cemede
During cleanup, the agricultural rehabilitation program got underway
with removal of vegetation and replanting of coconut trees.
that time, construction of houses was started.
Subsequent to
Comments were provided by
AEC staff on use of local sources of sand and coral aggregate for housing
construction and on design factors that were considered important in
minimizing indoor radiation exposure levels.
Lest there be misunderstanding
as to the AEC interest in this phase of rehabilitation, it should be pointed
out that construction of houses that are good radiation shields was not a
prerequisite for return of the atoll.
in selecting construction materials,
AEC concern is that if there are options
for instance, the source of local
materials such as sand and coral aggregate, or in the design of the houses,
those options giving lower radiation levels in the houses are preferred.
This is in accord with the fundamental radiation protection principle of
keeping exposures as low as practicable.
Followup radiological surveys were sponsored by AEC at Bikini in 1970,
1972, and 1974.
Radiological monitoring of persons resident at Bikini are
and will continue to be conducted by Dr. Robert A. Conard of the AEC's
. Brookhaven National Laboratory as recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee
(Enclosure 7/7).
Results of measurements and of analysis of samples collected
through 1972 are presented in WASH-1273, "Exposure Rate Reduction on Bikini
Island Due to Concrete Dwellings", June 1973 (Enclosure 8), in WASH-1289,
"Levels of Environmental Radioactivity on Bikini Atell"', printed in 1974
(Enclosure 9), in NVO-269-8 (Revision 1), "Radiological Resurvey of Animals,
Soils, and Ground Water at Bikini Atoll,
1967-1970", February 1971 (Enclosure
10), and in “Se Hae ang yor report SWRHL-Llir, "Report of the Radiological
as
J