They do basic science - nuclear & particle physics.
The work is important.
Though due to wasting money on climate nonsense the lab is headed toward obsolescence.
I did an investigation of DOE spending last fall. It was clear that all the spending on carbon sequestration could be axed.
However, there is some seriously interesting work being done at the DOE to pull rare earth metals out of coal mine wastes. It would be a shame if that work was defunded.
Of course that work is not being done at brookhaven but rather in college labs in Pennsylvania, west virginia and alabama.
Are they doing anything different from CERN?
...Though due to wasting money on climate nonsense the lab is headed toward obsolescence....
The Chuckster had his priorities. His was the science fiction of climate change. He chose poorly.
Important science should not be cut. In fact, funding should be expanded. Scientific achievement is part of making America great again.
Keywords are "important" and "science", not agenda-driven pseudo science and diversity outreach programs disguised as science.
Let's keep the real science --and pay for it! And we can cut the rest of the garbage.