A review panel is meeting in Ames today to study activities at the National Animal Disease Center after allegations the center did not properly treat animal waste dumped into the Ames sewer system. The allegations were made May 4th, and Ames Water and Pollution Control director Tom Neumann says the city and the center promised the review.
Neumann says though, it has taken some time to get the review panel together. Neumann says federal regulations spell out the procedures and rules for the advisory committees and that’s why it has taken so long to get the panel going. Neumann says the panel is focusing on the methods used to dispose of and destroy animal proteins called prions.
Neumann says they still plan to have their work completed in 90 days or less and then will issue a final written report. Neumann says there have been a few changes since the issue came up in May. He says the N-A-D-C has made some internal changes in the way they handle waste, and have delayed starting some scheduled research until the review of their treatment facilities is completed.
Neumann says this is just the first meeting in the process. Neumann says there will be at least one more public meeting of the panel, probably in a couple of months. The city of Ames worked with the U-S-D-A to put the scientific panel together.