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U.S. Trims Candidate List for New Biodefense Lab
The U.S. Homeland Security Department yesterday said it has winnowed the number of candidate sites for the planned National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility from 29 to 18 (see GSN, June 29). The new site would replace the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York. Scientists from various federal agencies would have access to multiple laboratories for research on foreign animal, human and zoonotic diseases, some of which could be used in acts of terrorism. “DHS plans for the NBAF to develop vaccine countermeasures for foreign animal diseases, and provide advanced test and evaluation capability for threat detection, vulnerability, and countermeasure assessment for animal and zoonotic diseases,” the agency said in a release. Entities that made the first candidate cut: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California; the Georgia Consortium for Health and Agro-Security, which proposed two sites; Heartland BioAgro Consortium in Kansas — two sites; the Kentucky and Tennessee NBAF Consortium; the Mid-Atlantic Bio-Ag Defense Consortium in Maryland; the Gulf States Bio and Agro-Defense Consortium based in Mississippi — three sites; the University of Missouri at Columbia; North Carolina State University-College of Veterinary Medicine; Oklahoma State University; Texas A&M University; Brooks Development Authority and Brooks City-Base Foundation in Texas; Texas Research and Technology Foundation; Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research in Texas; and the University of Wisconsin-Madison site at the Kegonsa Research Facility. Remaining candidates now can offer more details on their proposals. A list of finalists is expected to be ready by the end of 2006, with the final selection made in 2008 (U.S. Homeland Security Department release, Aug. 9). Factors considered in making the first cut included community support for the Biosafety Level 4 facility, the available labor pool, research capabilities, and purchasing, building and operational matters, said Homeland Security spokesman Jarrod Agen (Ben Evans, Associated Press/Daily Comet, Aug. 9). While Plum Island itself is no longer a candidate to house the laboratory, it is still due to receive $35 million in federal funding for security and infrastructure upgrades, Newsday reported today. Local officials said they hope the money is a sign that Plum Island would continue to operate even after the new facility opens in 2013. “To my mind this is very good news,” said Representative Timothy Bishop (D-N.Y.). “The community does not want a Biosafety Level 4 facility and I am pleased to say we won’t be getting one. I am also pleased that important upgrades will be made to the security and infrastructure (which) … strengthen the case that Senator [Hillary] Clinton (D-N.Y.) and I have been making that Plum Island continues to serve a vital role in our nation’s biodefense.” A new 8,000-square-foot animal wing is to be built at Plum Island, and improvements made to water and electrical systems and the wastewater decontamination system, Newsday reported. Homeland Security’s Agen said that does not necessarily mean Plum Island would continue to operate for an extended period. “We need to ensure that during the next seven to 10 years that the facility has the proper resources,” he said (Carol Eisenberg, Newsday, Aug. 10).
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