®@ 18, 7 27? @ out 72 @ U.S. ATOM 70744 COMM. BY3 TWA oil ZNR UUUUU R 132158Z AUG 72 FM MAHLON E GATES “GR USAEC NVOO LAS VEGAS NEV TO MAJOR GENERALFRANKACAMMASST GEN MGR FOR MILITARY APPLICATION 1USAEC WASHDC AE BT UNCLAS RE: ZNIWETOK PLUTONIUM STUDIES / THIS RESPONDS TO YOUR TELETYPE OF AUGUST 3, 1972. ANY COMMENTS WE MAKE CONCERNING THE USE OF RUNIT (YVONNE) AS A SPECIAL STUDY AREA ALSO APPLY TO AOMON (SALLY) AND POSSIBLY TO OTHER SELECTED ISLANDS. COMMENTS CONCERNING PLUTONIUM ALSO APPLY TO OTHER BIOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT RADIONUCLIDES IN THE MARINE/ATOLL ENVIRONMENT. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY: QUESTION 1: WOULD THERE BE BENEFITS TO STUDYING THE PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSPORT OF PLUTONIUM IN THE ATOLL ENVIRONMENT aS DIFFERENTIATED FROM PLUTONIUM IN THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT? QUESTION 2: ARE THERE POSSIBILITIES AT RUNIT FOR USEFUL OBSERVATION OF THE BIOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF PLUTONIUM IN THE TERRESTRIAL AND/OR... MARINE ENVIRONMENT? 7 COMMENT: THE ANSWER TO BOTH QUESTIONS IS IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. SO0112I pre 326° 8-/Bor folddew a ol : as 0@ AUG. 972 AUS IS 0@0 2698 1769 ¢e8f ADMU 1717 eeeeeeeee#eF R CA! 1317 ® BYS