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 51