DHS Begins NBAF Site Visits

April 18, 2007 — 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced its schedule for conducting site visits for the remaining consortia under consideration to house the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) which will replace the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.

Eighteen sites remain under consideration to house the proposed $450 million facility. Site evaluation teams composed of 16 federal employees representing multiple DHS offices and government agencies including USDA, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) will visit each site over the next month. Each site will be evaluated and the list of potential sites narrowed by June 2007. [Ed. Note the exclusion of private sector stakeholders on the site evaluation teams.]

The "small number of sites" selected to continue the process will undergo an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) after completion of which the final site will be announced in October 2008. DHS indicates that the private sector stakeholders (i.e. livestock producers, veterinarians, state animal health officials, etc.) will be given an opportunity to provide input, questions, concerns, etc. once the EIS process has begun.

Construction is currently scheduled to begin in FY 2010 with completion slated for 2013 - 2014. The NBAF website has been updated to contain an explanation of the site review process and a timeline for future facility development.