(Source: MIRS.news, Published 04/19/2024) (DIMONDALE) – The state broke ground Friday on a public health and environmental science laboratory that will be shared among the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).
The lab is located in Dimondale at the State Secondary Complex and will span 300,000 square feet.
At a groundbreaking ceremo ny on the site of the future facility, DHHS Director Eizabeth Hertel said the Bureau of Laboratories performs expansive testing, including newborn screenings, testing for infectious diseases or toxins and monitoring for chemicals in fish.
The new lab will increase the speed and efficiency of handling more than 100,000 samples and 2.5 million test results that EGLE processes every year, said EGLE Director Phil Roos.
As for LEO’s Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the lab will be used to test for occupational hazards by collecting samples during field activities.
Construction on the facility is expected to be completed by late 2026, and its budget is $326 million, which includes $260 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
The facility was designed with sustainability in mind, featuring geothermal-based heating and cooling. Adam Lach, director of design and construction, said the facility is aiming for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver rating, or gold if it’s attainable.
House Appropriations Committee Chair Angela Witwer (D-Lansing) attended the event, but did not speak at the press conference.
