OBJECTIVE OF CLEANUP PHASE The conclusions of the Ad Hoc Committee stated that the islands of Bikini and Eneu could be used for continuous occupancy and agricultural development sufficient to support the returning population. The cleanup of these islands called for: 1. the removal of all test related debris with disposal at sea of all radioactive debris 2. stripping of the vegetation to permit planting of coconuts, pandanus, breadfruit, etc. This was accomplished by cutting swaths which were approximately 20 feet wide on 56-foot centers through the vegetative cover 3, determining external background radiation levels at each step of the clearing and stripping operations, and 4, obtaining samples of available food items for laboratory analysis for comparison with previously collected data. Although permanent occupancy was to be limited to the islands of Bikini and Eneu, the Ad Hoc Committee further concluded that "radioactive scrap should be removed from the islands adjacent to former shot sites." Since these islands may be used for the collection of birds, turtles, and their eggs for human consumption, removal of radioactive debris would make the scrap unavailable for collection by the natives. The final objectives of the cleanup program, therefore, included the elimination of all physical hazards and the disposal of all radioactive scrap from each island of the atoll in addition to the specific measures cited for Bikini and Eneu. The Southwestern Radiological Health Laboratory (SWRHL), which conducts radiological surveillance operations in the Pacific for the AEC, was requested to provide Radiological Safety Advisors to the AEC Project Manager for the cleanup effort. In addition, a comprehensive sampling program was to be conducted of all edible varieties of food found to be growing there. Analyses of samples were to be performed by SWRHL at one or both of its two laboratories, located in Honolulu, Hawaii and Las Vegas, Nevada.