a Transfer of San Francisco to SFO The AEC established in June 1952, a weapons laboratory on the site of a former Navy facility at Livermore, California, contracting with University of California for its operation. The site was also utilized for non-weapons developmental work under contract with the California Research and Development Company, a subsidiary of Standard Oil Company of California. Livermore employment approximated 1500 at year end. On September 15, . 1952, the AEC activated an Operations Office in San Francisco (replacing an Area Office) to administer weapons, biology and medicine, reactor development, and physical science contracts with the University of California and its Radiation Laboratory, with California Research and Development, and with others. Late in December it was determined that, effective January 1, 1954, San Francisco Operations Office would be transferred to SFO, becominga field office to administer weapons contracts for SFOO and other contracts. As of December 31, 1953, San Francisco Operations Office had a total of 123 personnel. Nevada Proving Grounds The Spring 1953 test series was accompanied by new levels of radioactive fallout on nearby communities and by considerable public outcry resulting primarily from fear of fallout rather than fact and from a mistaken belief that Nevada tests caused bad weather. Inclusion of the eleventh shot in the series also made it possible to postpone a series t . As a result, it was determined that the AEC would not proceed with construction or other improvements at NPG or with planning for further NPG utilization until the Commission had re-examined the question of public hazard and determined whether continental tests would be continued. t scheduled for the Fall of 1953, A Committee, representing in its members and advisors the various agencies which participate and the more critical fields such as radiation and weather, was activated in _ July. It determined that its assignment was to review the full experience of four series; to re-evaluate the values and economies of continental testing; to establish future requirements if weapons progress were to continue; and to arrive, in short, at whether tests of value to the national weapons-related programs could be conducted while assuring an adequate level of public safety. The Committee was able by October to file an interim report recommending that the continental site be continued in use. Its studies continued throughout the Autumn with further exploration of improvements believed possible in obtaining pre-shot knowledge of post- shot weather. , By January 1, the final report was being coordinated prior to being forwarded to the Commission. In its final form the report recommended the standards and actions required to support and to permit continental operation of major value to weapons programs while assuring what it believed to be an adequate level of safety. During this period, NPG was almostfully inactive for the first time since its activa- tion in 1951. ALOD Near the close of the Spring 1953 series it was reported that horses, a considerable number of cattle, and large numbers of sheep has been damaged or killed by radiation ex- posure. Extended field and laboratory investigations were conducted. It was soon determined that horses grazing very close to NPG had suffered beta burns and settlement for soUNR 16 ai 2/