increase] with tine. They said that for then to live anywhere else in the world would make tnen squatters and vagabonds; the land, the atoll, is part of them end they are part of it, in a way which is difficult to describe. They said every family and every person, including newborn infants, has a specific place there, inherited from their ancestors. When asked why they do not just accept a monetary sectlement instead of returning to Enewetax, thev replied that money is not and never can be a substitute for their islands. They said it is against their nature and their custom to sell their land or to take money for ic. They conc_uded that from their point of view, they rust return to Enewetak Atoll because it is the only solace which God has set aside for them and for no other people. The Senate Committee on Armed Services agreed to a one‘ time authorization of $20 million to accomplish the cleanuz. Although the moral obligation to permit the people of Enewetak to return to their atoll was a major consideration, the Committee based its decision primarily on the premise that the United States cannot walk away from the damage done sy its testing program without making a responsible effort to restore the atoll so it can again be habitasie. PROJECT RESPONSIBILITIES The Enewetak project involves three phases--cleanup, renadilication, and resettlement. 1/ The first shase, cleanus, manaced by the Department cf Defense's (DOD's) Defense Nuciear Agency (DNA), consists of decris, structures, anc soil removal posing radiation or other human habitation mazards. The Energy Research and Development Acministration istmens has teen recocniz 2, cut is nce consider 2 ™. my , ~ The United States in 1972 announced it was prepared to release Enewetak Atoll to the TTPI assuming the mator radicactive contaminants would eventually be cleaned up “and the island resettled. Mobilization of the project began in May 1977 and is expected to se completed in April 1980.