UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AOS Lh OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C, 20240 Novemrfay NAGE Zwick: You will recall that on August 12, 1968, the President announced that the people of Dikini can be returned to their home atoll. This announcement followed a determination that the main islands of the atoil are safe for continuous human habitation and that the securiLty requirements of the nation will permit the restoration of 1 to the Bikinians. At the time of the announcement, the the atoll President requested the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Atonic Energy Commission and the Director of the Bureau of the Budget to cooperate and assist us in developing and putting into effect a redevelopment program. AS a first step in that effort, this Department and tne High Conmissioner of the Trust Territory organized a survey trip to Bikini, cue survey party being composed of representatives of the Bikini people, stazi members of the Trust Territory Government, and representatives of the Atomic Energy Commission, the Defense Department and the Department of the Interior. This visit, undertaken within two weeks of the Presi- dent's announcement, was intended to lay the foundation for a re-settlement program for Bikini. Oliowing the completion of the visit to Bikini, we have turned to crating a program looking toward the earliest possible return of vencae Bikinians. Representatives of the Atomic Energy Commission have prepared the estimates for thetremoval of testing debris, radioactive materiais, and the clearing of vegetation preparatory to replanting the islands to productive crops. The Trust Territory Government and personnel of this Department have turned to the development of a re- settlement program designed to meet the President's criteria of a new and model community on Bikini. OH am pleased to forward to you for your consideration the combined results £ the work to date, a program of zvedevelopment of Bikini for the next six years which represents our best current estimate of the cost of meeting the obligation of the United States to provide for a viable community and the specdiest possible relocation of the paople. Th estimate calls for the expenditure of approximately $3,000,000, most of-which falls in the first two years of the program for the initial cleanup and construction phases of the project. BEST COPY AVAILABLE oe REPOSITORY OE PA s © yy Dear Mr.