AC?
" DEPARTMENT Or HALTH. EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
'
OFFICE OF THE SI-CRa-ARARY
WASHINGTON. 1.C.
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aber
HOV 15 19741
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US DOE ARCHIVES
-gog u.g. ATOMIC ENERGY
24°
RG______¢gmMiss1en-—_————
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Lt. Gen. Warren D. Johnsen, USAF
‘Defense Ruclear Aacncy
Washincton, D.-C.
2030s:.
Deal
DOS/
lectior Des[D
ea Fries
Collee
Box
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Dear Si
326
DEéETS
.
We amoreciate the opportunity to review the draft Environmental
Impact Stetement for the wromosed Cle Anup: Rehabilitation, and
Resettlement of the Enewetak Atoll - Marshall Islands. On the
basis of our review, we oifer the following comments:
5.3.3.1 Control of Food Sources
LES? COLY AVAILABLE
The results of a ra@iological survey show hich levels of
tte
contamination on the northern islands and low levels of
contamination on tre scutern islands.
This high level of
contaminacion is of significance both from the standpoint
ne i et ce wet
hd
of external expnosure and from the uptake of the radionuclices by plants as well as by incidenous fauna which
if eaten would result in internal doze and Geposition of
radionucliGes.
Radiological surveys on Enewetak have
found evidence of uvteke of cesium-137 anc strontiun-?0,
anong other radicnuclides, in indigenous plants used for
food including cocecnuts, pandanus, breediruit, and tacca
(axrrovroot).
The surveys also report racionvclies in
flesh and organs of indigenous fauna such as texns, rats,
-
and land crabs.
Preswnably domestic aninals such as
¢ poultry and swine would, if they foraged on indicenous
yadlioactive plants,
also show uptake of these radionuclides.
If the driEnjebi faction of the Atoll population are to live
on the northern islands and particularly the island of
Enjebi, care would need to be taken that the pancanus and
breadfruit are grown in non-radioactive soil, either on the
southern islands or imported from elsewhere.
The alternative
would be to provide farm plots for pandanus and breadfiruit
by removing existing soil and replacing it with non-radioactive soil in sufficient volume to cantain the roots of
these plants.
The removal anc replacement of soil to
create these farm »lots is of ouestionable and unproven
value,
since sustained land removal and replacement operatior
could result in serious ecolosical damace of
Also,
unknown proport:
there is-no guarantee that sufficient soil, could bo
removed and reovlaced to assure radiological safety of reside:
who would be eating plants qrown on these plots.
a
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