-6issues are resolved, and today's decisions must be based upon today's knowledge, as was discussed above. Most experts in the field feel that the hot particle problem has been grossly exaggerated, as is evidenced by the British Medical Research Council report. Page 7, lines 18-20 - "The long range effects of Strontium-90 and Cesium-137 and other nuclides in the food web cannot be known without experimental planting." Comments: We agree that the significance of strontium-90, cesium-137 and other nuclides in the food web cannot be known without experimental planting. For that reason ERDA has already Funded and initiated a research effort to study the uptake of various radionuclides in seedlings and plantings. Although applicable to general considerations, this effort is directed at the question of if and when the Enjebi people might be permitted to return to their island, Page 7, lines 21-23 - "And as time goes on, scientific knowledge of the nature and effect of radioactivity is bound to improve and new techniques for remedial measures will be found." Comments: Anticipation of the development for startlingly new remedial measures to counteract the effects of radiation does not appear realistic in this situation for several reasons: new findings are not anticipated in the foreseeable future; those techniques which are available have limited usefulness for specific situations; at the extremely low levels of exposure discussed in this situation there is no way of determing the effectiveness of any such technique, nor is any need for same anticipated for this population. Page 7, lines 23-26 - "These scientific advancements will be lost to the Enewetak people unless the United States government assumes a long-range commitment of the kind we suggest here." Comments: The "Long-range" commitment is not defined. Governments are not known to commit themselves to the application of scientific advancements own populations, prior to the discovery of such advancements even to their