WASHINGTON, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon had postponed its plan to detonate a 700-ton explosive in the Nevada desert amid fears of its environmental impact, according the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

    In a statement released on Tuesday, the Pentagon agency said the plan, dubbed "Divine Strake," had sparked protests from Nevadaresidents who feared the test would harm the local environment.

    "The experiment, originally scheduled for June 2, 2006, will not be conducted earlier than June 23, 2006," said the statement.

    The anticipated blast has long been described as being so powerful that it could send up a mushroom-like cloud 3,048 meters into the air.

    Previously, the National Nuclear Security Administration, whichruns the test site in Nevada, had declared that the planned detonation of the explosive comprising ammonium nitrate and fuel oil would cause "no significant" environmental impact.

    It had now "decided to postpone the experiment due to the scheduling of legal proceedings," the agency said.

    Opponents were reported to have filed lawsuits in an attempt tostop the test blast, which they feared could spread radioactive dust into the air.

    Divine Strake, an equivalent of 593 ton of TNT, is part of a U.S. effort to develop weapons capable of destroying deeply buriedbunkers housing nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. Enditem