Asked his opinion about the safety of the test, Rohrer said, "My personal feeling is that I would have no reservations to stand downwind from this experiment, on the border of this site, with my children and watch the explosion go off."

Dickson said, "When we came in tonight we were told that this is not a public forum, they repeated that several times. ... They don't want any other viewpoints here."

Danielle Endres, assistant professor, department of communications at the University of Utah, who studies the public meeting process, said the process generally is flawed.

"It's a stacked deck, exactly, stacked against public participation. And in general it's a stacked deck for a decision that's already been decided," she said.

"My primary concern is for the well-being of life on this planet," said Tom King, Salt Lake City. Besides damage from radioactive isotopes at the test site, he said, he is worried about the government's intentions.

"They want to see what a little nuke will do to underground facilities," King said.

"I came to this public forum hoping that I would hear a clear and concise, comprehensive presentation," said Julie Mack, Salt Lake City. "And what I found were stations set up where there's 10 people waiting at each station. I can't hear, I can't make sense of the progress of explanation, I am walking away feeling disappointed and frustrated."

Jim Brentz, Draper, had a view that was different from the majority attitude: "I don't think Divine Strake is anything to be concerned about," he said. He was "exposed and saturated with nuclear fallout" while a soldier at the test site during 1955 explosions, he said.

He said he was pleased by the public information session.

However, spokeswomen for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, expressed disappointment about the forum.

---

E-mail: bau@desnews.com