On behalf of the county's state delegation, Delegate Paul Stull, R-Md., sent a letter to U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., about 10 days ago, asking that she support building the training center at the site of the shuttered Alcoa Eastalco Works aluminum plant near Ballenger Creek Pike.

"We think it would be an excellent opportunity to bring jobs to Frederick ," Delegate Galen Clagett, D-Md., said. "It would be a world-class center. ... I'm very much in favor of it."

Mikulski and Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., on Nov. 16 sent letters to the State Department, which oversees the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and the General Services Administration, which will help pick a location from several bids along the East Coast.

"We heartily endorse the creation of a diplomatic training facility in Maryland," the letters read. "Frederick County offers the Bureau many advantages including a highly-skilled professional labor work force, three top-quality higher education institutions, and a variety of lodging, dining, and retail establishments."

Mikulski and Cardin wrote in mid-September in support of a Queen Anne's County location, and their most recent letter says they also "now write in support of the Eastalco Plant Site in Frederick , Maryland."

Since the Eastalco plant shut down, the property has been mentioned as a possible location for electric power generators, solid waste disposal sites and housing developments.

"All of these uses would be more damaging and detrimental to the surrounding communities than would the State Department's plan," the Frederick County delegation's letter states.

Delegate Rick Weldon said the property was large enough to provide an ample buffer between the training center and the nearby communities.

"Given that Eastalco was there smelting aluminum and there was enough of a buffer," the 150-acre training center in the middle of a 2,000-acre site shouldn't be a problem, Weldon said.

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., is also lobbying to bring the training center to his state, though his office declined to specify the locations they are considering.

In a news release, Byrd's office said the facility "would incorporate aggressive driving training, firearm and other weapons shooting and accuracy training, and other tactical training."

The training complex will be funded in part with money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will cost more than $100 million, according to the recovery act's website. It includes indoor and outdoor shooting ranges, urban and unimproved road driving courses, high-speed anti-terrorism driving tracks and simulations buildings, the website says.

Officials said it is not clear when the federal government will pick a location. Rachel MacKnight, Mikulski's spokeswoman, said a decision is expected soon. Weldon said there was a rush to get the delegation's letter out quickly and that it is "a matter of weeks, not months."

In its letter to Mikulski, the Frederick County delegation touted its relationship with the federal government.

"Thanks to the federal presence of Fort Detrick, Frederick County has a long history of outstanding neighborly relations with the US government. We are confident that partnership would continue with the US Department of State," the letter reads.

And just as Fort Detrick brought jobs to the Army post and to surrounding businesses that popped up, state officials hope the same will happen with the State Department's center.

"It will offer a lot of employment, four or five hundred people to start with," said Stull, chairman of the county delegation. "And that was our main goal, to get some return for the county."

Post your comments » Round 2: Snow expected to fall today, Wednesday Fast on the heels of the largest 24-hour snowfall to hit the Frederick County since 1983, meteorologists are predicting another round of heavy snow and wind to hit today. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning Monday afternoon for the area, including Frederick County, and said 10 to 20 inches of snow is possible by Wednesday night. Weather-related closings, delays A list follows of weather-related closings and cancellations for this week. Fire and police blotter Police search for robber School closures cause makeup schedule revision Even though Frederick County Public Schools are closed today -- using the sixth snow day this school year -- the school system will not hold school on the Monday Presidents Day holiday as the first scheduled snow makeup day. Crowds pay respect to fallen marine Even U.S. Marines couldn't hold back tears Monday at the viewing of their colleague, Sgt. David Smith. The procession to the Frederick Christian Fellowship Church was led by Frederick County Sheriff's deputies. Dressed in full military regalia, Marines carried Smith's casket into the church followed by family members as more Marines stood at attention.