National Urban Security Technology Laboratory

National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) is a United States government-owned, government-operated laboratory, part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate. The NUSTL is located in the Federal Office Building at 201 Varick Street in the Hudson Square neighborhood, Manhattan, New York.

NUSTL’s mission is “to test, evaluate, and analyze homeland security capabilities while serving as a technical authority to first responder, state, and local entities in protecting our cities.” In fulfilling this mission, the laboratory serves as a federal technical authority promoting the successful development and integration of homeland security technologies into operational end-user environments.

The lab traces its roots to the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1946, first as the Medical Division of the New York Operations Office, renamed in 1949 as the Health and Safety Division and, in 1953, renamed the Health and Safety Laboratory. NUSTL is the Laboratory’s third name during its history, following the Health and Safety Laboratory (1953–1977) and the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (1977–2009). In 2009, the name of the lab was changed from the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) to the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL).

In an interview published in 2011, the Laboratory Director Adam Hutter said the lab is “the last remaining federal facility from the Manhattan Project which is still located in Manhattan.”

A recounting of the lab’s history shows changing missions and sponsors throughout the past 60 years. starting from the Atomic Energy Commission followed by The Energy Research and Development Administration and then the US Department of Energy. In 2003, the lab was transferred into the Department of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate by Sec. 303 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

According to reports, the transfer and integration into the Department of Homeland Security was not smooth. A Congressional Hearing into the transition of the lab was held by the House Committee on Science & Technology, Subcommittee on Investigations & Oversight on May 3, 2007 entitled “Transitioning the Environmental Measurements Laboratory at the Department of Homeland Security.” The S&T Under Secretary “testified that EML will remain in the S&T Directorate; that it will continue to operate, supporting both DNDO and other DHS organizations; and that it will remain in its current location.”

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