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RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL

d. Clean all concentrations over 160 pCi/g concurrently with otherso;

cleanup, using resources not currently employed on other tasks, The
amount of resources available for Runit cleanup would increase a,

other tasks were completed until, eventually, all resources could be
devoted to Runit cleanup.
The last alternative was adopted, and the CJTG wasdirected to begin

cleanup of contaminated soil on Runit concurrently with other operations,
using equipment available at Runit when not in use on other activities.

The CJTG also was directed to segregate contaminated soil into three
stockpiles on Runit according to degree of contamination. The most
contaminated, principally that excised on Runit, was to be used to sustain

tremie operations while disposition of that having much lower levels

would be decided later. 195

As the work wasactually carried out, however, the USAE concentrateg

on the crater containment mission on Runit, leaving contaminated soi

and debris cleanup on Runit to be accomplished later. The USAE assisteg
the Navy WBCT in disposal of debris removed from the waters around
Runit, but because other priorities required the use of available personne|

and equipment, no other effort was made to clean Runit in 1978. To sustain
tremie operations, soil transported from the other islands was used in
filling the crater.
;
The delays in soil cleanup were discussed during demobilization

planning conferences in August and November 1978. Soil cleanup

appeared to be the onetask which could require extending the project. The
Commander, Field Command noted, in a message to the Services, that
the 1S April 1980 project completion date in the draft demobilization plan
was based on the assumption that soil removal would be completed on
schedule. He also noted that, while he intended to exert every effort to
hold to the 15 April 1980 date, there was much uncertainty involved in the

remaining tasks.!°6 During the 1-9 August 1978 Demobilization

Conference, the Services were asked to address the issue of extending the
project past 15 April 1980. They responded thatit was possible to extend it
until 30 September 1980, since they had funded the project through the

endoffiscal year 1980, 107,108

In December 1978, the CJTG presented to the Director, DNA, and the

Commander, Field Command, his evaluation of the Runit situation.

South Runit met the radiological guidelines for agricultural use without
soil cleanup. Soil sampling had been completed in the Fig-Quince area and
indicated varied levels of contamination mixed to depths in excess of 4
feet. Soil characterization had not been completed north of the Fig-Quince
area and would require 12 days’ work. An estimated 28 acres in the FigQuince area and 2 acres in other areas needed to be cleaned. The CJTG
identified the following alternative solutions:

Select target paragraph3