, . | - | ‘ . - AOD ; 9 - > oT dbs - | PILE Corr United States Department of the [ntenior - (Surname: OFFICE OF THESECRETARY ©. 44-1452 WASHINGTON D.C 20240 re - “Aug 29 1975 Masor sodium ER, To: Assistant Secretary, Program Development and Budget Frou: Director of Territorial Affairs,(Sgd.) Fred M. Subject: Radiological Survey ofBikis Bikini Island and Eaiu Island of Bikini Atoll ; , Zeder We are faced with a critical situation in the Bikini Resettlement oo Project which requires immediate decision. TER. Sew = Work on the Bikini Resettlement Project had beea halted“ peiporartly — pending a new radiological survey which was being conducted on Bikini “ as mo. + This was necessary since the people wished the last incre~- Ye. be, way | :8 Yen, - In brief, the June 1975 analysis has shown thac parts of the ialand of : : . logical conditiona existing on Engebi Island in the Fnewatak Atoil. For Engebi, che official U.S. decision was thac che island was potentially too dangerous to permit residence there. Accordingly, the Enewetak Resettlement Project exciudes Engebi as a habitation place. Tae tyr wh Bary py = RET RE pen mappedate bal cooregyopemonnetDK beeTf * ‘ Bikini are still contaminated and in certain aspects parallels radio- oe as to what should be done with respect to housing units and one commmity building people of Bikini. Some 150 Bikinians are move to Bikini Island in September. This "et A basic question aow arises Bikini Island where some 40 have been completed for the waiting on Kili planning to would be the first official contingent of the approximacely 700 former Bikinians who have indicated they wish to return to Bikini Atoll. Additionally, there are some 70 Bikinians already residing on Bikini Iaiand. These have drifted back on their own during the past two years. Background Bikini Atoll vas surveyed and analyzed by the Atomic Energy Commission during the 1964-67 period. In 1968, Bikini and Eniu Isiands vere COPY FOR THE SECRETARY’ S~OFFIcE:. ae ‘eee ee4 a 5 -. _ es _ —— or. > Lees - ei Ps at ~ A. 80 IY.ot REET DEERE ROCTA rR or grapSain aren ARERR pe teei aE ete aTa Ten erway 9) Island. ment of Rouges to be located in the interior of the island rather than along the Lagoon. You will recall that you chaired an Inter-Agency meeting om this aspect on June 25, 1975. The praelininary report on the June radiological survey now has been released and a maating was held at Livermore Laboratory in Livermore, California, from August 1l13. This was attended by representatives of all agencies concerned to discuss the scientific analyses and recomendations.