The Davis laboratory would be the first research center to study potential bio-terrorist threats and emerging infectious diseases on the West Coast. According to a source at the National Institutes of Health, the proposal outlines plans to build one or two new labs that will study these agents and diseases.

The UC Davis proposal is a strong one, as it involves funding from various major research institutions in California, including Stanford University, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and the entire UC system.

However, residents are strongly opposing the project, according to Davis officials, saying that the lab poses a security threat to the city. At a series of meetings held at Davis City Hall and the UC Davis campus yesterday, dozens of residents spoke out against the project, saying that it would be a target for terrorists and a huge risk for all locals. One resident told the city that a dangerous facility such as this belongs on a military base, not a university campus.