Memo to E B Staats, Subject: Public Education and Information Plan for 1957 Nevada Tests (Encl: Public Education and Information Plan for Operation Plumbbob)

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2LUIE3BOB,the 1957 Nevada test series,is transmittedfor comment by the operationsCoordinatingBoarclon phases of ths Plan relating to the internationalclhate of optiionq The Plan was draftedon the basis of e:-perienceat previoustests and in anticipationof informationaland ec?ucationalproblems that may be raised prior to and duringthe test operationsin 195’7. The Plan has been approvedby the Commission. It has also been tra.nsmitte?to the Departmentof Defensefor concurrenceaud to the Departmentof State for any recommendcrtiotias to whetherforeign Early considerationof this matter and comnentby the Operations CoordlnatLng Board and the Director of the Central Intelligence 2. The responsibility for publia information i.seuances re8ts with the Test Manager during operational phase8, and with the Manager of Albuquerque Operations Office during pre- and

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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Mr. Elmer Bi Staats PIUMBBOB,the 1957 Nevada test series,is transmittedfor comment by the operationsCoordinatingBoard on phases of the Plan relatingto the internationalclimateof opinion. The Plan was draftedon the basis of experienceat previoustests and in anticipationof informationtiand educationalproblems that maybe raised prior to end during the test operationsin 1957. The Plan has been approvedby the Commission. It has also been transmittedto the Departmentof Defense for concurrenceand to the Departmentof State for any recommendationas to whetherforeign media representativeashouldbe invitedto attend testa witnessed Early considerationof this matter and comsentby the Operations

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(c) OFFICIAL USE ONLY YOR OPERATION PLUNBBOB 10 To establish the policy, re6ponslbilities, procedures and organizational relationships for issuing public information consistent with the requirements of security, before, during and after the PLUMBBOB series Of tests at the Nevada Test Site. The policy is designed to: a. Increase public knowledge and understanding of the purpose and need f~r continental teste; b. Help protect life and property by obtaining public cooperation in avoiding or reducing any c. Allay unfounded fear of damage or injury that may arise in the United States or abroad from public misunderstanding of test operations; d. Provide a procedure for serving the public with adequate information on the test ope~ations and their results in aiding the defense of the United States and the Free World. 1. The responsibility for coordinating the information plan and major announcements Precedlng~ during and following the operation with the agencies of government concerned with the climate of international opinion and intelligence rests with the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. This co~rdination will be achieved through consultation with the Operations Coordinating Board and the Director of the Central Intelligence 2. The responsibility for public information issuances rests with the Test Manager during operational phases, and with the Manager of’Albuquerque Operations Office during pre. and

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post-~perational phases c“’.’tests. These field officers are responsible for coordinating content and timing of issuances, as necessary, with A’ECantiDOD Headquarters. 3. The responsibility and provision for public information planning and issuance of radiation readings on fallout levels and cloud path reporting and forecasting outside the test site will be ccwered in an annex to this plan to be submitted later for the information of the Commission. 4. The Department of Defense and FCDA will be responsible for submitting to the Commission for approval public information plans for reporting their participation and for furnishing personnel as required to an Office of Test Information for carrying out informational functions within the policies established for the tests. 1. There will be established an Office of Test Information (to be located in Las Vegas during the operational period) to assure advance coordination of the content, timing and issuance of public information originated by any participating agency or organization and related to any phase of the test series. This office will be responsible for appropriate coordination and will be the sole issuing agency for all such information. The Office of Test Information will be organized as follows: responsible to the Test Manager; (in the event of absence of the Director, an AEC staff member will be designated as Acting Director. ) b. A Deputy Director for Information on Military Operations responsible to the Director, Office of Test Information. In addition to his duties as Deputy, the Deputy Director will coordinate the review and issuance of all informational material, including interviews and backgrmnding discussions with correspondents,

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related to those phases of the test activities of a military nature not directly concerned with the AECIS weapons development and testing program. c. Other assistants and staff’members may be requested from participating agencies by the Test Manager as necessary. d. The participating laboratories, Department of Defense, and Federal Civil Defense Administration will provide on temporary assignment to the Test Manager for duty with the Test Information Office such public information personnel a8 are needed to carry out ob~ectives of the Test Information Office. 2. The Test Manager may authorize the Office of Test Information to communicate directly with the Division of Information Services, AEC, and the Office of Public Information, DOD, and with field units of all participating agencies and organia, The Office of Test Information will, on a continuing basis, inform the Test Manager, the Washington Division of Information Services, AEC, and the Office of Public Information, DOD, of day to day developments in test information act3.vities. D, ADMISSION OF MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES. 1. Representatives of public media will be admitted to an observation point on the Test Site to do eye-witness reporting on about ~ tests. (Detailed list of test shots proposed for onsite observation by media to be submttted to the Commission for consideration at a later date.) 2. A limited number Of representatives of U.S. media will be invited by the Atomic Energy Commission for each shot approved for onsite media observation; their selection by the Office of Test Information will be on the basis of: wire services, national periodicals, and networks; b. Coverage in the test site region such a~ is given by Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Calif~rnia papers and radio and TV stations.

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY c. Coverage in areas of direct AEC interest (such as Hanford, Oak Ridge, Savannah River, Paducah). d, Order of receipt of application. 3. Applicants not accepted for the first media observer shot owing to a limit on numbers will be given preference on succeeding observer shots until all media applicants possible have been admitted, a. Each media representative must submit over the signature of his managing editor or publisher for press or from the station or network manager or supervisor for radio/TV, a statement certifying that he is the accredited representative of the organization and is tives will be made In the form of a public announcement stating the following condition relating to media observer shot situations: (1) Media representatives will provide their own housing In the Las Vegas area and their own transportation to and from Mercury Gate. AEC buses or buses chartered at media expense, will % transport them from the gate to the Test Site (2) NO public communications will be available at the Test Site, It is possible a limited numable at Mercury. (3) Secwity and Safety regulations will be furnished each media representative and he will be required, prior to admission to the site, to agree in writing to abide by such regulations. (4) Delays in test shot schedules may result in postponements for unpredictable lengths of time. E, SECURITY OF INFORMATION 1. Only unclassified Information or information declassified under the provisions of the appropriate Classification Guides will be made available In any form, Types of information to be issued include formal announcements released by Office of Test Information, interviews, “off-the-recordttbackgrounding and other guidance to uncleared persons in any form by an AEC, DoD, or FCDA individual or an organization.

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY 2. No security review of correspondents copy will be 3. The mingling of uncleared observers with cleared personnel will be avoided to the extent practicable during onaite 4. Visits by representatives of news media at Nevada Test Site will be under NTS escort to observation areas approved by the Test Organization. regulations will apply to cameras used: 8 mm. cameras - 7 inch lens 16 mm. cameras 14 inch lens 35 mm. cameras - 29 inch lens 4 x 5 and 5 x 7 still cameras - 40 inch lens b. Shutter speeds will not exceed 129 frames per second. C. All cameras will be inspected prior to admission onsite to assure compliance with the above. d. Visits to areas other than the observation area may require banning ~f photographic equipment or further restr~ctlons on lens sizes as necessary t~ comply with security requirements of the area visited. ‘e. Photographic material by professional media representatives will be controlled by measures noted above, but security review of exposed plates or films or of prints will not be required. 6. Any material proposed for issuance to media representatives or other uncleared observers that is not covered by provisions of this information plan must be reviewed by the Atomic Energy Commission, Division of Information Services, prior to 7. The inviting agency must require that uncleared observers other than media representatives sign an agreement certifying that they will comply with security and safety regulations of the Test Organization.

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY 1. Public information issuances proposed during preoperational and post-operational periods require review and coordination as follows, unless such issuances include only information previously approved: a, Organizations, units, contractors or observers assigned to AEC-ALO or to FC/AFSWP to route material through normal channels to ALO or to FC/AFSWP. b. Military and civilian units, organizations, and individuals responsible to DOD (and detached after test participation) to submit through normal channels to the Office of Public Information, DOD, with an c. AEC units and contractor, outside of ALO, to submit thr~ugh normal channels to ALKlOffice of Information for coordination as necessary with AEC Division of Information Services. d. Units or individuals representing other agencies (and detached after tests) to channel material to parent agency for referral as necessary to the Atomic 2, During pre-operational periods, organizations and units expecting public information activities during the test operation will submit a plan of anticipated information actions t~ the Manager, Albuquerque Operations Office, AEC, for review and coordination if necessary with Headquarters, AEC. 3. During the operational period, informational material proposed for issuance by any entity in the test organization and by participating groups will be submitted to the Office of Test Information f~r review, co~rdination as necessary and issuance. G. TYPES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MATERIAL Following are the main fields of subject matter that will be covered by formal public ann~uncements by the Commission, Department of Defense, Test Organization and participating agencies.

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY &fore the opening Of the series: u 1. Resumption of tests - by the Commission. 2. Use of balloons - by the Test Manager. (To be approved by the Commission.) 3. Use of underground placement - by the Test Manager. (To be approved by the Commission.) 4. Resumption of safety tests - by the Test Manager. 5. Details of troop participation inoludi.ngprovisions for troop safety - by the Department of Defense. 6. Civil Defense participation - b.vFederal Civil i’.Details of the radiation monitoring program - by AEC and U.S. Public Health Service. 9. Ann~uncements as required at the Test Site on unclassified constructions activities, contract awards, bid proposals, labor recruitment, special weather studies, training activities, and administrative and non-technical phases of the program - by the Test Manager, During the test series: 1. Statement by Test Manager prior to each detonation whtch may include all or part of the following as a. Scheduled date and approximate time; whether HE or nuclear; placement of device (air drop, tower, ballom, undergr~und or other); if air burst of 10,000 feet or below, approximate altitude to nearest 1,000 feet will be given; If 10,000 to 25,000 feet, nearest 5,000 foot altitude; if 25,000 to 50,000 feet, nearest 10,OOO feet; height of tower or balloon from which detonated; and whether detonation in Yucca or Frenchmanrs Flat. b. Whether or not effects will be observable off-site and any precautions advised such as roadblocks to prevent eye damage from flash; approximate yield in terms of below, about or above nominal, when determined necessary to clarify c. Whether there will be troop or FCDA participation, d. Identification of the laboratory conducting e. Types of civil and/or mtlitary effects testsj insofar as classification permits. 2. Additional statements as required on administrative and non-technical phases of the program, special weather

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studies, and training activities - by the Test Manager. 3. Explanations of the Use of animals in tests - by 5. Details of participation by such groups as FCDA observers, Members of Congress, NATO and other foreign observers - by sponsoring agencies for issuance in Washington or by the Test Manager. 6. Advance notice to clear the test area of person, livestock and aircraft; and warnings of possible blast, flash Dr radiation levels to be expected in nearby communities - by the Test Manager. 7. Statements notifying the public of cancellations or postponements of tests - by the Test Manager. ~. In the event of non-detonation of a test device, the Test Manager may state that the device scheduled for testing was not detcmated and that he is investigating to determine the cause of the non-detonation, He may state that there is considerable safety and ccmtrol circuitry used in detonating a test device and delay in detonation because Of mechanical trouble is n~t necessarily serious. Any further explanation of the reason for non-detonation would require clearance by AEC Headquarters. 9. Announcement Df any long period of actual testing inactivity with approximate date of resumption of the test series, to permit planning by industries, stockmen and communities - by Test Manager. After the test series: 1. Statement on conclusion of test series - by 2. Statements on results of Federal Civil Defense Ii. PUBLIC REPORTING OF ACCIDENTS BY TEST MANAGER levels will be reported to evaluatim of the need for ti.onof action to the Test may be announced. exposures which exceed established the Office of Test Information for public reporting and for recommendaManager. All off-site exposure levels Any ncm-routine accident or mishap in the test series publicly reported insofar as security permits.

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I. PUBLIC EDUCATION PRECEDING AND DURING SERIES 10 The objectives of this phase of the information plan are to inform the general public as fully as possible, particularly i.nthe Nevada Test Site area, and, as necessary, throughout the nation regarding the purposes of tests and the controls used to safeguard health and property. 2. During the pre-operational period, the Albuquerque Operations Office, with cooperation of AEC Headquarters Divisions and Offices, will: a. Notify State, county and local officials in the NTS area of the forthcoming tests and safety precautions to be used. h. Notify personal and enterprises whose activities may be affected, of the resumption of tests. c. Arrange for meetings with veterinarians, physicians and public health officials ~f the various %tates near NTS to discuss forthcoming operaticms and the medical aspects of radiation fallout. The Division of Biology and Medicine will cooperate with the Test Organization in the conduct of the meetings. ties to answer any questions raised by local officials or the general public relating to on-site controls, off-site controls and fallout, The area …