WASHINGTON — Members of Utah's congressional delegation made clear to federal officials Wednesday that they are not convinced the Nevada Test Site is safe enough for a massive weapons test.

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency Congressional Liaison Office told Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., that it is no longer considering the White Sands Missile Range in his state for the test but that the Nevada Test Site is still its preferred option, according to Domenici's office. The DTRA could not be reached.

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, "grilled" the DTRA director during Wednesday's meeting, according to his office, asking why the government needs a 700-ton ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosion.

"We asked DTRA to meet with us (Wednesday) about the site selection for Divine Strake test. DTRA has yet to convince us that this test is safe," said. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "We're working as a delegation to determine how best to address these concerns."

Beyond the health and safety concerns of the test's effects on the area — the Nevada Test Site is about 130 miles northwest of St. George — Matheson is concerned about the agency's admission the test is an experiment designed to simulate both nuclear and conventional weapon effects. He noted Congress has already voted to eliminate funding for development of nuclear "bunker-busters" and does not see why the government needs the test.

"Just last month we received additional scientific evidence — from Dr. Joseph Lyon's study — of the link between radioactive fallout and illness," Matheson said in a statement. "The more we look, the more damage we uncover from this era, even as the federal government was telling us it was safe then. I remain skeptical when they tell us it is safe today."

In August, the controversial, government-sponsored weapons test known as Divine Strake was put off at least until next year, while the National Nuclear Security Administration worked on environmental studies regarding radiation exposure related to the blast.

NNSA spokesman Darwin Morgan said those studies are still under way and no final decision has been made if the tests will actual take place in Nevada yet.

Vanessa Pierce, program director for Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, said the bigger concern is that no matter where the test takes place "it makes everyone less safe."

It brings the world closer to nuclear testing, which could lead to nuclear warfare, she said.

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