GL
carry out underground testing if that occurs"' and to maintain a
tittle
flexlbi lity by keeping part of the money uncommitted during the early
months of FY 1960 so that if another form of testing becomes possible
during that fiscal year, the preparations can be carried out within that
figure.
As for money savings, Starboard says that putting the EPG on
a truely maintenance status but without letting the area deteriorate
materfally is the first course to take.
Even going to a minimum effort
at EPG will cost 8 to 9 million dollars of the FY 1960 funds leaving only
about 19 miltion for NTS.
Part of this will go tO camp and routine sup
port-estimated at about .5 million and’ the largest single drain on the
rest of these about It.5 million dollars will go against tunneling.
As to how this money would be used, Starboard states "we now have some
150 men engaged in tunneling and the estimated cost of their: activities
for the year if this scale were maintained would be about 4 million dollars.
Of this four million, approximately | million would be actively reimbursable
from the DOD in connection with work we would do for them in preparation
for the Jericho shot.
|
intend to maintain a relatively sma | tunneling
crew In Nevada throughout most of the year.
[| shal! ask that the members
be dropped to the order of 100 by July | and perhaps lower thereafter
dependent on the situation that exists after mid-summer.
Incidentally would run us to about 2.7 million dollars.
The 100 man crew,
This would mean
that we would not start work early in the fiscal year on the new 126
tunnel.
We could use our tunnelling potential
in extending the other
two tunnels and an exploratory work connected with the former firings,
but | would hope the latter was held to a minimum."
Of other activities
that might be carried out In NTS, the more significant include:
a.
Complete the Cowboy operation estimated at approximately | million dollars.
b.
Complete construction of the granite hole estimated at about .8 million
antiare.