return into an area were postponed for one year after fallout, the radiological situation probably would have been adequately appraised, and decontamination operations initiated. cussed by others.) (This subject will be dis- Moreover, with the return of a populace into a inown contaminated area, more than normal precautions might be expected in regard to occupancy of the more protective types of buildings and reduction of time spent out-of-doors. . | Of course, greater degrees of contamination could result from multiple overlapping fallout patterns. There is a need for continuing studies of these problems. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION Radioactive contamination of an area will, of course, in~ fluence agricultural pursuits. An evaluation of these problems in- volves complex and difficult studies which will not be attempted here. In terms of civil defense, however, there is one phase that should be noted here. The relatively heavy fallout that occurred on some of the Marshall Islands in March 1954 provides the most direct data. Since the time of this fallout there have been 10 radiological and biological surveys of these islands. All of these data are summarized in a report prepared by the Atomic Energy Commission and in press with the Government Printing Office. There are strikingly wide variances in the degree of gross contamination in the soils and in the plant and animal life. -17- Likewise, _ . i