Eureka - Calpine Corporation of San Jose had planned to build a Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facility on the shores of Humboldt Bay. Public opposition quickly mounted against a proposal that would've brought 1000 ft. tankers with the explosive power of fifty-five Hiroshimas to the most populated area of Humboldt County. In-coming tankers would've shut down access of Humboldt Bay to fisherman, boaters and recreation users as often as twice a week. The gas would've been stored in 15-story holding tanks, then piped underneath Humboldt Bay 155-miles to California’s Central Valley.

On Tuesday, March 16, the Eureka City Council was scheduled to vote on whether or not to enter into an Exclusive Right to Negotiate (ERTN) with Calpine regarding the proposal. Due to expectations of high public attendance, the meeting was moved to a larger forum, the Eureka Municipal Auditorium.

Nearly 1,000 people showed up at the Tuesday meeting, with sentiment running overwhelmingly against the LNG proposal. When the meeting was closed at 10pm, over 100 persons were still scheduled to speak. The following day, Calpine informed the city that it was pulling out.