-19- Paragraph 83 ERDA's SUGGESTED RESPONSE AND/OR COMMENTS (Continued) A fundamental radiation protection assumption, and this is very conservative and theoritical, is that every amount of radiation exposure, no matter how small, carries with it some chance of effect or injury, however small. If one demands that potential risks of injury from radiation exposure be zero, then radiation exposures must be zero. The radiation standards themselves are not a dividing line between absolute safety and danger. The standards for protecting the public are exposure levels set sufficiently low 'that associated risks would be found acceptable, by an informed society, when viewed along side expected benefits.'' NCRP 39. Risks of radiation exposure at levels within the standards are much less than other risks accepted in normal every day life. We would be pleased to arrange an introductory briefing on the principles of radiation protection discussed here. We recommend such a briefing before the next Court appearance. The AEC/ERDA effort has been to find a way to keep exposures of Bikini Atoll residents within the standards using feasible and practicable remedial measures. already been recommended. These measures have Short of removal and replacement of the land, which is not a feasible action, externaDOE ARCHD radiation exposures for residents living in the new houses on Bikini Istand will be a significant portion of the annual 3 Enclosure 1