AO Lage STATEMENT OF MRS. RUTH G. VAN CLEVE, .DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE — OF TERRITORIAL AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT. OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE 7 THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE, COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CONCERNING RESETTLEMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF BIKINI, JUNE 19, 1978 See. Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee: The program that the High Commissioner and I. outlined to this Committee on May 22, 1978, for the temporary resettlement of the people now residing on Bikini Island, is proceeding in the manner that we then 4 pctteet Bikini, Kili, and other islands of the Marshalls, and he will tell you in some detail of the results of those travels. int tietd itheTe ae ot aia dat On May 22, orders were placed for material for the facilities that we propose to have constructed within 75 to 90 days. We promised to ‘inform you by June 12 of the island selected as the relocation Site, and my letter of that date didso, to the extent of stating that we had by then narrowed the choice to either Kili or Jaluit. We have since selected Kili. We thus expect that by about August 20, 1978, the current residents of Bikini Island will] be moved to temporary facilities at Kili. nh eek weal Scientific studies now underway by the Department of Energy are expected to be completed, and we wil] then be in a position to make detailed plans tntlh for the permanent location of the people of Bikini. either Nee Late in this calendar year or early in the next, the further a. be vee we warms at + | pant . - o: aT. Mall a 2 ree _ Since that date, the High Commissioner has traveled to — described. wees errant . ane eaes aayet ng see an AE ae t —— renee oe+ rer, tae A . oe Tet To aot