Meeting #1602, 30 March 1960:
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Loper and several military representatives of Strategic Air Command
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attended this meeting which, for the first time that Ihave seen, discussed
the Air Force request for AEC authorization to use EPG as a target area
for certain SAC exercises.
The EPG had been selected not only for its
favorable geographical location for the shots to be launc! ed from Vandenberg
but also for its "installed communications and weather facilities.
Bikini
was consitered by SAC asa possible alternate target site but rejected due
to its nearness to native populations and its lack of needed equipment."
including
SAC personnel briefed on the operation
the accuracy and specific details of the test events and the possible hazards.
In the ensuing Commission discussion, the Commissioners cazhe out
strongly in favor of safety measures to protect the contractor personnel
and AEC physical facilities at the EPG.
One of the Commissioners
felt that the statistics were inadequate to guarantee the safety of unconcerned
personnel and did not favor exposing them to such risks.
Finally, the
Commission approved the use of the EPG for this exercise, only if the
AEC personnel would be evacuated by the Air Force or provided adequate
shelter, the DOD would assume full responsibility for any damage to
AEC facilities,
and the exercise would be announced as an Air Force
project clearly not involving the AEC.
Note that the Commission meetings about this time did not include any
substantial discussion of the beginning of French Atomic Testing.
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