Appropriations for continued research on the proposed Rare Isotope Accelerator are tied up in federal budget talks.

RIA has been identified as a top priority in research funding in previous years, but recent budget woes have cast doubt on the viability of the project.

MSU had been one of the main contenders for the site of the accelerator, along with Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago.

The federal budget was supposed to be completed by Oct. 1, but is now more likely to be done some time in mid-November, said Howard Gobstein, MSU's vice president for governmental affairs in Washington.

"They're still trying to figure out how they're going to pay for things like hurricanes," Gobstein said.

"Congress has significantly restored, or seems like it's going to significantly restore, (U.S.) Department of Energy funding."

In late May, the U.S. House of Representatives approved $10 million in funding to continue the project as part of an energy and water appropriations bill. The U.S. Senate passed a similar bill, and lawmakers are currently in the process of ironing out the differences between the two bills.

Spending on items such as hurricane relief and the war with Iraq could still put pressure on RIA funds, Gobstein said.

The National Academy of Sciences has started a study to investigate the need for the project.

Gobstein said he expects the report in early 2007.

"It's my guess that they're going to endorse the Rare Isotope Accelerator," Gobstein said. "Then, depending on the budget situation, discussion can move forward."