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During the pa st approytiately one year, iN has become aware of, and activities. at hniwetok Atoll. My concern stems from three It has appeared probable that Eniwetok, which has not yet had a Bikini-style radiological cleanup, wculd soon be a candidate for rehabilitation and return to the Bhrshallese. Since mid-April 3.372,this probability has become reality, with a public commitment b,lr the United States to return Eniwctok to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands by the end of 1973. (See Encl. 1). It has been knoun, due to the nature of the testing \Jhich was conducted at Enil.retok,that cleanup and rehabilitation when it did occur would be sigxi.ficantlymore di.fficult and more costly than had been similar activities at Bikini. It was also suspected that increased.environmental sensitivity factors in an Eniwctok rehabilitation. There were and are on-going activities of the lkpartment of Defense and other public and private qencies which could aggravate the kncjwn (an6 uuknoxn) radiological problems and lrhich could subject their participants to unnecessary and unacceptable radiological exposures. is a chronoloa of recent XV actS.onspertsining to selection visit; to Enixetok. The Air Force
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Veapons Laboratory was furnished a copy of the report of NV's radiological survey, which included certain recommendations regarding radiological safety and control. At this time the Island of Runit (Yvonne) was identified as a significant and potentially serious radAugust 1971 -NV participated with Dr. Walter Schmitt of Scripps Institute of Oceanography in discussions of aquaculture experiments which he prososed to expressed concern because of the kno-m widespread contamination of Runit and strongly recommended the adoption of stringent radiological surveillant . and controls including a bio-assay program for March 1972 NV representatives together with the Director, DOS, Hq, made a liaison and planning visit to the Trust Territory in connection with a planned May '72 survey of Bikini. The EV representatives took this opportunity to visit Eniwetok for a firsthand view of the operational implications of a preliminary survey of Eniwetok. At the conclusion of this visit, IW recommended informal1 and later formally and in writing that the Air Force adopt more stringent and comprehensive radiological control of Eniwetok Atoll than had been observed during this visit. The AEC survey team having completed its survey of Bikini Atoll devoted approximately one week to a preliminary survey of Enilretok. Although this was.not separately funded, it was done with DCG approval and at small incremental cost. hV Assistant Manager for Operations accompanied Trust Territory officials, Eniwetok traditional native leaders and others on a visit to ErGveto&. !ho members of the NV survey team were retained at Eniwetok to provide a radiological eslort for this visit.
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bky 1972 Enroute returning from the Enisetok visit, NV . representatives while at Kwejalcin learned of certain disquieting results of the survey, . which had just been completed. Preliminary laboratory analysis had confirmed the presence on Runit Island of pieces of either plutonium metal or of another metal heavily contaminated _ with plutonium. A recommendation was therefore originated on Kwajalein addressed to the host . agency (US4.FSAWPEC) recommending that Runit be quarantined until appropriate radiological control actions could be taken. . For the most part the above actions have been taken without at least specific Headquarters direction althou& they have been discussed from time to time with the staff. However, at the present time it seem appropriate to seek policy direction and to reco:n;;lendcertain Washington level actions. Most fundamentally, there appears to be no question that a cleanup and rehabilitation of Eniwetok will be undertaken in the reasonably nca r future and that the&X will bavc an essential and vital role in the plann_inx_and execution of that_---W--1 -.--_. With a date certain established for the return of EniTJetokto the Trust Territory, the time available for planning a cleanup has.now be assigned. In addition, ..a--.--‘_..'-"~_ sbilitation effort (includini cleanup) will occur after the transfer to the Trust Territory Administration. However, it would seem highly desirable to have the nature, scope and detailsXof the cleanup agreed before the transfer rather than to have to negotiate them later. Included in these agreements should be a comon understanding of cleanup standards and criteria.
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Our recent experiences with Enii;eto.,L-have demonstrated an urgent need for agency-level coordination of future United States actions pertaining to that Atoll. The visit of the Narshallese in May included senior.members of the Trust Territory A~dministration headed up by the Deputy High Commissioner, the District Adninistrator of the Marshall Islands District, Micronesian Congressman Ataji Balos (a severe critic of U. S. actions in Micronesia), the Xngistrate and a Councilman from Ujelang (the present hone of the Enixctokese), the District Attorney of the Marshall Islands and several attorneys who are in a lawyer-client relationship to the Enivetok leaders and people. Tne thrust of the visit, as evidenced by a close-out meeting on May 20th was the urgency of an early return, the determination on the part of the Marshallcse to determine their oxn destiny by drawing up their oTm specifications for rehabilitation, their dismay at the continuing use of their lands for a variety of apparently unrelated and uncoordinated purposes and, specifically regarding the lawyers, their clear intention to document in detail current--Y 5;s been brought to the attention of the General Counsel, Hq). Because there was no designated spokesman for U. S. Government interests at the May 20th meeting and because there were issues and questions'of multi-agency concern, g representative who attended at the request of the Deputy High Co_mmissioner accepted responsibility for two actizs: _ a. to convey to appropriate national level authorities the future actions pertaining to Eniwetok. b. _to convey to the same authorities the desire and the need of both the Karshallese and, in their behalf, the Trust' ’ Territory Administration for current and accurate information regarding United States actions and intentions. (In this connection, it is noted that there is in the tape recorded record of the meeting an ackno~rlcdgement by the Deputy High Cox!Jissionerthat until Narch 1972 the Trust Territory Administration v?as not aware of the PACE Program, although quite substantial efforts on that program had then been underway at Eniwetok for soze months.) I believe that the conditions set forth in this memorand%z -- strongly suggest the establishment at the Washington level of a single manager for all future United States actions pertaining
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to lhivet0:;. I recommend that the Comtission seek to have such a designation made at the earliest possible time in order that z coordination and execution !zay replace the currently uncoordinated action-reaction cycle. Highlights (Trust Territory publication) Assistant General Nanager for-;..~--~Y.-L Assistant General Xanager for Assistant General Nanager for