° _ | __ - REPOSITORY Dee/PASSA COLLECTION DoeLZ.MV BOX No. g2A2b_ELOA #3 FOLDER HOsWAB-2703 (OHTED Dr Conor. —OL THEY LL L966 ‘December 20, 1966 R Honorable William R. Norwood High Commiasioner Trust Territory of tha Pacific Islands Saipan, Mariana Islands BEST COPY AVAILABLE Dear Mr. Norwood: I am sorry I was away from wy office when you telephoned me dur ing your recent visit in Honolulu. I had looked forward to meeting you and discussing subjects of mutual interest. Mr. Blankenship and Kr. Rasmussen informed me you may return in February and perhaps will have sn opportunity to come to our office for a visit. I certainly hope it will be possible for you to do go. . < was also informed you felt soma urgency in resolving the question of rehabitating Bikini since you ere faced with the quest:on of relocating the formar Bikini residents now living on the island of Kili. We have made inquiries through various AEC and Department of Defense channels and although our information ig net conclusive, re- porte from the AEC indicate the prospects for reoccupation of B:kini in the near future are not very good. We have been informed that the most recent radiological data for Bikini Atoll were taken in August 1964. A 350-page report, much of which is pertinent to discussions regarding reoccupation of Bikini is in reproduction and will be completed next month. We will make arrangements for you to recaive a copy of the report. As to the possibility of DOD releasing control of Bikini, we are not in a position to speak for that agency. However, we will pase on to you any information we are able to obtain in this regard. Some time ago Dr. Conard of our Brookhaven Laboratory requested we obtain permission to give two of the five former AEC bu: lIdings on Utirik to the people thore for building materials. 8ince the Defense Atomic Support Agency in a letter to the Trust Territory Goverment, dated August 16, 1963, tranaferred the buildings on the gix weather/rad-safea sites to the Trugt Territory, it eppeara this request should have been directed by the Utirik residents to your office. We have no use for the two buildings and are quite agreeable to your making thom ava.leble to the residents of Utirik. With regard to the other three buildings on Utirik we herewith formally request they OFFICE p» SURNAME p> |. Form AEC-318 (Rev. 0-53) 5052044 ' "Qe S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE’ \ 16—627601-8