July 25, 1968 (4) Maintain a continual monitoring of vhe islands and the population to assure that they do not, in some unforeseen way, accumulate 4 greater radiation dose than predicted. The committee of consultants aiso recommended that resettlement be . . initiated on Eneu island because of its very low contamination level. "No radiological precautions will be needed on Fneu,” the committee reported. We would propose to follow the recommendations of the consultants in developing a resettlement program. <A copy of their report is attached for your information. Return of the Bikini people cannot be immediate although we should take immediate steps to begin their return. A comprehensive plan must be developed; any remaining sources of major contamination removed; the overgrowth of uneconomic vegetation cleared; the land planted to productive crops; and new housing and community facilities cuilt We propose to do this with the active participation of the Bikini people in both the planning and execution stages. It will, however, also require the active cooperation of the Department of Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission and, in seeking funds for the resettlement project, the Bureau of the Budget. Our tentative time table calls for the High Commissioner within the next few weeks to ask the Bikini people to name a group of their leaders to The second step S an On-island survey of the bh work in the planning stage. atoll to select those sites required by the Defense Department and to plan the location of the new village. ‘ At this stage, it is expected that the preliminary resettlement plan will be drafted with the Bikini leadership participating. The visit to Bikini shoulé take plece in the last hal? i of August or in early September. and cost estimates presented. During the fall the plan would te completed :