[act-ma] APRIL 19, 6:30 -- Biolab URGENT REQUEST

[Amy Hendrickson]

This is an urgent request for help to mobilize a large response to let the National Institute of Health and their Blue Ribbon Panel know that the Boston Peace Community does not want research done in our city on the most deadly, rare "exotic" organism's for which there are no known cures.

The Blue Ribbon Panel and Tetra Tech will be presenting their Draft Supplementary Risk Assessment  for Level 3 and 4 Labs at


ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
on
APRIL 19, 2012
at
6:30 PM


A large turn-out could have an impact on the final disposition of the research done in this lab. If we get as many people as we had at the St. Patrick's Day Peace Parade I think it would impress some of the decision makers.

Please circulate widely to all your contacts.

Thank you,
Cornelia Sullivan

Below is more information about this issue.

Community Hearing on the BU Biolab 
April 19, 2012, 6:30 PM, Roxbury Community College
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.  
Please plan to attend!





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