avec sassihhtacttantated < stil: Se : @ Interim Staff Report on 1970 Bikini Atoll Environmental Survey A followup radiological survey of the major islands of Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, was conducted in May-June 1970, by representa~tives from the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, the University of Washington, and the U. S. Public Health Service.+/ This survey and associated field activities included general observations of ay as prevailing environmental conditions, the collection of environmental samples for subsequent laboratory dnalysis, monitoring of scrap metal collected for sale by native workers, and an experiment: to evaluate possible shielding effects to be expected from use of locally obtained aggregate in housing construction. Considerable progress by Trust Territory was observed for the agricultural portion of the rehabilitation program, The coconut tree nursery contained several thousand seedlings in various stages of growth and the job of transplanting trees into rows has been completed for much of the Island of Eneu. Planting is to start later this year on Bikini Island. ‘The construction of housing had not started as of June 1970 and would appear to be still some time in the future.2/ At the time of the team visit, there was a small Trust Territory administrative aa 1/ The total cost of the 1970 survey was about $110,000. DBM provided $17,000 for logistics support. NV provided $30,000 for PHS travel and sample analysis and $63,000 for University of Washington participation including program planning, transportation, equipment, salaries, and sample analysis. These contractor forces were provided from the capabilities being maintained to support AEC readiness-to-test response in the Pacific, and their costs were funded from the Readiness Prog Yan. 2/ Plans reported in March 1970 by Trust Territory officials called for initial construction of 30 houses on Bikini Island in 1970, While some equipment and building materials were observed in stockpile on nearby Eneu Island, such construction had not begun at the time of the survey. When contacted on November 5, 1970, a Trust Territory official reported that 40 houses were currently financed with completion due in 1972. The Trust Territory budget request for FY 1972 waa said to contain an item of $125,000 for construction of bathhouses and outhouses on Bikini Island. CONFIRMED TO BE UNCLASSIFIED ms AUTHORITY: DOE/SA-20 BY H.R. SCHMIDT, DATE: ch_Adt ¢14y