StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

Ever since September 11th and the subsequent anthrax attacks, alot of attention has been placed on bio-terrorism and the Nation’s Bio-Defense Labs. Now the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services is questioning the security of dangerous toxins at university research facilities.

Keeping tabs on research labs

The
United States has invested considerable amounts of money in
bioterrorism research, but a new federal report shows that these
efforts to make Americans safer could backfire because of lapses in lab
security. Independent analyses have found that funding for civilian
research on biodefense has increased by more than $14 billion since
2001 — growth that has led dozens of scientists to enter the field.
The expansion has strained the oversight capacity of many universities,
as evidenced in a recent compliance review.

The inspector
general of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found
problems at 11 of 15 universities that use "select agents" –
biological agents or toxins which pose a serious health risk. Eight
institutions demonstrated poor inventory or access tracking; six had
problems controlling access to the dangerous materials. The findings,
collected from November 2003 to November 2004, echo some of the results
of an earlier analysis released two years ago. Citing the sensitivity
of the issues involved, neither of these reports identify the
universities involved; so far, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), the agency in charge of the research program, has not
moved publicly to punish any institution.

Many researchers
have complained about the laborious process of winning approval to use
select agents, and even those who do not work with dangerous materials
are quick to cite exponential jumps in administrative tasks — one
recent survey found scientists reporting they spent 42 percent of their
time on paperwork and meetings. Regulators must ensure that the
record-keeping required really is relevant.

Here is an interesting set of FAQs discussing the Bio-Safety Levels of the bio-defense labs. Frequently Asked Questions About Biodefense also available as a .pdf).

This is important as the Department of Homeland Security has announced its intention to replace the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. See the DHS discussion of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility . Also see this piece Fact Sheet: National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility . There have been numerous proposals submitted, with some people believing that Texas A&M will be given the award.

Here is a Rolling List of Bidders for the Department of Homeland Security’s National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Last Updated: 3 May 2006. POSTER’S NOTE: I’d ignore the editorial comments and focus only on the locations.

That’s probably enough for now. Since I’ve given a few presentations on bio-terrorism and homeland security, I’ve got loads of support material for future discussions.