The Daily Herald is absolutely right to demand an environmental impact study of Divine Strake by an independent group and not the Pentagon.

The environmental assessments by the Pentagon contradict one another on the most important concerns. From no radiation and no debris escaping more than a mile or two, to the Pentagon now claiming that the radiation exists (but nothing to worry about) and that the debris will be scattered for hundreds of miles. From a mile or two to hundreds of milesfi From no radiation to "safe" radiationfi

It gets worse. According to Algirdas Leskys, a data analyst with the Department of Air Quality and Environmental Management for Clark County, Nev., the second environmental assessment test's analysis did not consider particles smaller than 10 microns. Many radioactive particles are smaller than 10 microns. And it is these smaller particles that are the most dangerous. They remain suspended in the air longer, and they travel farther.

The Pentagon has forfeited its competence (and trustworthiness) to do an EIS. We must demand an EIS; and the EIS must be done by an independent group, not the Pentagon.

Stewart N. Thorpe,

Salt Lake City

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A6.