Wn A (So Dt. tow C& UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D.C. if Chairman Ray THRU: OE, OCT General Manager Kor 4 1973 A003 18 - 203845 US DOE ARCHIVES 296 U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION RG Collection SECRETARIAT jeff Ba 7929 ~a FolderRadetaw WENEWETAK PROGRESS This is in response to Mr. Gorman Smith's memorandum of September 21, 1973, to Mr. Hollingsworth. , "For the past year, the AEC has been involved with the Departments of Defense and Interior in planning for the return of Enewetak Atoll From Octobe r 1972 to February 1973, | to its original inhabitants. the AEC conducted an extensive radiological survey of the atoll concurrent with a Department of Defense (DOD) engineering study. This study and our survey will provide a basis for planning the Further, the DOD and the Department of Interior cleanup of the atoll. (DOI) are jointly preparing a single Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the cleanup and rehabilitation of Enewetak. These activities are derived from a mutual agreement reached by representatives of the three agencies on September 7, 1972. It was agreed then that the AEC would fund for and conduct a pre-cleanup radiological survey and provide recommendations for accomplishing cleanup; that the DOD would conduct a pre-cleanup engineering study, fund for and accomplish the cleanup; and that the DOI would fund, plan for, and carry out rehabilitation. It.was further agreed that the AEC, on a reimbursable basis, would provide radiotogical support to the DOD, as requested, during the cleanup operation. When cleanup is complete, the AEC will carry out a radiological and biclogical verification program to include periodic monitoring for an indefinite period. Our radiological survey is now the principal AEC activity and will 7 provide the basis for the judgements and recommendations for cleanup and rehabilitation now being prepared for Commission approval. The Manager, Nevada Operations, with LLL's Radiochemistry Division Leader : as his technical director, planned, organized, and carried out this survey. The reduction of data from nearly 4,500 samples of soil, water, fish, sea and land plants, air, animals, and birds is now nearly complete with the final report of the survey scheduled to be published November 1, 1973. f i i *The Department of Interior has advised the AEC that the Government of Enewetak prefers this spelling of their Atoll rather than "Eniwetok", In their language "ene" means "toward" and “wete “means “the east”. To spell it “Eniwetok”" changes the meaning. ” VAR 7 9002563 ar ~ re , v ty Ptesy