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Divine Strake Cancelled

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DIVINE STRAKE CANCELED

Larson Bill documents gold mining destruction
larsonshoshone.jpg
Photo Brenda Norrell

 

From the Western Shoshone: Excellent news!!  The 700 ton ammonium nitrate and fuel oil test being planned illegally by the United States on Western Shoshone lands in Nevada has been cancelled, not postponed and not delayed, but cancelled! – effective today, February 22, 2007.  AP story and Federal Press Release follows.

 

In response, Western Shoshone Defense Project Community Organizer Larson Bill stated:  “Hopefully this will be a true beginning to an end of this type of testing and nuclear buildups – for the Western Shoshone and all humanity.  We want to thank everyone who helped us in this struggle to defeat Divine Strake.  The fight still continues for us on other environmental threats to our land and life – we look forward to everyone’s continued support.”  Original WSDP press release attached.

 

Western Shoshone Defense Project

P.O. Box 211308

Crescent Valley, NV  89821

775-468-0230

775-468-0237 (fax)

www.wsdp.org

wsdp@igc.org

 

Feds cancel Divine Strake explosion

ASSOCIATED PRESS (online@rgj.com) 

February 22, 2007

WASHINGTON - The government said Thursday it is canceling Divine Strake, a controversial non-nuclear explosion in the Nevada desert.

"I have become convinced that it's time to look at alternative methods that obviate the need for this type of large-scale test," Defense Threat Reduction Agency Director James Tegnelia said in a statement.

Divine Strake was planned as a 700-ton test of the nation's ability to defeat underground facilities that produce and store weapons of mass destruction.

But it prompted a lawsuit and widespread opposition in Utah and Nevada, where critics feared it would kick up radioactive material from decades-old experiments.

 

DTRA Release: 

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 Feb. 22, 2007

 

 

 

Cancellation of Proposed Divine Strake Experiment

 

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has decided to cancel the proposed Divine Strake experiment.  “I have become convinced that it’s time to look at alternative methods that obviate the need for this type of large-scale test,” said DTRA Director Dr. James A. Tegnelia.  This decision was not based on any technical information that indicates the test would produce harm to workers, the general public, or the environment.

 

Divine Strake was a scientific experiment designed to significantly advance the nation’s ability to defeat underground facilities that produce and store weapons of mass destruction.  The experiment would have entailed detonating a large amount of a common blasting agent over an existing tunnel at the Nevada Test Site.  It was to be the largest in a series of experiments that relied on the specific geology at that location.

 

DTRA will attempt to develop alternative scientific means for obtaining the important data that this experiment would have provided.  Such methods to assess capabilities to defeat underground facilities do not currently exist.  The agency will develop advanced analysis techniques and conduct confirmatory experiments at a much smaller scale to assist in developing new capabilities to defeat underground facilities.

 

There is a national consensus on the need to improve conventional capabilities to defeat underground targets that pose a threat to the United States.  “DTRA remains committed to help develop non-nuclear means to defeat underground targets.  I am optimistic that we will succeed,” said Tegnelia.

 

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