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RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL
discussion, LTG Johnson said that he proposed to meetwith Mr. Mit
Chel
andtell him that if he demanded that DNA go for a $190M project (Cas
5), it would kill the project. He felt morally obligated to push for the
project as currently agreed, even if Mr. Mitchell served notice he woy,
fightfor the maximum degree of cleanup. COL Smith, of MSN, statedtha
there was a necessity to retain reasonableness to the projectif it was to get
by Congress. LTG Johnson stated that, on the basis of the discussions at
this meeting, DNA would press ahead with the final EIS, seekingall the
help they could get from ERDA. Also, he would go to Honolulu ang
discuss DNA’s position with Mr. Mitchell and seek an accommodation
with him. He invited representatives of the DOI, ERDA, and EPA to
accompany him on histrip during the week of 17 March 1975.166
The Honolulu conference was held on 19 March 1975. LTG Johnson
opened with commentsto the effect that insistence on ocean dumping of
contaminated material and a Case 5 cleanup would delay, if not cancel, the
project. He advised that he had consulted with Representative Ichord,
Chairman of the House MILCON Subcommittee, who foresaw difficulty
in obtaining approval of even a modest program and wanted assurancethat
Mr. Mitchell, of MLSC, and the dri-Enewetak Iroijs would appear before
the subcommittee to support the project. !67
Mr. Mitchell accepted fhe invitation to appear at the Congressional
hearing on the MILCONappropriations for the Enewetak Cleanup but
stressed the importance of having Mr. Oscar DeBrum,, District
Administrator for the Marshall Islands, also present for the hearings. Mr.
Mitchell also stated that:
a. The MLSC comments on the DEIS asked for the ‘‘ideal”’ cleanup
based upon their duty to seek the best possible solution for their
clients.
b. The dri-Enewetak would make the ultimate decision, not the MLSC.
or himself.
c. He remained unconvinced that he should recommendacceptance of
Case 3, but he did not propose to engage in a lengthy courtfight to
achieve Case 5. He indicated a desire to get on with the cleanupat
Case 3 level, if necessary, without foreclosing other possibilities.
Mr.Mitchell stressed that he intended to strive for as much as could
reasonably be doneto insure the safety and health of the people. He did
not wantto be facing a situation similar to that of Bikini in which the lack
of thorough investigation could be claimed.!68 He reiterated the point
madein the people’s comments on the DEISthat they did not want money
in any amount. They wanted their land in safe and habitable condition,
regardless of cost. The cost of cleanup would be fraction of the total cost
of the nuclear test program and should be considered and funded as an
extension of that program. !69