2.1.11
The In-Situ System
During the time awaiting funding of the Enewetak Atoll cleanup, ERDA was conducting a
radionuclide characterization and survey program of the old aboveground nuclear test areas at its
Nevada Test Site (NTS). ERDA was aware from this program that the sole use of soil sampling to
characterize the radionuclide concentrations (particularly Pu) is time consuming, extremely
expensive, and produces large uncertainties. Therefore, ERDA began investigation of other methods
to characterize surface contamination. One highly promising method was the use of a
high-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy system in place in the field (in-situ). During October 1973,
Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) conducted tests at the NTS to determine feasibility of the
in-situ system, Early in 1976, they returned with a new Germanium-Lithium (GeLi) detector
optimized for 241 Am detection. (With isotopic ratios, Pu can be inferred from 241Am). The results
were sufficiently promising that ERDA developed a concept for a dedicated, self-contained,
vehicle-mounted production type in-situ system later to be known as the "In-situ van." Construction
of the in-situ van was begun during the summer of 1976 by EG&G, one of ERDA's contractors. By
the end of the year construction and testing had been completed.
On 24 June 1976, a briefing on in-situ technology was given to ERDA/H@Q staff in Germantown, MD.
The briefing included the recommendation that this in-situ technology be used on the Enewetak
cleanup in order to improve confidence in the required survey measurements and to drastically
reduce the amount of expensive radiochemistry that would be needed. However, the final decision to
use in-situ technology to support the Enewetak cleanup was not made until muchlater in the year.
EG&G was later tasked by ERDA to design and construct in-situ van systems specifically for the
Enewetak cleanup. The first of these systems, later to be known as the IMP (named after the vehicle
they were mounted in), was completed and deployed to Enewetak in June of 1977.
Two additional
IMPs were also constructed and subsequently shipped to Enewetak to support the cleanup effort.
2.2 RESOLUTION OF ISSUES
Phase 1, Mobilization, of the Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll (most commonly referred to as the
Enewetak Cleanup Project, or ECP) began officially, by DOD reckoning, on 14 March 1977. Advance
preparations by a limited crew were designed to accommodate the large group scheduled to arrive at
Enewetak on 15 June 1977; this was "D-day", when mobilization began in earnest.
ERDA was
seheduled to complete many preparatory actions prior to 15 June so that operational aspects of field
and laboratory work could proceed on schedule. However, there were still a number of unresolved
policy issues requiring the attention of top-level DNA and ERDA management. Theissues, stated in
the approximate order of resolution, were:
1.
Ocean dumping vs. crater entombment.
2.
Funding responsibilities.
4.
Cleanup criteria and standards.
5.
Priority of island cleanup.
6.
Island certification.
Two additional issues arose later (after 15 June 1977) and were resolved in due course; they are
numbered here in the order of resolution and will be so presented in following sections. Specifically,
the two additional issues were:
3.
Plutonium vs. total transuranics.
7.
Planting of coconuts on northernislands.
Figure 2-4 lists the issues and shows the approximate period each was unresolved. Thereis no intent
here, or in the following sections, to draw attention to the fact that controversy existed, nor
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