The federal government, according to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation has already made an investment of $36 billion on biosafety-related activities. The construction of new so called biodefense BSL level 4 labs have in recent years prompted community and legal protests from environmental and community groups in Boston, Ma. & Davis, Ca. Opponents suspect that these civilian biocontainment laboratories are part of a secret bioweapons buildup that violates international law. The labs will work on such viruses as anthrax and ebola which are not of interest in protecting public health but are rather agents of interest for weaponization through genetic manipulation. Community groups in Boston are challenging the Boston University BSL 4 lab also on the grounds that it is an example of environmental injustice and racism as is currently being built in a densely populated part of Boston’s South End and Roxbury.