Montauk Monster: Golden Leaf Foundation & NC Biotech Center Strike Out On Advocacy

Geraldo Rivera, however, tossed out an explosive theory the allegedly dead creature could be an experiment gone bad at the federal government’s nearby and secretive Plum Island Animal Disease Research laboratory.

Now, the Federal Department of Homeland Security wants to build a more expansive, modern version of Plum Island, possibly at a North Carolina Department of Agriculture Research Farm in Granville County. But substantial public opposition has thrown a monkey wrench into the plan.

Despite Granville County’s 6.5% unemployment rate and a glowing economic impact statement from the NC Department of Commerce, public fear about disease outbreaks from the exotic pathogens that would be studied at the facility spawned a backlash against the project.

Taxpayers, however, are unlikely to get out of this one easily.

Biotechnology Center Seeks $25 Million
A consortium of universities, agricultural groups and biotech industry officials including the taxpayer-funded NC Biotechnology Center is leading the effort to bring the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility to North Carolina. Like many private companies, the federal Department of Homeland Security is looking for taxpayer subsidies (incentives) from each the five states vying for the $450 million facility, and as they usually do with private companies, North Carolina is playing ball.

Though NCSU veterinarian Barrett Slenning, a consortium leader, stated in April 2008 that no state subsidies were needed, in May, the NC Biotechnology Center asked Representative Jim Crawford, a House Appropriation Committee chair, for $25 million to match Georgia’s offer (Kansas and Texas have reportedly offered $100 million; Mississippi is also vying for the project). According to Mike Wilkins, a VP at the Biotech Center and policy adviser to House Speaker Joe Hackney, “It’s just a figure.” (Independent, 5/7/08) When Crawford failed to act immediately, Wilkins’ brother, Representative Winkie Wilkins of Durham, introduced a bill awarding Granville County $25 million for infrastructure development at the site.

GNATS Bite
Meanwhile, groups like the Granville Nonviolent Action Team (GNATs) were gearing up public opposition against the $450 million disease research laboratory. Pointing to the current research center at Plum Island, NY, they noted that “The current lab is on a large uninhabited island off the coast of NY, surrounded by water, with no livestock nearby.” The Plum Island Animal Disease Research Center studies more than 50 exotic animal and zoonotic diseases, 10-percent for which there is no known cure, and has been “chronically plagued by grave security breaches and safety violations that point to managerial incompetence by Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.” The 50-year-old center is looking for a new home, but even with a new high-tech building, people make mistakes. The Democratic Underground reports that 90-percent of the 103 accidents reported at high-containment labs over the past four years were caused by human error.

All this bad press was disturbing to the proponents of the project, especially during election season - so the consortium turned to the easiest deep pocket they could think of into which they could dig without much debate – the Golden LEAF Foundation. The GLF responded by offering a $262,000 grant to the NC Biotech Center to mount an advertising and advocacy campaign to put the project in a more favorable light. But not all of the Golden LEAF board members agreed that the campaign was an appropriate avenue for GLF dollars. Board member John Merritt dissented, stating that GLF’s purpose was economic development, not advocacy. “Does Golden LEAF really want to get into this role?” he asked. “I think we’re making a big mistake.”

While NCSU is a driving force behind the project (and stands to harvest a bonanza of funding), as John Hood noted in the Carolina Journal, two NCSU Board members, who just also happen to be on the board for the Golden LEAF, voted to fund the campaign. Then, the wheels came off the bus.

Flip-flop
Suddenly, someone got cold feet. In a strongly worded refusal of the money, NC Biotech Center leader Norris Tolson declared that “it would not be wise or appropriate” to accept it.

What happened? According to a federal analysis, the North Carolina site was optimal among all others for the proposed site (Associated Press 8/11/08). And just a few days earlier, Tolson extolled the virtues of the publicly-funded public relations campaign, stating, “The consortium wants to provide information to the citizens of Granville County so that they can make a decision based on facts.” (Henderson Daily Dispatch 8/3/08).

One can only conclude the NC Biotechnology Center was attacked by something fiercer than the Montauk Monster –the politicians who write their checks. Local citizens weren’t swallowing the benefits of the federal facility, showing up in force at area local government meetings to oppose the project, and all-in-all, they were winning. In fact, Tolson’s flip-flop came when Democratic Senator Doug Berger switched from being for the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility to being against it after his challenger Chuck Stires hammered him on the issue. Berger even said that coming so late in the game, the program would not be educational. "It’s propaganda,” he stated. 

US Rep. Brad Miller also withdrew his support for the project.

All of this proves that grassroots activism can indeed have an impact on how tax dollars are spent by political leaders. Sadly for those citizens, it may not be enough. After these politicians win their elections in November, will the Golden LEAF grant return like a bad Jason movie?

Updated August 20, 2008