Scientific panel blasts NIH review of biolab

Is 'environmental justice' another term for NIMBY?

Why don't we build the Lab in Iraq? It may take longer to staff but if there is a mishap, "Oh Well"

Do we need labs? If an epidemic reaches our shores, will we appreciate the ignorance.

At last some scientists can see the light .... shame on BU and the NIH

Environmental Justice means that the benefits and burdens of environmental advancements should be shared equitably. It means that all the labs studying deadly viruses shouldn’t be concentrated in poor neighborhoods just because the residents there are too politically disenfranchised to fight back. And it means that folks living in Newton and Wellesley shouldn’t be able to reap the benefits that the lab generates without sharing some of the risk that building that lab creates.

I didnt realize the South End was disenfranchised, it happens to be one of the most expensive places in the city to live, and with its connections and symergies a perfect place to build a 15,000 SF research facility

Poor neighborhood? That’s why a condo just sold for $4 million down the street right?

the south end is multi-classed, multi-racial, etc. despite its expensiveness. and if those in power are building the biolab amongst those with AFFLUENZA without their consent, well ---- money isn't everything. this just means that when it comes to a say in those things that affect their lives, they're no worse off than say ---- people who are middle class and live in singapore, saudi arabia, china.

This project is right in the middle of Castle Square housing project, Cathedral housing project, and Villa VIctoria housing project.

I don't get it; why does this facility have to be situated in such a densely populated area?
Wouldn't it make more sense to located it in a more rural area?

Actually no "se-er", its in between Albany Street, BMC, the Flower Exchange, the 93, and the Jail. Outside of this, is the greater community made up of a variety of residential types including affordable housing and million dollar condos. The lab in question is only +/-15,000 sf, a very small portion of the entire development, despite what some would have us believe.

Anyone ever see death from ebola or plague? Its not pretty.
Does it make sense to build a Level IV Biolab in the middle of any city?

It does NOT make sense to build a Level IV Biolab in the middle of ANY city. In addition to population density, the close highway proximity could transport a contagious release hundreds of miles with in HOURS. Even a small release could halt transportation to and from Boston for days or weeks. In addition to man made disasters (TERRORISM – since this location is well know now), what about natural disasters? What is really behind the stubbornness of this location choice… politics/greed…??? This does not pass the stupid test.

Why build such a dangerous facility in a heavily populated area? Boston University, the government and the politicians are just blinded by money and greed. They can't see common sense staring them in the face - DO NOT BUILD A HAZARDOUS FACILITY IN METROPOLITAN CITY.

Now go read Richard Preston's book "Hot Zone" for good terrifying yet true read. Stephen King said it was scariest book he's ever read and it's non-fiction!

Type your comment here... I can hear BU officials, government officials and others now, if the Biolab is built and there is an accidental release of a deadly disease. "We had no way of foreseeing this unfortunate consequence". "We believed NIH and others had provided us with adequate safeguards to prevent an accident like this", and so forth.
I do not believe for a minute that the biolab will be looking for cures to ebola, the plague, anthrax and more. Under Bush-Cheney such a lab would ONLY be building offensive weapons for use against the "terrorists", who are never in one place, of course. I can only hope that there are enough delays on this outrageous lab to delay its implementation past Jan. 20, 2009, when, I hope, we will have a new president who will cancel this entire project.

Congratulations to the small, intrepid band of brothers and sisters who have made this a very costly error for Boston University and BU's political enablers. Indeed, it's far from clear that a lab of this toxicity and potential risk should be put in any densely-populated community, let alone one that is home to a significant number of poor people. And the claim of convenience should be examined a lot more carefully. In an era of vast, instantaneous electronic data transfer, why can't a Level IV lab be located at least a few dozen miles from the medical centers in the urban core that it purportedly services? After all, the Air Force didn't put SAC command underneath Times Square.

You all are a bunch of fools. I have been part of a team that has built these labs before. There are thousands of safe gaurds against anything that could be released. Become educated before you sound off.

Wouldn't it make more sense to build this facility in one of the many closed military bases? The university and Menino and Capuano say that this will generate lots of jobs in the community, but will employ more locals than, say, a hotel? I live three blocks from this facility and went to one of BU's outreach sessions; the head of security told us two things that really scared me: first, that the place would be safe from hackers because there'd be no electronic communication into or out of the place, but then went on to say the only place workers could email would be CDC -- duh, hackable. Secondly, when asked about the 3-4 shipments a month of deadly agents through our neighborhood (originally planned to go through common carriers like UPS!!), he assured us that each dedicated truck would have a GPS on it (so at least we'd know where the hijackers are?)! BU did not report a recent lab accident -- why do we believe they will do the right thing when this facility results in a tragedy that could have been foreseen? They are fools and we are fools to let them endanger our community.

The reason for this lab is greed - BU's, Menino's, NIAD's - under the Bush junta's drive for "full-spectrum-global-dominance" (meaning: "We own the world.") Others in the world aren't friendly to the US's ambitions, hence we must batter them down and terrify them. Biological weapons are fair for this new Great Game. Scientific commentators including MIT's Jonathan King and BU's David Ozonoff have noted that the secrecy cloaking these labs leaves no room for other countries to assume anything other than that the US is developing biological weapons. Blather about "curing" ebola is nonsense: go to the Ebola River and set up a lab there - the disease is endemic there - not Boston's South End. This lab must not operate! Opposition to it must continue!!!

I've rarely seen such ignorance-based paranoia. Do people not understand the important scientific and defense-based points of establishing these laboratories? Unreasoning fear and ignorance form the foundation for these objections. Whatever happened to the spirit of scientific conquest that enthralled us when Salk and Sabin conquered the polio virus? Now, our children are safe (if vaccinated) from measles, mumps, chickenpox, etc. If we as a nation fail to stay on top of these issues, we may indeed succumb to them through bioterrorism. What has happened to our backbones? Are we suffering from osteoporosis of the spirit of courage?

I've rarely seen such ignorance-based paranoia. Do people not understand the important scientific and defense-based points of establishing these laboratories? Unreasoning fear and ignorance form the foundation for these objections. Whatever happened to the spirit of scientific conquest that enthralled us when Salk and Sabin conquered the polio virus? Now, our children are safe (if vaccinated) from measles, mumps, chickenpox, etc. If we as a nation fail to stay on top of these issues, we may indeed succumb to them through bioterrorism. What has happened to our backbones? Are we suffering from osteoporosis of the spirit of courage? I've never seen such cry-babies and namby-pambies and diaper-wetters in my life. For over 30 yrs. I've cultivated pathogenic viruses for research and diagnosis. I've likely propagated more HIV in vitro than anyone in my region of the country for MEDICAL RESEARCH INTENDED TO HELP PEOPLE. If you scairdy cats only knew how we can benefit humanity by this research, you'd pipe down. Those of us who are professionals in the field KNOW what we are doing. As a citizen, a mother and one who cares immensely about the health and well-being of our country, I implore you to learn more about this. I have worked for years at biosafety level 3 & have fully complied with all safety ordinances, and actually gone beyond. Please do not cripple scientific health-focused research with blind, uninformed fear. This will frankly do more harm than biocontainment labs in our cities. Fear destroys. Science enlightens.

Ms Pifer

I've rarely seen such ignorance-based hubris. I believe people's objections have been to the building of Level IV BioLabs in the middle of heavily populated cities.
I guess all us paranoid people are suffering from something called common sense; something obviously not taught in doctorate degrees.

Hi everybody. I'm new here and I'm making my first post.

Mr. Brady...No hard feelings, but sometimes geographical location is to be se riously considered if projects such as these are to succeed. It has to do with proximity to scientific colleagues and institutions charged with succeeding in bringing these lab"on line" so that progress can be made. I work right across the st. from an under construction Bio. Level 3 lab and it doesn't worry me a bit.
On a risk level, this is extremely low on my list of fearful things that can happen.
I'm more likely by gagillions to get killed or hurt driving to work. Happy 4th!

that last comment was awful...come on man!