Comparison with Enewetak Atoll
own chief and owned land rights in
Both Bikini and Enewetak Atolls
were sites for the United States
the southern half of the atoll.
nuclear testing program for 1946 to
tests were conducted in the northern
1958.
half of the atoll; and we found that
Recent requests by both the
Bikini and Enewetak people to return
the major residence island, Engebi,
to their home atolls have led to
was contaminated.
detailed radiological surveys to
of the atoll, on the other hand, is
determine the status of the atolls so
relatively "clean''’.
that the impact, if any, of restric-
the Enewetak assessment indicate that
tions placed upon living patterns and
a living pattern involving Engebi
life styles as a result of the dose
Island for both residence and agricul~
assessment can be estimated.
ture involves potential doses in
The
The southern half
The results of
atolls are located within 180 nautical
excess of regulatory guides, while
miles of each other in the northern
living patterns in the southern half
Marshall Islands.
of the atoll lead to doses similar to
They have essen-
tially the same topography, soil chemistry, rainfall, and biota.
those in the United States (1).
In addi-
The situation of Bikini Atoll is
tion to these physical similarities,
somewhat similar.
the distribution of radionuclide con-
islands used for residence were Bikini
tamination in the islands used for
and Eneu (see Fig.
residence and the potential impact
living on Bikini Island own land
upon living patterns are somewhat
rights on that island as do those peo-
The two major
ple living on Eneu.
similar.
1).
The people
-
Bikini Island was
heavily contaminated as a result of
At Enewetak Atoll the major residence islands of the Enewetak people
the Bravo event;
prior to their relocation in 1947 were
to a lesser degree, but, as will be
Engebi Island in the northern half of
seen,
the atoll and Enewetak, Medren, and
the southern half of Enewetak Atoll.
Japtan Islands in the southern half of
ete
dee Aee eee ee teetaae eeee en nt ert tea
Many
‘the atoll (see Fig. 5).
Eneu was contaminated
is still more contaminated than
The survey of Enewetak Atoll was
conducted in 1972-73 and the resulting
The people
living on Engebi Island (dri Engebi)
assessment published in 1973. 2°
had their own chief (Iroj) and owned
tional information on annual doses and
land rights in the northern islands,
impacts of remedial actions were pub-
and the people living on Enewetak
lished in the AEC Task Group Report.>”
Island
Recommendations on
_
(dri Enewetak) also had their
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9009990
Addi-
the use of Enewetak