vs on. 1 oe ‘ United States Department ofthe Interior va OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 20240 This 2 1978 Winkel: is a follow-up to my dispatch message, DOTA NO. 075-TT BOX Wo. BCOSHALL. FCLDEA ASX LP REPOSITORY 2gé - FORRESTAL COLLECTION Lekey Ful es of February 27, 1978, on SB 7-109 providing for a Trust Territory Fallout Survivors Act to provide adequate medical care and other benefits to the people of Rongelap and Utirik Atolls. for a considerable period of time that DO We have been aware Atomic Energy Commission (now incorporated into the Department i” P.L. 5-52 of 1973 has not been a workable act. It was approved in 1973 by the Acting High Commissioner without the of Energy) having had a chance to express an official opinion on it. The Act of 1973 required the High Commissioner to seek an executive agreement with the Atomic Energy Commission whereby the Atomic Energy Commission would be responsible for expenses incurred under the provisions of the Act. The Act also set out very Specific demands. Our files here do not seem to be complete on the sequence of events which led to the somewhat premature approval of the 1973 Act other than the Acting High Commissioner felt it politically expedient to approve it. However, it has not been possible to carry out the provisions of the Act. Neyotiations were undertaken with the Atomic Energy Commission after approval of the 1973 Act. That agency was not prepared to accept certain conditions laid down by the Congress of Micronesia, i.e., the inclusion of all descendants of exposed persons and all control persons, as well as all of the costs specified by the Congress of Micronesia. While an Agreement between the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands eventually was worked out, it provided for only partial reimbursement and included anly exposed persons NGA. € wey and certain designated control persons. ec: |Dr.Robert Conard Brookhaven National Laboratory, N.Y. co 4 FF 2 Mo. Y 1999. AuDp . 1g7X Dear Mr. ; AOE Ad. MAR Honorable Adrian P. Winkel High Commissioner Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Saipan, Mariana Islands 96950 x LSKAOS WASHINGTON, D.C. 2 % o ~ Bal ‘ a ma ‘oo 3 aihes