(7-79)

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DATE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

sone $0, 1981

memorandum

REPLY TO
ATTN OF
SUBJECT

To

fA

»

OES 7

Funding for BNL Medical Program Support

Reference your letters of May 11 and 15, 1981

W.J. Stanley, Director, PASO
As indicated previously (TWX of March 24,

1981, Attachment A), $150K for

medical support has been allocated in addition to the budgetary funding
level of $100K. By the same TWX it was indicated that this is a temporary and humanitarian response, should not
or commitment on behalf of the Department,
Department of the Interior (DOI) was being
to Interior is attached (Attachment B), as

(Attachment C).

be interpreted as any obligation
and that assistance from the
requested. A copy of our letter
is a copy of their reply

The Department of the Interior's response to our letter

clarifies the policy that they have taken re this matter, and supercedes
our previous interim guidance.

In accordance with this guidance, hereafter all Rongelap or Utirik persons

presenting with non-radiation diseases should be referred to the Health

Services of the Government of the Marshall Islands for disposition as they
deem appropriate. Patients from Rongelap and Utirik with radiationrelated diseases should continue to be referred as medically indicated.
Non-radiation related diseases among those Bikinians removed from Bikini
Island in 1978 should be cared for in accordance with the Department of
the Interior message of 13 November, 1980, to the High Commissioner
(Attachment D).

appropriate.

Unusual situations will be reviewed and considered as

These policy changes undoubtedly should result in a decrease in the number
of referrals for which DOE is financially responsible.

Therefore, funding

for this effort is expected to be reduced in Fiscal Year 1982 to the

previous budgeted level ($170K).

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Bruce W. Wachholz
Office of Operational Safety, EP
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E. Cronkite, BNL

WwW. Adams,

BNL

R. Ray, NV
B. L. Hart, DOI

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