112 DIVINE STRAKE PROJECT3 PUBLIC HEARING45 Held at Dixie State College, Dunford Auditorium6 in St. George, Utah7 January 18, 200789 MS. NIELSON: Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to10 begin this hearing. I'd like to welcome you to the11 first of two public hearings that Govenor Hunstman is12 holding to provide individuals the opportunity to13 formally comment on the federal Divine Strake proposal.14 And I want to thank you all for being here today taking15 time to be with us.16 If you decide you want to speak or share your17 comments with us, this is very important. And I know18 sometimes it's very hard, but I want to extend my thank19 you to all of you for taking the time to be here and to20 provide comment.21 I'm Dianne Nielson. I'm the Executive Director22 of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. I'm a23 member of the governor's cabinet, and he's asked me to24 host these hearings so that there is an opportunity for25 public comment.DEPOMAX REPORTING SERVICES

21 The governor isn't able to be with us today2 here in St. George, so he's asked if I would host this3 hearing. But I want you to know that his sincere4 commitment and appreciation for your comments and your5 involvement and the opportunity that you're taking to6 be heard is very much appreciated by the government.7 The governor is going to be able to attend a8 second hearing to be held in Salt Lake City on January9 24th from 5:30 to 8:30 at the capitol, Capitol West10 Building in Room 135 West, and I'm sure that there will11 be other individuals who will want to take an12 opportunity at that time to speak.13 Many citizens contacted the governor to let him14 know that the sessions that were being held, the15 information sessions that were being held weren't16 sufficient to meet their needs for a public comment17 opportunity.18 As you are aware, there are public information19 sessions that were held last week by the Defense Threat20 Reduction Agency, DTRA, and the U.S. Department of21 Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada22 Site Office, on the proposed Divine Strake experiment23 and the draft revised environmental assessment for that24 project. The governor felt it was important that25 people had an opportunity to speak in a public hearing.DEPOMAX REPORTING SERVICES

31 And so we are here today.2 We have a court reporter present. The governor3 will include your comments which will all be4 transcribed along with his letter by the end of the5 public comment period which is February 7th. So the6 record of your comments from the meeting tonight as7 well as the record of the comments in Salt Lake will be8 attached to the governor's letter.9 And because they are public comments and10 because there is a lot of interest in this issue, we11 will also make them available. They will be posted on12 the Department of Environmental Quality website along13 with the governor's letter when he sends it. And the14 e-mail address for DEQ or the website address for DEQ,15 it's easy, www.deq.utah.gov.16 So if you want to see a transcription of what17 was talked about tonight, that will be the way to look18 for to find it as soon as we pull these comments from19 the governor letter and have submitted them.20 If you want to speak tonight, I would ask you21 to make sure that you have signed up on the sign-up22 sheet that looks like this that's at the table at the23 entrance to the auditorium. You don't have to sign up24 if you're not planning to speak, but you're certainly25 welcome to.DEPOMAX REPORTING SERVICES