EFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY
WASHINGTON, 0.C.

20305

309 ,UG 1972

MEMORANDUM FOR:

SUBJECT:

‘l.

THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

(International Security Affairs)

Planning for DOD Efforts to Return Eniwetok to TTPI

Reference is made to-your memorandum,

17 July 1972,

subject

as above, which requested this agency to initiate planning to

develop the scope of work and resources reguired to clean up

Eniwetok for return to the TTPI.

2.
In anticipation of this assignment, DNA participated in a
joint survey of the islands with the AEC in May 1972 to determine the nature and extent of the work involved and to arrive
at an order of magnitude estimate of cost.

Based on -information

obtained during this survey, it was estimated that cleanup costs
alone might run as much as $40 million and that Runit Island
and perhaps Engebi may be contaminated to such an extent, that
it may not be economically feasible to make them safe for human

use.
A later estimate made by Holmes & Narver, Inc. for the
AEC gave a Similar order of magnitude cost, indicating the
cleanup to be a 1-1/2 - 2 year job which would cost from $27
to $35 million with the cost of air and ocean transportation
to be added and with disposal of radioactive debris by deep

ocean burial.

3.
Subsequently, a joint meeting was held between AEC and DNA
at Germantown, Maryland, on 17 August 1972 to jointly review
the information available, to develop a schedule of actions to
assist in our planning for this cleanup task and to develop

information and recommendations in response to your memorandum.
The substance of our discussions and the conclusions reached
at. this meeting are contained in Enclosure l.

FOR THE DIRECTOR:

1 Encl
as

Qf ly
JOSEPH L. DICKMAN

Major General, USAF

Deputy Director

(Operations and Administration)

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