Plum's not the right place
Editorial
It's clear that Plum Island is the wrong place for the Department of Homeland Security's new National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, and we urge the federal agency to look elsewhere for a site for its new state-of-the-art animal disease research center.
Our opinion is not because we believe research with dangerous pathogens can't safely be conducted there. It's being conducted there right now, at a facility much less secure than the new one would be. We're fairly confident that a new, more secure facility equipped to handle even more dangerous pathogens could also be safely operated there. Other advanced labs, indeed labs that handle pathogens potentially more harmful to humans than the ones that the new NBAF will handle, operate safely in or near very populous areas, such as Atlanta. There is always some risk, certainly, but, assuming such research is necessary, there's a very real benefit, too.
But Plum Island just isn't the place. Why?
Look to Homeland Security's own criteria for a suitable site. They are assessing the site's proximity to research capabilities, proximity to workforce, the cost of site acquisition, facility construction and operations, and, last but not least, community acceptance.
Most of the other sites on the short list are either on university campuses or adjacent to them. Others are also next to existing biotech research labs. This means there's a population of scientists surrounding the other proposed sites: a source of both intellectual capital and future lab researchers. Not so Plum Island. The other locations have more readily available and affordable housing opportunities. Building the new lab at each of the other locations will be cheaper. Operating it will be less costly, too. Everything here -- from housing to workforce costs, construction prices, and energy and transportation costs -- is simply way more expensive. Even cost prohibitive.
And then there's community acceptance. The community spoke out loud and clear with a single voice at Tuesday night's hearing. The message: No.
The only place where Plum Island comes out on top, potentially, is the acquisition-cost criteria. The feds already own the site. On balance, though, that doesn't make up for all the rest of the site's shortcomings. Plum just isn't the right place for the NBAF.
