OFFICIAL USE ONI'Y
- 4 II.
August 15,
1974
SECY-75-81 - Radiological Criteria for Enewetak Atoll
A.
Dr. Biles described the proposed radiological criteria for
the cleanup and rehabitation of Enewetak, noting in
particular:
1.
the
island of Evonne would be quarantined until
the
plutonium contamination is reduced to safe levels;
the Enewetakese will be allowed to return to the
southern islands and the growing of all food will be
limited to the southern islands -- there are no
restrictions on visits to the other islands or on the
consumption of seafood from waters surrounding the
other islands;
the Enewetakese will not be allowed to return to the
island Janet* because its radiological conditions exceed
the guidelines and that cleaning up the island would
involve a major expenditure in money and might not
be successful because the soil from the island would
have to be stripped and new soil added;
the Enewetakese with the
assistance
of
their U.S.
attorneys may try to force the U.S. Government to
clean up Janet;
the various agencies of the U.S. Government involved with
the Enewetak cleanup differ as to whether the
Enewetakese can be persuaded to remain on the southern
islands, but that the Department of the Interior
believes
they will; and
that experience at Bikini suggests the radioactivity
removal rate may be higher than that due to natural
decay alone and that the activity on the northern
islands will be monitored
earliest possible return.
in order to permit the
General Graves noted that the proposed plan has not been
presented to
the Enewetakese and that after it
is discussed
with them, they may wish to have the Government change
its plan.
The
Commission approved:
1.
alternative 3 and the associated criteria in SECY-75-81;
and (0S)
consultation with the Enewetakese on the clean up and
rehabitation plan.
*Enjebi
(0S)
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