[asac] ALMA News

[Alwyn Wootten]

Folks,

Tom, Ryohei and I would like to share the following news, which was
circulated by Tony Beasley to Project Managers earlier today.  We want to
express our thanks for the role you have played in accomplishing this
goal.

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I am pleased to inform you that the National Science Board today
approved our request for additional funding for ALMA.  This action
provides the NSF Director with spending authority that covers the
revised baseline as approved by the ALMA Board.  It is the first step in
acquiring the needed funds, with discussions with the Administration and
the Congress yet to come.

This approval is a recognition of the transformational nature of the
science ALMA will enable and the importance of maintaining the power of
the instrument.  The high quality of the people involved with the
project and the significant efforts by the project to bring cost and
schedule under control, as described in the ALMA Board review and the
North American review, were key factors in obtaining the approval, as
was the effort the ALMA Board has made to ensure its ability to act in a
timely way, while holding the project accountable to it.

We will keep you informed as the process of obtaining the funds continues.

Judy Sunley
Division of Physics, Math and Astronomy,
NSF
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With very best wishes,
Tom Wilson
Ryohei Kawabe
Al Wootten
National Science Foundation