ae] tH + rg rhe ad 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