A significant economic impact is being felt in South Dakota due to a deep underground neutrino detector located at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead. The project, which involves moving 800,000 tons of rock from a mile underground to the surface, has created an economic boost for the city and local businesses.
The LBNF Dune US project, which involves numerous individuals working to create a space large enough to house the equipment in South Dakota, has had a major impact on the state’s economy. In 2022 alone, the work on the neutrino experiment resulted in over $270 million in economic impact and increased total household income in South Dakota by over $98 million. Andrew Hime, Head of Business Transformation at Fermilab, mentioned that these numbers represent activities during the fiscal year associated with the project.
The presence of people in Lead leads to increased tax revenue for the city and more business for local businesses. The impact study only included data from 2022, but it is expected to grow significantly in the future. Hime projected that through fiscal year 30, the LBNF Dune US project will have a total economic impact of about $4.3 billion and will sustain around 2,750 jobs per year on average. He believes that this impact will continue to grow through 2030 and that a significant portion of it will apply to South Dakota.
