Your chance to tell the federal Department of Homeland Security what you think about siting its National Bio- and Agri-Defense Facility on Plum Island is now. The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement issued by DHS in connection with its plans -- evaluating five alternative locations in addition to Plum Island -- runs through Aug. 25.

You can download the DEIS here on our Web site (see link at right).

Whatever your opinion, yea or nay, make it heard. Comments can be phoned in to DHS toll-free at 1-866-501-NBAF (6223), faxed toll-free to 1-855-508-NBAF (6223) or e-mailed to nbafprogrammanager@dhs.gov, or, for the traditionalists out there, sent via postal mail to U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, James V. Johnson, Mail Stop #2100, 245 Murray Lane SW, Building 410, Washington, DC 20528.

But just as important -- maybe more so -- is the turnout of local residents at the hearing on the DEIS scheduled by DHS for Aug. 12, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Greenport School.

It's a shame that the DHS scheduled its public hearing in direct conflict with a Southold Town Board meeting. Yes, that's right. Southold Town Board has one of its regular monthly meetings that very night, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Southold Town Hall.

Of course, we probably shouldn't expect the federal Department of Homeland Security to pay attention to such small local details of scheduling conflicts. But it's still a shame. People who want to attend the Town Board meeting forfeit the opportunity to attend the DHS hearing, and vice versa. In addition, the conflict makes it difficult or impossible for the Southold supervisor and Town Board members to attend the NBAF hearing -- to have their voices heard and to listen to what their constituents have to say about the proposal.

This is a choice that Southold's citizens and elected officials should not have to make.

Since the behemoth federal agency isn't going to do something to rectify the situation, Southold Town should. The Town Board can easily change its meeting time to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 12; it already alternates between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. every other meeting. Changing this meeting to 4:30 p.m. -- so citizens and elected officials alike can attend this important federal hearing -- is, in the scheme of things, no big deal.

We urge the Town Board to convene a special meeting for the purpose of adopting a resolution to change the time of the Aug. 12 meeting from 7:30 to 4:30 p.m. It's a small accommodation for citizens, not to mention members of the Town Board, who want to be able to attend both the town meeting and the federal hearing.