State and local political winds were tending to shift to the negative around the Department of Homeland Security’s consideration of Granville County as the location for a new biohazard lab, as reported today by WRAL Local Tech Wire out of Raleigh. Then news arrived that the proposed N.C. site in Granville County had ranked at the top of an AP-reported list compiled by DHS for locating the $451 million project.
DHS’s review committee named Butner, in Granville County, as the best place to locate a new National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility. The location received a score of 94 in the rankings; San Antonio, Tex., and Manhattan, Kan., both received a score of 91; Athens, Ga., scored 90; and Flora, Miss., was in fifth place with 81.
As Xpress reported on July 29, public comments concerning the location of the proposed lab may be submitted until Monday, Aug. 25. See “Biohazard Lab for North Carolina?” for filing information.
— Nelda Holder, associate editor
