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John Hollenhorst ReportingPreparations are underway for a public open-house a couple of hours from now on a topic that's ignited fierce opposition in Utah and Nevada. It's the so-called "Divine Strake" test, a plan to set off one of the biggest conventional explosions in history.
Late yesterday they announced a change of venue from Energy Solutions Arena to the Grand America. That 11th hour confusion is one more thing infuriating critics who say federal agencies don't really want to hear from citizens. The proposed explosion in Nevada has stirred surprisingly deep emotions.
Michelle Thomas, St. George: "I am outraged, I am in pain, I'm in agony over the fact that that this mushroom cloud is about to loom over our heads."
Cancer patient Michelle Thomas blames her medical troubles on mushroom clouds.
In the 1950's and 60's there were almost a thousand nuclear blasts at the Nevada test site. Utah was downwind, particularly St. George where Thomas lived. And where she now goes for her medical treatments.
Michelle Thomas, St. George: "When you ask us to give up our potential health and welfare for national security, then that makes us expendable, doesn't it?"
She worries the nightmare may repeat itself.
The government wants to set off a 700 ton non-nuclear conventional bomb. It's to study the effects on a tunnel 150 feet underground. Critics worry it will kick up old radioactive debris from the test site. Last April a government scientist denied it.
Linda Kahn, Federal Scientist, April 2006: "There won't be any radioactive, there's nothing in this area that can be taken up with the dust cloud and there is no radioactive contamination adjacent to this experiment site."
The government wound up having to eat those words because public pressure and a lawsuit forced new environmental studies. It showed that small amounts of radioactive materials might reach populated areas.
Michelle Thomas: "And the minute I read that, you know what I said?--‘I rest my case!''"
But federal agencies say there is only insignificant radiation at the test site, from global fallout.
Kevin Rohrer, National Nuclear Security Administration: "It's very small. Negligible. None. You can calculate a small risk but to measure it is virtually impossible."
Michelle Thomas: "They treat down winders every day here. And we bury down winders every day. And to ask us, I mean it's so insulting and so devastating, to ask us to believe them. Why should we? Why should we believe them that this time it will be safe?"
A deeper worry of Thomas and other critics is that Divine Strake is a precursor to a resumption of nuclear testing at the site. The government says no such plans exist. But it's one of the issues that may bring people out to these meetings and hearings.
Public Input for "Divine Strake" Test
Federal Meetings
Wednesday January 10
Salt Lake City
Grand America Hotel
6:30pm to 9:00pm
Thursday January 11
St. George, Dixie Center
6:30pm to 9:00pm
State Hearings
Thursday, January 18, 2007
St. George, Dixie State College
5:00 - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Salt Lake City, Utah State Capitol, West Building
5:30 - 8:30 PM
