I was just recently learning this about dugway proving ground and thought it may make a great post to my web logs.
On April 11th, the Bush Administration released information of an incident that occurred, at the Animal Disease Center on Plum Island, in 1978. According to the Administration, the FMD virus (Foot and Mouth Disease) was accidently released and several cattle, in pens, outside the facility contracted the disease. According to Homeland Security, the cattle were destroyed and all measures were taken to prevent the contamination (FMD) from leaving Plum Island; furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security reported that there had been several accidents within the building since 1954, but did not involve any livestock outside the building until the 1978 incident. In 2003, the Department of Agriculture relinquished its control of the Animal Disease Center at Plum Island to the Department of Homeland Security because of the department's portrayal in biological defense.
Now, the Department of Homeland Security wants to close down the Plum Island Facility, and move it to "the mainland." Some of the areas mentioned for the new site are Athens Georgia, Butner North Carolina, San Antonio Texas, and Flora Mississippi; Long Island was also mentioned since it does not contain livestock. The area for the National bio-Agro-Defense Facility site, former Animal Disease Center, will be chosen later this year. The Department of Homeland Security cited that by moving the site to the mainland, it would be easier to reach than by helicopter or ferry boat, would offer better security measures for higher level research, and would allow for the expansion of more research into other diseases that are transferred from animal to man. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security stated that none of the lab animals would be quartered in pens outside of the facility, thus preventing the contamination of livestock within the area.
Facts about Hoof and Mouth Disease: From Aphis Veterinary Service Fact Sheet
1; Affects all hoofed animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, horses, swine, deer
2. Most animals recover, but left debilitated.
3. Causes lesions on tongue, in mouth, lips, teats, between hooves
4. Lameness, loss of milk production (dairy cattle), and meat
5. Abortions, myocarditis, (inflammation of heart, muscles and death, especially in new born animals
6. Takes many months for animals to regain weight, milk production remains low, and conception rates lower.
Hoof and Mouth Disease is not contagious to man, and should not be confused with hand and mouth disease that mimics FMD. The Hands and Mouth Disease is diagnosed by the formation of blisters in the mouth, on the hands and feet and is found mainly in young children. The virus that produces the Hands and Mouth Disease is the Coxsackie virus. These are two separate and extremely different viruses.
Hoof and Mouth Disease is spread by:
1. Exposure to other animals that has the virus.
2. Fed contaminated food, or drinking contaminated water containing the virus
3. Exposure through contaminated clothing, shoes, equipment
4. Exposure to vehicles that were used to carry sick animals, or to facilities that held sick animals
5. Through breeding, infected semen
6. Through animals that show no symptoms but are carrying the virus
Dangers of the Proposal:
Back in 1968, over 6,00 sheep were killed at Skull Valley Utah, not to far from the Peck family home. The Dugway Proving Ground, an Army military base had been releasing low dosages of VX nerve gas in an experiment. During the experiment, some of the VX nerve gas was carried by the wind into Skull Valley. Ray Peck had been working outside that evening and was unknowingly exposed to the gas. When he entered the house that night, his only complaint was that of an earache.
On the following morning, Ray stepped outdoors and noticed dead birds and a dying rabbit not to far from him; the sheep began to die shortly afterward. Following the death of the sheep, the Army dispatched a helicopter to the Peck property. The dead wild life was collected, and before the helicopter left, blood samples were drawn from the Peck family. Shortly after drawing blood, the family began to complain of severe headaches, and Ray suffered bouts of paranoia, numbness, and burning legs. Later his daughters, children at the time of the incident, married and had several miscarriages. Ray has now developed heart problems and skin cancer, and stated that he wondered if the exposure to the gas was the cause.
In 1972, a movie directed by George C. Scott, called Rage, demonstrated the dangers of various government testing and accidents. In Rage, he and his son had been out on the range with their sheep when a helicopter flew over and dropped chemicals. The chemicals caused the death of his son, and George C. Scott went on a rampage. Although, this information is based upon nerve gas and chemicals it helps to prove that the unforeseen, and accidents can happen
The Department of Security has stated that the newly created site would be quite safe, secure, and heavily monitored, and that all contaminated materials would properly be sterilized and dealt with, however accidents happen as seen in the past.
According to the news media, we have world wide food shortages and hunger due to more corn being grown for the ethanol industry than grown for food, the loss of crops through climatic change, and higher cost for food, which many people can not afford. Compile these facts with what would occur if the FMD virus would be accidently and unknowingly released from the National Bio-Agro Defense Facility. The results would be world wide mass rioting and starvation.
Although vaccines against the virus exist, the problem of using vaccines is two-fold. First of all the correct FMD virus has to be identified. As of now, 7 immunological types, 60 subtypes, and several strains of the virus exist, and the correct virus has to be determined before the vaccine is given, otherwise the vaccine would not work. Secondly, the virus spreads very rapidly because of movement of livestock throughout the country, and all sections of the United States would be exposed, unless discovered immediately and the cattle carrying the disease destroyed. Even if the cattle, carrying the FMD virus, are destroyed, the disease has probably progressed to deer, which can further spread the virus re-infecting the cattle.
Not only is FMD a threat to the food supply and cattlemen, other viruses that can be transferred to man through animals have to be considered. Will they be dealing with viruses such as anthrax, psittacosis, rabies, or brucellosis; or some type of virus that has not reached the United States as of yet, and if so what would the effects be on man if accidently released? Would the site become a target for any terrorist group within the United States, and are we as a nation, prepared for that?
What I can't understand is that if this facility is so safe why didn't President Bush suggest his hometown Crawford Texas for the facility.? Better yet, why doesn't President Bush allow the facility to be built next to his cattle ranch?
Further information on this subject can be found on Yahoo News, msnbc.com, and KansasCity.com.
