Comparison with Enewetak Atoll
own chief and owned land rights in

Both Bikini and Enewetak Atolls
were sites for the United States

the southern half of the atoll.

nuclear testing program for 1946 to

tests were conducted in the northern

1958.

half of the atoll; and we found that

Recent requests by both the

Bikini and Enewetak people to return

the major residence island, Engebi,

to their home atolls have led to

was contaminated.

detailed radiological surveys to

of the atoll, on the other hand, is

determine the status of the atolls so

relatively "clean''’.

that the impact, if any, of restric-

the Enewetak assessment indicate that

tions placed upon living patterns and

a living pattern involving Engebi

life styles as a result of the dose

Island for both residence and agricul~

assessment can be estimated.

ture involves potential doses in

The

The southern half

The results of

atolls are located within 180 nautical

excess of regulatory guides, while

miles of each other in the northern

living patterns in the southern half

Marshall Islands.

of the atoll lead to doses similar to

They have essen-

tially the same topography, soil chemistry, rainfall, and biota.

those in the United States (1).

In addi-

The situation of Bikini Atoll is

tion to these physical similarities,

somewhat similar.

the distribution of radionuclide con-

islands used for residence were Bikini

tamination in the islands used for

and Eneu (see Fig.

residence and the potential impact

living on Bikini Island own land

upon living patterns are somewhat

rights on that island as do those peo-

The two major

ple living on Eneu.

similar.

1).

The people
-

Bikini Island was

heavily contaminated as a result of

At Enewetak Atoll the major residence islands of the Enewetak people

the Bravo event;

prior to their relocation in 1947 were

to a lesser degree, but, as will be

Engebi Island in the northern half of

seen,

the atoll and Enewetak, Medren, and

the southern half of Enewetak Atoll.

Japtan Islands in the southern half of
ete
dee Aee eee ee teetaae eeee en nt ert tea

Many

‘the atoll (see Fig. 5).

Eneu was contaminated

is still more contaminated than

The survey of Enewetak Atoll was

conducted in 1972-73 and the resulting

The people

living on Engebi Island (dri Engebi)

assessment published in 1973. 2°

had their own chief (Iroj) and owned

tional information on annual doses and

land rights in the northern islands,

impacts of remedial actions were pub-

and the people living on Enewetak

lished in the AEC Task Group Report.>”

Island

Recommendations on

_

(dri Enewetak) also had their

-40-

9009990

Addi-

the use of Enewetak

Select target paragraph3