Bio-Tech Facility

So, in my town, Athens GA. We are in the running for receiving the rights to have a Bio-Hazard Level 4 Bio-Tech Research Facilty built here. Level 4 is the HIGHEST RISK FACTOR that there is,(Level 5 is theoretical, pertaining to something like The Andromeda Strain), containing viruses such as Ebola Fever, viruses and pathogens that are without cure.

There are both pros and cons to this. Since this is a University town, University Of Georgia, there is a skilled, accessible workforce that the government can tap. So this Facility would employ over 500 people. However, there are also environmental concerns, obvious health concerns and the fact that land values would likely decrease even though the prestige of the city would most likely increase. That would probably be felt all over the city, but more sharply around the 10 mile radius of where the facility is going to be built. If there would somehow be an outbreak of anything from the facility, MY house, and the houses of over 3,000 people would be at risk, and be considered in the "Hot Zone" of biological Hazard.

So, with that many people at risk. Along with the environment, and property values. Do you think that it would be in the benefit of our town, or your town perhaps to have such a facility located within it's city limits?

They take extra percussions to protect people from stuff in those facilities. Its not like you walk in the front door and theirs jars of dangerous stuff laying around. They have places like these all over, and theres never been any type of outbreak, or close to one that I know of. I heard that one facility has rivers of bleach to kill rats that may some how escape.

True, I wouldnt want one in my backyard, but I wouldnt be too worried about it. I have a big nuclear power plant 5 minutes from my house and I dont worry about something going on there.

I understand where you are coming from, it would be very unnerving to have dangerous chemicals and diseases and such so close to where you live. Any breach of the facility has the potential to devastate the entire surrounding area, and the thought of that would keep me awake at night. In my opinion, laboratories, nuclear power plants, and other potentially dangerous facilities should be constructed outside of city limits or somewhere with a low population.

I have read that even if, somehow, the facility's walls and bulkheads were to be breached, the containers with the pathogens in it are made almost the same way as Black Boxes, so like there wouldn't be much of a chance at all that they would be breached, and have the pathogens released. The containers are designed to withstand a direct hit from some type of RPG, causing the destruction of the vehicle carrying it.

They don't want to build it in the middle of the desert because it's not QUITE secret and dangerous enough, at least according to DHS, that it would impede their ability to find trained employees.

I had thought about this, but nothing of the sort would ever happen probably. Athens is a town FILLED with hippies, animal rights groups and the like. It is stated by the government that they WILL be testing viruses, and chemicals and the sort on live animals, such as certain types of monkeys. Now, if you have seen 28 Days Later, you'd know why that is a concern. But it's highly unlikely.

Considering that this is a Maximum Security facility. The risks of something getting out, or something or someone getting in unauthorized are very unlikely. But, I do remember reading something where a research facility somewhere in the US was broken into by Eco-terrorists and had all of their infected cats released into the wild. So I suppose it COULD happen.

Here is the Wikipedia article on Level 4 Bio Labs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_hazard