STONMBEALAL, There is considerable political activity in the Micronesian Congress concerning the status of the Pacific islands. This has resulted in unrest, and statements in the Micronesian Congress accusing the U. S. of deliberately exposing the natives on Rongelap in 1954 to radioactive fallout in order to have human radiation exposure subjects for study. Despite the extensive followup medical program AEC has through BNL, the charges are being made that the natives are not being given proper medical treatment but merely being observed for radiation effects. The unrest created by these charges resulted recently in the interruption of the followup medical program of the natives. Questions are being raised about the appropriateness of AEC rather than DHEW - USPHS conducting such a program. Assuming that there would be no acceptance of these political charges by the natives, there is still the question of what restrictions will be required of the inhabitants living on the atoll, and the more practical problems of assuring that the consequences of not following the restriction are understood, and whether there is any assurance that the restriction will be observed. There is the question of whether followup programs, such as radiological survey, medical program, etc., should be continued, Finally, there will be the question of who performs these. By letter of December 7, 1966, the Secretary of the Interior asked the Commission to advise him whether Bikini Atoll and its lagoon are now safe for continued habitation and whether the Bikinians could have hazard-free use ‘of the resources of the atoll and its adjacent water areas. As an outgrowth of this request, an Ad Hoc committee of eight scientists having medical and radiobiology backgrounds was appointed by the Division of Biology and Medicine to review available data. Additional information was obtained for their consideration in a radiological survey conducted April-May 1967. These consultants reached the unanimous conclusion that it would be radiologically safe to allow the Bikini people to return home. The consultants also made recommendations for actions to be taken to reduce exposures that guided the cleanup and agricultural rehabilitation programs. Key items were removal of contaminated scrap, precautions regarding use of local foods and food production, and periodic surveys to check the radiation status of the people and the environment. President Johnson announced the decision to return the Bikinians to their atoll on August 12, 1968. As to the role of AEC in the Bikini resettlement program, by letter of February 3, 1969, the Secretary of the Interior was informed that the AEC would cooperate with the Departments of Interior and Defense in the cleanup of Bikini Atoll and would provide $300,000 in fiscal year 1969 for this purpose. Also, AEC would be responsible for the radiological health and safety aspects of the program. Accordingly, AEC is now conducting and committed to periodic - 4 - 300 riopoet . -