Department of Energy
Post Office Box 98518
Las Vegas, NV 89193-8518
Peter Oliver
Special Assistant for
Compact Implementation
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Majuro, MI
AUG 21 198
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Dear Pete:
This responds to your August 12, letter requesting additional information on
earlier payments to individuals or communities affected by the nuclear testing
program.
Generally, all funding of this type has been through DOI and/or TIPI.
For
example, the exgratia payments to exposed persons on Rongelap, $10,000 each,
and Utirik, $1,000 each, were made through P.L. 88-854, through DOI, to TIPI,
then to each exposed individual or guardian. Thus» to save your time, I
suggest you contact Acting Assistant Secretary Kittie Bafer for this
compilation. DOI/TTPI also has records on individuals who received payments
for medical problems such as thyroid abnormalities. The Enewetak and Bikini
trust mnfes were also administered through DOI.
For your general information, subject to correction or supplementation by DOI, |
we have knowledge of the following Statutory Compensation:
1.
Act of August 22, 1964, P.L. 88-854 (78 Stat. 598) provided $950,000 as
compasstfonate payment to the people of Rongelap for radiation exposures
sustained by them as a result of the 1954 Bravo shot. This payment was for
general suffering since in 1964 the late effects of thyroid abnormalities
had not yet appeared.
2.
%In 1969, a $102,000 ex gratia payment was made to the people of Enewetak to
compensate them for hardship and suffering due to their removal from
Enewetak Atoll] in 1947. It should be noted that this was not a statutory
act but was provided by transfer of funds from the Air Force to the Depart-
ment of the Interior. J/
3.
Act of June 13, 1975, P.L. 94-34, provided for an ex gratia payment of $3
million to the people of Bikini. Ths Act provided that this payment was to
be placed in a Bikini Trust Fund.
4.
P.L. 94-367, Department of Defense Military Construction Appropriation Act,
1977, appropriated $20 million for cleanup of Enewetak Atoll.
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