Divine Strake in Nevada: The NNSA:

The National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, which oversees the Nevada Test Site, is an agency within the Department of Energy, which is the successor to the Atomic Energy Commission.   The NNSA has not presented any data to support their conclusion that the soil at the Divine Strake site is uncontaminated.  Such a conclusion can only be made upon completion of a proper Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) - which the NNSA has not done - that would involve the actual testing of soil at the test site for radioactivity.  

History of NNSA findings: The NNSA originally issued a pre-approval draft Environmental Assessment in November 2005 and a follow-up Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on January 30, 2006.   The Environmental Assessment was based only on analysis of existing evidence and did not involve soil testing.  The NNSA issued their final (and revised) Environmental Assessment and FONSI on May 5 and May 9, respectively.  Likely due to doubt cast on the agency's findings by both the public and the plaintiffs in the downwinder lawsuit, the NNSA withdrew its findings (FONSI) on May 26 "to re-evaluate the existing data, analyses and conclusions."  (Can a finding withdrawn really have been a "finding" in the first place? - Robert C. Koehler) 

For more on the recent history surrounding the test, view our timeline of Divine Strake events graphic.

The NNSA also has consistently failed to mention that radioactive fallout occurred during the phase of underground testing (1962-1992).  An analysis of DOE data in the early 1990s showed that 54% of the 804 underground tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site leaked into the air above the soil surface.   Shots Sedan and Baneberry, both 'underground' tests, released significant amounts of radioactive fallout into the atmosphere that was carried across the country. 

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