DDST Mr. Tommy F. McCraw Philosophies of Applying Radiological Standards I sense from this 26 September 1973 draft that some consideration io being given to reducing exposures from tne most radioactive areas by possibly restricting movements of the occupants or by counting on anticipated living patterns. I am fearful about the consequences of such a philosophy for at least three reasons: 1. It is presumptious to believe that we will have the ability to restrict movements over the decades applicable to the fission product half lives, let alone the milenia applicable to the plutonium half life. 2. The "worse case" conditions left even on remote and undesirable istands will likely be the subject of unfavorable publicity regarding residual radioactivity. 3. Population pressures and/or econemic necessities might force the Islanders to use restricted islands within decades, even if they now intend to do otherwise. It seems to me that a different philosophy will very simply avoid these problems. Tnis is the philoscpiy of simply cleaning all areas, no matter how presently undesirable or remote these areas now are, to the same radiological standard. Of course, if dollars, precedences, or ecological difficulties require a less stringent standard than the ideal standards, then this less stringent standard that would apply for the entire Atoll] must be justified from the outset (if not justified, then at least the costs and consequences spelled out). Pandanus During the short term (decades), strontium-90 from pandanus is the overwnelming problem your Task Group faces. Correspondingly, this should logically receive the major part of your attention as your work progresses. When both the time before the fruit yield and the half life are considered, the concern is seen to be for a decade or so. Consistent with my own concerns about ability to control population movements over decades, I similariy have considerable reservations about our abilities to control pandanus plantings and consumption over a couple of decades by rules and policies alone. Therefcre, one or both of the following would logically be the major concern of your Task Force: 1. Devise methods by which the Islanders would naturally be consuming uncontaminated pandanus unless they went to an unlikely extent of trouble to do otherwise.