Report Examines Three Options for National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility

The proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kan., would be the world's fourth Biosafety Level 4 laboratory capable of large animal research and would replace the aging Plum Island facility.  However, given the estimated cost of $1.14 billion to construct NBAF at the proposed site and the country's current fiscal challenges, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requested that the National Research Council analyze whether three options could meet the nation’s needs.

Meeting Critical Laboratory Needs for Animal Agriculture: Examination of Three Options examines the following: constructing NBAF as designed; constructing a "scaled-back" version of NBAF; and maintaining current capabilities at Plum Island Animal Disease Center, while conducting large animal Biosafety Level 4 work at foreign laboratories.     

The scope of the committee's analysis was limited to examining the three options stipulated by DHS and explicitly excluded an assessment of specific site locations for the proposed laboratory facility; therefore, the report does not compare relative risks of the three options.

DETAILS:

Advance copies will be available to reporters only beginning at 9 a.m. EDT Friday, July 13.  The report is embargoed and not for public release before 1 p.m. EDT on July 13.  Members of the expert committee that wrote the report will discuss their conclusions during a telephone news conference beginning at 1 p.m. EDT on July 13.

Reporters: To obtain an embargoed copy and receive the call-in information for the telephone news conference, contact the Office of News and Public Information; tel. 202-334-2138 or e-mail news@nas.edu.