co . CLEANUP OF ENIWETOK ATOLL FOR RETUKN TO TPT 1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this paper is to furnish information and recommendations for consideration in formulating policy for the cleanup of Eniwetok Atoll. 2. BACKGROUND. a. 35 From April/1948 to July 1958 Eniwetok Atoll was the location of semeumit/ shots under the SANDSTONE, IVY, CASTLE, RED WING and HARDTACK I Series of nuclear weapon tests. Muchof the debris from these tests, some of it radioactive remains.* About one-half of the 43 islands in the atoll was the location of some test activity during this period. For the past one and one-half years DNA has been interested in Eniwetok Atoll as a site for the PACE test series employing high explosives. The atoll is ~ presently under control of the U.S. Air Force which has an inactive Air Force installation on Eniwetok Island. A civilian contractor MATSCO (a General Electric Co. subsidiary) is operating the facility for the Space and Missile Test Command (SAMTEC). b. On 18 April 1972 the High Commissioner, Honorable Edward E. Johnston and Ambassador Franklin Haydn Williams made a joint announcement that the U.S. is prepared to return Eniwetok to the jurisdiction of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) by the end of 1973. About this time informal talks began between the DNA representatives and Capt Gordon S. Schuller, USN, the action officer in the office of ASD(ISA) on planning for the return of Eniwetok to the natives. c. A survey team comprised of AEC, DOD and EPA personnel visited the islands 10-24 May 1972 to determine the size of the cleanup job. This team found a significant radiological hazard still existed on six islands, Bogallus, Engebi, Aomon, Biijiri, Runit, and Bweey (Belle, Janet, Sally, Ursula, Yvonne ast 2ime). Engebi (Janet) in addition, is thought to have been contaminated by a significant amount of dispersed beryllium, a highly toxic substance. This resulted from a high order explosion of a high energy upper stage (HEUS) rocket motor while under test by the Air Force in 1968. a. The initial "order of magnitude" cost estimate based on this survey was of necessity based on far reaching assumptions. This was because of lack of information as to the extent of radiological contamination as well as the unpredictability of the manner of disposal that would be required for radioactive debris, since acceptability both from a bio-environmental and political The initial gross estimate made by DNA aspect are required. was that costs could run as high as $40 million for this cleanup. . - | of Energy _ Department: fice Historian’s Of ARCHIVES