an inconvenience payment.

yh

.

|

lh

‘Your letter reflects an apparent misapprehension concerning the

LL

reason for cancelling the scheduled December 1976 visit to Utirik
of the Brookhaven National

Atoll

Laboratory medical

team.

In actuality,

\

be"

the December visit was cancelled solely as a result of the expressed

Me

preference of the UtIrik population.

fe

of the ERDA medical

Burling the September 1976 visit

team to Utirik, the team leader, Or. Knudsen, wa

Informed that {t was the desire of the UtIrik people that he see only the
essential patlents and then depart,

Dr.

Knudsen discussed the purpose of

the visits and ended his conversation by saying that he had come to Utirik
prepared

to work with the people.

then he could not return,

He stated

that

if he was not welcome,

When Or. Knudsen departed he Informed the

Magistrate that he would not be able to return to the
people

E[ndicated

their desire that he do so.

Thus,

{slands until

the

in the absence of any

positive sign of acceptance by the people, the next survey bypassed Utirik.
|

hope these comments assist you In your efforts on behalf of the

Utlrik people and help to place ERDA's Trust Territory role in the proper
perspective.

As you can perhaps appreciate,

aur own long time relation~

ship with the Utirtlk people has developed in us a deep concern for their
welfare and has evoked strong support from us for the bill

sponsored by

the Department of the Interior.
Sincerely,

James L. Liverman
Assistant Administrator

ees

50 | | ? 19

for Environment and Safety

Select target paragraph3