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UGA's chances for holding NBAF site dwindling
Staff and news reports
Issue date: 8/11/08 Section: News
The chances for the University to host the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility are slim, according to a report released by the Associated Press.
According to documents obtained by the AP, the Homeland Security Department swept aside evaluations of government experts and named Mississippi - home to powerful U.S. lawmakers with sway over the agency - as a top location for a new $451 million national laboratory.
The UGA site, located on College Station Road, was given a score of 90 while the Mississippi site, in the town for Flora, scored an 81. The report listed Athens' strengths as "near research programs and scientific community at the University of Georgia, attractive land package." But it noted its weaknesses as "flood plain issues, nearby construction could have affected the construction schedule.
The disclosure is the latest example of what critics assert is the Bush administration's politicizing of government decisions, such as efforts to steer science over global warming at the Environmental Protection Agency and hiring and firing practices at the Justice Department.
The states where locations were eliminated despite earning scores higher than Mississippi include California, Maryland, Missouri, Texas, Wisconsin and Athens.
Besides Flora, Miss., the U.S. locations under consideration for the new lab are Athens, Ga.; Manhattan, Kan.; Butner, N.C.; and San Antonio.
Hearings about NBAF coming to the Athens area will be helf Thursday from 12:30-4:30 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
According to documents obtained by the AP, the Homeland Security Department swept aside evaluations of government experts and named Mississippi - home to powerful U.S. lawmakers with sway over the agency - as a top location for a new $451 million national laboratory.
The UGA site, located on College Station Road, was given a score of 90 while the Mississippi site, in the town for Flora, scored an 81. The report listed Athens' strengths as "near research programs and scientific community at the University of Georgia, attractive land package." But it noted its weaknesses as "flood plain issues, nearby construction could have affected the construction schedule.
The disclosure is the latest example of what critics assert is the Bush administration's politicizing of government decisions, such as efforts to steer science over global warming at the Environmental Protection Agency and hiring and firing practices at the Justice Department.
The states where locations were eliminated despite earning scores higher than Mississippi include California, Maryland, Missouri, Texas, Wisconsin and Athens.
Besides Flora, Miss., the U.S. locations under consideration for the new lab are Athens, Ga.; Manhattan, Kan.; Butner, N.C.; and San Antonio.
Hearings about NBAF coming to the Athens area will be helf Thursday from 12:30-4:30 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jarred
posted 8/11/08 @ 5:33 PM EST
Way to blame this on Bush... it really is all his fault.. most newspapers try to at least act not biased, guess that was too much for you
John
posted 8/12/08 @ 9:44 AM EST
Blame Bush?
I'd like to thank Bush if he's at all responsible for this thing not coming here!
Now I've got one good thing to say about him.
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