:
fe
ee
litends
.
2
CONGRESS OF MICRONESIA
"/:
SAIPAN, MARIANA ISLANDS 96950
40,295
St
L053 u eats
SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE. -..
May 23, 1975
CONCERNING RONGELAP &
UTIRIK ATOLLS
Senator Olympio T, Borja, Chairman
Rep. John Heglelgam
Representative Ataji Batos
Dr. James L. Liverman
Assistant Administrator for
Environment and Safety
Energy Research and Development
Administration
BESTCOPY AVAILABLE
Washington, D.C. 20545
Dear Dr. Liverman:
"As you may be aware, members of the Special Joint Committee Concerning
“Rongelap and Utirik Atolls have been visiting members of the U.S.
House of Representatives and Senate, May 13-23, concerning additional
. compensation for those Marshallese exposed to radioactive fallout from
the March 1, 1954 thermonuclear detonation at Bikini Atoll.
In this connection, we are‘attaching a copy of our letter to Mr. Emmett
Rice, Acting Director of the Office of Territorial Affairs which we
believe is self-explanatory and which summarizes our efforts here in
Washington, D.C.
As mentioned in this letter, we have have obtained a copy of your
August 7, 1974. letter to Mr. Thomas S. Dunmire, Staff Consultant to the
Committee on Territorial and Insular Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives in which on behalf of the Atomic Energy Commission you indicated
that the Agency supported the concept of additional compensation for
_,_ the people of Rongelap and Utirik.
Our reason for contacting you on this subject is to inquire if the
Energy Research and Development Administration as successor to the AEC
will also support additional compensation.
Therefore we would like to
solicit ERDA's response if the position is unchanged,
or
if
it will be.
reviewed in conjunction with our request to Interior Department
officials for a position and draft legislation.