" on Statement from Public Health Service Was Dictated Nov, 1, 1956 (1:30 p.m.) In response to inquiries the Public Health Service today issued the following statements Early in April the Public Health Service contracted with the Atomic Energy Commission to establish a network of radiation monitoring stations, in cooperation with State Health Departments. The network was to operate in conjunction with the 1956 series of AEC tests in the Pacific. The primary purpose of the network was to give State and Local health departments more experience in studying radiation, and to obtain daily records of radioactivity. The network was to operate approxi- mately six months, at the outside range between April 15 and October 16. All stations of the network were notified in April of these dates, Shortly after the end of the tests, late in July, the (Public Health) Service and the AEC agreed that the last week in September would be a reasonable date to terminate the monitoring project. It was expected that any fallout attributable to the Pacific Tests would have occurred by that date. The network stations, including the one in Albany, New York, were advised during July and August for purposes of operational planning that they could expect the network to terminate at that time, Although radioactivity levels in the air in some areas were somewhat higher during the latter part of September, they were still well below levels considered hazardous. Certainly there was no hazard which required an unscheduled extension of the monitoring network. The project, including the termina- tion, was carried out according to scientific plans developed prior to last April. (more )