DEFENSE NUC!"_EAR AGENCY
WASHINGTON,D.C. 20305
ALITY
Dr. James L, Liverman
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Assistant Administrator for Environment and Safety
Energy Research and Development Administration
Washington, D.C. 20545
During a recent visit to Field Command, I was briefed on the
current status of planning for initiation of the Enewetak Cleanup
next summer, I learned that one of the matters requiring resolution
was the type of statement to be provided by ERDA when radiological
cleanup had been accomplished satisfactorily, Previous correspondence
had advised me that the ERDA/NVO representatives who are participating
in the preparation of the Enewetak Radiclogical Cleanup Plan were unwiiling
to accept a provision in the plan that ERDA will furnish a statement when
cleanup has been accomplished to the standard established in the AEC (ERDA)
Guidelines, I find this position inconsistent with our previous understanding on this highly important component of the project.
ERDA is widely recognized as having the outstanding authorities
on radiation hazards, The selection of ERDA by the Director, Office
‘of Management and Budget on 18 October 1973 to furnish radiological
support to the cleanup project is undoubtedly based on the belief
that it is the most appropriate Federal Agency to determine that the
Standards established for the cleanup have been met.
It was my under-
standing that ERDA had firmly accepted this responsibility in consideration of the statement in Senate Armed Services Committee Report 94157, dated 22 May 1975 that the Committee "... insists that radiaticn
standards established by ERDA be met before any resettlement can be
accomplished," (Extract at Enclosure 1).
Mr. L. J, Deal of your Agency
apparently recognized this requirement in his response to Congressman
Ichord during a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Military Installa-
tions and Facilities on May 7, 1975,
Mr, Deal said, in effect, that
once DoD has accomplished cleanup to our {(ERDA) standards, and recommendations for resettling the people followed, ERDA is willing to certify
as to their safety (House Armed Services Report 94-11, pages 167-168,
Extract at Enclosure 2),
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