Memorandum for the Record
-2-
other agenries, such as EPA, and the reports ef the survey, including
“that ef the Radiological Assessment Review Group, would be sufficient
te suppert a Commission judgment on réhabitatiea,
This position was
ceneurred in and accepted by General Camm and it is new presumed that this
position serves as the basis for our continued effort in this area.
General Camm requested that he be advised by Dr. Biles regarding the format
Whieh these cleanup criteria and guidelines might be expected to take.
He
else requested that he be advised as to the preeedural steps and milestones
established under these criteria and guidelines,
Dr, Biles stated that
-he would previde this information in about. ene month, $e. y aboutmid.
February 1973,
.
.
«
Dr, Biles went on to point out several aspects of the problem which he
believed tp’ very significant.
These are:
(1) He would not want to jump
to any conelusions without adequate knowledge;
(2) There must be full
bielegieal factors and external dose; (3) Plutenium resuspension may
weil be a very significant biological factor, therefore, he was quite
their initial proposal that cleanup might be aecomplished simply by
turning of the soil.
The reason for this, of course, is that the
contamination present already has a considerable profile in depth,
therefore, plowing the soil might well be ineffective.
More than that,
plewing would probably destroy the very thin soil which exists on
‘Pacific Atolls, such as Eniwetok.
In summary, with respect to development of the eriteria, Dr. Biles
affirmed that DOS would be responsible for the formulation and staffing
ef the cleanup criteria and guidelines and that these should be available
ebeut twe months after the completion of the Radielogieal Assessment
Review Group effort. The criteria would have the general format of a
full and complete study for each island in the Atoll and consider the
*peeific situation there.
Certain assumptions would be made with regard
to life style of the native population, biological uptake, housing, and
the like, in order to arrive at judgments as toe the utilization of specific
areas er conversely protective measures which would have to be taken.
(signed
William W. Gay
Captain, USN
Assistant Director for Tests
Division of Military Application
cc:
G, Facer
WH,
ae
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438)
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