HISTORICAL BACKGROUND PART II The U.S. nuclear weapons testing program conducted from 1946 a seth att haill in the Pacific left long-term radiological contamination and problems. Bikini and Enewetak Atolls, where the testing was were the most severely affected, but fallout from these tests many islands in the Northern Marshalls. Of special concern was the heavy fallout from the March 1954 test which caused radiological injrry to many of the people of Rongelap and resulted in at least one death fpr radiation related disease. The Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (D@D), and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), later the Energy Research and Administration (ERDA), and now the Department of Energy (DOE), in the steps taken to date to perform radiological surveys and fassessments (1967-1968) and to perform cleanup and rehabilitation of Bikin (1969 to- present) and in the radiological survey and assessment of Enew@tak Atoll (1972-74). This Enewetak survey utilized the most up-to-date ahd modern techniques, including the aerial survey of islands utilizing sehsitive radiation monitoring equipment carried in helicopters. The DOD began the Enewetak cleanup in FY 1977, with the DOI rehabilitation program initiated during cleanup to take advantage of logistics and communicationg capabilities attendant to cleanup operations. radiological The DOE has performed followug surveys at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls. It also conducts medica] observation of the exposed populations of Rongelap and Utirik Atolls at frequent intervals. The Department of the Interior (DOL), Office of Trust Territory Pacific Islands (TTPI), is responsible for rehabilitation of th test sites, Bikini and Enewetak. Phase I of the Bikini program planting of coconut trees and building 40 homes and other commun[ty buildings on Bikini Island. The houses were built along the lagoon shore radiation levels were the lowest. Phere the In responding to a request fr@m TTPI for