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UNITED STATES
ENERGY
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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20545
Dr. W. J. Bair
Manager, Biomedical and
Environmental Research Program
Pacific Northwest Laboratory
P. O. Box 999
Richland, Washington 99352
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Dear Dr. Bair:
This will confirm recent telephone conversations seeking your
assistance in the review of the cleanup criteria for Enewetak
that AEC/ERDA was responsib~e for Prepari’9’, ‘h~sk~{c~~)~in plans for the ongoing Enewetak Atoll proJect
tions for cleanup and rehabilitation criteria developed by an
AEC Task Group in June 1974, and decisions by Defense Nuclear
Agency (DNA) on crater disposal of contaminated debris and soil
on Runit Island. Several factors opt for a final review of these
recommendations and decisions; namely, EPA has in draft for final
‘~eview, “’Guidance on Dose Limits for the Transuranium Elemen~s in
the General Environment”; Mahlon E. Gates, tianage~,NV, has indicated his professional staff have voiced ObJectlOns to the
disposal plan and believe that “soil cleanup” of the northern
islands according to AEC guidance is unsupportable, unsound,
and counterproductive; concern has been expressed for the cleanup guidelines in a letter to Dr. li~ennan which was prepared by
.a number of scientists at the time of the
L~vemore
re~lew of all
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AE5 Pacific activities on June 27-29, 1972; Duu has a neav~
conrnitmentto the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll and to a technique
of disposal that has changed with time and will ~hortly beg?n.t? :s;
expend considerable effort in soil removal and disposal actlv~t~e
and ERDA has corrnni~entsto provide certification of Enewetak
cleanuD and long term radiological followup of the Atoll when
it is ;esettled~
You are invited to participate in a review of:
AEC recormnendationsfor cleanup and rehabilitation of Enewetak
Atoll and specifically the criteria for plutonim-239 in soil, and
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2. Environmental and health implications and long term monitoring
requirements for crater disposal of contaminated debr~s and soil
on Runit Island.
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