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Legislators overseeing cold fusion for their colleagues Wednesday did not rule out the possibility of further state funding for legal and scientific work on cold fusion.
"I think what we have here is something that should not die," Sen.
Wilford R. Black Jr., D-Salt Lake City, told members of the State Fusion/Energy Advisory Committee.
"If the merit is there, we'll fund it," said Rep. Mike Dmitrich, D-Price.
Sen. Lyle Hillyard was also open to the possibility of more funding, but he said that Gov. Norm Bangerter had not included it in his budget. Bringing in a new appropriation at this point would be difficult, he said.
"I've seen you work magic in the final hours," University of Utah Chase N. Peterson told Sen. Hillyard.
Joseph Tesch, assistant attorney general who oversees cold-fusion legal work, estimated that another $200,000 to $250,000 will be required in the next year to defend the nine patent applications made.
The Legislature in April 1989 appropriated $5 million for cold fusion - $4.5 million for research and $500,000 for legal work. All that remains is slightly less than $1 million in research funding.
The legal fund is exhausted, Mr. Tesch said.
To cover this year's legal costs with the research funds would require legislative approval, council members said.
National Cold Fusion Institute director Fritz Will said he would prefer another source were found for the legal work so that the dwindling research funds can be spent on their original intention.
Mr. Tesch suggested that the state proceed with as little legal work as possible until the latest review of Stanley Pons' data is completed and "we have a better handle on what the patents are worth."