MADISON, Wis. -- Animal diseases such as bird flu, hoof and mouth, and mad cow could find a home near Lake Kegonsa under a plan by the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The federal government selected the location as one of 14 sites for a possible National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.

Residents of the Town of Dunn, where the lab could possibly be built, attended a meeting sponsored by UW-Madison officials Thursday.

The town chairman is already expressing concern about things like runoff into the lake, traffic congestion and possible biohazards.

But UW-Madison officials said such a center would be safe, create up to 400 scientist jobs and pump billions of dollars into the state economy.

"We think this really would be a huge asset, not just for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but really for the whole state of Wisconsin," said Daryl Buss, dean of the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

If all goes as some UW-Madison leaders hope, 40 acres of farm fields in a university research park near Stoughton will become the U.S. government's new home to the world's newest, most deadly contagious animal diseases, some of which are transmissible to humans.

Near the UW Synchrotron Radiation Center research building, a nearly $5 million high-tech building would go up, replacing an aging infectious animal disease center, which is now isolated off New York on Plum Island.

The USDA helps run the lab, but it is officially part of the Department of Homeland Security.

But what's now guarded by ocean and the Coast Guard could be headed for the idyllic tiny Town of Dunn.

"It makes me very nervous," said Ed Minihan, chairman of the board in the Town of Dunn. "[People are] concerned about the -- just the sheer size of the building, and we are concerned about what could possibly happen."

Minihan said concerns include having some of the bacteria or organisms being studied being released or targeted by terrorists.

"I'm not worried about al-Qaida or anybody -- but I am worried about ecoterrorists who have done things in the state, and I'm worried about some of the animal rights folks," Minihan said.

"The concern about the release is appropriate and understandable," Buss said.

But Buss said Homeland Security will make sure the laboratory is physically secure and that procedures inside will routinely prevent anything dangerous from getting out.

"Basically nothing leaves those laboratories unless it's been completely sterilized," Buss said.

The facility will be used to diagnose, treat and prevent infectious animal disease, and part of it will contain the highest level of what's called "biosafety" -- level four.

Only some facilities like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have that now. The current animal disease center does not.

Residents Voice Concerns At Meeting

Many residents packed the Town of Dunn Town Hall Thursday night to hear more about the facility that could affect them in the next few years.

Residents voiced many concerns, ranging from how the Department of Homeland Security would participate in the facility to what types of animals might be used for research there.

Those who live nearby the proposed site, like George Corrigan, said they are more worried about the immediate safety of having a program doing high biosafety-level research that could be dangerous.

"I would invite the UW to say, 'We understand. We need local support, and if there's not local support, we'll drop the proposal.' That would show they actually do care about local support rather than force it on a town that doesn't want it," Corrigan said.

UW-Madison officials explained on Thursday that the site should be secure because of extensive training of researchers and protection by Homeland Security.

"Having this as a resource within the state of Wisconsin and being able to use it as a venue to enhance the skills and knowledge of producers as well as veterinarians, at every level really would be a huge asset to animal agriculture," Buss said.

Officials reminded residents that the building would be a federal project on UW property and not simply UW research.

The proposed project is in very early stages, WISC-TV reported.

UW-Madison would still have to make it on a short list of sites early next year. After that, there would be extensive environmental impact research done to look at the possibility of locating the building in the rural community.