Results The effective dose is listed in both Sieverts (Sv) or (milliSieverts (mSv)) and in rem (or mrem) in this report. This is done intentionally because we have used the rem as the unit of dose in our earlier publications concerning the Marshall Isiands (Robison et al., 1980, 1982; USAEC, 1973). In addition, the Marshallese Communities, the Republic of the Marshails Government, and U.S. agencies and committees are familiar with these publications, doses, and units. Thus, the previous dose estimates (and units) serve as a reference point for updated dose estimates presented here. The effective dose in rem or mrem can be converted to Sv or mSv by dividing by 100, and pCi can be converted to Becquereis (Bq) by dividing by 27. The purpose of this paper is to present our estimates of the potential radiological doses people might receive if they were to resettle Rongelap Island at Rongelap Atoll and to documentthe scientific and technical basis for the estimates. To place the magnitude of the estimated doses in perspective, we have compared them to current guidelines adopted by several Federal agencies. We acknowledge, and even emphasize, that there is a legitimate question as to which, if any, of the current guidelines are applicable at Rongelap, Enewetak, and Bikini Atolls in the Marshall Islands, where the islands are already contaminated and people wish to return and live. at “home.” Nevertheless, such guidance does provide a reference point for radiation doses that lead to a very minimal risk, and may provide useful insight for those who must decide on future actions. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP, 1987b) and the International Commission on Radiologicai Protection (ICRP, 1990) have recently recommended an average annual effective dose rate of 1 mSv y-! (100 mrem y-!) to the general public for continuous exposure resulting from operating nuclear industries. The Departmentof Energy (DOE) has recently adopted this guidance for its operating nuclear facilities. Consequently, we will use 1mSvy-! (100 mrem y-!) for our comparison with doses estimated for RongelapIsland. The estimated maximum] annual and integral effective dose for pedple resettling Rongelap Island are calculated ising our diet model, the average radionuclide Koncentrations in foods, the average biologicaljremoval rates and depositions for the radionuclides in organs or the whole body, and the averagd external dose rates. The maximum annual effettive dose rate is defined as the dose rate in tha year after the Rongelap people return (we havd used 1995 as the start date), when the sum oj the internal dose and the external ga dose is at maximum. In other words, using the average value of all parameters in the ddse model and our diet model, the annual effective dose for any other year would be less than fhe maximum annual effective dose we present] The 30-, 50-, and 70-y integral effective doses fre calculated with year 1 being 1995. Doses are presented for two c&ses: imported foods available (IA) and imported foods unavailable (IUA). The doses listed under the case “IUA” are calculated assuming no imported foods are available, and that only local foods are consumed over the entire lifetime of the people’s residence on Rongelap Island. As noted in the Data Base Section of} Diet, our observations lead us to conclude fhatthe latter case is unrealistic over any extenfled period of time and highly conservative. Nbvertheless, it is presented here so that the reader may apply different assumptions or use the regults of future observations to develop an app@rtioned dose estimate. In our model for LA, we have assumed that 60% of the diet will be made ub of imported foods, and even this may be low. Imhported foods seem now to be established in thd diet and the culture. The maximum annual organ equivalent dose and the effective dose when impogted foods are available and unavailable are ligted in Table 10. The maximum annual organ equivalent dose rates for LA range from 0.23 to 0.31 Gy y-1 (23 to 31 mrem y-!) from all exposure pathways. About 0.11 mSv (11 mrem) of this dose is From external gamma exposure, while most of the remainder is from ingestion pathways. P maximum effective dose rate is 0.26 mSv y-! (45 mrem y—!). The 30-, 50-, and 70-y integral #ffective dose for residents of Rongelap Island] for IA, are 28