On the eve of his confirmation hearing, Steven Koonin, undersecretary designee for science at the Department of Energy, heard about the need for continued support of a federal underground science lab at Lead.

Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., in a news release said he stressed that the Obama administration support the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Lab at the former Homestake Mine. The project involves the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy.

Johnson serves on the Senate Energy Committee, which will debate Koonin's nomination today.

Koonin is chief scientist for BP following nearly three decades at the California Institute of Technology. He also has served on advisory boards for NSF, Department of Defense, and DOE and its various national laboratories.

In 2007, NSF announced that Homestake Mine was the best site for DUSEL. With that announcement came the pledge of a $15 million federal award over three years so that the Homestake team can further refine the plans involved in developing this lab.