PATION4LE 1. FOR DOE TO PROVIDE THIS PROGRAM The Republic of the Marshall Islands has formally requested of the U.S. Government that DOE continue the program. 2. BNL has provided this for 32 years and has extensive medical records. Its physicians and staff are well acquainted the exposed group. with the health problems of The program is comprehensive, yet specialized in terms of radiation exposure. 3. There is an experienced logistical support network set up through the area through the DOE base in Hawaii, which provides service to Johnston Island and other Safeguard C facilities, 4. affecting economies of scale. Funding is authorized and it should be a Department of the Interior (DOI) responsibility to obtain appropriations; thus ttie”-DPbudget is not impacted. ,. ALTERNATIVES 1 1. Private U.S. Firm ... .. This could be done, presumably through the DOI. Because most of the BNL physicians are volunteers, largely from universities and because of econo- mies of scale in utilizing DOE Pacific logistics support, the program would most certainly cost more to run. Also, a lengthy transition wou-ld be necessary because of the need to transfer much specialized edge, both medical and nonmedical, 2. period knowl- to a new provider. Another Federal Agency To our knowledge, no other agency is readily equipped to provide the specialized requirements. :p.&, ~,/4 L !>-;.-.+&”