By David Kupfer

Promoters of peace continue to have an active presence at the gates outside the entrance to the Nevada Test Site 100 kilometres outside Las Vegas.

While the 1993 Comprehensive Test Ban (CTB) agreement was signed by the US president, the federal Department of Energy has scheduled six new underground nuclear explosions over two years at Lyner facility at the Nevada test site. The tests are designed to discover what impact ageing plutonium has on the efficiency of nuclear weapons.

The new tests fly directly in the face of the CTB and the US government's stated aim to end the arms race.

The first test, originally scheduled for June, has been delayed until December, thereby ensuring that the issue is not a feature of the upcoming presidential campaign.

On April 5, 38 men and women crossed the cattle guard onto Western Shoshone land illegally occupied by the Department of Energy and were immediately arrested for trespassing. On the morning of April 7, following a march and ecumenical service at the gates, more than 80 peace promoters were arrested for trespassing.

On April 8, peace activists interrupted the normal activities at the test site with five-hour road blockades. Three trucks loaded with nuclear waste were among the hundreds of vehicles which were prevented from entering the facility. Organisers pointed to the trucks' vulnerability and exposure as another of the many risks in the nuclear chain, which currently includes plans to transport waste from around the world to Nevada.

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