DNA wasat this time in the process of developing a Radiological Cleanup Plan and sought ERDA
assistance and guidance with respect to debris classification, soil sampling recommendations,
locations of in situ detector measurements and other details that would help define the scope of
work and allow overall project planning. DNA felt that "We must be given the rules of the game
before the game begins," and wanted to be sure that data accumulated during the course of cleanup
would be useful toward certification. Several additional exchanges of views occurred during the next

year and by October 1977, draft certificate formats were in review circulation.

However, review

comments and suggested changes to key phrases tended to clarify the disagreement rather than to
approach agreement.

A few insistent and sharply worded exchanges in November and December

were followed by a new tone as expressed in this summary from the 6 January 1978 meeting:

"The conferees agreed that it was not desirable for the DOE representatives on the
Atoll to certify to the reasonableness of the resource expenditure by the JTG
Commander as this was a DOD responsibility. It was further agreed that when DOE
provides additional planning guidance for cleanup of islands intended for agricultural
use, the DOE on-island representative will be able to certify on an island-by-island basis

as the individual cleanup actions are completed.

In fact it was agreed that some

certifications could be accomplished at this time; i.e., for those islands not needing

cleanup actions for their intended use. The exact wording of the certification will be
provided by DNA for DOE approval no later than January 11, 1978." (Deal, 2/1978.)
The proposed certificate provided by DNA did not resolve the problem, however, as is clear in this

summary from the 3-4 May 1978 meeting:
1.

It became clear during the discussion that DNA and DOE are still far apart
eoncerning the island-by-island certification required of DOE. DNA's position

basically is that each certificate should contain two parts: a statement concerning

the actual radiological conditions remaining on a given island following cleanup; and

a statement concerning the use that the Enewetak people can make of the island

(residence, agriculture, or food gathering) based upon established criteria (Bair

Committee, etc.). This would be done on an island-by-island basis as the cleanup is
completed for a specific island. DOE does not disagree with the need for the first
statement but believes that the second statement must be measured against the
total atoll living pattern and against the total cleanup plan, as opposed to an
island-by-island determination.
2.

DOEpointed out that they felt the end result, whether stated in a certificate or

not, has to be that the expenditure of resources and time had provided a significant
dose reduction for certain patterns of living. DOE also pointed out that they had a
longer term responsibility than the one to DOD in certifying the cleanup. DNA did
not disagree with this longer term responsibility but reiterated its position that the
island-by-island certification had to be complete with respect to both statements

indicated above, and that if the DOE wanted to make a total assessment of the
entire atoll as separate documentation, there was no objection to this.

DECISION: DNA will submit for DOE concurrence a sample certificate, with
proposed wording to cover the two statements desired. (Monroe, 1978.)
Many significant changes were made to the cleanup plan between the signing of the
Shedd-Liverman Agreement and implementation of the plan, some as a result of funding
limitations mandated by the Congress, others by mutual agreement when alternative means or
methods were identified and determined to be superior to originally-planned means or
methods.

Throughout the planning period, and most of the cleanup period, FC/DNA continued to believe
that ERDA/DOE should certify that cleanup actions had made the islands "safe" for
resettlement by the people of Enewetak. DOE held to the position that an island certificate

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