging.
    a.  Building maintenance.
    b.  Cafeteria personnel. (cooks, dishwasher, waitresses, etc.)
    c.  Cleaning staff. ( maids, cleaning personnel).
    d.   Grounds personnel, lawns, shrubs, grooming of facilities. 
    e.  Mine personnel (electricians, drivers, plumbers, drivers).
    f.   Facility security, etc.)
    g.  Low to moderate income housing for support personnel.
    h.  Lucrative maintenance and support contracts supported by federal tax dollars at the facility, may raise pricing for the local core economy and taxing infrastructure competing for the same services and support.  This may present a burden for local economies.
16. Temporary housing for initial personnel. 
    a.  Hotels/Motels.  At the outset of a proposal of this magnitude and the obvious lack of affordable housing; most likely local Hotels and Motels will raise their room rates to exorbitant prices early on so as to provide a high room rate track record to avoid being accused of gouging construction and initial support personnel without lodging when the project starts up.  Pricing has already been raised inconsistent  with surrounding core business areas of Chelan County.
    b.  Large blocks of available rooms will have to be purchased for extended periods of time; leaving little accommodation for tourists at start-up.  This may effect core business taxes, wages, etc.
    c.  Leavenworth could turn into a mining town for a few years, and may loose some of it’s Bavarian charm, but Hotel and Motel owners may do quite well.
    d.  Building of more rooms to meet the demand has already started.
17. Skyrocketing property values because of excessively high demand for quality property and home sites in an already limited market area.  Lake Wenatchee and surrounding small lakes especially.  Private property is very limited in the pristine Lake Wenatchee area.  Acquisition of private,  lake view property is becoming remote.  Construction has already started has always been brisk in these pristine,  recreational areas.   Most other properties ‘close in’ are already acquired.

18. A question which I have yet to find the answer for is " why Leavenworth, why this mountain?  One answer I  have heard is "because it is granite!"  " Its density will shield the experiments from outside influences; especially under 6000 feet of rock!"  This answer made sense until I queried a company which invented instruments for measuring density; this company is in Germany.  My query was this " assuming I had a slab of granite 6000 feet thick; what other know materials would provide the same or better density?"  " If I had a slab of granite 6000 feet thick, would a slab of lead 500 feet thick provide the same density or protection from the elements?"  I received a list of natural material which surprised me to say the least:

    Average Specific Gravity of Various Rock Types

    Material Specific Gravity Tons / Cubic Yard Andesite 2.5 - 2.8 2.11 - 2.36 Basalt/Traprock 2.8 - 3.0 2.36 - 2.53 Coal - Anthracite 1.3 1.08 Coal - Bituminous 1.1 - 1.4 0.92 - 1.18 Copper Ore 2 1.89 Diabase 2.6 - 3.0 2.19 - 2.53 Diorite 2.8 - 3.0 2.36 - 2.53 Dolomite 2.8 - 2.9 2.36 - 2.44 Earth (dry) 1.6 - 1.8 1.35 - 1.52 Earth (wet) 2 1.6875 Gneiss 2.6 - 2.9 2.19 - 2.44 Granite 2.6 - 2.7 2.19 - 2.28 Gypsum 2.3 - 2.8 1.94 - 2.36 Iron Ore 4.5 - 5.3 3.79 - 4.47 Lead Ore (Galena) 7.5 6.21 Limestone 2.3 - 2.7 1.94 - 2.28 Marble 2.4 - 2.7 2.02 - 2.28 Mica, schist 2.5 - 2.9 2.09 - 2.43 Quartzite 2.6 - 2.8 2.19 - 2.36 Rhyolite 2.4 - 2.6 2.02 - 2.19 Rock Salt 2.5 - 2.6 2.11 - 2.19 Sandstone 2.2 - 2.8 1.85 - 2.36 Shale 2.4 - 2.8 2.02 - 2.36 Slate 2.7 - 2.8 2.28 - 2.36 Talc 2.6 - 2.8 2.19 - 2.36 Density (in lb/cu ft.) = SG X 62.4 Density (SI units) = SG X Density of water (1.0 g/cc or 1000 kg/cubic metre)

     

    as you can see; many other rock and mineral formations are very similar in density to granite, and weight per ton; and certainly many surpass granite in density, weight per ton, and protection from the elements per foot of mass.  So to say it is because the mountain is made of granite, seems a bit lacking at this juncture in time. Basalt/trap rock, or Shale, or Quartzite, iron ore, dolomite,  offer greater protection from the elements than granite with reference to density.  I simply don't know if "because the mountain is made of granite" holds up to scrutiny as a primary reason to have the lab here.  Perhaps it is the molecular structure of granite which is so appealing.  Shoring would be at a minimum.  But since granite is so hard to drill; I would have thought the monetary savings drilling through softer material or looser material, and the time savings would accommodate the added cost of supporting the softer materials.

    New Developments:  Hard rock drilling grants, monies.  Geothermal experimentation and drilling.  A Hard Rock DUSEL facility is needed to conduct the proposals experimentation.  Billions are at stake for the controlling interests in Geo-Thermal Energy Production Companies.  Proposal requests experimentation in DUSEL facility.  Go the NSF web site and look under Awards-grants, for the full description/intentions.  The proposal that will be submitted to NSF from WSU will include two (2) sites.  One north west of Leavenworth, towards Stevens Pass (this site will be for all the nano-nutrino experimentation.  The site at Mt. Cashmere is for other projects.  It was interesting with regards to the question asked earlier, "why Mt. Cashmere?", since many other sites exist with geological attributes and densities equal or greater than Granite (so that reason for building it in Mt. Cashmere is mute); unless the real reason for Mt. Cashmere is truly because it is made of Granite, its hardness, its molecular configuration!  NSF has awarded money grants to study "Hard Rock Drilling".  This is to conduct experimentation regarding drilling through very hard rock formations.   This is to access geothermal gasses and heats for energy.  Experimentation needs to move forward in this area if we are ever to be free of fossil fuels.  Obviously cooled molten lava and other geological, underground horizons providing great densities and hardness's never drilled in need to be duplicated and experimented with.  This challenge (drilling through these strata layers) will be paramount  for those receiving billions of dollars to explore these sub-regions of the planets upper surface.  Mt. Cashmere may be the perfect place for one of these test sites.  At this writing, I do not know if there is any geothermal activity under Mt. Cashmere?  Or if any can be accessed from Mt. Cashmere by drilling horizontally or at angles.  Imagine if the United States is the first country to access and harness the power of the center of the earth.  There would be unlimited energy for anything imaginable.  Question is, does the first country stake a claim like mining?  Does the first country to populate  the moon own it?  Who decides who owns the energy?  Anyway just a guess.

    Somehow this all seems mute, considering the earlier 'Pre-Proposal' is rife with statements regarding the presentation of the 'Proposal' to the NSF for consideration.  There is no mention of, nor reference to, any local, county, or state opposition deterring the timely  submission of this impressive document.
    Even so,  if this facility does not reach fruition in Chelan County; it is my belief, one has to concede the extra-ordinary efforts,  vision, and years of research by those few individuals responsible for the  formulation of  the final proposal.  To  agree or disagree with the location or the ultimate goal of this facility is our right and our obligation as citizens of the United States, and residents of Washington, more precisely, Leavenworth, Washington.  However;  there is no reason to cast a foul vote or belittle this endeavor out of ignorance " The condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed", The American Heritage College Dictionary, third edition, 1997, page 675. There are many opportunities to obtain information about this effort, ask, read, find out,....then let the rest of us hear from you!  May the road rise up to greet us, and the wind be at our backs....

      Perhaps a better reason is the NSF?  www.nsf.gov/
    
    description: "This is an independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting science and engineering through programs that invest over $3.3 billion per year in almost 20,900 research and education projects in science and engineering.  NSF - PR04 - 012, February 02, 2004; NSF  FISCAL BUDGET REQUEST - $5.745 Billion (NSF site information).  The Foundation funds research and education in science and engineering.  It does this through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, and other research and/or education institutions in all parts of the United States.  NSF accounts for about 20 percent of federal support to academic institutions for basic research."

19. In the United States, we have another  tunnel; it is the Soudan Underground Laboratory, in Minnesota, U.S.A. This tunnel is in a federally protected wilderness park area (imagine that?), and is operated by a University of all things!  (am I hearing echoes?) The University of Minnesota gets a very large piece of that $3 billion dollar taxpayer pie from the government to conduct experiments!  I may be wrong; but, it appears that whoever's back yard the next tunnel is built is a piece of the puzzle as to what controlling university gets a portion of that $3 billion dollar annual funding for experimentation.  What state university has been pushing this proposal?  Times are tough at colleges and universities these days.  At this juncture, I propose this curiosity also hides in the shadow of Mount Cashmere.  Why shouldn't the next tunnel  array and lab be operated by the University of Washington, and be in a federally protected wilderness park area? 

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