Mixed reactions to Kansas’ NBAF triumph

It sounds like two states may challenge the Department of Homeland Security’s recommendation to put the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan. But those applauding the move included Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell, who released a statement suggesting that state will be happy to see the closure of the government’s existing animal disease center in nearby Long Island Sound. “While the current lab has long been a leading location for animal disease research,” Rell said, “given the millions of people who live in the area and the unique environmental treasure it represents, it is clearly not the place to locate a research facility that handles some of the most dangerous biological substances known to humanity.”
But the choice upset San Antonio backer B.J. “Red” McCombs, who said of Kansas’ bid: “They are not competitive. They can’t do what we do and they won’t do what we do. It would be another homeland security boondoggle.” And the Jackson, Miss., Clarion Ledger editorialized: “Mississippi has the best site, all totaled, which any fair assessment should show.”

6 Comments

  1. beber
    Posted December 7, 2008 at 6:17 am | Permalink

    True, the San Antonio facility would have access to many test subjects — Mexicans.

  2. Monkeyhawk
    Posted December 7, 2008 at 11:16 am | Permalink

    I have my doubts about the wisdom of concentrating all the world’s most virulent agricultural pathogens into to the middle of farm (and tornado) country. If the right storm hits the wrong building in Manhattan, mutant pigs from Iowa will probably go on a rampage.

    The upside of the deal: researchers at K-State won’t be distracted by competent basketball or football teams.

  3. TomPaine
    Posted December 7, 2008 at 11:22 am | Permalink

    I wonder if Kansas would have gotten the deal if it had not reversed it’s dumbing down of science standards.

  4. Agnatha
    Posted December 7, 2008 at 11:28 am | Permalink

    “The upside of the deal: researchers at K-State won’t be distracted by competent basketball or football teams.”

    Let me guess, the hawk in Monkeyhawk stands for Jayhawk.

    We’ll see what you’ll be saying in a couple of years. Like the moves Snyder’s making on selecting assistants so far. As for basketball…

    …the men aren’t doing too bad, and the women are doing outright spectacular.

  5. KSUvetIris
    Posted December 8, 2008 at 11:45 am | Permalink

    As you can tell my by user name, I am a vet student at KSU and I think this is a great opportunity for Manhattan specifically, and Kansas as a whole. This will change the face of Manhattan over the next 20 years bring in many higher level job opportunities (higher level means higher income). The facility (like the current BRI) will not be a huge problem with tornados because it will literally be a building inside a building and if the designers are smart (which I’m sure they are) they will store the dnagerous pathogens below ground level.
    About the mutant pigs comment: the animals will probably be testing pathogens and will not be mutated. Yes, they may be carrying dangerous pathogens, but they will be properly contained.
    It’s a great opportunity for the state of Kansas and will be properly contained. The amount of containement that will go into the facility is tremendous! The BRI right now is cleaning the air of Manhattan because it takes in air for the environment and by the time it goes thgouh all the different filters and UV radiation, it’s cleaner when it’s spit out the other side.
    And the biggest part of all this- think about how humanity will benefit from this! If they could find a cure for Ebola or detect and find a way to treat, say, bird flu, before it becomes a horrible out break- how amazing would that be?!

  6. Monkeyhawk
    Posted December 8, 2008 at 12:16 pm | Permalink

    “KSUvetIris” –

    I appreciate your comments.

    And I hope your expectations regarding pathogens being safely contained work out.

    It is an issue that needs to be addressed.

    I’m not sure if the Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant could withstand a Category 5 tornado. I hope it can. But one hasn’t hit… yet… and if it means the Neosho River might glow in the dark after the big storm hits… well, maybe, he got some decades of electricity in the bargain.

    The NBAF most certainly is a contribution to the economic structure of Kansas. And that’s a good thing. But the taint of political infection is evident when, at the same time, Sam (The Sham) Brownback objects to transferring Gitmo prisoners to Leavenworth because… “…they might escape!”

    Seems to me it might be easier for a rogue microbe to escape the NBAF facility than for an alleged “combatant.” Every one of those “illegal combatants” a job is created in Leavenworth. What’s the difference?

    Here’s the difference:

    There will be a lot of political pressures involved with the NBFA facility.