Rough Draft Material for Eniwetok Cleanup/Rehabilitation Deis

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’ )1 Mr. Bchroebel di Jssed with Facer, no covering go sent. (reply to memo .from Facer to Liverman dated 3-23-/3) Draft Rough Draft Material for Eniwetok Cleanup/Rehabilitation DEIS Alternative A - no cleanup If only radioactive scrap and debris are removed, the environmental impact of cleanup operations will be minimal; however, the DEIS should describe and evaluate the environmental consequences of the man-made radioactivity remaining in the environment. In addition, habitable land areas will be distinguished from any uninhabitable areas. Criteria for cleanup of radioactive scrap and debris developed for and employed during cleanup of Bikini should be applicable to Eniwetok, although these criteria should be reviewed by a group of experts for assurance of their adequacy in 1973-74. It should be noted that such cleanup has little effect on human population dose and is undertaken primarily to reduce the probability of high individual exposures. Specific statements should deal with radioactive waste crypts and any other locations where material has been concentrated during post-testing roll up. Holmes and Narver's records and Task Force Radsafe records may be reviewed for this purpose. (4) Effects on Life Systems Undoubtedly the most significant effects of the residual radioactivity on life systems will be the potential consequences to health of humans who will live on the atoll. (See 6.(6) - DOS) Although it is a tiogical topic, some reference should be made to effects of constraints on land use, e.g., denial of habitation on specific islands.

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(5) Effects on Food Chains The residual radioactivity which has existed in the environs of the atoll for approximately twenty years has undoubtedly penetrated all food webs of atoll ecosystems. In the absence of detailed radiological data it is not possible to state the amounts in any food chain but is is likely that concentrations of several radioactive species are sufficiently high to contribute amounts of radioactivity to man through his diet which are of potential significance to human health. Both bone seeking isotopes and radioactive species which distribute uniformly throughout tissue are present. Long-lived iodine will likely not be a problem of great concern. consequences of plutonium and other as well as quantitative information Meaningful assessment of the transuranics in the food chain active fission and activation products will have to await radiological survey unlikely, however, that concentrations the contribution of radioin important food chains results. It is highly are sufficiently high, even in the most highly contaminated areas of the atoll to cause disruption of food chains by radiation damage to components several components of and available towards ). Data from the radiological survey on major food chains to man will be evaluated the end of May. The proper assessment of radionuclide transfer through the food web to the natives will have to wait on analyses of samples collected to date. However, even though consensus believes

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overt genetic and somatic damage will occur to thenatives due to either external or internal doses, no previous information is available relative to the special concentration processes of the transuranics in tropical marine ecosystems-- whether it be chemical, physical or biological. Therefore, one should be alerted to the unexpected. For example, the long lived radionuclides of Ni63 and Ag"* were not suspect for the first two decades of study at the Pacific Proving Ground. However, when it became obvious that these species would have to be formed in the blast it became routine to find these in chains. On this basis, I would not rule Tcgg and a great variety of transuranics parts of the food chain. all parts of the food out the existence of I 129, showing up in various The meager human diet, naturally available, will consist of sea foods found in the reef, tidepools, lagoon and open sea; fruits and vegetables which can be harvested; and sea birds and their eggs. Cleanup and rehab operations should be designed to provide a minimum of impact on these foods. Continuation of the feeding habits developed by the natives after moving to Ujelang - using imported rice, flour‘and sugar - will reduce the daily ingestion of radio7- Flora and Fauna The effects of radioactivity existing in any part of the atoll on individuals and populations of plants and animals are likely to be very small. If they are detectable at all it will be only through

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long range studies employing sophisticated techniques in the more heaviliy contaminated areas of the atoll. Radiological survey data on the distribution of radioactivity in the environs and in life forms will permit quantification of the above statements and the identification of any problem areas that special physical, chemical or biological However, it appears highly unlikely that to the extent of producing large effects of the flora and fauna of the atoll. might exist as a result of these processes would occur on any significant portion

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Alternative B - Cleanup for complete rehabitation Criteria for cleanup actions beyond debris and scrap removal and leading to significant reductions in population exposures and, hence, to reduction of potential health consequences should have (1) To assure that individual exposures are below levels at which there is an unacceptable health risk. It is likely that doses exceeding those recommended as upper limits by FRC, NCRP and ICRP (170 mrem per year) for exposure to population groups will be acceptable for this purpose. (2) To reduce population exposures to as low as practicable. (Specific measures to effect such reduction should be based on cost-benefit considerations. Since soil manipulation is likely to be the major method of dose reduction,particular attention will have to be paid to evaluating the environmental consequences of these procedures. Criteria will necessarily depend on detailed radiological survey data for it will be necessary to establish what can be accomplished toward reducing exposures by cleanup actions in reference to costs and to methods for reducing exposures by methods other than cleanup. Since DOS-AEC has the responsibility for establishing cleanup criteria, they should have the last word regarding input to DOD-DO1 in this area. (4) Effects on life systems Soil manipulation (mixing, removal, addition) for the purpose of cleanup or exposure reductionis likely to have minimal direct effect on human inhabitants of the

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ruch procedures if extensively employed are likely to have significant immediate, long term and perhaps irreversible effects on life forms present on'and near the atoll. By affecting life systems on which man depends this will also ants of the atoll. For areas in which radioactivity fr uniformly distributed population exposure will be reduced in proportion to the area manipulated. For this reason such procedures are likely to be most effectively pursued on a selective basis in areas where local high concentrations of radioactivity exist or where inhabitants will spend large fractions of their time. It will be exceedingly difficult even when detailed soil profile data from the radiological survey become available to balance the benefits of population exposure reduction against the consequence to life systems of extensive soil manipulation. Soil removed will have to be deposited somewhere. If deposited in the ocean adjacent to the atoll, the physical effects on marine forms could be 'sand will have to be evaluated as will the consequences of adding additional radioactivity to the marine environment. Reduction of dose by covering contaminated areas with uncontaminated soil from sources outside the atoll could introduce plant disease and parasites. (5)Effects on Food Chains Soil manipulation procedures are likely to have direct impact on most terrestrial food chains. Direct destruction of vegetation by these prodedures is likely to be less important than the dirturbance of surface soil relationships necessary for

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both animal and vegetative growth. In the case of at least some soil manipulation procedures (i.e., deep plowing) it appears possible that the long-term environmental costs of these procedures would significantly exceed the direct costs to conduct the procedure. Alternative C - Cleanup of some areas This alternative is perhaps the most likely of the three. Specific criteria for cleanup actions and the environmental consequences of these actions can be derived by application of the relevant considerations of Cases A 6 B to individual areas, islands or groups of is lands of the atoll. The desires of the Eniwetok people will have an important influence on the selection of this alternative. Additional material to be considered for working in to DEIS: 23. In order to describe the present condition of the islands it results of the survey plus (b) we (DBER) should add the integrated results of the biogeochemical study of the &toll which will help evaluate the ecological health of the whole atoll. 5.b.l. Do we have a responsibility for the cleanup-health survey for nonradioactive debris such as the Be on Engebi (Irene)? If so that should be included in the criteria. 6 Environmental Impacts on -- (2) Water Quality - It is possible that nuclear detonations on or near islands have permanently altered the island surface and subsurface

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structures which provide the boundary between lagoon and ocean salt water and the fresh water in the lens. If so, the habitability of the is lands may have to be evaluated with respect to water supply.