278 RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLLS characterization and to the need to resolve the remaining unknowns jp, fine-grain criteria for cleanup. On 6 January 1978, DOE and DNA officials met in Washington, DC. to discuss these matters further. They agreed on the following actions: a. Soil cleanup criteria would includeall transuranic elements, as did the EPA‘s proposed new guidelines, and not just one or two plutonium isotopes, as had AEC’s guidelines. b. DNA and DOE would put priority on completing the radiologicay survey and characterization of all the northern islands, excluding Runit. c. DOE would make dose assessments for a range of contamination levels and island uses. d. DOE would provide estimates of soil volumes to be moved to achieve various degrees of soil cleanup. e. After all the data and estimates were received, DOE and DNA jointly would consider the cost-benefits of soil cleanup of the various islands, including Enjebi. DOE stated that cleanup of Enjebi to below 40 pCi/g would meet EPA’s proposed transuranic guidelines for residential use and permit full-time residence on Enjebi after the fission products decayed to harmless levels. f. DOE would develop dose estimates based on cleanup and use patterns of the islands to provide guidance for cleanup of islands in the 40-400 pCi/g range for agricultural or visitation use. g. DOE would consider the acceptability of plowing as a method of meeting certain use criteria; however, there was doubt that plowing would satisfy EPA requirements. A new strategy to deal with Runit had been evolving and was proposed at this conference. The AEC Task Group Report and EIS required that plutonium concentrations over 400 pCi/g be excised from Runit and encapsulated in the crater whereupon the quarantine could be removed. Subsequently, Mr. Theodore Mitchell, the Enewetak people’s attorney, agreed that, after the contaminated soil was encapsulated on Runit, the people could retain the quarantine of the island as an additional safety precaution.54 Some of the conferees now proposed that, if Runit were going to be quarantined because of the material in recoverable storage, little or no effort need be made to excise and encapsulate the contaminated soil.55 While the proposal had considerable appeal to some, it was not adopted. The conference failed to provide the Director, DNA with anything substantive which could be used to answer the concerns of the service element commandersduring his visit to the atoll later that month. The earth-moving equipment, operators, and boats had been ready to remove soil for over 2 months, and the commanderswere waiting for decisions on what to remove and where to begin.