DRAFT COVER —— ——— The Enewetak Atoll was a nuclear weapons testing site for the United States from 1948 to 1958. The people were relocated to another, less desirable, a“~o-ll prior to starting tests. The testing blew away some islands and left others contaminated with radioactive elements. The United States has a project underway to cleanup, rehai5ilitateand resettle the Atoll at a cost of about $120 million. Attention recently focused on Bikini, a similar but ?ess-comprehensik? project, when abnormal quantities of radioactive elanents were detected in some of the people resettled there. This diticoverytriggered the decision to again relocate the people at a cost of $15.million. As work progresses on the cleanup of radiological debris and soil on Enewetak there are indications that more living pattern restrictions may be imposed on the returning people then may be acceptable to them or to the United States. In spite of well-intentioned efforts of the United states at Enewetak, the potential exists for future legal and political difficulties because of . loss of land, loss of land usage, 10SS of cash crops, an~!the absence of long-term agreements with the Enewetak people. ● Additionally, significant radiological aspects of the Enewetak project are not independently assessed by organizations with no connection or interest in the nuclear test program. GAO believes these issues need to be resolved to prevent a Bikini-1ike incident frcm occurring at Enewetak. DRAFT