aggie0083 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 (edited) President Robert Gates and other high-ranking A&M officials held two public forums to announce the university's plans to seek a $450 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security that would be used to build the 500,000-square-foot National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility on 30 acres.Garry Adams, who is coordinating the project, said A&M has determined the site would be within a 110-acre area in Research Park at the corner of Harvey Mitchell Parkway South and Raymond Stotzer Parkway....The university could face competition from as many as 18 other entities vying for the facility, but Gates said he thinks A&M's broad-based programs make College Station an optimum site....After a final site is chosen, construction would likely begin about 2008 and take about four years, Adams speculated. Then it would take another year to commission the building, or ensure that it is redundantly safe and secure, Adams said.If the facility is built in College Station, it would change the face of the university and the local economy, officials have said. Beyond the initial $450 million building project, the facility would employ some 300 federal workers, including many scientists who could potentially have dual appointments to also teach at A&M. Also, spin-off technologies would require additional facilities in the area, Adams said.Gates, a former director of the CIA, said A&M could be at the center of creating vaccines, diagnostic tests and treatments against pathogens that could potentially harm the nation's food supply and threaten the national economy."This proposed federal research lab is envisioned as playing a critical role in the nation's defense against bioterrorism and emerging diseases," he said. "Securing such a facility would literally place Texas A&M in the vanguard for cutting-edge research and discovery and enhance the economic landscape for this community."http://www.theeagle.com/stories/032206/am_20060322001.php Edited March 22, 2006 by aggie0083 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamtagon Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfootball Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Oink, oink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Why do they feel the need to defend the Agros? Can't they stand up for themselves? WHOOP(s)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Oink, oink. I'm with mrfootball on this one. Just attach "Homeland Security" to something and there is no limit to the amount of money that will be thrown at it. On the other hand, I sure am glad they are protecting that can of corn in my cupboard. I was getting concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 http://www.theeagle.com/stories/032206/am_20060322001.phpWe have our own section now. Its called the Bryan-College Station section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggie0083 Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 We have our own section now. Its called the Bryan-College Station section. Awesome! I never thought it would happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 We have our own section now. Its called the Bryan-College Station section.Topic moved - thanks for the reminder, citykid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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