Bomb test in Nevada desert revives old fears and prompts lawsuit

By Brian Cole

Published on April 28, 2006

Although it is not a nuclear bomb being tested, plaintiffs fear that the test will kick up radioactive dust from previous nuclear testing. Opponents of the test also say it was sprung on them by the U.S. government without information or discussion about the possible effects.

Nuclear weapon testing in the same area from 1951 to 1992 has allegedly caused tens of thousands of cancers in residents of western states, including Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Idaho. The U.S. government disputes this claim, although the 1990 federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act provided payment to some victims.

The lawsuit demands that the Defense Department publish its plans and provide a forum for public comment. It also asks that a study on the environmental impact of the test be undertaken.

The suit contends the test would contaminate Native American lands and make them unfit for human use.

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