The office of Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) had an orgasm today confirmed today that the Department of Homeland Security has chosen Manhattan, Kansas (home of Kansas State University, 2 hours west of Kansas City, 2 hours north of Wichita, and 2 hours south of Lincoln, NE) to be the site of a $451 million lab designed to study diseases that are transmittable between animals and humans.
I'd like to be able to say that this has been a major battle here in Manhattan. But, it wasn't a fair fight. Backers of the lab being built in this college town of 50,000 included everyone from the Governor's office down to the local Chamber of Commerce and everyone in between. From The Manhattan Mercury:
The Manhattan Campus site demonstrated very strong community acceptance from local, state and federal officials and stakeholders. Additionally, the consortium offered a substantial, unconditional offset package, including use of the existing Biosecurity Research Institute.
How much of an impact will it have? Again from The Manhattan Mercury:
The building of the facility in Manhattan would mark the most significant economic development advance in the city since the founding of Kansas State University, according to Lyle Butler, president of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It's off the charts," Butler said. "There's nothing that can come close to what this will mean."
However, it's not quite a done deal. Homeland Security is not expected to announce it until Friday after the public release of the environmental impact study. Plus The Mercury Reports that:
The choice does not become final until 30 days following publication of the final environmental impact study Friday. And even then, the selection theoretically could face legal challenges, either from sites that were not selected or from groups who have gone on record as opposing construction of the lab anywhere. It is also theoretically possible that the incoming Obama administration could choose to revisit the decision, although there are no indications that would take place.
Why am I nervous? Why are our neighbors nervous? Our home for the past 10 years is just 800 yards directly east of the site.
Just what is supposed to be studied at the NBAF? From the Final Environmental Impact Statement:
DHS anticipates that the NBAF initially would focus BSL-3Ag research on African swine fever, classical swine fever, contagious foot and mouth disease, Japanese encephalitis, and Rift Valley fever, viruses and bovine pleuropneumonia, a bacteria. BSL-4 research would focus on Hendra and Nipah viruses.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement is posted at The Mecury website HERE. I'll try and take some time this evening to read it and update as needed.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.