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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON DC. 20460
ome
23 AUG 1979
Mrs. Ruth G. Van Cleve
7
Pirector, Office of Territorial Affairs
Department of the Interior
18th & C Streets, N.W.
wt,
Washington, D.C. 202450
Dear Mrs. Yan Cleve:
The Environmental Protection Agency has examined the applicability
of Federal Guides to radiation protection for those Marshall Islands
people who want to return to Enewetak. Several issues are relevant to
this possible Federal action, and the following are our views:
1.
Bo Federsl Guides apply to this situation?
Jes. It is our view that any Federal action conducted by an
agency of the U.S. Government is subject to the Federal Radiation
Protection recomendations approved by the President. The responsi=~
bility to provide these reccmmendations was created by Execotive Order
40831 and was later enacted by Congress. Jt 4s codified at 42 U.S.C.
2021(h) and was transferred to EPA by Reorganization Plan Wo. 3 of
1970.
The appropriate language reads as follows:
It 4s the statutory responsibility of the
Council (Adsinistrator) to "...advise the
. President with respect to radiation matters,
Girectiy or inmdirectiy affecting health,
' Gneluding guidance for all Federal agencies in
the fernulation of radiation standards and in the
establishment and execution of prograss of
cooperation with States..."
2.
(25 F.R. 8402)
What Federal Guides are to be used?
The appropriate Guides are those approved by President Eisenhower
in 1960 (25 F.R. 8402) and by President Kennedy in 1961 (26 F.R. 9057).
These guides are designated as Radiation Protection Guides (RPG's).
1960 RPG for an individual in the population is 0.5remper_year and
applies when individual whole body doses are known.
The
When the individual
whole body doses arenotknown, aS an operational technique to provide
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