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UNITED STATES
ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATICN
NEVADA OPERATIONS OFFICE
P.O. BOX 14100
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 69114
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Dr. James L, Liverman
Assistant Administrator
for Environment & Safety
U. S. Energy Research and
Development Administration
Washington, D. C.
20545
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Dear Jim,
By now you have probably received from Bill Burr a copy of the
enclosed statement regarding the Enewetak cleanup drawn up by
some ofthe attendees at last week's Marshall Islands Workshop.
Although the statement is unsigned, Lunderstand that it had con‘siderable support from the workshop attendees and I believe it
merits your early personal attention.
At issue is the so-called "soil cleanup" of the northern islets of
Emewetak Atoll - an heroic effort,
cost,
at high dollar and environmental
which will neither reduce the inventory of Plutonium in the
Enewetak ecosystem nor, indeed, significantly modify its availability to man,
Because this soil cleanup effort was devised based in part upon
ERDA (AEC) guidance, and because ERDA is committed to provide
technical advice and support in its execution, ] believe we have no
choice but to subject it to continuous critical review. On several
occasions in recent years, members of my staff have vciced objec-
tions - especially to the disposal plan - to be told that
"rocking the
boat at this time!' could place the entire cleanup project in jeopardy.
Today,
however, mobilization and deployment are underway.
Included
in this mobilization are professional members of my staff who are
placed in the position of advising upon and participating in an activily
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