OFFICIAL USE ONLY 411488 January 21, 1969 Lt. Col. Anthony A. Gomes Division of Military Application BEST COPYAVAILABLE COMMENTS ON MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN AEC AND DOD CN BIKINI CLEANUP There are several areas of concern that we have for this agreement and that have been discussed by OS staff. 1. We have concluded that the responsibility for radiological safety, of the rehabilitation of Bikini Atoll for which the Department of interior is looking to the ARC, is a continuing responsibility that will persist long after the JTF-3 scrap removal operation is ee Our usual procedure for assuring safe operations and determining that program objectives are to be met is to require a review of plans prior to operations, to closely follow the implementation of plans during operations, and to review and evaluate objectives and results obtained at the close of operations. A requirement for these functions to be performed by AEC should be written into the Memorandum. 3. Assurance of radiological health and safety is generally achieved through a system of checks and balances, 1. e. certain precautions are taken to avoid or minimize exposure, then followup surveys and studies are made to insure the adequacy of these measures. This is particularly appropriate for the Bikini resettlement wherein AEC has made recosmendations affecting the agricultural recovery of the Atoll and covering a level of followup requiring @ continual check of the radiation status of the people. This is another reason not to delegate responsibility for compliance with safety requirements to the Project Maneger. 4. OS expects to closely follow this work as it is expected that __ B&M and the Ad Hoc Comittee and even FRC staff may want to be kept informed.as it progresses. In this regard, and while we can understand the need to get started in the near future, we are concerned that there appears to be no provision for AEC to follow this effort such that we may keep ourselves and others informed. £ completed. The initial serap removable project is only a portion of this responsibility. Since we in AEC will have to live vith this problem and anything unexpected that occura in the years shead, the responsibility for determining when health and safety requirements are met should not be delegated to the Project Manager.