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hGM3RANDUM FOR: THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE SECRETARY OF IhiERIOR SUBJECT: Status Report, Cleanup of Bikini Atoll (U) a. Presidential letter for Secretary of Interior, dated 12 August 1968, subject: Resettlement of Bikini Atoll. b. Presidential letters for Secretary of Defense and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, dated 12 August 1968, subject: Resettlement C. Director. Joint Staff Memorandum 140-69 for Director, Defense Atomic Support Agency, dated 30 January 1969, subject: Bikini Atoll, DOD Support for Clearing Operation. d. Nemorandum of Understanding between Defense Atomic Support Agency and Atomic Energy Commission, dated 11 February 1969, subject: Cleanup of Bikini Atoll. 2. Reference a requested the Department of the Interior to develop s program to resettle the former natives on Bikini, and reference b requested the Department of Defense (WD) and‘Atomic Energy Corrmission (AEC) to assist the Department of Interior and the High Commissioner of the Trust Territory, Pacific, in that resettlement. As a prerequisite to it, the DOD and the AEC jointly agreed to clear Bikini Atoll of residuals from its use for nuclear testing which could be hazardous to the natives or could interfere with their agricultural use of the land, and references c and d designated Director, Defense Atomic Support Agency (DASA) as the AEC-DOD Project Kmager for that cleanup. Funding in amounts of $300,000 each from AEC and DCD was provided for cleanup operations commencing in F'Y 1969, with $700,000 to be provided by the Department of Interior in FY 1970 to complete
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SUBJECT: Status Report, Cleanup of Bikini Atoll (U) 3. On 18 Fobruary a joint military and civilian-contractor Task Group, comprising 26 men with equipment, landed on the Atoll by ship and began cleanup operations. This Task Group (JTG 8.8) is conmandcd by Colonel J. W. Rawlings, USAF, and is a component of Joint Task Force EIGHT, MSA. By 23 February the for?ner air strip on mYU ISLMD, Bikini, was operational and certified for blilitzry Airlift Command 4. The Bikini Task Group currently comprises a total of 40, of whom 17 are military. Dr. Jack A. Tobin, a representative of the Trust Territories administration, is present at the Atoll to consult on individual elements of cleanup requirements. The work is proceeding satisfactorily. As of end-April it was approximately 25% complete, which permits realistic appraisal of the overall task. No significant operational difficulties have been experienced and nono are forecast. A detailed listing of known cleanup items, with planned disposition, is being prepared as a basis for interagency concurrence on the completion of the AK-DOD tasks. Present estimate is that the ktter be completed by October 1969 if the necessary additional funds in amount of $700,000 are available by 1 July 1969. 5. Specific comment on the funding situation and requirements will be the subject of separate correspondence.