Memorandum to M E Gates, Subject: Enewetak Cleanup and Rehabilitation (Enclosures)

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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION Nevada Operations Office ENEWETAK CLEANUP AND REHABILITATION On September 10, 1975, ERDA entered into an agreement with the Defense Nuclear Agency on “Interagency Support for Cleanup of Enewetak Atoll. ” A copy of the agreement is enclosed. ERDA is to provide technical and scientific advice and assistance to DNA * on radiological activities associated with cleanup operations. As you know, much detailed planning is, still to be accomplished in coordination with DNA. This has been discussed with Roger Ray and we are in agreement that NV can carry put those tasks and meet the responsibilities of the agreement as assigned to ERDA. Your activities should continue throughout the planning, field operations, and roll-back periods. We would like to be kept advised of progress in development of a detailed radiological support plan. You should assure that there is adequate radiological support and supervision of cleanup and debris disposal operations. There should be careful documentation of all phases of field operations including debris disposal sufficient that judgements and decisions can be made on whether or not ERDA cleanup recommendations and criteria are ERDA is to be reimbursed for costs for radiological support of cleanup operations by DNA. Periodic reports on progress during each phase of your activities should be made to interested divisions within ERDA. OS will provide any assistance we can. Division of Operational Safety

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REGARDINGTHE IhPTERAGENCYSUPPORT FOR CLEASUP OF ENENETAKATOLL On 30 November 1972, the Director, Defense Nuclear Agency, was designated .as the Department of Defense Project Manager for matters concerning the proposed cleanup of Enewetak Atoll. Based on an engineering survey by th‘e Department of Defense (DOD) and a radiological survey by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) (now the Energy Research and Development Administration), a proposed scheme was’ developed to clean up the atoll in accordance with guidelines for radiological cleanup recommended by the AEC. The Environmental Impact Statement was _issued on 15 April 1975. The DOD FY 1976 hIilitary Construction request asks for initial authorization and funding for the cleanup project, and indicates follow-on requests for FY 1977 and FY 1978 are programmed. It is the intent of the DNA and ERDA that the cleanup of Enewetak will / ; remove and will dispose of the radiological hazard so that a safe re- / settlement of the people can be accomplished. It is not possible to reduce the radioactive contamination to pre-test levels. It is possible ! and feasible, hoxe\rer, to rehabilitate the atoll in a manner that will ! assure the safety of the returning people by employing certain minimal r and acceptable restrictions on land use and locally groxn foods, and by

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maintaining a continuir‘g surveillance of tlie resilcal radioactivity, including that \;hich is in the environment and that which is collected and placed on land, in craters and in the lagoon. The guidelines for radiological cleanup recommended by AEC/ERDA are based .--on Federal standards, and are designed to provide the lowest practicable radiation dose to the future inhabitants of Enewetak Atoll.. Accordingly, it is the purpose of the Defense Nuclear Agency, hereinafter referred to as “DNA,” as represented by the Deputy Director for Operations and Administration, DNA, and the Energy Research and Development Administration, hereinafter referred to as “ERDA,” as represented by the Assistant Administrator for Environment and Safety, to enter into this agreement to define the technical support ERDA is to provide DNA and likewise to define the support DNA is to provide ERDA and its contractors during the time DNA is actively engaged ! at Enewetak Atoll. The determination as to hIhen : have been successfully completed will be a joint determination has been made that the DNA cleanup in cleanup operations the DOD cleanup activities-’ phase is complete or upon transfer of the base support activity to another agency, whichever comes first, DNA support responsibilities on Enewetak will terminate and continued support for ERDA and DNA activities must then be obtained from other sources. Thus, the long-term radiological surveillance and necessary actions by both agencies deriving therefrom must be the subject of subThe obligations assumed by either party under the terms of this agreement I are contingent upon the funding of the proposed cleanup project by the a Congress. If no funds are made available or funds should cease to be

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available for timely accomplishment of this project, the obligations of the respective parties under the terms of this agreement shall terminate. DNA and ERDA, desiring to discharge their responsibilities for supporting the program for Cleanup, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement of Enewetak Atoll, do hereby mutually agree Ls follows: a. Energy Research and Development Administration Agrees to provide, either directly or through its contractors,.. technical and scientific advice and assistance to DXA on radiological activities associat‘ed with the cleanup operation, including but not (1) Furnishing advice and assistance to DNA in the preparation of the radiological cleanup plan and the radiological safety _a (2) Interfacing with other Federal agencies supporting radiological monitoring, sampling, evaluation, research, and testing involved in the cleanup operation. (3) Providing an official ERDA representative(s), without reimbursement by DSA, who will be present on the atoll ,during the cleanup. The ERDA representative will advise the DNA Enewetak Atoll Commander [Cleanup Project Coordinator) on schedules and procedures and recommend changes thereto as needed, and provide a certification when radiological

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cleanup meeting the guidelines established by the AEC(ERDA) in their Task Group Report has been accomplished. (4) Performing, with full reimbursement from DNA, radiological support for the cleanup operation to’ include (but not (a) Day-to-day field monitiring, dosimetry and recordkeeping pertaining to health and safety of cleanup personnel and other atoll residents and visitors. Radiological classification of material for removal, Certification, on an island-by-island basis, when radiological cleanup meeting the guidelines established by the AEC/ERDA in their Task Group Report has been accomplished. _) (4 Establishment, operation, and maintenance of a field laboratory to support the above functions. Agrees to accomplish the cleanup and disposition of hazardous radioactive and physical debris substantially in accordance with good engineering practice and the criteria contained in the Environmental Impact Statement entitled “Cleanup, Rehabilitation, Resettlement of Enexetak Atoll, Harshail Islands,” April 1975. Further, DNA agrees to provide coordination, direction, and base

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support, as available, to ERDA and its contractors when supporting the DSA EneKetak cleanup operation, including but not limited to: (1) An Atoll Commander (Project Coordinator) and staff to serve as a single point of contact hith the various components of the DOD on matters related to the cleanup project. (2) Housing and subsistence for personnel of ERDA and its contractors, who are required at Enewetak in support of the DNA cleanup, on the same basis as for employees of DNA and its contractors. allocated on a priority basis, as determined (4) Long haul transportation as available. by the Atoll (5) General medical service at Enewetak dispensary, including (6) Communication support, including mail and message center support, on Enewetak Island; telephone and, when available, long haul communications, to the extent authorized by and in accordance with applicable DOD directives and instructions. (7) Office, laboratory, warehouse, and storage space. (8) Refueling support for vehicles and vatercraft when supporting the cleanup operations.

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(9) Common use utilities at Enexetak Jsland; r.x,ely, electric power, water, and sewer service. (10) Personnel services, i.e., chaplain, recreation, clubs, post exchanges, when available, to the extent authorized by and in accordance with applicable DOD directives and instructions. Provision of special support requirements of either DNA or ERDA, not otherwise agreed upon, will be resolved on a ERDA Programmatic Activities at Enewetak Concurrent with, but independent of, the supporting role as delineated in subparagraph a. above, ERDA will be pursuing certain programmatic activities at Enewetak which will be supported*by DNA to the extent such support is determined available by the DNA Enewetak Atoll Commander with reimbursement from ERDA. Should there be any question as to the character of an ERDA-sponsored project on Enewetak, it will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Among ERDA programmatic activities are the follo;iing: 1 (1) In coordination with the Department of the Interior (DOS) and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), ensure that the necessary baseline data pertinent to the radiological protection of the returning Enewetak people (2) Conducting biomedical and environmental monitoring and research on Encwetak Atoll, to include but not limited to:

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test planting of pandanus, breadfruit, coconut, arrok-root, and other items. (b) Marine and terrestrial food chain sampling. (c) Lens water sampling and analysis. (d) Air sampling and analysis. (3) Advising appropriate officials in DOT and DOD of significant changes in the radiological conditions of Eneicetak Atoll in the long term. An example is advising when and under wh& conditions it Kould be safe for people to establish permanent residence on Enjebi Island. IN MTh’ESS IMEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year indicated. DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY ENERGY RESEARCH >_YDDE\‘ELOP?lENT Major General, USA for Envirorment and Safety