Groundbreaking ceremony held Tuesday for Lab's new BSL-3 facility

Laboratory Director John Browne on Tuesday joined other Lab staff and Department of Energy personnel in breaking ground for Los Alamos' new Biosafety-Level 3 facility at Technical Area 3. Joining Browne from left to right are Julie Wilson a retiree from Bioscience (B) Division, Tom Rush of the Los Alamos Office of Site Operations (DOE/OLASO), John-Olaf Johnson of the Department of Energy's Albuquerque Office (DOE/AL), Jim Brainard of B Division, Pete Nanos, of the Associate Director for Threat Reduction (ADTRO) Office, Jim Pannucci of B Division, Director Browne, Jill Trewhella, B Division leader, Don Cobb, associate director for threat reduction and Larry Tellier also of B Division. Browne, in his comments at the ceremony noted that the communications process developed for the facility sets a new precedent for future Laboratory projects, a model of cooperative communication between the Laboratory, the Department of Energy and the community. Trewhella noted that the support and understanding of the community was a key factor in bringing the project to life. "We talked to hundreds of people about this project. They not only listened, they also heard. Our local county council and Sierra Club chapter came out with letters of support, an unprecedented step. . . all of the small acts of support that we felt along the way made the difference for us," she said.

Architects drawing of the 3,000 square foot building near the Materials Science Laboratory at the intersection of Diamond Drive and Pajarito Road. It will contain two laboratory spaces at the biosafety-3 level, a larger biosafety-2 laboratory area, and offices and related storage and changing rooms. Jack B. Henderson Construction Co. Inc. of Albuquerque is the general contractor for the project. Photos by LeRoy N. Sanchez, Public Affairs

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