• Comments on the NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement (NBAF Final EIS)
• NBAF Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Public Meetings
• Town Hall Meetings
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process
• Available NBAF EIS Documents

Comments on the NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement (NBAF Final EIS)

All comments on the NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement were considered before the Record of Decision was issued.

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NBAF Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Public Meetings

The Department of Homeland Security held public meetings to present the impact analyses of siting, constructing, and operating the proposed National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). The public was invited to attend a meeting and provide comments on the National Bio and Agro-Defense Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Most meeting locations had an identical afternoon (12:30 - 4:30 p.m.) and evening (6 - 10 p.m.) session consisting of the following:

• A one-hour open house to view material, register to present oral comments, and speak informally with subject matter experts (12:30 - 1:30 p.m. and/or  6 - 7 p.m.)
• Presentation on the NBAF DEIS (1:30 - 2:30 p.m. and/or 7 - 8 p.m.)
• Formal comment period (recorded by a court reporter) (2:30 - 4:30 p.m. and/or 8 - 10 p.m.)

Past Meetings

Washington, D.C. - Thursday, July 24, 2008

• Washington DC NBAF presentation, (PDF, 34 pages - 2.3 MB)

Butner, North Carolina - Tuesday, July 29, 2008

• North Carolina NBAF presentation, (PDF, 37 pages - 2.4 MB)

Manhattan, Kansas - Thursday, July 31, 2008

• Kansas NBAF presentation, (PDF, 37 pages - 2.2 MB)

Flora, Mississippi - Tuesday, August 5, 2008

• Mississippi NBAF presentation, (PDF, 37 pages - 2.3 MB)

San Antonio, Texas - Thursday, August 7, 2008

• Texas NBAF presentation, (PDF, 37 pages - 2.3 MB)

Old Saybrook, Connecticut - Monday, August 11, 2008

• Connecticut NBAF presentation, (PDF, 37 pages - 2.3 MB)

Greenport, New York - Tuesday, August 12

• New York NBAF presentation, (PDF, 37 pages - 2.3 MB)

Athens, Georgia - Thursday, August 14

• Georgia NBAF presentation, (PDF, 37 pages - 2.3 MB)

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Town Hall Meetings

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) subject matter experts were available to address questions on the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).

Past Meetings

• Athens, Georgia: Tuesday, February 19, 2008
  NBAF presentation, (PDF, 29 pages - 2.2 MB)
  
• Creedmoor, North Carolina: Thursday, February 21, 2008
  NBAF presentation, (PDF, 29 pages - 2.6 MB)
  
• Southold, New York: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
  NBAF presentation (PDF, 38 pages - 1.65 MB)

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National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process

Scoping Process – Summer 2007

The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) scoping period occurred from July 31 through September 28, 2007. During that time, the Department conducted eight public meetings in the vicinity of the proposed NBAF sites and in one regional location. The results of this process are documented in the NBAF EIS Scoping Report (PDF, 124 pages - 5.84 MB).

NBAF Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Summer 2008

The Department has released the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public review and comment, which addresses the scoping comments received. The public comment period on the NBAF Draft EIS was from June 27 through August 25, 2008.

NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement - December 2008

The Department has released the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility Final EIS.

The NBAF Final EIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of taking no action, as well as siting, constructing, and operating the proposed NBAF at the following six site alternatives:

• South Milledge Avenue Site, Athens, Georgia
• Manhattan Campus Site, Manhattan, Kansas
• Flora Industrial Park Site, Flora, Mississippi
• Plum Island Site, Plum Island, New York
• Umstead Research Farm Site, Butner, North Carolina
• Texas Research Park Site, San Antonio, Texas

The Department Preferred Site Alternative can be found in Sections ES.4 (Executive Summary) and 2.6 (Chapter 2) of the NBAF Final EIS.

All comments on the NBAF Draft EIS received during the 60-day comment period, regardless of how they were submitted, were given equal consideration in finalizing the document. Appendix H of the NBAF Final EIS presents the comments and the Department’s responses to those comments.

Record of Decision – January 2009

The Record of Decision (ROD)  documents the Agency’s final decision for siting, constructing, and operating NBAF at the Manhattan, Kansas site. All comments on the NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement were considered before the Record of Decision was issued.

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Available NBAF EIS Documents

The following documents are available online and in the locations reserved for NBAF reading material.

• Record of Decision (ROD)
• Final NBAF EIS Executive Summary
• Final NBAF EIS (includes the Executive Summary)
• Final NBAF EIS Comment Response Document (Appendix H)
• Draft NBAF EIS Executive Summary
• Draft NBAF EIS (includes the Executive Summary)  

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