Efforts to Ensure Continued Operations of Rome Laboratory are Increased; Governor Pataki, Senators Moynihan & D'Amato, Representatives Boehlert, Molinari, McHugh and McNulty, Rome Officials Urge Department of Defense to Keep Lab Open.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 1995--In a last minute effort to ensure the continued operation of Rome Laboratory -- the Air Force's highly advanced technology research and development center -- a bipartisan coalition of elected officials from across New York State today met with Deputy Secretary of Defense John Deustch to emphasize the military and economic value of keeping the lab in New York State.

Situated on the scaled-back Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York, the lab has been the site of numerous technological breakthroughs that have helped guarantee America's military superiority and have been used in the development of civilian products. Recent examples of the technology developed at the lab, and its transfer for non-military use, include the systems used to track SCUD missiles in the Persian Gulf War, which have now been transformed into equipment used to detect breast cancer.

Other technologies developed at the lab have been used to create such products as compact disks; "black boxes", which are used to investigate airplane disasters; and 3-D Optical Memory systems, widely used for massive storage of digital data.

To further the exchange of technologies between the military and commercial ventures, the State of New York has created and committed $4.1 million to NYSTEC -- New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation.

It is estimated that as a result of the lab's work, and the exchange of technologies to the private sector, nearly 10,000 jobs (with a total payroll of more than $285 million) will be created in New York State over the next decade. The total economic impact of the lab and NYSTEC is estimated to be over $700 million generated in the next decade.

Next week, the Department of Defense is scheduled to release to the Base Closure and Realignment Commission the list of military facilities across the country recommended for closure or realignment. The Commission will make its determination in June.

Elected officials attending the meeting included several from the area -- Oneida County Executive Ray Meier, Rome Mayor Joseph Griffo and Congressman Sherwood Boehlert, who joined Governor George Pataki, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Senator Alfonse D'Amato, and three other Members of Congress -- Representative Susan Molinari (Staten Island), Representative John McHugh (Watertown) and Representative Michael McNulty (Albany).

Rome Lab is responsible for at least 3,000 jobs in upstate New York, and pumped over $300 million into the economy through outsourcing of research work to private firms last year alone.

CONTACT: The Marino Organization Inc.

Lee Silberstein, 212/889-0808