i By By ers
No.
Tol.
L-1iS1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
972-3335 or
(Monday, August 12, 1968)
973-3446
408348
(NOTE TO EDITORS AND CORRESPONDENTS:
Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman of the
U.
S.
Atomic Energy Commission,
today
issued the following statement on AEC's
xole in the decision to allow the former
residents of Bikini to return to their
atoll.)
it nas been greatly satisfying to my fellow Commission-
exs anc me to take part in the decision, announced today by
Presicent Jonnson, to return the Bikinians to their atoll.
The attached AEC report on the radiation survey of Bikini
Was & cornerstone of that decision.
x<eport, which declares the acolli once again safe
for human nasitetion, represents the work of many higniy
cualifiead men,
including the
scientific team which
surveyed
che isiends in 1967 and the special consultant committee of
experts who produced the report.
it has been just over 10 years since the last nuclear
test toox place at Bikini on July 22,
1958.
The intervening
years have broucht a remarkable recovery on the
AEC sponscrec research teams noted in both
1964
Tne
1967
survey was made at
the
reouest of
isiands, as
and 1967.
tne Secretary
OZ the Interior whose department is responsible for the welSaxreG Cf the Bikini natives.
The Bikinians were moved from
their atoll in 1946 before the
c
first nuclear test took place.
Gne ceam which visitea the atoll in 19¢7 included radioLogica: and neaith physicists, marine bio
Fologi sts: a tropical
égkicw_turalist, an anchrorvologist and
representatives of
ce
Paciitic
nterior.
Islands Trust Territories,
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
bepartment’ot the
sree
US DOE ARCHIVES
(more)
RG
326 U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY
iCobbeetts
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