The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will hold an informal community meeting to answer questions about the proposed National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility Feb. 19
from 6:30–10 p.m. at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel.
UGA-owned property on South Milledge Avenue is one of six sites being considered by DHS for the NBAF, a new national facility that would address the federal government’s need for research and development space to counter threats from foreign animal diseases that affect livestock and diseases that may transmit from animals to humans.
Experts from DHS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Plum Island Animal Disease Center will present information about NBAF’s mission, its design, safety measures, impact on the environment and more. The officials also will answer written and oral questions.
“This is an opportunity to get answers to questions about NBAF and separate fact from fiction,” said David Lee, UGA vice president for research and lead of the Georgia Consortium for Health and Agro-Security.
Meeting moderators Jim Thompson, Athens Banner-Herald editorial editor, and Ben Emanuel, Flagpole city editor, will select the written questions from community members before and during the meeting. Written questions also may be submitted on cards available during the meet-and-greet portion of the meeting from 6:30–
7 p.m. as well as during a break. The presentation begins at 7 p.m. Tim Bryant, WGAU news director, will moderate the meeting and call on people for oral questions. Each person approaching the microphone will be allowed one initial and one follow-up question. For more information, call (706) 542-5941.