Memo to J L Liverman, Subject: Enewetak Review

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James L. Liverman, AES Pursuant t o conversations with Ken Cowser, Bill Burr, and Loe Deal, I have proceeded t o organize an immediate review o f the Enwetak situation. Attached is alist of the attendees and a tentctive agenda. The meeting will be held a t the Nevada Operations Office and is expected to last through the week of August 15-19. We have kept DNA fully informed; they are most concerned about this activity at this late time (see memo t o you from Joe Deal this date re this The objectives of the review are two: 1) Review of AEC reconendations for clean-up and rehabilf t ation of Enewetak Atoll, specifically the criteria for Pu-239 i n soil; 2) Review of environmental and health implications o f , and longterm monitoring requirements for, disposal o f contaminated debris The review group will be requested t o either endorse the present criteria and plans, or t o present alternate recornendations with a report available for your consideration, The potential exposure of the Enewetakese from soil contamination has been addressed inthe past. this material, relate it to potential exposure of the native lifestyles under varying degrees o f constraint , deri ve potenti a1 heal .:h consequences resulting therefrom, and arrive a t some conclusio-ns asto .:he accept- .ability of the clean-up criteria. As of August 71, howeve.., the risk acceptabild t y factor upon which the EPA transuranic guidance i s based has been challenged within EPA. guidance itself wifl not change; Rowe has not yet endorsed this, however, (See accompanying memo). I requested of EPA/ORP an Before the meeting disbands, I would look xo have Therefore i t should be possible to review ORP unofficially advises that the

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opinion regarding their position re the clean-up. that they signed off on the EIS with the caveat "until such time Consistently EPA has t o l d DNA and ERDA that Enewetak probably won't be affected by their guidance; nothing is i n writing, however. A t the moment itis not clear what, i f anything, will happen t o the TRU guidance, and, despite my request, I do n o t expect any enlightenment from EPA prior t o the meeting next week. They do as EPA provides Federal guidance," o r words to that effect.) -_ continue to state, however, chat the current Enewetak criteria -- - The second objective may be more difficult, if indeed it is even possible. No one i n ERDA knows the details of the military plans for disposal (hence the briefing on Monday), and there has never been an assessment made of the potenti a1 health and environmental consequences of such disposal. dated April 10, 1975, i t was stated that we assumed that EPA had done this since they opposed ocean dumping and advocated crater disposal, but we. are not aware of any such assessment. unrealistic to expect this review group t o make such an assessment i n a few days time. However, I expect they will be able t o offer an opinion as t o the adequacy of the disposal plans, or, perhaps, a statement as t o why it is not possible t o assess their adequacy. In a letter from you t o Gen. Johnson I feel that we have some'of the best people i n the country to.conduct this review, and, despite the short notice, time constraints, and a large quantity of material t o digest, I expect they will provide you with appropriate guidance. Office of Environmental -

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REVIEW OF ENEEIETAK CLEAN-UP CRITERIA AND DISPOSAL NEVADA OPERATIONS OFFICE Manager, Biomedical and Environmental Programs Battelle - Pacific Northwest Laboratory Soil Scientist, Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director, Health and Safety Laboratory U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Director, Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute Lovelace Foundation for Medical Education and Research Section Leader for Ma.rine Sciences, Environmental Sciences Division Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Associate Manager, Ecosystems Department -Battelle - Pacific Northwest Laboratory Senior Staff Scientist, Biology Department Battelle - Pacific Northwest Laboratory Battelle Human Affairs Research Center, Seattle

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Deputy Director, Division of Biomedical and Environmental Research U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration Assistant Director f o r Field Operations Division of Operational and Environmental Safety U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration .- Division o f Operational and Environmental Safety U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration Assistant Manager f o r Environment and Safety Nevada Operations Office U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration Research Program Coordinator Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute Defense Nuclear Agency Office of the Assistant Administrator f o r Environment and Safety . U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration

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Guests - Defense Nuclear Agency Major General William E. Shedd, USA Deputy Director for Operations and Administration Brig. General Grayson D. Tate, USA Col. John Hemler, USA Director o f Operations, ield Command Logistics Directorate, Field Command Logistics Directorate, Field Command Logistics Directorate, Headquarters