Leo M. Krulitz
October 30, 1979
Page E1lght

in the decisionmaking process which was based upon it.

As we have said,

the AEC insisted that all questions of

radiological health and safety be resolved in terms of

radiation protection standards,

rather than the more

realistic basis of expected health effects from projected

doses of radiation.
See EIS, Vol. I, §§5.3.2 to 5.4;
and Vol. II, Tab B, pp. 4-5.
This is not the place to
devote the attention it deserves to the question of the
relevance and utility of United States radiation protection
standards to the resettlement of Enewetak atoll.
You have our
"Radiation Protection: for Enewetak Atoll" and we are
working on a revised version which will incorporate the
risk estimates recently performed by our advisors.
Suffice
it to say here that it is simply not possible for one to
make decisions in matters of this kind in terms of numerical
limits which are in themselves the result of one kind of

cost-benefit analysis of potential adverse health effects

weighed against known benefits of the use of radiation by
members of a large population.
But take. the Protective Action Guides, for the sake of
discussion, and apply them to the case at hand.
The question

then becomes which will do the people of Enewetak more harm,
living at Enjebi or denial of that opportunity?
And a
closely related, extremely important question:
What will

do the people of Enewetak the greater harm, permitting
them to decide their own fate, or denying them that right?
When measured by the major concern which we all Share,
that is the potentially adverse health effects of radiation
exposure, the risk today, if anything, is lower than in 1975,
when the predicted health effects contained in the EIS

(Vol.

I, Tables 5-12 and 5-13), are compared with those

based upon the most recent dose assessment.

These are the facts essential to rational consideration of
and decision in this matter.
The most significant difference
between 1979 and 1975, is that the people of Enewetak are
now exercising their last chance to take a look at this
matter.
They have made their own evaluation and called

upon you to reconsider.
in the EIS,

The relevant facts, as set forth

are essentially the same today as they were in

Select target paragraph3