ee=e22% United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 Pie 4 i574 Cear Cr. Biles: Pe Pscof{ved your Tetier dated havecber &, 1674, rel issues concerning biking end Inavets in which you agdressed Ha, too, feel thet cur offices should xaintain a closer working relaticnship and asree taet rehabili paaied mlans ara rostar olan dovelennant should be ecordinated with vou in efvernce of isplenentation. Frashly, it “as surprisin? thet the concern vou hid o1 the hiniat coastruction and rehabilitation was no¢ fercetully vcicad to ut unt{] this time. Your representatives nave reny tices observed ehat %2s being done on Efhini, vet wa have roa recerd of comswnication fren the Ateufe Cnersy Comvissfo n that the dfrection of the pregraa was -iesroener. Upon reviewing the Ad Hoc Cosiittca’s renort it fs clear that tneu wes the first choice for habitation but tikinf wes nat oracluded as unsafe. Thes, since the pcoole exmressed 2 strong desfre to return to Dikini, that fs there the erdcinal heuscs tere bullt. It {is our understanding tnedt the AEC was mace aware oF tee p neple's fealings and,as sentioned, 03 chiecticn was volccs as AEC wi tnassed the construction orogranm. ue feel that your resort cntitled “Radiation. - Safety Considerations at fikini reall,7 Yay 1°70 (enclosed),serves ~ es a sound Justification to supesrt cur past efforts. Other than coconut crabs, pancanus was the enly feod senticnrad as neading srecial attention and the rest of the recort Ws eesitive fras a safety point -- of view. Or. Gustafson’s 1965 report was also positive. You also tontitned a rusor that coral other than that froa the PeterGbhoe site was used in constructing buildings. Exciesed fs a copy of a letter frou the ceneral contractor stating that the Peter-Ghee site was the only coral source. Vou ufll note that tre bikini District Adzinistrator's Representativa attests to the correctness of the stateszent. _ As respects your coment on the slow coconut tree orovwth, the Distad Harshalis has told us that the trees are cencrally dcina well in licht of the rather linited rainfall}. Trust Territory agticulturists are following up with soll checks to ascertain the nced for additicnal nutrients, -- DOE ARCHIVES