Georgia Makes Short List for Federal R&D Facility

Wednesday, August 9, 2006

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Georgia Makes Short List for Federal R&D Facility

Site in Athens Would Create up to 1,000 Construction Jobs and Employ 500

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue, U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, and Georgia’s congressional delegation announced today that according to initial reports, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has included Georgia on a short list of sites to locate the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).

“I’m thrilled that Georgia has the made the initial cut. We will continue working hard to convince federal officials that we have the right combination of resources, infrastructure and talent to bring this research center to our state,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Our investments and expertise in life sciences and agriculture make Georgia the ideal location for this facility.”

DHS will now perform additional analysis of 18 sites on the short list selected for further review. The department received a total of 29 applications from 20 states before the March 31 deadline.

“This cutting-edge facility will have a tremendous economic impact on the entire state,” said Senator Saxby Chambliss. “Sonny, Johnny and I will continue to work closely together to keep the Athens proposal at the very top of the heap and ensure that the decision makers in this process know that Georgia has the best and most cutting edge technology to support this type of research. It would further enhance the already outstanding reputation and stature of Georgia as a place for medical, bio and agriculture research.”

“This is great news for Georgia and reflects the hard work and preparation of everyone involved,” said Senator Johnny Isakson. “We are committed to continuing the hard work to bring this facility to our state because I know Georgia could do the best job of carrying out this critical mission to protect our nation.”

The primary NBAF site proposed by the state of Georgia is UGA-owned property off College Station Road adjacent to campus and several existing federal facilities. They include the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Richard B. Russell Research Center and the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory. The secondary site is on South Milledge Avenue near Whitehall Road on the southern end of campus.

“The inclusion of this site as a finalist for NBAF is a clear recognition of the critical mass of biomedical and health research ongoing at the University of Georgia and the associated federal facilities,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “Add to that the diverse strengths of our colleagues in higher education in the state, and Georgia becomes a very strong contender to host NBAF.”

Georgia has become a world leader in global health, especially in the areas of zoonotic infectious diseases, vaccines and food safety. By choosing an Athens site, DHS and NBAF will gain great efficiency based on proximity to existing research facilities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the USDA Russell Research Center.

Similar to the CDC, which is located near Emory in suburban Atlanta, NBAF's biosafety level four laboratories will meet, or exceed, all federal safety requirements.

To respond to the federal request for proposals, the state of Georgia created the Georgia Consortium for Health and Agro-Security. The consortium consists of representatives from the University of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Economic Development's Innovation and Technology Office, Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Medical College of Georgia, other Georgia institutions of higher education, the Georgia Research Alliance, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and other key industry stakeholders and businesses.

According to DHS, the NBAF would address the federal government’s need for research and development space to meet threats from emerging disease pandemics and bio- and agro-terrorism. DHS issued a notice of request for expression of interest in the January 19, 2006, edition of the Federal Register.

“The state received a tremendous amount of support from Georgia’s elected leaders in Washington,” said Governor Perdue. “Our advantages in the life sciences and agriculture fields are enhanced by our spirit of cooperation and support from a wide array of federal, state and local officials.”

An approximately 500,000-square-foot building would house the NBAF and employ an estimated 500 federal employees. A Carl Vinson Institute of Government analysis estimates the 20-year impact at $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion in wages/salaries and an estimated $3.5 billion to $6 billion total overall economic impact. Construction of the facility alone would create an estimated 1,000 jobs.

More information and continued updates on Georgia’s proposal for the NBAF facility can be found online at www.georgia.org/nbaf.

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