390

RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL

that, if they desired such a study, he would recommend that one be

preapred.5’ The Council members expressed their desire to have the

study. From the DNA viewpoint, the mew survey proposed to the drj.

Enewetak by Mr. Deal was urgently needed and essential to Satisfactory

completion of the overall project and resettlement.

FISSION PRODUCTS DATA BASE SURVEY

In December 1978, DOE initiated plans for a final dose assessment to
serve as the basis for an information documentwith which the Enewetak
people could decide their resettlement options.58 LLL was requested to

complete this final dose assessment. It was to be based on: (1) an extensive

survey of the dietary habits of the Enewetak people, and (2) the lates,
radiological data. The latest data available on fission product levels was the

1972 AEC Radiological Survey (NVO-140). Even though manysoil profile

samples had been taken since cleanup began, none had been analyzedfor
fission products due to lack of resources. To develop the best possible
assessment, a new survey, focusing on fission products, was essential. On
10 January 1979, DOE-NV recommended to DOE-Headquarters in
Germantown, Maryland, that DOE-NV begiven a tasking assignmentand

that DNA be requested to provide JTG and Service element support to

obtain soil samples for the fission products analysis.°9 In a letter of 30

January to Director, DNA, Dr. James Liverman, Deputy Assistant

Secretary for Environment, DOE, requested an assessment of the support
DOD could provide to the survey in the form of soil sampling teams,

backhoes and operators, boat transport, and the like.In his 9 February
1979 response, VADM Monroestated that a meeting would be held on |2
February at Field Commandwith representatives from agencies involved
in the cleanup project and rehabilitation program to definitize the extentof
support required and what could actually be provided by DOD elements,
keeping in mind that plans for the wrapup of the project, demobilization

and retrograde werefairly well advanced.®

VADM Monroe, whochaired the conference, opened by describing his
perception of the tasking to prepare the atoll for return to the people and

his concern for the impact on the Services of undertaking an additional

mission with cleanup yet to be completed:
a. The project was an immensely difficult task, undertaken with little

certainty about its outcome and dependent on continuation of the
remarkable cooperation which had accompanied the efforts to this
point.

b. This more detailed survey of the northern islands was essential to

decisions that DOI and TTPI must make on planting coconuts on the

Select target paragraph3