The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has granted Critical Decision 1 (CD-1) for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) (see https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=118765).

Our research group is heavily involved in the development of the project and the definition of its physics case and we co-authored its "Yellow Report" (see https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=118762).

Approval of CD-1 provides the authorization to begin the project execution phase, starting with preliminary design. Construction of the EIC is expected to begin in 2024, with the facility beginning operations early in the next decade.