The Red and Black

Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: News

Media Credit: NICK PASSERELLO Eugene Cole, an architect from the Department of Homeland Security, spoke at the meeting Tuesday about the proposed National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. [Click to enlarge]

Department of Homeland Security representatives were on campus Tuesday to answer questions from supporters, opponents and community members about the proposed National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.

The officials began by giving a brief overview of the facility, which could be built on South Milledge Avenue.

"The bottom line is that we need to protect the U.S. from animal diseases," said James Johnson of the Department of Homeland Security.

Tammy Garland, also of the DHS, spoke with a similar sentiment.

"We need to be prepared and know that our drugs and vaccines work, and the only way to do that is to conduct research," Garland said.

But those opposed to the facility see the potential for more harm than good.

"The biggest concerns are the degradation to the environment and the possibility of something going wrong - it would be catastrophic," said Kathy Prescott, co-founder of For Athens Quality of Life, a group that opposes the facility being built in Athens.

Athens is one of five finalists being considered by Homeland Security to house the facility, which would study a range of animal diseases that are threats to U.S. agriculture, according to a handout from the department.

Audience questions ranged from the impact of a "worst-case scenario" and the possibility of employment.

The representatives said they could not give an exact figure on the number or types of jobs they were able to give but provided estimates.

"We anticipate up to 350 employees from the local community, with jobs such as administrative staff and lab animal technicians, among others," Johnson said.

Representatives repeatedly said the potential of a release of harmful materials was "unlikely," but if it happened, Homeland Security would have instituted measures to notify the public and attempt to bring the problem under control.

Garland said quarantine and diagnosis are possible, but said she could not conceive a hypothetical situation in which a quarantine would be necessary.

She also said trained veterinarians could recognize foreign animal diseases and take swift response.

An environmental impact draft is underway and the results should be available for public comment in May, Johnson said.

The department then will return to Athens to hear concerns and feedback from the community.

"We're open to making it an open and transparent process," Johnson said.

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