The lab is used by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF):
"National Laboratory Center (to open Sept. 2001)
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
Route 1 & Ammendale Road
Beltsville, MD"
Maryland State Archives
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/36loc/pg/html/pgus.html
Here you'll find descriptions of the kinds of research being conducted
at the laboratory:
"The ATF National Laboratory Center will actually house 3 laboratories
in its 176,000 square foot atrium-styled structure. The National
Laboratory will serve as the administrative headquarters for the ATF
Laboratory system, which includes the ATF Labs in Atlanta and San
Francisco. In addition, it will house the ATF Alcohol and Tobacco
Laboratory, the ATF Forensic Science Laboratory, and the new Fire
Research Laboratory.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Laboratory will be used to conduct chemical,
physical and instrumental analysis of the two Federally regulated
industries. This work will assist in ATF's mission of 'assuring the
integrity of regulated alcohol and tobacco products, as well as
ensuring compliance with existing laws and regulations'.
The ATF Forensic Laboratory will assist with firearms and explosives
investigations across the country by providing a host of services to
support criminal investigations to include: conducting trace element
comparison, identifying fingerprints, and conducting firearm and
tool-mark examinations.
The ATF Fire Research Center will be the first laboratory of its kind
in the world. The Center will be dedicated to supporting fire scene
investigations and house state-of -the-art equipment and technology,
which will keep ATF on the cutting edge of fire and bombing
investigations. The ATF Fire Center will be a high bay research
facility capable of conducting a wide variety of potential fire
reenactments ranging from a two-story townhouse to a toaster. This
testing will not only be useful to learn how and why fires begin and
spread, but will also be of benefit to better understand ignition
scenarios and improve fire-fighting methods."
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
http://www.atf.gov/press/fy00press/120999lab.htm
More on the lab's uses:
"The National Laboratory Center is co-located with the Forensic
Science Laboratory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives. This brand new center is a state of the art facility which
houses the Beverage Alcohol and Nonbeverage Products Sections. These
Sections provide the following scientific and technical support.
Chief, Beverage Alcohol Section
Phone: 240-264-1402
Fax: 240-264-1489
The Beverage Alcohol Section supports all testing, except routine
product integrity and compliance monitoring for beverage alcohol
products. Contact the Beverage Products Section for the following
services.
- Pre-Import testing of beverages alcohol products
- Tax Credit (5010), and Tax and Trade Issues
- Certification of chemists and laboratories for the export of wines or spirits
- Consumer complaint and product tampering investigations
- Harmful contaminants, adulterants, and unauthorized additives (e.g.
pesticides, toxins and toxic metals)
- Evaluation of new technologies implemented by the regulated industries
- Analytical methods development research to improve capabilities
- Compliance monitoring of post-market beverage alcohol products
- Misbranding, mislabeling and fraud investigations
- Product Diversion including smuggling and moonshine investigations
- On-Site technical assistance to the regulated industry and to TTB investigators
Chief, Nonbeverage Products Section
Phone: 240-264-1440
Fax: 240-264-1489
The Nonbeverage Products Section analyzes and evaluates nonbeverage
alcohol and tobacco products. Contact the Nonbeverage Products Section
for the following services.
- Nonbeverage (Drawback) formula evaluation
- Imported nonbeverage alcohol product evaluation for excise tax determination
- Analysis of samples in Alcoholic Beverage Sampling Program to check
products on the market for - formula compliance and proper tax
classification
- Specially Denatured Alcohol formula evaluation
- Examination of tobacco products for tax classification, and to
support product authenticity, diversion and smuggling investigations
- Provide technical and regulatory assistance to the regulated
industry and to TTB investigators and specialists
- Processing of flavor verifications for Advertising Labeling and
Formulation Division of TTB for flavors intended for use in alcoholic
beverages."
Tax and Trade Bureau
http://www.ttb.gov/laboratory.htm
The lab cost $106 million:
"The new $106 million National Laboratory Center for the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' was dedicated in
Beltsville, just up Route 1 from campus."
University of Maryland
http://www.urhome.umd.edu/newsdesk/facts/mm/02_03/jun.cfm
Here you can download a .pdf file of the ATF's introductory brochure
for the center:
ATF
http://www.atf.gov/pub/gen_pub/0603labdedication.pdf
Here's the website of the National Laboratory Center's Fire Research
Lab (this is apparently the only division of the lab that has its own
separate webpage):
ATF Fire Research Lab
http://www.atf.gov/labs/frl/index.htm
Google search strategy:
Google Web Search: "national laboratory center" + "beltsville"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22national+laboratory+center%22+beltsville
I hope this information is useful. If anything further is needed,
please request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further assistance
before you rate my answer.
Best regards,
pinkfreud |