TMCnet News
Aging lab triggers search for new site(Pueblo Chieftain, The (CO) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Mar. 25--The Plum Island Animal Disease Center off the coast of Long Island, N.Y., has been the nation's leading animal disease laboratory for more than 50 years. Under the supervision of the Department of Homeland Security since 2003, the federal government is looking for a new site for an expanded lab. That's why Lower Arkansas Valley development groups have enlisted the help of Colorado lawmakers in trying to persuade the government to establish the planned National Bio Agro-Defense Facility in Southeastern Colorado. President Bush has requested $23 million for the design of the lab and the Department of Homeland Security is asking that states, communities and organizations send in letters of interest this month. The federal government hopes to have the new research facility under construction by 2009 and operating by 2012. "Plum Island is an aging laboratory and the department is looking at all the options for establishing the new laboratory," explained Larry Orluskie, a Homeland Security spokesman. "That option includes expanding the current lab at Plum Island." Homeland Security officials describe the lab expansion project this way: "The laboratory and test space in the current facility are insufficient to support the increasing levels of research and development needed to meet the growing concerns about accidental or intentional introduction of foreign animal diseases into this country and it is not appropriate for zoonotic disease research." Zoonotic diseases are those that can be transferred from animals to people, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or "mad cow" disease, and avian, or "bird" flu. "One of the things USDA researchers at Plum Island are doing is the genetic mapping of animal diseases," Orluskie said. The new lab would have a higher level of containment security than the Plum Island facility and would operate in conjunction with USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. Asked whether the lab could pose any hazard to surrounding communities, Orluskie noted that no diseases had ever escaped the Plum Island facility and the NBAF would have additional containment measures. Plum Island was established in 1951 and it became a USDA lab soon after in response to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Mexican and Canadian cattle herds. It currently employs 180 people and continues to do USDA research and testing on animal diseases and other potential threats to the nation's food supply. Plum Island is staffed by veterinarians, biologists and microbiologists, along with lab support personnel. NBAF would employ up to 250 people, Orluskie said. No timeline has been set for reviewing applications or selecting a site, he said. . |