Senate notes its objection to Strake

Sen. Dennis Stowell, R-Parowan, said that even though people would not have a chance to comment in a committee meeting, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. held a public hearing on the issue 10 days ago. About 300 people in attendance were "very much opposed to this" explosion, he said.

The resolution passed 26-3 with Jenkins, Stephenson and Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, voting against it.

Meanwhile, Hatch on Wednesday released a report from University of Utah chemist Charles A. Wright, who concluded that data in federal documents "provide sufficient evidence for a Finding of No Significant Impact for the proposed Divine Strake experiment."

Fallout danger to the public is negligible, according to Wright's analysis.

Other experts strongly disagree. During the Jan. 24 hearing sponsored by Huntsman, Dr. Zell McGee said the half-life of certain radioactive material released in atomic bomb tests at the test site is many thousands of years. He said particles of fallout material like Neptunium-237 causes cancer, and these could be lifted by the Divine Strake blast.

Hatch said that despite Wright's analysis, he agrees with many of his constituents "that being presented with information and conclusions is no longer sufficient; independent analysis and research is now required." He called for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to find another spot for the test.

Matheson said in a written statement that the agency "has been largely the cause of a great deal of anxiety and confusion throughout the western United States and primarily Utah."

Given the government's "past record of dismissing health and safety risks" despite scientific data, Matheson wrote, "it will take a more rigorous environmental review to assure me and many Utahns that there's nothing to fear from this test."

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