Federal Daily - August 20, 2009

USDA Launches Social-Media Enhanced “Rural Tour” Web Site

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Aug. 17 announced the launch of a new social media-enhanced Web site designed to help Obama Administration officials learn about the special problems facing those living in rural communities. The new Web site, www.RuralTour.gov, is part of the administration’s Rural Tour Community Forums, a series of forums and meetings  across the country being led by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. The Web site allows rural residents to share their stories, provide feedback, and get information on what is happening on the tour. They can follow the tour’s progress via a Twitter feed, USDA said. “The goal of Obama Administration's Rural Tour is to reach out to people in rural communities to listen, learn, and address the issues facing rural Americans,” said Vilsack. “The website will be an important part of achieving these goals by providing the tools for people across the country to be a part of the conversations beyond tour stops.” To see more, go to: www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/
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Contract Awarded for New $229 Million Chemical Defense Facility

Chemical defense employees will soon have a new workspace, with the award of a $229-million contract for construction of a research and testing center at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the Army Corps of Engineers announced Aug. 14. The 526,255 square-foot facility will play a key role in the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense mission of developing, testing, and evaluating medical treatments and materiel to prevent—and when necessary, treat—casualties of chemical warfare agents. “This major transformation of physical infrastructure demonstrates the Department of Defense's commitment to protecting the health of our men and women in uniform,” said Michael Kilpatrick, director of strategic communication, Military Health System. The plan calls for construction of headquarters and administrative space,  BSL-2 (Bio Safety Level 2) laboratories and associated lab support areas, the Corps statement said. The facility will also house vivarium and vivarium support spaces, veterinary medicine, animal housing and related logistic support areas as well as gas, electrical and conventional utilities and a central energy plant. Completion is planned for May 2013. To see more, go to: www.health.mil/Press/Release.aspx?ID=890.

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