So, he called on the state's congressional delegation Tuesday to push for public hearings about the "Divine Strake" test in northern communities as well as southern Utah, where they are already planned.

"While many Utah residents own property and recreate in southern Utah, the vast majority of Utahns - nearly 80 percent - live along the Wasatch Front," he said in letters to the lawmakers.

"As parties who might be directly impacted by these tests, the residents of northern Utah deserve the same consideration and opportunity to comment on this critical issue before the scheduled test proceeds."

There has been no word from the National Nuclear Security Administration or the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the two federal offices planning the blast, on when and where public hearings might be held.

Last week, they postponed the test date by three weeks, to no earlier than June 23. The delay became necessary when lawyers were left scrambling to answer environmental questions raised by Utah lawmakers, Nevada environmental officials and plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit brought by two Utahns and members of a Nevada Indian tribe.

Many people say the agencies have failed to produce basic data that prove harmful debris from the test will not drift into Utah the way atomic fallout drifted during past government tests in Nevada. The federal government insists nobody will be harmed.

In addition, U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, has publicly questioned whether the explosion is a precursor to new nuclear-bomb tests, although 700 tons of ammonium nitrate-fuel oil explosives, the stuff of conventional bombs, will be used in Divine Strake.

Sam Guevara, the mayor's chief of staff, said Anderson is willing to coordinate and host any meetings.

"It [Divine Strake's safety] has been a question," he said. "We are concerned."

fahys@sltrib.com