MASSACHUSETTS NURSE NEWSLETTER :: May/June 2008

For the past three years, MNA has worked on behalf of Roxbury neighborhood residents and Boston Medical Nurses who oppose the level 4 BSL lab being built by Boston University on the BMC campus in Boston’s South End. The laboratory was intended for research on the most dangerous agents known to man—anthrax, hemorrhagic fever viruses such as Marburg and Ebola, tularemia, etc. The primary purpose of level 4 agents is bioweapons research.

Community residents—outmanned, outgunned and out-moneyed by BU—have nevertheless enjoyed amazing success. They are beginning to be sought as expert consultants by environmental activists across the country for their ability to fend off a biological arms lab in Boston.

According to community organizer and lead plaintiff Klare Allen, “It’s hard to be grassroots without much ‘grass’ (money)!” Despite the obvious obstacles, in December 2007 the state’s highest court, the SHC (Supreme Judicial Court) confirmed the decision of Suffolk Superior Court Judge Ralph Gants that an additional Environmental Impact Studies must be performed, upholding that the commonwealth’s previous lab approval had been “arbitrary and capricious.” At this point, BU and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Washington, D.C. do NOT have state approval or permits needed to open the lab.

In January the Boston Business Journal reported that Boston University’s image among the state’s business leaders plummeted from sixth to 20th place this year, while cross town rival Boston College saw its prestige rise to No. 1 from fourth place. The negative press reports during the year on the institution’s Level-4 lab are thought to have been a major factor in B.U.’s large rankings drop.

Currently NIH is working on submitting a revised environmental impact statement, and while attorneys feel it will be impossible for them to demonstrate honestly that the site is a safe one, it is important to continue to work to assure the level 4 lab will never open.

If you would like to be involved in opposing the level 4 lab, there are a number of projects underway over the next three to six months:

Volunteer opportunities

• Join MNA’s Emergency Preparedness Task Force
  This group initially suggested that MNA convene both lab proponents and opponents prior to making an assessment of the dangers posed by the lab. Task force members have been active in making presentations to community groups, to NIH and in political forums. Contact: Mary Crotty, mcrotty@mnarn.org or Sandy Eaton, sandyern@comcast.net B) Bio-lab Ballot Question
  Polling neighborhood constituents is the next step in assessing the possibility of placing the lab on the 2008 (or later) election ballot. Contact: Mark Pelletier, badscientist666@yahoo.com
• Sponsoring a Safety Net and STOP the BU
  Bio-terror lab Coalition National Forum The community group is working with a national forum; the core group has met twice with the U.S. EPA concerning funding. The EPA has an environmental justice department that is interested in funding the educational workshops of the Forum. Members have been contacting and surveying other states to see if there is interest in this type of national strategic planning. There has been overwhelming response by all the states that have been contacted. Contact: Mel King. mhking@mit.edu or Prasannan Parthasarathi, parthasa@bc.edu
• YouTube Interviews
  Klare Allen is teaching at New Mission High School. Senior class students have chosen the biolab as their graduating project, and will create a brochure and post it on Stopthebiolab website. Their computer teacher will assist with websites, video and audio clips. The students are also going to video tape themselves and address their feelings concerning the issue and place it on YouTube. Help is needed to call contacts to become involved and to put names in an Excel format.Contact: Cornelia Sullivan, corneliasull@gmail.com
• Expanding the Web site The group is creating a “national button” which when clicked will link to the national bio lab page with media coverage, maps, research information, interactive gathering of information, legislation updates, videos and links to other national group websites. Contact: Klare Allen, safetynetrox@yahoo.com If you would like to be informed of these and other upcoming events or are interested in more information, contact Mary Crotty RN JD, associate director of nursing at MNA at mcrotty@mnarn.org or 781.830.5743.