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,,.,.. Under considerati~n by the Commission was a draft letter to the President requesting his approval of Operation PILGRIM . a press release on the test series. (See AEC 944/4.) MR4Mr. Strauss referred to the proposed underground “sho~+’ ., scheduled for Operation PILGRIM and said that in a conversation & with Mr. Bradbury earlier in the day, Mr. Bradbury had expressed Bradbury had indicated that If 24 hours after the underground 6Z Oshot were detanated, it would be impossible to c~rrect the mo ~impression on the part of many people that the earthquake had ~o :been caused by the underground shot. Mr. Libby said he strongly convinced there is no real danger~~ ,~est series and said he was > hat the shot would cause an earthqualce. The lknowledgegained e said he did n~t believe this particular shot c :::U 8 Wl should continue to be cmsulted abut the possible effects of /’” ,. /— I PI~ an underground shot, but that the letter to the President should i The Comm~.ssionersagreed to delete from the letter the word,.: z..“.> as it refers to the undergr~und shot. .-. G The Commissioners then discussed and agreed upm several Af:.b requested that a statement be included t~ the effect tlwt high yield weapons Gf the type tested at Eniwetok Proving Grounds I are not tested in Nevada. They also agreed that the reference
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ion PIL&Ifl and agreed that the press release ‘sh They requested that recommendations on this subJect be submitted later. Mr. Murray said he believed arrangements should be made for pre~s attendance at as many shots as possible. The Commissioners next discussed the problem of fallout as it relates to Operation pILGRIM and the radi~log~cal safetY criteria for the Nevada Test Site. Mr. Murray suggested that rather than state in the public announcement that ‘)Everyeffort will be made to ltmtt fallout on populated areas ar~und the test site so that radiation exposure to the public will not exceed 3.9 roentgens in any one year.”; that the announcement state simply that fallout will be limited so that radiation exposure will n~t exceed 3.9 roentgens. General Starbird pointed out that unforeseen weather changes make it impossible to guarantee that fallout will not result in an exposure level exceeding 3.9 roentgens. Mr. Murray said he believed that this level need not be passed since testing could be halted bef~re the 3.9 level is reached. In answer to a question byMr. Straus Dr. Dunning said St would be possible t~ exceed the 3.9 roentgen exposure level with fallout from a single shot. Mr. Strauss said he would oppose making any public statement on the fallOUt level for Operation PILGRIM which the Commission could not Mr. Murray then suggested that his proposed language not be included in the press release, but rather that it be inserted in the staff paper on Operation PILGRIM (see AEC 944/2). Genera Starbird pointed out that the staff Paper concerning radlol~gica
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Meeting 1246 on November l)+,1956, the Commission had approved the radiological safety cr:.ter:l.afor gamma radiation set forth Ln paragraph 3 ~k AEC 141/33 with the understanding that Mr. Libby might establish the ten year limit at a lower level than the 10 roentgens referred to in paragraph 3b of AEC 141/33. Mr. Libby then stated that the ten year limit f~r radfation exposure should be 10 roentgens. the anticipated test series.” The Commissioilersagreed to this revision ~f their previous decisim on AEC 141/33. The Commissioners also agreed to delete from the press release the reference to limiting fallout from Operation PILGRIM so that exposures will not exceed 3.9 roentgens. The staff was requested to prepare a draft response t~ any inquiries received concerning the cmsistency of AEC CXp9SurC:,criteria for Operation PILGRIM with the exp~sure criteria recommended by the National Academy of Sciences ??Drthe total population After further discussion, the Commission: as set f:rth in AEC 944/4, regarding O>eration PILGRIM; b. Approved, as revised, a press release as cantained in AEC 944/4 regarding Operation PILGRIM; c. Noted that draft letters to the JCAE and the Nevada Congressmen similar to those ~.n !.ppendices “I and “J”, respectively, of AEC 944, as revised, will be prepared.