Local cancer survivor happy "Divine Strake" called off 

Friday, February 23, 2007 

Mark Johnson/KTVB (Idaho)

BOISE - It was called "Divine Strake" -- a plan to detonate 700 hundred tons of ammonium nitrate in the Nevada desert. 

But the Department of Defense scrapped the plan Thursday, canceling an explosion groups in Utah, Nevada and Idaho have been rallying against for years. That group includes a 17-year-old Boise cancer survivor whose letter writing campaign just may have played a role in the Pentagon's decision. 

Rallies, like the one held last month in Boise, protested the military's experiment, which was designed to determine the amount of explosive needed to hit underground bunkers. 

A group that calls itself "downwinders," claimed the blast would unearth nuclear dust from tests done in the 50s and 60s and send dangerous nuclear vapors to surrounding areas, including Idaho. 

The Department Threat Reduction Agency said the explosion would be harmless and that the cancellation decision was not issued because of public danger. 

"I think they're trying to cover up," said Trevor Smith. 

Local cancer activist Charlie Smith and her son Trevor, a brain cancer survivor, didn’t agree and attended a number of rallies in southern Idaho over the last 12 months to protest. 

"Greatly relieved, because I was concerned about the Divine Strake, I know it has the potential to harm many, many people," said Trevor. 

Trevor’s e-mail campaign caught the eye of California Senator Barbara Boxer who, along with Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and a host of other U.S. congressmen, acted quickly in helping to stop the plan. Video Clip Watch Mark Johnson’s report 

“I’m going to be honest, I didn’t like writing all the letters, but it definitely paid off!" said Trevor. 

“Citizens from Idaho and Nevada and other places were expressing their concern because of the tremendous cloud of material that would come off from the Nevada test site,” said Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. 

Trevor and his mom were two of over 10,000 people from Idaho, Nevada and Utah who protested the experiment. They believe it’s a statement from citizens that resonated at the Pentagon and in the end derailed a dangerous exercise. 

"I think it shows we have a lot of power and there were dangers, and finally, we won," said Charlie Smith. 

The "Divine Strake" had been postponed by the military twice over the past 12 months. This latest announcement is called a complete "cancellation."