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Department of Energy
Washington, D.C. 20545
“Od Rap
FEB 2.6 1981
Mr. Jonathan M. Weisgall
Ginsburg, Feldman, Weil and Bress
1700 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Dear Mr. Weisgall:
Mr. Hollister requested that I respond to your letters of October 16, 1980,
and of November 3, 1980. Please excuse the unusual delay in responding.
As you know, the information we presented at Kili Island in the book, ''The
Meaning of Radiation at Bikini Atoll," indicated that the people could
return to Eneu Island with the expectation that the resulting radiation
doses would be within the United States Federal standards if (a) residence
was restricted to Eneu Island, (b) at least 50% of their diet would
consist of food from outside the atoll (imported food), (c) that time
spent on Bikini Island would be controlled and minimized (10%), and (d)
that no food from Bikini Island would be eaten.
(Since these estimates
were based upon the averaged values of a number of parameters, the indi-
vidual with unusual personal habits and lifestyles may vary -- in either
direction -- from these estimates.) It also was stated at Kili that
without imported food it would be about 20-25 years before the people
could return with the expectation of living within United States
radiation exposure limits.
This information is consistent with the information provided by the
Department of Energy (DOE) to the Department of the Interior (DOI) ina
letter dated May 15, 1979, from Ruth C. Clusen, Department of Energy
Assistant Secretary for Environment, to Mr. James Joseph, Under Secretary
of the Department of the Interior.
paragraph:
That letter contains the following
"If the guidance of the Federal Radiation Council
(FRC)
(S00 mrem/yr to individuals, and 170 mrem/yr and S000 mrem/
30 yrs to a population) is to be complied with, the people
could return to Eneu only if it is assured that adequate
imported food would be available to and used by the people
for approximately 20 years, that food grown on Bikini Island
is not a part of the diet, that residence is restricted to
Eneu Island, and that visitation to Bikini Island is
effectively controlled."