2008 Woodie Awards
Speaker incites opposition to bio lab
Aly Davis
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: News
Amnesty International hosted lifelong activist and educator, Deborah Ferruccio, to speak against the possible creation of Homeland Security's National Bio Agro-Defense Facility in Butner, North Carolina Sept. 22.
"I was captivated when I heard about this issue," Amnesty International New Member Coordinator Audra Porter said. "I thought there was something we could do about it."
Every month Amnesty International chooses a topic to focus on, and the bio lab was selected for September.
"I got so into this issue because I saw where it was headed," Ferruccio said.
Butner, N.C. is currently the first choice for the site of the bio lab, and this has created controversy resulting in the passing of resolutions opposing the lab by lawmakers, North Carolina representatives, the town of Butner and numerous other groups.
The Department of Homeland Security wants to build on 4,000 acres of state-owned land that was once a military camp. The sight is close to Research Triangle Park. Butner is home to about 5,000 inmates and more than 7,000 severely mentally ill and disabled patients.
"These people are politically handicapped," Ferruccio said. "When you pick a community that is totally vulnerable, that cannot speak for itself, it's appalling."
The facility, which would be the size of roughly five Wal-Marts, would also be a BSL-4 (Biosafety Level) lab, the first of its kind in the United States. The BSL numbers range from one to four. There is currently a BSL-3 lab located on Plum Island near the tip of Long Island, N.Y., which has faced much opposition and protest. The lab in Butner would replace the current one on Plum Island.
"Anytime they disinfect the building, anytime they throw away anything it will be toxic," Ferruccio said.
A PowerPoint presentation put together by Dr. Joseph W. Melamed lists the documented leaks in the U.S. from BSL-3 and 4 labs: safety and security violations, theft or loss of viruses, infected animal waste leaks and disease outbreaks.
"I was captivated when I heard about this issue," Amnesty International New Member Coordinator Audra Porter said. "I thought there was something we could do about it."
Every month Amnesty International chooses a topic to focus on, and the bio lab was selected for September.
"I got so into this issue because I saw where it was headed," Ferruccio said.
Butner, N.C. is currently the first choice for the site of the bio lab, and this has created controversy resulting in the passing of resolutions opposing the lab by lawmakers, North Carolina representatives, the town of Butner and numerous other groups.
The Department of Homeland Security wants to build on 4,000 acres of state-owned land that was once a military camp. The sight is close to Research Triangle Park. Butner is home to about 5,000 inmates and more than 7,000 severely mentally ill and disabled patients.
"These people are politically handicapped," Ferruccio said. "When you pick a community that is totally vulnerable, that cannot speak for itself, it's appalling."
The facility, which would be the size of roughly five Wal-Marts, would also be a BSL-4 (Biosafety Level) lab, the first of its kind in the United States. The BSL numbers range from one to four. There is currently a BSL-3 lab located on Plum Island near the tip of Long Island, N.Y., which has faced much opposition and protest. The lab in Butner would replace the current one on Plum Island.
"Anytime they disinfect the building, anytime they throw away anything it will be toxic," Ferruccio said.
A PowerPoint presentation put together by Dr. Joseph W. Melamed lists the documented leaks in the U.S. from BSL-3 and 4 labs: safety and security violations, theft or loss of viruses, infected animal waste leaks and disease outbreaks.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Bernadette
posted 10/14/08 @ 7:06 PM EST
Great story! And scary stuff. Glad it was covered.
The article is missing important info
posted 10/21/08 @ 7:17 PM EST
The article never mentions the POINT of the labs, other than the fact that they deal with deadly microbes. There MUST be a reason they want to build it there, not just to 'leak' dangerous chemicals and be a terrorist target. (Continued…)
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