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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for Activities Associated With Future Programs at the
U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, UT

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the FEIS for Activities
Associated with Future Programs at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground
(DPG). The FEIS provides information on potential effects to the human
and physical environment resulting from present and reasonably
foreseeable future activities that have been or may be undertaken by
the various proponent units and organizations at DPG. Mitigation of
these potential effects is also considered in the FEIS.

DATES: The waiting period for the FEIS will end 30 days after
publication of the notice of availability in the Federal Register by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the FEIS should be forwarded to:
Commander, U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, ATTN: CSTE-DTC-DP-PA (Final
EIS), Dugway, UT 84022-5000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Paula Nicholson at (435) 831-3409
or by e-mail at nicholsn@dpg.army.mil.

[[Page 60383]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action (preferred alternative)
for the FEIS included continuation of existing DPG activities
(including but not limited to chemical and biological defensive
testing, other testing programs, training, real property management,
and environmental management) with future increases in most testing and
training operating areas. Additionally, the Proposed Action included
diversification of DPG operations and implementation of a Summary
Development Plan identifying real property planning recommendations for
DPG.
The FEIS considered two action alternatives to the Proposed Action
and a No Action alternative. The two action alternatives were: (1)
Decreased mission with a major reduction in operations at DPG and (2) a
maximum expanded mission with major increases in most operating areas
compared to current DPG operations.
The No Action alternative represents the status quo and assumes
that existing DPG operations would continue at approximately their
current rates into the foreseeable future. All existing actions,
associated mitigation measures and mitigative planning strategies would
continue to be implemented under the No Action alternative.
Anyone wishing to receive a copy of the FEIS or the Executive
Summary may write to U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, ATTN: CSTE-DTC-
DP-PA (Paula Nicholson), Dugway, UT 84022-5000 or through the Web site
at http://www.dugway.army.mil.

The full FEIS and Executive Summary will be available at the
following locations for review purposes only (no extra copies of the
documents will be available at these locations): Whitmore Library, 2197
East 7000 South (Ft. Union Blvd.), Salt Lake City; University of Utah,
J. Willard Marriott Library, 15th East and South Campus Drive, Salt
Lake City; Dugway Public Library, 5124 Kister Avenue, Dugway; Tooele
City Public Library, 128 W. Vine Street, Tooele.

Dated: October 1, 2004.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health), OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 04-22709 Filed 10-7-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710-08-M

Utah Voters, Your Action is Needed!

The State of Utah is in the process of purchasing new voting machines, and we are concerned that the “American Attitudes about Electronic Voting” survey could have a major adverse impact on that political decision. We urge Utah’s Election office to write a more specific RFP next spring that details the State’s real requirements, including a voter verifiable paper ballot (VVPB), and allow sufficient time for a thorough review, including
outside experts, to ensure that Utah’s voting system will be the most secure and trustworthy in America.

ACTION ALERT FROM ANDY STEPHENSON

I am just back from the Progressive Democrats of America Conference in Washington. The trip was a very productive and the consensus coming from that is, that we all believe that a paper ballot is the first step in a larger battle for election reform. This is the beginning of a new Voting Rights Movement … and we are all on the front lines because democracy, itself, depends on us.

I am currently working with CASE America, National Ballot Integrity Project, and Velvet Revolution to build the broad-based coalition it will take if we are to succeed. CASE America, is led by Susan Truitt. As co-founder of CASE-Ohio, Susan built the grass-roots organization that forced Secretary of State Blackwell to back away from his plan to install Diebold touch-screen voting machines across the state. After the election, CASE members brought Ohio’s voting nightmares to national attention, while Susan has served as co-counsel on the lawsuit that brought the Conyers Committee to Ohio. The evidence they brought to light led to Senator Boxer standing up in the Senate to challenge the Ohio electors.

CASE America and the National Ballot Integrity Project are working together, under the CASE America banner, to form a new 501c3 organization to energize and empower the grassroots across the nation to take on voting machine and election law issues on a county, state and national basis. The National Ballot Integrity Project, which is a 501c4 organization, will continue as the lobbying and advocacy arm of the CASE America-NBIP effort.

We have already begun to fight. States and counties are lining up to order paperless touch-screen machines right now, and we need your help to stop them.

I will be back in Washington next week with Warren Stewart and Joan Krawitz of the National Ballot Integrity Project, to lobby for Senator Ensign’s Bill Entitled the Voting Integrity and Verification Act of 2005 (V.I.V.A. 2005). VIVA clarifies the language in the Help America Vote Act of 2002, adding a requirement for a voter verified paper ballot and making that paper ballot the primary ballot of record. It was introduced late in the last session with bi-partisan sponsorship as S. 2347 and we are told that it will have identical language this time and will be introduced early in February.

Ensign’s bill permits the voter to verify the accuracy of their ballot “in a private and independent manner” by allowing the voter to review an individual paper version of the “voter's ballot” before the “voter's ballot” is cast and counted. All electronic records produced by any voting system will be consistent with the paper records. In the event of any inconsistencies or irregularities between any electronic records and paper records, the voter verified paper record is considered the true and correct record of the votes cast. It also mandates that the paper ballots be used as the official record for the purpose of any recount or audit, conducted with respect to any election for Federal Office. Ensign’s bill is tightly focused and strong. and the provisions will take effect as if they had been included in the enactment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, that is, in time for the 2006 general election.

Ensign’s bill is competing with a bill introduced last Tuesday by Senator Dodd (S. 17). Dodd’s bill calls for "VOTER VERIFIED BALLOTS" In Dodd’s bill; voting systems will provide an independent means of voter verification. It mandates a list of verification options that must be offered to each voter: a paper record, an audio record, pictorial record, electronic record or any other means of verification which is equal or superior to verification through the use of a paper record.

This shell game is not even going to be required until January 1, 2009, and even then it will not apply to any voting system purchased before that date This bill does little to provide any meaningful voter-verified ballot requirement on any useful time scale. Longer term, it will impose complex, ill-defined, and costly mandates on the States, potentially interfering with State-level voter verified paper ballot bills that have already been passed into law by a number of States, and further restricting the range of HAVA-compliant choices from which States can choose to meet their voting system needs - more paperless DREs! We must insist on a “Voter Verified Paper Ballot”.


We are asking everyone both Democrat and Republican to come together on this and call or write the list of Senators below. Contact only Senators on the list. Being a constituent counts, so please call your own Senators’ offices personally. I think this goes without saying but the rhetoric that is used will be one of two things: hugely persuasive or a huge turnoff. Talk of "stolen" elections in 2000 or this year in communications will not open a productive dialogue. We need honey not vinegar on this one. If you’re contacting a Democratic Senator from one state, contact the Republican as well. For example, if you are contacting Dayton from Minnesota you should also contact Coleman.

The most important thing is to ask all the Republicans to co-sponsor Senator Ensign’s bill , which will be introduced either late next week or early the week after. Senator Ensign is a Republican, who was a leading member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee that produced HAVA. The reason he introduced this bill last year (when it was numbered S. 2437, though a new number will be issued when it’s reintroduced this year) was that he wants to fix the misinterpretation of HAVA that has led to the purchasing of touch-screen voting machines without a voter-verified paper ballot. If you’ve never called a Senator’s office, don’t worry. The people in their offices are very friendly and courteous.

Urge the Republican Senators to co-sponsor and support Senator Ensign's Bill (VIVA 2005). With Democrats express your disapproval of Dodd's Bill (S. 17), and ask them to support the Ensign Bill to ensure voter verified paper ballots. This is a non-partisan issue and should be framed in terms of integrity, accuracy, and the security of the election process - the foundation of democracy.

Senator Ensign is a Republican, who was a leading member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee that produced HAVA. He introduced this bill last year because he wants to fix the loophole in HAVA that has led to the purchasing of touch-screen voting machines without a voter-verified paper ballot. If you’ve never called a Senator’s office, don’t worry. The people in their offices are very friendly and courteous.

A great talking point for Republican offices has been to let them know that a recount and an election challenge was filed in Nevada. The Secretary of State conducted a random audit of 64,000 paper ballots, comparing them to the electronic record of that ballot. That audit showed 100% consistency between the paper and electronic records, providing a confidence in the vote that was impossible before Nevada established a voter verified paper ballot requirement.

Attached is the list of Senators to e-mail, fax and call. Contact only the ones on the list and remember…be nice and strictly NON-partisan!

Sincerely,
Andy

Alexander, Lamar - (R - TN) Class II
302 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4944
http://www.alexander.senate.gov

Allard, Wayne - (R - CO) Class II
525 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5941
Web Form: http://www.allard.senate.gov/contactme

Allen, George - (R - VA) Class I
204 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4024
Web Form: http://www.allen.senate.gov/index.cfm?c=email

Baucus, Max - (D - MT) Class II
511 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2651
Web Form: http://www.baucus.senate.gov/emailmax.html

Bayh, Evan - (D - IN) Class III
463 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5623
Web Form: http://www.bayh.senate.gov/WebMail1.htm

Bennett, Robert - (R - UT) Class III
431 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5444
Web Form: http://www.bennett.senate.gov/contact/emailmain.html

Bingaman, Jeff - (D - NM) Class I
703 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5521
E-mail: senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov"> senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov

Bond, Christopher - (R - MO) Class III
274 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5721
Web Form: http://www.bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

Brownback, Sam - (R - KS) Class III
303 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6521
Web Form: http://www.brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.htm


Burr, Richard - (R - NC) Class III
UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3154

Chafee, Lincoln - (R - RI) Class I
141A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2921
Web Form: http://www.chafee.senate.gov/webform.htm

Coburn, Tom - (R - OK) Class III
UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5754

Cochran, Thad - (R - MS) Class II
113 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5054
Web Form: http://www.cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm

Coleman, Norm - (R - MN) Class II
320 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5641
Web Form: http://www.coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Collins, Susan - (R - ME) Class II
172 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2523
Web Form: http://www.collins.senate.gov/low/contactemail.htm

Cornyn, John - (R - TX) Class II
517 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2934
Web Form: http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/contact/index.html

Craig, Larry - (R - ID) Class II
520 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2752
Web Form: http://www.craig.senate.gov/webform.html

Crapo, Michael - (R - ID) Class III
239 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6142
Web Form: http://www.crapo.senate.gov

Dayton, Mark - (D - MN) Class I
346 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3244
Web Form: http://www.dayton.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

DeMint, Jim - (R - SC) Class III
UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6121

Dole, Elizabeth - (R - NC) Class II
120 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6342
Web Form: http://www.dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm

Domenici, Pete - (R - NM) Class II
328 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6621
Web Form: http://www.domenici.senate.gov/resources/contactform.cfm

Enzi, Michael - (R - WY) Class II
379A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3424
Web Form: http://www.enzi.senate.gov/email.htm

Graham, Lindsey - (R - SC) Class II
290 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5972
Web Form: http://www.lgraham.senate.gov/index.cfm?mode=contact

Grassley, Chuck - (R - IA) Class III
135 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3744
Web Form: http://www.grassley.senate.gov/webform.htm

Gregg, Judd - (R - NH) Class III
393 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3324
E-mail: mailbox@gregg.senate.gov"> mailbox@gregg.senate.gov

Hagel, Chuck - (R - NE) Class II
248 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4224
Web Form: http://www.hagel.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact

Harkin, Tom - (D - IA) Class II
731 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3254
Web Form: http://www.harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Hatch, Orrin - (R - UT) Class I
104 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5251
Web Form: http://www.hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Offices.Contact

Hutchison, Kay - (R - TX) Class I
284 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5922
Web Form: http://www.hutchison.senate.gov/e-mail.htm

Inhofe, James - (R - OK) Class II
453 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4721
Web Form: http://www.inhofe.senate.gov/contactus.htm

Isakson, Johnny - (R - GA) Class III
UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3643

Jeffords, James - (I - VT) Class I
413 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5141
Web Form: http://www.jeffords.senate.gov/contact-form.html

Kyl, Jon - (R - AZ) Class I
730 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4521
Web Form: http://www.kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Landrieu, Mary - (D - LA) Class II
724 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5824
Web Form: http://www.landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Leahy, Patrick - (D - VT) Class III
433 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4242
E-mail: senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov"> senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov

Levin, Carl - (D - MI) Class II
269 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6221
Web Form: http://www.levin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Lott, Trent - (R - MS) Class I
487 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6253
E-mail: senatorlott@lott.senate.gov"> senatorlott@lott.senate.gov

Lugar, Richard - (R - IN) Class I
306 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4814
E-mail: senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov"> senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov

Martinez, Mel - (R - FL) Class III
UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3041

McCain, John - (R - AZ) Class III
241 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2235
Web Form: http://www.mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=Contact.Home

Murkowski, Lisa - (R - AK) Class III
322 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6665
Web Form: http://www.murkowski.senate.gov/contact.html

Nelson, Ben - (D - NE) Class I
720 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6551
Web Form: http://www.bennelson.senate.gov/email.html

Reed, Jack - (D - RI) Class II
728 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4642
Web Form: http://www.reed.senate.gov/form-opinion.htm

Roberts, Pat - (R - KS) Class II
109 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4774
Web Form: http://www.roberts.senate.gov/e-mail_pat.html

Salazar, Ken - (D - CO) Class III
UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5852
Web Form: http://www.salazar.senate.gov/contactus.cfm

Santorum, Rick - (R - PA) Class I
511 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6324
Web Form: http://www.santorum.senate.gov/emailrjs.html

Sessions, Jeff - (R - AL) Class II
335 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4124
Web Form: http://www.sessions.senate.gov/contact.htm#form

Shelby, Richard - (R - AL) Class III
110 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5744
E-mail: senator@shelby.senate.gov"> senator@shelby.senate.gov

Smith, Gordon - (R - OR) Class II
404 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3753
Web Form: http://www.gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm

Snowe, Olympia - (R - ME) Class I
154 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5344
E-mail: olympia@snowe.senate.gov"> olympia@snowe.senate.gov

Specter, Arlen - (R - PA) Class III
711 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4254
E-mail: arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov"> arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov

Stevens, Ted - (R - AK) Class II
522 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3004
Web Form: http://www.stevens.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Sununu, John - (R - NH) Class II
111 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2841
Web Form: http://www.sununu.senate.gov/webform.html

Talent, James - (R - MO) Class I
493 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6154
Web Form: http://www.talent.senate.gov/Contact/default.cfm?pagemode=1

Thomas, Craig - (R - WY) Class I
307 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6441
Web Form: http://www.thomas.senate.gov/html/contact.html

Vitter, David - (R - LA) Class III
UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4623
Web Form: http://www.vitter.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Warner, John - (R - VA) Class II
225 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2023
Web Form: http://www.warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

Wyden, Ron - (D - OR) Class III
516 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5244

Visit http://www.verifiedvoting.org and http://blackboxvoting.org for more information on the problems with these machines. For the internal memos from Diebold (exposed via a hacker - one more reason to ban these machines) which clearly show the problems, please click here: http://www.kucinich.us/e-voting/page06.php

Click here to see how Howard Dean and Bev Harris hacked into a Diebold machine in under 2 minutes!

Home

http://www.fcnl.org/act_lam_current/act_lam_printversion.htm

This is especially important here in Utah. We Utahns understand the tragic human consequences of nuclear weapons testing all too well.

Also, Utah Senator Bob Bennett sits on the committee that will decide whether to cut funding for research and development of new nuclear weapons and readying the Nevada Test site for new nuclear tests.

Last year the vote to remove funding lost by one vote along party lines. So if Senator Bennett changes his vote, the funding will be cut. Senator Bennett says he is against resumed nuclear testing, so why would he fund programs that lead to testing?

Please contact Senator Bennett ASAP. Tell him you oppose$96 Million in funding for new nuclear weapons and readying the Nevada test site.

Senator Robert Bennett
Tel: (202) 224-5444
Fax: (202) 228-1168
email: http://bennett.senate.gov/contact/email_comment.html

For more information, contact Vanessa Pierce at HEAL Utah 801-355-5055 or vanessa@healutah.org
www.healutah.org

Friends Committee on National Legislation
Legislative Action Message
Print out this week's LAM and share it with a friend.

November 10, 2004
The following action items from the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) focus on federal policy issues currently before Congress or the Administration. Say No to Funding for New Nuclear Weapons!

Dear Friends,

As soon as Wednesday, November 17, the full Senate Appropriations Committee may vote on whether to fund new nuclear weapons for fiscal year 2005.

The committee is expected next week to take up an "omnibus" appropriations bill. An omnibus appropriations bill takes the place of the unfinished appropriations bills and is expected to include funding for the nuclear weapons program.

The Bush administration has asked Congress for $27.6 million to continue a study on the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP), or nuclear "bunker buster," and $9 million for the Advanced Concepts Initiative for new nuclear weapons.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA) intends to offer an amendment in committee to delete the funds for new nuclear weapons. The amendment is unlikely to pass. However, the bill will then quickly go to a House-Senate conference committee, which is expected to complete its work before Christmas. The House earlier zeroed out new nuclear weapons funding and may insist on doing so in conference committee. A partial or complete victory for nuclear restraint is possible in the final bill coming out of the conference committee. The result will depend in part on how much opposition Senate Appropriations Committee members hear from their constituents.

Please contact your two senators today, especially if either is on the Senate Appropriations Committee. You can view the list of committee members on our Legislative Action Center. Just go to http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/ , click on "Congressional Directory," and then select the Senate Appropriations Committee from the drop-down list.

Urge them to oppose funds for new nuclear weapons in the omnibus appropriations bill. Tell them that new nuclear weapons will not make the world more secure. Developing new nuclear weapons will send the wrong signal to the rest of the world that nuclear weapons are usable. In the long run, pursuing new nuclear weapons will undermine U.S. security.

Contacting your congressperson is easy . You can reach his or her office in Washington, DC by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. You can also fax or email him or her from FCNL's web site. Start with the sample letter posted on FCNL’s Legislative Action Center, personalize the language, then send your message directly from our site. Here is the link: http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=663102 6&type=CO .

Given the urgency of these issues, we ask that you forward this action alert to 10 or more of your local friends. Every fax, letter, and phone call is important. Thanks for your help!

Background: Some civilian military planners and nuclear scientists are promoting the creation of a new class of earth-penetrating nuclear weapons. These weapons are sometimes referred to as "bunker busters" because they would be designed to burrow into the ground to destroy underground military facilities that are protected by 100 to 300 feet of reinforced concrete or rock. The Energy Department's fiscal year 2005 (FY05) budget includes $27.6 million for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP). The RNEP would use an existing nuclear weapon, redesigned for use against underground bunkers. It would have explosive power up to 70 times that of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.

RNEP proponents claim that, because the weapon penetrates the earth before detonating, it would be a "clean" nuclear weapon. In reality, this would be an extremely deadly weapon. If detonated in an urban setting, tens of thousands of people could receive a fatal dose of radiation within the first 24 hours. More would be killed or injured by the extreme pressures of the blast and thermal injuries arising from the heat of the explosion. Still more casualties would result from the resulting fires and the collapse of buildings from the seismic shock that the explosion would produce. According to Sen. Jack Reed (RI), Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrators, "are really city breakers, not bunker busters."

The Bush administration has repeatedly claimed that the RNEP program is a study and nothing more. However, the administration’s intentions regarding RNEP go well beyond their initial claims. Energy Department budget documents show funding for RNEP increasing dramatically after this year. The initial three-year study was to cost $45 million, but the administration’s proposed spending in the next five years would total nearly $500 million and move RNEP into early development and engineering stages.

The U.S. has rightly criticized Iran and North Korea for their nuclear weapons programs. The U.S. has expressed concerns about the nuclear programs in India and Pakistan. There is also a growing fear that nuclear materials could fall into the hands of a violent extremist group, such as al Qaeda. Yet U.S. criticism rings hollow as the U.S. resumes its own nuclear weapons development programs.

The Bush administration is leading the world down the wrong path. Instead of adhering to our obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by reducing reliance on the most horrific weapons ever created and working for global disarmament, the administration is seeking new uses for nuclear weapons. Adopting such a nuclear posture is a step backward and a virtual invitation for other nations to opt out of their NPT obligations as well.

FCNL's office will be closed from November 11-16 as the FCNL General Committee meets in Washington, DC for its annual meeting. At this meeting, the committee will set FCNL's legislative priorities for the 109th Congress.

CONTACTING LEGISLATORS
Capitol Switchboard:
202-224-3121 or 800-839-5276

CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

White House Comment Desk: 202 456-1111
Fax: 202-456-2461
president@whitehouse.gov
White House Web Page

Information on your members is available at: FCNL's Congressional Directory

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FCNL, 245 Second Street, NE, Washington, DC, 20002-5795 USA
phone: (202) 547-6000 (In the U.S. 800-630-1330) fax: (202) 547-6019 email: fcnl@fcnl.org

Senator Robert Bennett
Tel: (202) 224-5444
Fax: (202) 228-1168
email: http://bennett.senate.gov/contact/email_comment.html

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