Pentagon cancels massive 'Divine Strake' blast

Friday, February 23, 2007  

The Pentagon has dropped plans to explode more than 700 tons of explosives on Western Shoshone territory in Nevada.

Tribal members sued to stop the "Divine Strake" blast, worried that the test would stir up radioactive particles at the Nevada Test Site. They were joined in opposition by politicians in Nevada and Utah, and survivors of nuclear contamination.

The Pentagon delayed the blast in response to the suit and to justify its need. But officials decided to cancel it yesterday.

Get the Story:
TEST SITE EXPLOSION: Divine Strake blast dead (The Las Vegas Review-Journal 2/23)
Strake canceled (The St. George's Spectrum 2/23)
Divine Strake is canceled (AP 2/23)

Revised Environmental Assessment:
Revised Finding of No Significant Impact for the Large-Scale Open-Air Explosive Detonation at the Nevada Test Site (May 9, 2006)

Relevant Links:
Nevada Test Site - http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm
>Western Shoshone Defense Project - http://www.wsdp.org

Western Shoshone Claims Distribution Act:
Bill Report | H.R.884 | S.618

Related Stories:
Western Shoshone refuse to give up on treaty (01/09)
Tribal members in Nevada protest Divine Strake (05/18)
Divine Strake blast postponed but concerns remain (05/10)
Utah governor latest to oppose big military blast (04/28)
Western Shoshones file suit to stop military blast (04/21)
Shoshones, Navajos concerned about military blast (4/11)
Western Shoshones face uphill battle in land fight (03/16)
UN panel criticizes US over Western Shoshones (3/13)
Western Shoshones take land fight to United Nations (02/22)
Western Shoshones sue railroad over lost land (01/12)
Western Shoshones worried about trust payout (11/23)
BIA reopens Western Shoshone distribution process (05/19)
Western Shoshones threatened with disenrollment (02/14)
Confusion still marks Western Shoshone payout law (07/20)
Bush signs Western Shoshone payout bill into law (07/08)
Western Shoshone payout bill clears Congress (06/25)
Western Shoshone payout bill approved by House (06/22)
Western Shoshone payout bill delayed in House (06/03)
Support grows for Western Shoshone trust fund bill (05/07)
Western Shoshone bill faces another push in 2004 (01/13)
Western Shoshone leaders want U.S. to show ownership (10/27)
Senate approves $144M Western Shoshone payout bill (10/20)
Western Shoshones sue over 60M acres of land (09/30)
Senate panel approves Western Shoshone payout bill (07/17)
House panel considers Shoshone payout bill (06/19)
Reid says he would consider Shoshone land claims (03/14)
Western Shoshone payout bill reintroduced (02/26)
Indian bills faces uncertain future in Congress (11/18)
Senate approves Shoshone payout (11/14)
Opposition to Shoshone payout mounts (10/15)
BLM auctions seized Shoshone cattle (10/7)
U.S. asked to halt Shoshone auction (10/4)
BLM to auction seized Shoshone cattle (10/2)
Shoshone activists to stage protests (9/30)
Senate panel approves Shoshone payout (9/26)
Shoshone cattle seized, horses feared next (9/24)
Shoshone 'renegades' resist land payout (8/26)
Senate panel debates Shoshone payout bill (8/5)
Western Shoshone are 'homeless' (8/2)
Report finds human rights violations (8/1)
Shoshone land 'not for sale' (7/22)