From the Office of Utah Congressman Jim Matheson

MATHESON NEWS
Second Congressional District

For Further Information
Alyson Heyrend: (801) 455-5593 (cell)
www.house.gov/matheson

April 27, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Matheson Says Test Site Tour Confirms His Concerns

Washington DC-Congressman Jim Matheson said Wednesday's briefing to Congressional staff about the upcoming Divine Strake explosion at the Nevada Test Site validates his concerns about development-and potential testing-of new nuclear weapons.  The tour was conducted by officials from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, an arm of the Defense Department which is planning to detonate a 700-ton explosion using ammonium nitrate in a pit atop a concrete tunnel at the test site.

DTRA says the test is designed to evaluate how well it can predict ground shock as it applies to both nuclear weapons and conventional weapons.  The blast is expected to produce an earthquake registering in the 3.1 to 3.4 range on the Richter scale.

"I have strongly supported the research and development of conventional weaponry to destroy hardened, deeply buried targets. We need to build something that actually defeats the threat without harming our soldiers and innocent civilians.  Officials who say they are using this Divine Strake test in planning for new nuclear weapons seem to be ignoring Congressional intent about no new nuclear weapons and that concerns me," said Matheson.

He cited the interview with a DTRA official on CNN Thursday.  The official said, "There are some very hard targets out there and right now it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to defeat with current conventional weapons.  Therefore there are some that would probably require nuclear weapons."

Matheson noted that budget documents before Congress and briefing information supplied by DTRA to Congressional staff and the media include statements about plans for new nuclear weapons. He has already submitted questions to the director of DTRA and is awaiting a reply to his April 7th letter.  Matheson said the fact that this is a conventional explosion -which doesn't pose immediate risks from radiation exposure-doesn't address his underlying question.

"The information from yesterday's briefing is not reassuring.  I am still waiting for a response that addresses my original concerns," said Matheson.

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Alyson Heyrend
Communications Director
240 East Morris Ave. #235
South Salt Lake, UT 84115
(801) 486-1236 (phone)
(801) 455-5593 (cell)
(801) 486-1417 (fax)