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HISTORICAL TiNFORMATION
The U.S.
nuclear weapons testing program conducted from 1946 to 1958
in the Pacific left long-term radiological contamination and health
problems.
“were
Bikini and Enewetak Atolls, where the testing was conducted,
the most severely affected,
many islands
but
fallout
in the Northern Marshalls.
from these tests has
Of special concern was
touched
the heavy
fallout from the March 1954 test which caused radiological injury to many
of the people of Rongelap and resulted in at least one death for radiation
related disease,
The Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DOD), and the
Atomic Energy Commission (AEC),
later the Energy Research and Development
Administration (ERDA), and now the Department of Energy (DOE), cooperated
in the steps taken te date to perform radiological surveys and assessments
(1967-1968) and to perform cleanup and rehabilitation of Bikini (1969 to
present) and in the radiological survey and assessment of Enewetak Atoll
(1972-74).
This Enewetak survey utilized the most up-to-date and modern
techniques,
including
the aerial survey of islands utilizing sensitive
radiation monitoring equipment carried in helicopters.
The DOD began the
FEnewetak cleanup in FY 1977, with the DOI rehabilitation program initiated
during cleanup to take advantage of logistics and communications capabilities
attendant to cleanup operations.
The DOE has performed followup radiological
surveys at Bikini and Enewerak Atolls.
[It also conducts medical observation
of the exposed populations of Rongelap and Utirik Atolls at frequent intervals.
The Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands
test sites,
(TTIPI), is responsible for rehabilitation of the former
Bikini and Enewetak.
Phase I of the Bikini projram included
planting of coconut trees and building 40 homes and other community buildings
on Bikini Island.
The houses were built along the lagoon shore where the
radiation levels were the lowest.
In responding to a request from TTPI for
Ji-1