|
Soul CleanP

Planning

not apparent in the A
NA responded thal these intentions were

suranics other tl
U Group Report, which (1) did not mention tranbi
soil removal, :
Enje
nst
agai
ed
(2) specifically recommend

Task ‘om
inated soil on Rt
Mo ifically recommended that plutonium-contam
on which ERDA |
) Peved 22 DNA reminded ERDA that the EIS,
A had helped devel
. inated and the OPLAN, which ERD
ns on Aom:
eelically identified excision of plutonium concentratio

mention
or Boken, and Runit as required cleanup tasks.43 The only
ful.
harm
be
d
woul
it
that
Enjebi soil cleanup in those documents was
exist

that the
“it became apparent at the 13 September 1977 meeting

AEC-ERI
policy, plans, and schedules for soil cleanup were based on
duta and guidelines which were no longer reliable. It was obvious tl

ERDA was revising its guidelines for plutonium cleanup to bet

correspond to EPA’s proposed guidelines for all transura

d ne
contamination, despite EPA’s assurances that its guidelines woul

apply to Enewetak. This not only cast doubt on the original Ai

ume estimates ar
guidelines but rendered invalid the existing soil vol

consequently, the existing soil cleanup plans, priorities, and schedu
which were based on those guidelines. Asa result of the 13 September 19
meeting, the Director, DNA decided to suspendsoil cleanup preparatic

until firm guidelines and estimates of all transuranic soil contaminati
could be developed.
in

On | October 1977, ERDA was reorganized. Those components involv
the

Enewetak

project

were

assigned

to

the

newly establist

change except in name and off
Department of Energy (DOE)with little
-NV.

symbol; e.g., ERDA-NV became DOE

RUNIT CHARACTERIZATION
On 4 October 1977, experts from DOE-NV, the Armed For

Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI), Field Command, and seve

DOE contractors met at Las Vegas, Nevada, to examine meansof meet
requirements for a more definitive, quantitative characterization of
scope of work involved in the radiological cleanup of Runit Island. 1

conference was chaired by Field Command’s COL Treat who brie
reviewed the cleanup background, requirements, and the specific probl

of assuring that the plutonium concentrations on Runit could be remo:

within the resources available and with consideration for the impact
Runit cleanup on the cleanup of other islands. ERDA headquart

representatives questioned DNA’s interpretation of the AEC Task Gre
Report as requiring priority be given to concentrations over 400 pC

Select target paragraph3