Where were you (or your parents) on December 18, 1970? 

On December 18, 1970, the 'underground' nuclear test dubbed 'Baneberry,' which was detonated at a depth of 900 ft. below-ground, accidentally leaked.   The accident spewed radioactive debris 8,000 feet into the atmosphere, where it was picked up by the jet stream. Baneberry radioactivity rode the winds to the Northwest, Midwest, and New England, also crossing into Canada. 

Contrary to the claims by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1970, (read: 'Nuclear Workers Flee Testing Site - Radioactive Dust Escapes'), Baneberry exposed downwinders to extremely high levels of radiation - it leaked thousands of times more radiation than the accident at Three Mile Island.  

'In all of the states where the total radioactivity rose highest--Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Nebraska, and as far away as Minnesota and Maine--infant mortality also rose sharply during the first three months after the test.' (Source: 'KILLING OUR OWN' by Wasserman & Solomon)

In 1970, fallout from the Baneberry test, it was feared, may have fallen as snow in the Utah mountains, possibly contaminating the Beehive State's water supply. 

The dust cloud from Divine Strake could rise 2,000 ft. higher than Baneberry and likely carry similar concentrations of radioactive isotopes as Baneberry to downwind communities.

NOTE: 54% of the underground tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site leaked radiation, and some, like Baneberry, carried the fallout across the country.  View a graphic of the fallout pattern from underground testing.

 We need to ensure that underground nuclear testing never takes place in the United States ever again.