Correspondence: Announcement of Operation Teapot

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from : Manager, Santa ’ Fe Operations 1. When the Director, DMA., was here recently there was discussion of the timing of an official ABC announcenent of the reactivation of Nevada Proving Grounds for a future continental test series. It was anticipated then that cancellation of plans for an autumn 19$k Teapot No. 1 series would postpone by several months requirement for announce ment of the winter-spring 195? series. On the basis of providing a desirable measure of guidance for the affected public and affected business interests in the N?G region, it was informally agreed that SFOO would recommend inclusion in the 16th Semiannual Report (for publication in July 195U) of a statement that “The Commission does not plan to use NFG for nuclear tests during the next six months," and would subsequently recommend a mid-autumn announcement of NPG 2. That plan is now considered inadequate. There is now apparent considerable justification for announcing Teapot and its very general calendar period in the 16th semiannual report. In reaching this con clusion, SFOO is assuming that the Commission will shortly authorize the Teapot series. ....... 3. Items justifying announcement in the l6th Semiannual Report a. Two current incidents underline the difficulty of controlling information released by other Federal agencies which have a justifiable requirement for early organization and at least internal publicity of their test-participating activities. After the AEG has announced a aeries, even in general terms, such necessary other Agency activity can be conducted more realistically without a fear or impression that the action violates security or policy rules. Reference is to the recent United States Public Health Service house organ item which became available to the United Press, resulted in AEG confirmation that conversations were in progress with USPIIS, and in non-AEG but

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for next spring. OSRiS is understood to require a building up of fumasn 20-25 individuals for off-site monitoring at Teapot. It is . . ‘ understood this recruiting is now under way, and would possibly be . ^ reported that the Arizona Civil Defense Director was recently - - appointed to a committee to arrange for public participation in A-bomb tests, and "that probably 500 CD rescue teams from 70 critical target cities of U.S. will participate in next series of Nevada tests as a model city is subjected to atomic blast and radiation." oi b. SFO has consistently-believed that early announcement of con tinental tests greatly reduces the aura of "secrecy" and the value to C netTs media of speculative disclosures, resulting in better acceptance resulting in less sensationalism and less public attention. ' r c. In keeping with past practice, it is assumed that the photo Other non-governmental activity nationally probably would benefit equally from earlier advice. - d. Early notification to public, business, and industry in the .. NPG region is believed highly desirable. Future test plans figure materially -in TWA determinations as to Altuquerque-Las Vegas flights x and schedules, Utah and Nevada stockmen who use range in the general v NPG region should have ah opportunity to plan for next spring, and - • this preferably should reach them before sheep and cattle are moved from summer ranges to Nevada winter ranges. Operators of mines and prospectors should have an opportunity to plan their future schedules. . The state school district which staffs and operates the public school on Indian Springs AF base (used by children of the military and of construction contractors) has asked earliest possible advice so that , ■ - e. Activity in the Las Vegas area in preparation for the new series is now under way (contracting and warehousing of towers), and the buildup period will probably get under way no later than September. f. The Manager, Las Vegas Field Office, will necessarily begin contacting individuals in the NPG region at an early date for such purposes as: Locating six monitoring network radio antennas on privately ovaied property; arranging with local interests for space and power required for air sampling stations; selecting and training BEST AVAILABLE ' COPY

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BEST AVAILABLE COPY Director, Division of Military - 3 - local people to man air sampling stations in Currant, Warm Springs, Tonopah, and Beatty; surveying municipal water plants to determine protective methods and procedures for obtaining water samples; learn size and location of dairy herds and determine procedures for obtain ing samples; and to compile information for an off-site radiological directory including officials, news media, medical personnel, hospitals, It. For the reasons given, SFOO recomends that the 16th Semiannual Report include a paragraph approximately as followsr nThe AEG has advised public officials, stockmen, miners, and others in southwestern Utah and southern Nevada that it now plans to reactivate its Nevada Proving Grounds for a series of nuclear tests in the winter or spring of 1955« The series will conform generally with those previously conducted in Nevada, including participation and support by other Federal agencies and departments such as the Department of Defense, Federal Civil Defense Administra tion, United States Public Health Service, and U.S. Weather Service.n 5. SFOO additionally recommends that its Las Vegas Field Manager be authorized to convey the above announcement ty letter or orally to the concerned public officials and business interests of Utah and Nevada a few days prior to release of the 16th report. 6. If these recommendations may not be acted on, SFOO proposes that the report include the sentence: "The Commission does not plan to use Nevada Proving Grounds for BEST AVAILABLE COPY

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DMA FILES -1mA 7. r TEAPOT, VOL. II fM ^Lgadlar Oariorir xfi. Tlelds. JISA Refereno* la aada to your fmcraadua^ aubjoot as above* dated Since the Cosnieslon haa not bean formally adviced regarding the ecope of TiArOT find ainca they have hot yet bean aakod . . forsaliy to approve the operation# it la our opinion that it ia inappropriate to naka any armounceaant regarding TLAfOT • l ; Ve intend to ro to the Coredesion aarlt in Julv vith a rr^Aest for planning approval lor xne request vill outline ■ - probably la July or August* and advice the Coanlssioa that a fomal profran for TLA.’OT* Hating the ahote and juetlflcation ' therefore* vill be cubed.tted for its approval sonetlre in ■. To implement aubnilealon to the Ccnmlssion of the fomal propria - Kitted prior i© or aa close to Leptsabor 1# 1?5^ aa ie praotleable. • The tiring of the funounacaont proposed above* although later than acbeduled release of the 16th eeriannual report* ehould provide • Aifflcicnt period for adequate planning by both local and .. . distent activities affected by operations at the fttveda Proving . Grounds. We are keeping the photographic industry Infcnsed. ' ha: Di’-IA Reader Erigadier General, USA "«V5a: Locator File . director of military Application

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70 : Director, tivision of Military Application, annual Report,11 June 10, reported that DMA will go to the Commission in July for planning approval of Teapot and will then request approval for public announcement of the operation. It will be noted that Santa Fe Operations’ justification for pro posing relatively early announcement of the series was detailed in the June 1, 1954, memorandum to DMA, subject: ••Inclusion of Teapot Announcement in 16th Semiannual Report to Congress," The requirements detailed there remain very real, SFO will prefer a July date for the announcement although the first half of August would be almost as Santa Fe Operations suggests the following text as entirely sufficient at tills time to meet SFOO and Las Vegas requirements. If a more abbreviated version is considered desirable, paragraph one will nuclear tests at its Nevada Proving Ground near Las Vegas, Nevada, next winter or early spring. The Department of Defense, Federal Civil Defense Adminis tration, and other Federal agencies will again "Construction of necessary technical and other facilities at Camp Mercury and in forward technical areas is already under way, "The new series is designed to advance the de velopment of nuclear weapons and will provide additional performance data essential to military and civil defense studies. "The series is announced now to facilitate planning by livestock growers, mine operators, school officials, transportation firms, and others BEST AVAILABLE COPY

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BEST AVAILABLE COPY C : in the immediate Proving Ground region, and by various research and manufacturing organizations Santa Fe Operations BEST AVAILABLE ' COPY

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PROPOSED KILITARY WEAPONS EFFECTS PROGRAMS iaclstsnt t*cr»Ur/ of Lefoaoo £fteolp>t Is oonnovlodjwd of jrour letttr estod Jono lt XT'&t Am you ray know, of lor tho cerolssioa of r^eretlon C'i'L’rn* Invoatlrato oat) re^rt oi ti:« future uso of the continental «n Molory aai Fedlclno* the report sitd ti o Aubso^uoat incor^roto a reaoonoblo sllovcnce icr orruri

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Office Memorandum • united states government Division of Killtar7 Application Division of BioTogy and Kedic SUBJECT: DRAFT STAFF PAPER CN OPERATION ’'TEAPOT1'- The Division of Biology and Medicine has reviewed subject paper, and it has our concurrence subject to the comments below. We feel the paper would be materially improved by more specific reference to the approved operating criteria. We recommend that a note be included in paragraph 4, under '’Recommendations1' to the effect that: "NOTE that the tests will be conducted in accordance with the operating criteria set forth in AEG 141/25 approved by the Commission on June 30, 1954.” We also feel the letter to the President would be improved by reference tc these operating criteria and the studies on which they We have some reservations about the proposed press release. We feel that singling out certain classes of people may be regarded as ominous. Also, we might miss a few in passing the word. In addition, our contacts with the ranchers in the area leads us to think that it would be appropriate to refer to steps which are being taken to protect their interests. We assume this is something that can be worked out with Information Services, © BEST AVAILABLE COPY