WASHINGTON -- After a briefing this week at the Nevada Test Site for congressional staff, a Utah lawmaker on Thursday said he still has concerns about a 700-ton explosion scheduled June 2.
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, said he still thinks the Divine Strake bunker-buster test is linked to development of a new nuclear weapon.
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"Officials who say they are using this Divine Strake test in planning for new nuclear weapons seem to be ignoring congressional intent about no nuclear weapons, and that concerns me," Matheson said.
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a branch of the Department of Defense, will conduct the test and presented tours on Wednesday for the media and for congressional aides.
Matheson cited news reports quoting an agency official as saying some bunkers storing terrorist weapons might have to be destroyed by nuclear weapons.
He said he supports the development of conventional bombs to destroy terrorist bunkers but not nuclear weapons. He said budget documents showed the government plans to develop new nuclear weapons.
Matheson listed his concerns in an April 7 letter to DTRA chief James Tegnelia, but Matheson said he still has not received a response.
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., continues to support the blast, which will occur at the test site, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Seven hundred tons of ammonium nitrate fuel oil solution is scheduled to be detonated in a 30-foot pit dug above one of the test site's tunnels.
"Dr. Tegnelia gave Senator Reid his personal assurance that the test will be safe, non-nuclear and not linked in any way to the resumption of nuclear testing," Reid spokeswoman Sharyn Stein said.
The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection has not issued an air quality permit for the June 2 test.
"We have not received all of the information we need and probably will take a couple of weeks before we make a final decision," said Dante Pistone, spokesman for the division.
Rep. Shelly Berkley, D-Nev., will not support the June 2 detonation until DTRA proves the experiment will comply with the laws of Nevada, spokesman David Cherry said.
