You've just won a lifetime supply of pus-filled livestock!

If the Department of Homeland Security is fudging the data to bump up a politically well-connected state onto its list of finalists for the terror plague death factory (NBAF), that illustrates why a lot of people are uneasy about this project.

Is ignoring your own internal criteria and ratings really a good idea when what you’re building will house germs could potentially (slim chance, yes, but still) kill thousands of cows, pigs and deer for miles around?

If the top brass at DHS are willing to tell their own site evaluation team to go fly a kite, what other aspects of the lab’s operation will be subject to political rather than scientific considerations?

Are we getting the straight scoop here?

I spent most of today asking these questions. It’s no shocker that politics are involved here – we’re talking about bringing big bucks back to some state and congressional district – but if Mississippi, the 14th best site, is picked over ones rated much higher, that doesn’t really bolster confidence in the decision-making abilities of DHS.

As far as how this affects Athens’ chances, there are two ways to look at it: competing against a significantly weaker finalist slightly raises our odds, or Mississippi is the pre-ordained choice and this is all a charade.

After examining each site’s pros and cons and talking to people who are knowledgeable about the process, I’d say Mississippi and Texas are the two likeliest spots if DHS makes its choice before the new administration takes office. If Obama wins and cleans house, Kansas and Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a possible vice presidential candidate, could become the favorite.

North Carolina is ranked highest, but opposition there is so out of control it’s put them out of the running (which is the point, after all). The N.C. consortium appears to have given up. There’s opposition here, too, but not enough to completely kill our chances, I don’t think. Our state and federal officials, though, haven’t been nearly as vocal as their counterparts in Texas, Mississippi and Kansas.

All three of those states are offering incentives packages in the $100 million range. Georgia’s is about $25 to $30 million. Those figures are somewhat misleading, because we’re not talking about a race to the bottom to give away the farm to a corporation for a manufacturing plant. All the offers include the same things – free land and infrastructure – but it costs more at some sites than others.

Still, word got back to me that the Athens-Clarke Economic Development Foundation was asking Gov. Sonny Perdue to sweeten the pot. UGA NBAF honcho David Lee and Perdue’s communications director Bert Brantley both said that’s not exactly the case. The state is already offering everything DHS asked for, but could tweak the package if DHS makes any more demands, as long as they’re reasonable.

It probably wouldn’t make any difference. I’ve been wrong before, but I think the anti-NBAF crowd can breath easy. The death lab is headed elsewhere.

A quick note about Ed Robinson

The District 6 commission candidate recently named local restaurateur Keith Rabideau his campaign treasurer. Robinson and Rabideau own a couple of laundrymats together.

“A major focus of my campaign is responsible economic development, both within District 6 and Athens-Clarke County as a whole. Keith's work in Athens is a perfect example of that,” Robinson said in a press release. “His initiative and leadership have been a major factor in making downtown what it is today, and I look forward to drawing on his experience."

I know Rabideau from his involvement with the Athens Downtown Development Authority. Getting his support will help Robinson cut into opponent Red Petrovs’ base, the business community.

Blake.aued@onlineathens.com