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BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY Assistant Administrator for Environment and Safety Energy Research and Development Administration As you know, by copy of Ed Hardy's letter tome of 7-6-76, the repeated plutonium analyses on the urine samples of people living on Bikini obtained last April again showed about the same levels as previously reported in his letter of March 26, 1976. Disturbing also was the finding of similar low levels of plutonium in the urine s of residents of Rongelap Atoll. One wonders i f perhaps people living in other areas of the Marshalls, not directly invclved in the fallout, might also show increased levels because of proximity tothe proving grounds. We intend to check this.Inthe meantime w e are collecting larger urine samples from individuals on Bikini and also pooled samples from Bikini as well as Rongelap, Uti rik and Wotje from the latter atolls on the September survey. Analyses of other samples of dust,water, foods etc. obtained in April on Bikini are still in progress here. Yesterday I received acall from John d e Young, Office of the Terri - tories,Dept. of Interior, saying that he had received word from their solicitor who had been i n Majuro (Marshall Islands)stating that he heard reports there that plutonium had been detected in the urine s of the Bikini people. Iam not sure where they got the information. I suspect that George Allen,the lawyer for the Bikini people, will be happy to use the information, t o embarrass us. I admitted t o John that the report was true but pointed out that people all over the world have some plutonium in their urine s including people inNew York and that we had not been alarmed since the levels were low but that we were carrying out continuing investigation of this finding. Now that we have confirmatory evidence of this finding I would recommend that you write a letter to the Department of Interior with regard tothe matter. A s suggested i n my letter of May 27, 1976, you may wish t o consider organizing a meeting with experts i n the field TO advise us with regard to this problem.