BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY
ASSOCIATED
UNIVERSITIES,
4128S
INC... UPTON, L.L. NY. 11973
FAEDICAL DEPARTMENT
Teverdons: (516) 3453577
July 23, 1976
Dr. James L. Liverman
Assistant Administrator for Environment and Safety
nergy Research and Development Administration
Washington, D. C. 20545
Dear Jim,
As you know, by copy of Ed Hardy's letter to me of 7-6-76, the
repeated
plutonium analyses on the urine samples of people living
on Bikini obtained last April again showed about the same levels as
previously reported in his letter of March 26, 1976.
Disturbing
also was the finding of similar low levels of plutonium in the urines
of residents of Rongelap Atoll. One wonders if perhaps people living
in other areas of the Mershalls, not directly invelved in the fallout,
might also show increased levels because of proximity to the proving
grounds. We intend to check this.
In the meantime we are collecting
larger urine samples from individuals on Bikini and also pooled samples
from Bikini as well as Pongelap, Utirik and Wotje from the letter atolls
on the September survey. Analyses of other samples of dust, water, foods
ete. obtained in April on Bikini are still in progress here,
Yesterday I received a call from John de Young, Office of the Territories, Dept. of Interior, saying that he had received word from their
solicitor who had been in Majuro (Marshall Islands) stating that he
heard reports there that plutonium had been detected in the urines of
the Bikini people.
I am not sure where they got the information,
I suspect. that George Aller, the lawyer for the Bikini people, will be happy
to use the information, to embarrass us.
[I admitted to John that the
report was true but pointed out that people all over the worid have some
plutonium in their urines including people in New York and that we had
not been alarmed since tne levels were low but that we were carrying out
continuing investigation of this finding.
Now that we have confirmatory
evidence of this findings I would recommend that you write a letter to the
Department of Interior with regard to the matter.
ohOe”
As suggested in my letter of May 27,71976, you may wish to consider
organizing a meeting with experts in the field to advise us with regard
to this problem.
Sincerely,
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Conard,
H.D.
SEG Se ae
Yoe,
V. Bond
FE. P. Cronkite .-tae.t on OPFRATOR (516) 345-2123
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RAC: im
ce: Dr.
Dr.
Robert A.