Agricultural News
Manhattan, Kansas Likely to Become the new Plum Island as the home to Exotic Animal Disease Research
Thu, 04 Dec 2008 6:49:03 CST
Kansas Senator Pat Roberts is celebrating the recommendation of Manhattan, Kansas and Kansas State University to be the site of the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility - culminating an effort he began in 2005 to bring this scientific and economic development opportunity to Kansas. The selection was made in the Department of Homeland Security's Final Environmental Impact Statement obtained on Wednesday. (Pictured here is the Plum Island Research facility that houses much of the nation's work on dangerous animal diseases like foot and mouth disease.)
Roberts says this selection proves that Kansas "is the leader when it comes to agriculture and bio-security research and industry."
The new lab would replace the aging research complex on Plum Island, New York. The NBAF laboratory will study biological threats like foot and mouth disease and anthrax. Kansas officials are delighted with the announcement- you can read about some of their comments in this story in the online edition of the Topeka Capital-Journal-click here for their story on the facility.
An official announcement from the Department of Homeland Security is expected on Friday. The Manhattan, Kansas location beat out four other proposed sites in Georgia - Mississippi - North Carolina and Texas. Earlier in the process, the selection committee looked at Fort Reno in Central Oklahoma, but local support was mixed and the Oklahoma location did not make the final cut.
The choice won't become final until sometime after a 30-day public comment period. The final decision could also face legal challenges from losing states.
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