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AUG 4 1976
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Stephen H. Greenleigh
Assistant General Counsel
for Euviromment and Safety
COMMEBTS ON DRAFT BILL “TO PROVIDE FOR THE RELIEF OF CERTAIN BESIDENTS
OF THE TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS"
We agree with the intent of the b1i11 and have previously provided
coments to the staff of the House Committee on Interior and
Ineular Affairs on August 7, 1974, copy enclosed. We do, however,
have some specific comments in regard to the present bill.
We suggest that the basis for compensation or relief be for
injuries or inconventence related to radiation exposure but not
for the exposure itself. In this connection we recommend that the
first paragraph of the bill be modified as fallews:
"to compensate persons present on Rongelap Atoll, Ailingnae
Atoll, and Utirik Atoll, Marshall Islands, on February 28,
1954 (Universal Time), subjected to injury or inconvenience
as a result of a thermonuclear detonation...."
Section 2 indicates that the eligible individuals would be ",..to
persons resident on Rongelap Atoll and Utirik Atoll, Marshall
Telands on March 1, 1954...." We are certain that there is no
intent to exclude Rongelap residents who were at Ailingnae, although
it would appear that a strict interpretation might conceivably
exclude them.
Perhaps this should be changed to read “,,.persona
present at Rongelap Atoll, Ailiugnae Atoll and Utirik Atoll,
Marshall Ielanda, on March 1, 1954,..." or remedied in some
other manner,
Section 2 appears to be the first section and it is not clear
why it is numbered 2.
Paragraph B of Section 2 does not seem to be needed. Paragraph A
includes any individual who develops a radiation-related malignancy,
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