Deseret News | Utah nearly hosted the A-bomb project

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Utah nearly hosted the A-bomb project

Good thing | 8:46 a.m. Feb. 9, 2009

Downwind could have meant much more heavily populated areas than St. George... The existing downwind problem was bad enough, but what ifs sure are scary.

Anonymous | 9:19 a.m. Feb. 9, 2009

But, thankfully, it didn't happen in Uttah.

One Bomb | 11:20 a.m. Feb. 9, 2009

If memory serves me correctly, there was only one bomb (the first test) detonated in New Mexico. The same would have been true for Utah or East-Central Nevada if Oak City had been chosen for the Laboratory. It if very likely that nothing would have changed for the remaining tests; the actual test site being North-Northwest of Las Vegas. The Utah downwinders would have still been the St. George area.

Comments continue below

Manhattan Project | 2:21 p.m. Feb. 9, 2009

I'm glad they tested the Abomb in Manhattan instead...

MLC Rich | 3:25 p.m. Feb. 9, 2009

What about all the A-bomb testing done at the Dugway
Proving Grounds? They put up bleachers and invited
people from Tooele over to watch. Also, the Downwinders were not the only people affected. When
the St George people started to complain the testing
was moved farther north in Nevada and the winds actually brought the dust into Northern Utah.

Re: MLC Rich - 3:25pm | 4:35 p.m. Feb. 9, 2009

No nuclear tests (detonations) ever occurred in Utah, let alone at Dugway. Of all known nuclear tests (atmospheric & underground) conducted by the United States, only ten occurred outside of Nevada or the Western Pacific Ocean: three in New Mexico (including trinity), three in Alaska (Aleutians), two in Colorado, and 2 in Mississippi. In Nevada, only two tests (central Nevada) were conducted outside the Nevada Test Site. As for radiation effects, many individuals have suffered the effects throughout Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and other states, but Washington and Millard County residents have suffered the most in Utah.

Jack Johnson | 4:40 p.m. Feb. 9, 2009

Now Utah is the international nuclear dumping ground. Seems somebody has it in for Utah. I'm glad I moved away.

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