tao
—) 4ORB18
C.
ACTION MEMORANDUM
TO:
|
Acting Administrator
FROM:
James L. Liverman, Assistant Administrator
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR FIELD COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT POSITION
O¥ AES ACTIVITILS IN THE PACIFIC AEA
for Environment and Safety
Issue
Should ERDA/AES designate a headquarters!’ staff person to coordinate
and manage research, health, and safety activities in the Pacific
area?
Background
,
During the nucl2zar testing period in the Pac’ fic, the inhabitants of
Bikini and Enewetak were temporsrily displac:d from these atolls to
ensure that they would be safe. In order to make these islands
habitable again after three decades, the Federal government has
undertaken a loig cleanup and rehabilitation process at both atolls.
The Pepartment of Defense is responsible for the clean-up activities
while the Department of Interior is responsitle for rehabilitation
of the returning Marshallese. ERDA is respo.sible for advising both
agencies On matters concerning short and long term radiation satety
aspects of rehabilitation and cleanup. Rehabilitation is underway at
Bikini atoll. As outlined below, it is not proceeding without continuing attention by ERDA staff even though this atoll had less
testing than Enewetak.
Planning and mobilization for the cleanup of
Fnewetak atoll ic underway. Nuclear tests left two islands, unit
and Engebi, contaminated, a source of continuing radiation concern,
Our experience from the Bikini rehabilitation indicates that many of
the radiation problems could have been mitigated if scientific and
aurveillance personnel were present to address these problems during
the cleanup phase, ERDA presently has a $3m research/surveillance
program in the Marshall Islands that is already complex and multifaceted.
This program focuses on six aspects:
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