Los Alamos officials have asked DOE's Los Alamos Area Office to begin an Environmental Assessment of a Biological Safety Level 3 capability at the Laboratory.
"Our bioscience research is aimed at strengthening our ability to protect people against emerging infectious disease as well as the effects of biological agents that might be introduced into an environment, either by accident or for harmful intent," said Jill Trewhella, Bioscience Division Director. "As a natural extension of this research, we have been evaluating the possibility of building a new facility that would allow us to handle under enhanced safety procedures other organisms and explore the mechanisms by which they cause disease.
"The next appropriate step in this evaluation is an environmental assessment under the protocols of the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Department of Energy will take the lead on this process," Trewhella said.
Los Alamos currently operates research labs with Biological Safety Level 2 capability. BSL categories are based upon accepted national standards that have been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. The categories range from BSL-1 to BSL-4.
BSL-1 procedures are comparable to those used in a high school biology laboratory. BSL-2 procedures add access control and enhanced microbiological practices, and are commonly employed in medical centers, dentist offices and research institutions.
BSL-3 procedures add additional access control and engineering controls for air flow into and out of the facility. Procedures used in a hospital surgical operating suite, for example, are BSL-3 level.
BSL-4 facilities are designed to handle the most deadly agents and have exceptional engineering controls. BSL-4 facilities are highly specialized and are only operated in a few locations.
"A BSL-3 facility would greatly benefit our researchers working with detection and protection technologies," Trewhella said. "These scientists need to have daily access to a laboratory specifically designed to safely handle small amounts of organisms that, while infectious, can be vaccinated against or treated to prevent or eliminate infection."
The environmental assessment process provides avenues to receive input from the community.
"Laboratory Director John Browne has previously stated that after the environmental review for this facility is completed he will be in a position to make a decision on behalf of the institution whether the Laboratory goes forward with this or not," Trewhella said. "The EA is a necessary part in this process, and I look forward to helping provide information to the community and hear community response."
The DOE holds the authority to make the final decision on whether or not a BSL-3 facility is constructed at Los Alamos.
Bioscience Division was formed in October 1999 to bring together biologists, chemists, physicists and computer scientists to create and discover frontier science and technology that benefits public health, the environment and national security.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and Washington Group International for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.