Department of Energy Washington, D.C. 20545 September 28, 1979 Mrs. Ruth Van Cleve Director, Office of Territorial Affairs Department of Interior Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Mrs. Van Cleve: The following is in response to your verbal request that the Department of Energy assess for you the radiological consequences which might accrue to the people of Enewetak assuming that they reside only on the islands of Enewetak, Medren and Japtan, and assuming that coconut trees are planted on the northeastern islands of the Enewetak Atoll, specifically the islands of Lujor, Lojwa, Aomon, Bijire, Aej and Alembel. In what follows we are concerned only with potential health consequences to the people of Enewetak and not with the question of the acceptability or marketability of copra produced from the coconut trees on the world market or at specific processing facilities, nor with any possible U.S. involvement with respect to the acceptability or marketability of the copra. Information regarding the distribution or binding properties of radionuclides of concern in coconuts is not yet available, and the commercial implications of same is an issue not addressed in this letter. The exposure estimates below are based upon preliminary information analyzed by the staff of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and included in their draft report entitled, “Preliminary Reassessment of the Potential Radiological Doses for Residents Resettling Enewetak Atoll." It must be emphasized that while these values are best estimates, they are only estimates and could be in error by a factor of 2 or more. Furthermore, they are based upon average values (e.g., average diets, average island contamination values, average uptake of radionuclides by food plants, etc.), and individuals will depart from the average--in either direction-to varying degrees depending upon personal lifestyles, proclivities, and diet preferences. Nor do the exposure estimates consider those individuals who might, for whatever reason, engage in practices which could lead to excessive exposures. ek4. - meee oo tthe wee we ame pom .t 4 ts oy . um % wy te OA ee ee cae ae . oe vet