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A watchdog group says a proposal by Sen. Orrin
Hatch, R-Utah, to create a mock town near Dugway where mock terrorists
could conduct mock attacks with chemical and germ arms gives it real
worry.
"We were astounded, befuddled and amused all at once about his
proposal," said Steve Erickson, spokesman for Downwinders, a group
that has complained past Dugway testing endangered residents living
downwind.
"Given Dugway's past track record, they have shown a propensity to let
things get out of hand. We've learned that lesson, and are amazed that
Sen. Hatch hasn't," he said.
Hatch said this week he intends to amend an anti-terrorism bill to
study the feasibility of constructing a full-scale mock city where
officials can train against terrorist attack with chemical and germ
arms, and conduct related research.
It would include a working subway train, water and sewer systems that
might be contaminated and homes and other buildings with working
heating and air conditioning systems that might also be attacked.
Hatch aides said about the only place in the nation with the necessary
remoteness, security and facilities to host such a mock city would be
the Army's Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.
Erickson said in the past the Army conducted many tests in secret that
may have endangered residents, contended some testing that it said had
no danger when it did or denied its tests caused problems such as when
an accidental nerve gas release killed 6,000 sheep in Skull Valley in
1968.
"We know that the Army has been more careful in recent years, but it
still causes concern," he said.
He added that if Hatch is interested in protecting residents from
nerve or germ agent exposure, it would make more sense to spend money
to help Tooele County develop emergency procedures it says are lacking
to handle an accident with such arms now stored at Tooele Army Depot.
"There are better ways to handle our federal resources," he said.
"We believe that Sen. Hatch is just floating a trial balloon with this
`dead-sheep village' amendment," Erickson said. "There ought to be
plenty of Utahns ready to shoot this silly bird down. |
