Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
John Hollenhorst ReportingA plan to set off a tremendous explosion in the Nevada desert is stirring controversy in Utah. Federal agencies will hold a public meeting in Salt Lake Wednesday night, but the format for that meeting has already caused sparks to fly.
On one day's notice they've moved the meeting from the Energy Solutions Arena to the Grand America Hotel, and even that is riling up the critics.
The oddly named "Divine Strake" explosion will not be nuclear; a huge mushroom cloud, with conventional explosives only. But a legacy of distrust from the days when they did nuclear testing has fired up heavy opposition.
The plan is to put 700 tons of explosives into a pit and set them off. It will be one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history. Pentagon officials want to test the effects on a tunnel 150 feet below the blast. It's to learn how to attack a hardened, underground enemy shelter.
Federal Scientist, April 2006: "If we look at this facility immediately after the test, we would expect that there would be a good amount of rubble."
The Divine Strake test has stirred opposition largely because of what was done at the Nevada Test Site in the 1950's and 60's, hundreds of nuclear explosions. Downwinders in Utah are convinced many people eventually died because of radioactive fallout.
Relatives of the late Governor Scott Matheson continue to believe his cancer resulted from the years he lived in Iron County during the years of atomic testing. They don't easily accept reassurances from the government about Divine Strake.
Norma Matheson, Former Governor's Widow: "Telling us that it's going to be perfectly safe, and I keep thinking, 'Where have we heard that one before?' "
Matheson's widow says the non-nuclear blast may create radioactive fallout by kicking up contaminated dirt left over from the old days of atomic testing.
Norma Matheson: "I can't help but express deep concern because so much was not told to us then. And I just worry it's not being told to us now."
Government officials say so little radiation is left that health risks are insignificant from Divine Strake, even for someone living at the test site boundary.
Kevin Rohrer, Nat'l Nuclear Security Administration: "They'll receive just a very, very, very small level of radiation. It's point-zero-zero-five millirem. Far less than you would receive watching TV over the course of the year."
A big fear of critics is that this conventional explosion is a precursor to something they consider much worse: testing of actual nuclear weapons.
Norma Matheson: "Where is all this going to go? Is this just the first step toward proliferation of a new nuclear weapon?"
Kevin Rohrer: "There is no intent or plans to go back to nuclear testing at the Nevada test site."
Critics contend the government has changed its tune over time and made contradictory statements about the risks and the long-range intentions. That skepticism has boiled over into fierce criticism of the format for tonight's meeting.
The government plans an open-house with one-to-one conversations, but critics want a public forum to vent their views.
Utah's Democrats are criticizing the federal agencies holding this week's public meetings. In a letter, State Democratic chairman Wayne Holland says the format and the sudden change of location will deepen mistrust and suspicion.
Wayne Holland, Chairman, Utah Democratic Party: "The change of venue just seems to be a pattern of irresponsibility by the administration and the bureaucracies in Washington, DC that just don't seem to want input from Utahns. And we just want a clear public hearing on these very critical issues."
Governor Huntsman has scheduled his own hearings next week because he believes the federal meetings this week are inadequate.
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
