104 RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL rehabilitation of Enewetak Atoll. DOD cleanup costs were estimated ag $39.9 million, including $1.5 million to reimburse ERDA for radiologica support as agreed in the 7 September1972 meeting. DOI rehabilitation ang resettlement costs were estimated as $12 million.!83 The revised DNA request for MILCON Program authorization wasto be allotted as follows. $14.1 million in FY 1976, $24.7 million in FY 1977, and $1.1 million in Fy 1978, 184,185 Meanwhile, LTG Johnson had begun marshalling efforts to obtain Fy 1976 Congressional funding during a conference on 17 October 1974 with officials from DOI, ASD(ISA), and MSN. LTG Johnson felt tha Representative Otis G. Pike of the House Armed Services Committee was the key Congressman who had to be convinced that the United States was obligated to return the Atoll, that the people wanted to return, and that cleanup plans and cost estimates were sufficiently detailed to justify the funds requested. Ambassador Williams, MSN, and Ambassador Ellsworth, ASD (ISA), agreed to meet with Mr. Pike on the matter.!86 By December 1974, it appeared that Mr. Pike was convinced ofthe obligation but not of the sufficiency of DNA’s plans and cost estimates. !87 LTG Johnson arranged to have the Enewetak people’s representatives testify before Mr. Pike’s committee as well as before Senator Symington’s committee. !88.189 Troij Johannes Peter of the dri-Enewetak and [roij Binton Abraham of the dri-Enjebi appeared before the Military Construction Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee on 25 April 1975.'90 Their statement told of how the people had been taken from Enewetak to help the United States develop its nuclear arsenal and how strongly all of them wished to return to their homeland as soonasit could be cleaned up and rehabilitated. They related how important these small islands were to a people wholived in the midst of an immense ocean and how no amount of moneycould replace their homeland. Mr. Tony DeBrum acted as their interpreter. Also at the hearing were the dri-Enewetak Magistrate, John Abraham, and their legal counsel, Mr. Mitchell. The same delegation appeared before the Military Installations and Facilities Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee on 7 May1975 and reiterated their desire to return to Enewetak Atoll.191 During the Senate subcommittee hearings, DNA was asked to develop the most austere cost estimate possible based on the use of troops (Army engineers or Navy Seabees) who weretrained in nuclear decontamination. Field Commanddeveloped a revised (May 1975) CONPLANsimilar to the April 1975 ‘‘blue’’ version except that troops were to be used to accomplish the crater containmentas well as the cleanup. This and other refinements lowered the cost to $25 million.!92 The remaining support functions werestill to be accomplished by contractor personnel. |