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HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING,.. . HOTEL q EN LOMOND Honorable Lewis L. Strauss, Chairman Atomic Energy Commission A recent wire serwice release appearing in our Utah newspapers indicated the !,, Atomic Energy Commission is planning a new series of atomic and nuclear bomb explosions at the Nevada Proving Grounds next springThis news story has caused considerable alarm and concern in southwestern Utah, the area immediately adjacent to the atomic testing range. As you will recall, when the EC conducted similar experiments in Nevada in the spring of 1952, considerable radiation fallout occurred in several of the Southern Utah counties. A large number of sheep and also some cattle on Utah ranges died shortly after these bomb tests occurred. In spite of repeated assurances from your office, many citizens in the southern extremities of this state are still convinced that their livestock succumbed as a result o,fadverse effects of the As you know the ExperL~ental Station of the Utah Agricultural College is still doing research in this field to determine the exact causes of death to this abnormxillylarge number of sheep and Mvestock. Funds for this research were only made availableafter I had personally made repeated’requests upon the MC for restitution to the rsncliers”concerned, .orfor-an’’e=”ctdetermination as to the cause of animal loss if it were not attributable to radiation. To date no pawents have be~ made to these sheep or cattlemen for the loss of their herds. In view$f~these facts, many of our citizens in Utah are greatly concerned and have expressed opposition to new atomic tests being conducted in the nearby..,. Nevada Proving Grounds, at least until such a time as they can receive adequate..” reassurance that further life, health and property will not be endangered. As..”,., the United States Congressman from the area most closely affected by occurrences of radiation f~out from these experimental tests, I, too, am greatly concerned for the safety and welfare of my constituents, and the protection of their propert;; While I would not want to do anything to hinder or delay our national defmse efforts, I feel compelled to ask that consideration be given to co~~ tests at some more remote area outside the continental United States. If such
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Honorable Lewis L. Strauss at the tests ;e del such action is not taken .-w~=ocm en in southern Utah ,may of the bomb explosions may cause WW’ sheep and cattle producers to sell.the~r herds and abandon their ranges. Such action in the face of already depressed farm ~d livestock receipts caused by drouth would be tragic to the ranchers in this area of the state. It is earnestly requested that you give this matter very carefd+study ~d make every effort to rectify this situation before the AEC proceeds wth theu previously announced new experinentd plans in Nevada.