Boston Biolab?

I received the following community alert in my email yesterday. This definitely looks like something worthy of some time and attention:

COMMUNITY ALERT

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH PUBLIC MEETING

APRIL 19TH  @  6:30pm

ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

1234 Columbus Avenue - (Media Arts Building)

A public hearing on the third and latest risk assessment for the NEIDL (the Boston University bioweapons lab) has been scheduled for Thursday, April 19, 2012, from 6:30-9:30 PM at Roxbury Community College,  Media Arts Building, 1234 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 0212.  The closest T stop is Roxbury Crossing.

For almost ten years, the Safety Net (a Roxbury-based community group) and the Stop the BU Bioterror Lab Coalition have successfully fought to prevent this dangerous high containment  biological laboratory from being opened in the densely populated Roxbury/South End neighborhood.  High-level containment laboratories do research on pathogens that can cause severe illness and death. The highest level (BSL-4) labs study lethal diseases that can be transmitted by air and for which there are no vaccines or treatments.  The lab is located in an Environmental Justice neighborhood which already faces significant health and environmental hazards.

Two previous risk assessments have been severely criticized by the courts and by a National Research Council panel of experts.   This latest 1700-page effort can be viewed at http://nihblueribbonpanel-bumc-neidl.od.nih.gov/,   The National Institutes of Health have scheduled the April 19th hearing because they are required to offer community members and other concerned citizens an opportunity to comment on the risk assessment.

We must make it clear to BU, NIH, and the political establishment that this lab is not acceptable to us.   It is essential that we turn out in large numbers.

I don't know a lot about this particular biolab, but I do know that I received a phone message from a close family friend this morning, encouraging me to either attend the meeting and help stop the development of this biolab, or to think about moving far, far away. :-/ 

I'm definitely interested in learning more about this issue and about the potential ramifications for Roxbury residents. If anyone has an solid info to share, please hit up the comments section below.