100 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