4O86O8 UNITED STATES ‘ DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 WAY © Dear tir. Zwick: You will recall that on Aucust 12, 1°65, the President announced that the people of bikini can be returned to ticir home atoll. Tnis announcenent followed a dctermincation that tie main islands of the atoll are safe for continuous nunan habitation and that the security requircnents of the netion vill parmit the restoration of tue atoll to tue Dikinians. At the tliie of the an.ouncencnat, the President requested the Secretcry of Vcfease, the Caairian of the Atomic [nergy Commission and the Director of the Bureau of the Budget to cooperate and assist us in developing and putting into effect a redevelopment program. As a first step im that effort, this L.opartmout ani Cie Eisn Coa misc oncr of the Trust Territory or-anized a survey trip to buical, tu@ survey party deine compose. of representatives of trie Likiai people, wears mcnbers of the Trust Ters cory Covernaent, and revresentatives of the Jcoule Energy Conmission, tia Lefease Department and tia . partment of tne Interior. This visit, ustertc..an within tyvo i cks of t..c Prosiaont's announcement, was inteaicd to lcy the foundation for a re-scttlevmmt program for Bikini. « dlloving the completion of th. visit to Dikini, we Lave turacd to uralcing a propran looking tovard tuc earliest possible return of tre vixiaians. Representatives of t:e Atcwic Dnarsy Corsic don iwso presarcc she estimates for the reucval of testin= devris, radicooc ive watccials, and the clearine of vegetation preparatory to reni: cin / cae islands to productive croos. Tne Trust Territery Goverment ay” yores.u@L of this Departmcat uave turned to the developuent Ur a re sitt.vrent prozran designed to w2et cic President's criceria of a re. and 1 oda}. commuaity on Bikini. oO it Za. oleased to forward to you or yo ir consileration the cocued + alts of t.2 work to date, a procran rovovelowneat of Diisinit for c.e. st six ycoors wudeh represeuts our bast currcar astinate of tne cast o% neueciny tue obligation of tuc \aited States to provide for a viadla com .ianty and the specdicct po.sible re.,oection of the paople. The oita.ate calls for the expondicuce of approximately $3,600,005, moscé of wich falls in the first tvo years of the program for the initial cleanup and construction phases of tie project. BEST COPYAVAILABLE nerosony —DOE//PASO_ COLLECTION y, a x “ul voxne £207,ELBAA King SORVEY, FOLDER -AEB,