448

RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL

However, the CJTG took the morepositive position that it was possible to
clean up Lujor to under 80 pCi/g and the Fig-Quince area on Runi

without extending the project.!!6 The CJTG proposal was modified by
Field Command to consider these alternatives:

a. Clean Runit to reduce transuranic contamination to the lowest leve|
reasonably achievable within constraints of crater capacity and time
and do nothing on Lujor.

b. Clean Lujor to meet the 80 pCi/g criteria (encapsulating the soil),
while accomplishing as rnuch excision on Runit as time and resources
permit (encapsulating the Runitsoil).

c. Clean Lujor to meet the 80 pCi/g criteria without encapsulating all of
the Lujor soil, and concurrently excise and encapsulate Runitsoil as

time and resources permit.
Other considerations impacted on any expedited cleanup of either Lujor
or Runit. These included soil removal requirements remaining at Boken
(Irene), Enjebi, and the Aomon crypt; soil transport capability; status of
crater fill; cement on hand; containment rate; and projection of crater
domeheight.

After careful deliberation of the Field Commandand JTG inputs, COL
Peters (Director of Enewetak Operations) briefed the Director, DNA on
the recommended options on 8 March 1979. Alternative a, clean Runit

only, could be completed in the time available, would maximizecrater fill,
and could be initiated without any channel clearance operations and
without any need to consider boat transportation capabilities. However,
there would be no guarantee that the island status would change,
excavation to depths of 6 feet might be required, and the EIS requirement
for Lujor would not besatisfied. Alternative b allowed containment of the
Aomon, Enjebi, Boken and Lujor soil within the time and crater volume

available, and it would change the status of Lujor to the benefit of the

people and in accord with the EIS. However, it would place great demands
on equipmentalready overtaxed, require channelclearance and additional
IMPing, place excavation and transport operations under severe time
constraints, and require additional bulk-haul boat configuration to get the
job done in time. Alternative c had all of the favorable aspects of

alternative b, plus it would permit intensive effort on both Runit and

Lujor. It was less time constrained since the soil from Lujor would not
necessarily be encapsulated. It still would have the problems associated
with access to Lujor, trafficability, bulk-haul boats, and overall efficiency.

Since the cleanup of Runit was of less benefit to the people than the
cleanup of Lujor insofar as the ultimate usage was concerned, andsince

either alternative could be accomplished in time to allow the crater to be
capped by 15 September 1979, the Director, DNA decided to implement
alternative b, with a modification. It was modified to regulate the input of

Select target paragraph3