By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-853754.mp3
Albany, NY – New York State has announced where it will build a state-of-the-art 40-Million dollar food laboratory... Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
The new state-of-the-art laboratory is the first new structure to be built on the 3330-acre campus in decades and will replace an outdated facility, and will house the New York State Food Laboratory, as well as the State Metrology Laboratory, both divisions of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. All 49 state employees working in the current facility will be retained, which include 44 chemists, microbiologists and metrologists.
The state has been trying to turn the Harriman campus into a business and technology park open to private sectorcommercial ventures: Office of General Services Commissioner John Egan says the new building will utilize "green" technology. Egan expects the project will be finished on time or ahead of time and under budget. Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings says the project is "the right thing to do" and falls in line with his 1995 "Albany Plan."
The 70,000 square foot, three-story laboratory, which will be designed and constructed by the State Office of General Services, will be located approximately 100 yards from the existing laboratory which is now housed in Building 7 on the State Office Campus. New state-of-the-art testing instrumentation and biological and chemical containment systems will be installed in the new lab to enhance its current food safety and agricultural product testing programs.
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said, "Food safety is front and center on everyone's mind these days, and this new laboratory will enable the State to better respond to food related emergencies, whether accidental or intentional through enhanced testing capabilities. We appreciate Governor Paterson's support of the Lab and its critical functions, and are pleased that it will remain in Albany so we will be able to retain all of our talented staff, as well as be in close proximity to other cooperating agencies, including the Department of Health and the State Police."
The New York State Food Laboratory provides expert analytical testing for all food safety and security programs in New York State. The New York State Metrology Laboratory will also be housed in the new Food Lab facility. The Met Lab certifies the standards used to verify the accuracy of all grocery store scales, gas pumps, fuel meters, and a host of other devices used in commerce.
Commissioner Egan expects groundbreaking to begin within 90 days and he anticipates it will take 18 months to complete construction.