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Us. DEPARTMENT OF ENERG
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ACTION: Marshall Islands Proprams
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The Secretary
Deputy Secretary’
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Under Secretary
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(Peake
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PROBLEM:
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Teony
Whether the Secretary should transfer the Marshall Islands programs froa the “27
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Office of Environmental Pret ection, Safety, and Emergency Preparedness (EP) to=
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Defenss Programs (DP).
.
URGENCS:
DL
SR
A promot decision {fs recommenced so that the programs will continue uninterrupted:
during status negotiations betweer the United States (U.S.) and the government of .
the Marshall Islands concerning the Compact of Free Assocsation.
BACKGROUND:
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.
The U.S. tested 66 nucteer weapons at the Pacific Proving Srounds of Bikinf{ LES
and Enowetzk @tclls {n the Marshal) Islands from 1866 to 1958. These islands “==
sustafsed cetage from the detonations as sell as from rad‘oective contazinasion.>
The peoples of these tro atolls were relocated by the U.S. Goverment to other -'--
areas In the Marshell Uslancs pricr to the tests. The resulting social and ~ 2s
technital problems {n the Marshall Islands are the lecacy of the atmospherfe — xd
Test
we.
test progran.
.
we
Starting fr early 1972 with the gradual resettienent ef Bikiai, the dnvolvenest
-emd responsibilities of the Department of Enersy (DOE), then the Atomic Energy a
- s
Cocm!ssion, began to escaiate. The DOE was tasked to conduct a radiological
roe
resurvey of Bikint (spring 1772) and to gonducs acmassive radiological cleanus:
survey of Enewetak. Ouring this same time, Nicronesitn Legal Services Corporatten
(MLST)
Challenged soth the TIE and the Ciepartment of Cefense {tn Federal court .
as the Tegal representative of the Enewetak people.
_
The master plan for Enewetak resettlement, a cajor raciological resurvey Of .
os
"=;
Bikint, the Biking Vawsult brought by MLSC, the acquisition of the DOL harshatt =
Istands Research Vessel, Liktanur,
al} occurred in 1974-1975. From 1975 to Se
1977,:t¢he Brooxhavan National Laboratory (BNL) wedical program, established ©
fn 1554 {n respons: to the fallout victias of Ronselar and Utirdk atolls, began =~
to expand. An agrf{cultural rescarch program was establ{shed by Lawrence —.-. cata
Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for the DOE at Enewetak. Tah Mid-Paciffc ee!
Research Laboratory (established im 1967) was placed under Nevada Operations "=
Office (NV) admingstration.
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