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..4

DRAFT

.
EPA is the agencyresponsible

for establishing guidance on radiation

dose limits for persons exposed to radioactive elements in the general
environment.

In September 1977, EPA published proposed guidance on more

stringent dose limits for persons exposed to transuranium elements.

DOE
EPA

revised the Enewetak cleanup criteria to try to meet these guidelines.

did not, howeve$ participate in establishing the Enewetak Atoll radiological
cleanup criteria nor has it evaluated the criteria being USed=
DOE’s advisory group on the cleanup criteria is of the opinion that
the revised cleanup criteria will result in average transuriinicraai~tion
doses commensurate with the proposed EPA guidelines.

But, it stated th:t

it did not find it possible to develop reasonable guidance that would
assure that radiatfon doses from transuranics to the returning people of
Enewetak

would not significantly exceed the proposed EPA guidelines.

It

pointed out the uncertainties inherent in our present understanding of the
problem .

Further, it advised DOE that perhaps more important, many of the

factors that are involved in movement of transuranics in the environment
and the disposition and retention of transuranics in human beings are not
well establ-ished.
Post-cleanup hazards
DOE is responsible for providing radiological cleanup criteria for
Enewetak Atoll as well as for assessing the post-cleanup situability of
the atoll for habitation.
EPA has analyzed the potential hazards to individuals in the general
population as a result of present levels-of transuranic -elements existing

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