Two public forums have been scheduled for August 5 in Flora to take comments on the proposed construction of a new national biological laboratory in the Madison County town.

The meetings follow the release last week of a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the relocation of the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility to Flora. The EIS was released by the Department of Homeland Security.

Flora is one of six sites under consideration for the lab, which would study foreign animal diseases that could injure U.S. agriculture.

The meeting will be held at the First Baptist Church in Flora. The first meeting is 12:30 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. session.

On the Net:

Department of Homeland Security, http://www.dhs.gov