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Memo to Members of the Enewetak Advisory Group, Subject: Advisory Group Meeting at Livermore on June 7 and 8, 1978 (Encl: Meeting Notes)

Dated
Aug 7, 1978
Document type
Correspondence
Length
18 pages
Open the original scanArchive record OSTI ID 16383412 · public domain

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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.

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Department of Energy Members of the Enewetak Advisory Group ADVISORY GROUP MEETING For your information and records, enclosed is a COPY of mY notes of the Advisory Group’s meeting at Livermore on June 7 and 8, 1978. A copy of the letter from Dr. Bair to Mr. Hollister.- identifying the list of action items previously was sent to you. Division of Policy Analysis

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MEETING OF ENEWETAK ADVISORY GROUP AT LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY Notes Compiled by-Dr. Bruce Wachholz - Advisory Group Recorder Advisory Group members present per WJB 6-2-78 memo except Agenda adopted, Dr. Wachholz accepted appointment as Advisory Reports by McCraw and Deal Robison - Eneu and Bikini Just returned from islands. Have data on soils and coconut and other foodstuffs - Pu and Am. Will Yeport later. Greenhouse doing “urinalyses;supported by OES. Collections of April 1977. Sent to PNL andHASL from BNL yet because “results are inconsistent with each other.” Should results be sent to the Committee? (NOTE: Subsequent information suggests that these samples were _not controlled samples, and that there are a number of uncertainties in their validity.) Collections of October-November 1977: The samples were sent to LASL. First results due this week for TRU. All results are due the end of June. (NOTE: LASL is returning results to BNL in August.) Collection April 1978: Sr/Cs analyses are being done at BNL and the first are due by mid-June, with the completed Sr/Csresults by midis negotiating with IJSL for Pu analyses of samples.) Healy - What will results mean? No answer. Who are the controls? No answer. Prior to 1977 the samples were pooled samples. A discussion of “clean” collections followed.

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Richmond: It is irresponsible not to prioritize TRU urinalysis. Richmond: Is it an internal problem to get labs to send samples? “Reports” of trips; annual report - 1 annual visit. Since the last meeting 13NLobtained Cs body counts at Bikini. Results: 70-75% increase over ’77 101 persons counted (over 5 yrs of age) Hollister: Will HASL handle a contract for TRU urinalysis? Robison: LFE does sample work * Should explore and negotiate urinalysis samples via contractor. Will explore options to expedite procedures Discussed problems of sample collection of Marshallese women especially. Northern Enewetak has Cs levels 10X that of Bikini Uninhabitable for 240-500 years Sr and Pu will just make situation worse Cs concentrations on Bikini 630 pCi/gm Sr - but most removed in TRU cleanup. These values don’t address soil depth distribution.)

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Robison: LLL is developing Enewetak and Bikini data bank. LLL is slowly adding reports from other sources, including time changes. Ray: No input to LLL. NVOO has central data bank. * Final survey data should be added to LLL data bank. Hollister: Asked WJB what’s meant by a central data bank? Bair: Will be 3 banks: Scientific data bank at LLL (not yet in place) 13 - atoll survey data bank Robison: 13-atoll data should go to LLL, not NV. Ray agrees. * Templeton: Should be a directive to participants to send data Should have special forms sent to participants. Need data, not opinions of reports. What about Conard’s medical and environmental data of OK for environmental data but LLL data bank is not set up for medical data. Should there be one central data bank? HH - Yes. How will you tiplement a data bank? Will you pool data before publication? There must be agreements regarding the form of the data - and it must be kept current to be useful for decision-making Not much interaction with other scientific groups Hollister: Publication Tights should not be an issue Is an applied problem area - government has vested * Identify resource needs to get into budget before 1981 * Bair: Committee will come back to this later

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Organizational structure and responsibilities (DOE, NV, contractors) I&y reviewed organizational structure at Enewetak, NVOO, DNA, DOE, etc. Eberline - laboratory support DRI - statistics support Also DOE, EPA, LASL, LLL, SLA AF and Navy support RR discussed data flow chart: integrated project with multi-contractors Will archive soil samples (5000-6000) in NV Will centralize data in NV Hollister: Present organizational structure a result of historical Originally to be DNA funded If it had been begun as a DOE-funded project, it might have been done differently Ray: Cost to DOE N $5 M Auxier: Discussed options available within constraints “Freedom” is in land use, not freedom in resources What are OES organizations and contractors? OES supports the four contractors through a unified 189 prepared by Nv. Have 3 189’s - not restricted to radiol. support of Enewetak: Bill Robison (on dose estimation) * Ask Comm. how project should be managed. Have not yet developed a program or management plan for 13-atoll survey; it is in the process of being developed. Watters: BER supports

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Vic Noshkin - atoll lagoons circulation of lagoon water lenses - Budemeyer BER also supports Conard at BNL for Marshallese studies Rongelap and Utirik Templeton: Cleanup is.a function of the assessment, which is a function * Committee concern was expressed that BER and OES may not be in support of cleanup Hollister: Cleanup will end; other projects may continue Discussion followed re integration or lack thereof of BER health and environmental programs and OES studies addressing a single real life problem. Concern was expressed that no one is integrating and assessing entire effort. e&f) IMP values, problems and calibration All analyses based on IMP data - measures Am 60 kv peak Concern for calibration - IMP values may have been low Gilbert corrected for brush attenuation using data from NV IMP and soil values OK for Enjebi IMP values x 1.25 = soil values (corrected for brush attenuation) [for cleanup it is currently being assumed that IllP= Correcting for brush does not necessarily correct for Church: Remeasured islands show higher IM1’readings IMPS are consistent Are using corrected values for clean-up decisions. What is the standard calibration frequency? Healy requested a report on methods of calibrationAm-241 source placed in an area to determine angular response EG&G did theoretical calibration Concerned if there is no ground flat source calibration For calibration: should move point source around and use absorbers

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Church: No report ever prepared re calibration The Committee requested a report from Hollister and Hollister requested a report from NVOO on calibration procedures. Church: Will send Comm. a set of data re calibration. Recent info - Gilbert: IMP correction for brush attenuation Soil profile data (O-3, 10-13, 20-23) Quality control info Statistical procedures - data processing - objectives Statistical design aspects of Enewetak cleanup Kriging results - all islands List of procedures Soil samples may not be too accurate Discussion of statistical design of survey Real time analyses of uncertainties, IMP vs. wet chemistry, grid size, etc. Watters: BER coordination studies Conard vs. other studies No problem in coordinating ship time, etc. Inventory of all Enewetak projects (Marshall Islands) * Bair requested a list of projects conducted by OES, NVOO, and BER - with abstract attachment and $ (189). Hollister will

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Ray summarized the Marshall Islands programs 10 Support to cleanup and resettlement 2. Environmental surveillance (all Marshall Islands) 3. Medical survey and management 4. Research related to resettlement 5. Research related to other DOE interests (marine env. studies, assessment for dose, etc.) 6. Support of non-DOE interests (MPML, research vessel) * Healy: Committee needs someone to keep track of and stay current with * Templeton: Where is the monthly report he previously requested? Hollister: Write to Hollister for any requests. Discussed test plots and plantings on Enewetak and Eneu Resuspension study on Bikini - 10 sampling stations Assessment of doses coconut concentration ratio of Pu fruit vs. soil at root zone of tree number and location of coconut samples: Tilda (1)— Concentration ratios (md number of samples): Old value (used in more data to come in few weeks will be major reassessment of dose projections

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for coconut meat previously used 100 gin/d: best current est. 1300gm/d for coconut milk previously used 300 gin/d: best current est. 1500gm/d for breadfruit previously used 150gm/d: best current est. 1350gm/d Reduce Table 12 (of Dose Assessment) by k x 10 (factor of 11.6 should Total dose reduction decreased by a factor of 3 Look at Am as class W rather than class Y compound Look at Am ingrowth as factor of 2 Is it realistic to assume that 30 cm depth soil activities average reasonable to use a factor of 2 Raises question of whether or not surface cleanup is adequate * Change: concentration ratio; diet, Am ingrowth; Am class W instead result in low Pu doses; higher doses due to Cs/Sr Items to be resolved this mtg for Hollister Ray: DNA now interprets advice to mean that clean-up of everything Assuming areas > 400 are guaranteed, what is land use classification if What is an action level for subsurface removal? Of depth, volume, extent, etc.? What is the meaning of a Departmental sign-off?

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Roger Ray - Report on DNA meeting held early in May Runit: no major effort Other topics discussed Simple soil mixing will not be adequate Chet Francis is going out as advisor Discussion re mixing, “plowing”, depth, organic content, H20 content, etc. May not be very effective DNA interest in plowing: 1) driven by availability of plow 2) ‘ substitute for soil removal Auxier and Church: No indication that resuspension is a problem even in military Request air monitoring data from DNA quality (e.g., detection limits) characteristics (e.g., air volumes, times) DOE should request info from DNA Comm. suggest that air monitoring data be exchanged as requested between LLL, DNA, OES, NVOO, etc. (Initially Robison will discuss data with DNA informally.) hair should send DNA briefing material to Committee 2) Aoman burial site (360 x 85 ft) Discussion of alternatives Discussion of H20 movement via dye studies Essentially it’s moving the burial ground to Runit Located in a swampy area between two causeways Would involve 27,000 yds3 of resources Is it worth it?

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.What land use is possible between 160 - 400 pCi/gm? Hollister: suggestions: Make every effort to meet 160, if a bit Church will provide soil volumes based on 160 pCi/gmwer Comm. suggested that DOE request EPA exemption re ocean disposal of material in burial pit initiate engineered release worth effort economically permits more efficient use of results in a discontinuity of the record? (remove the burial ground material Templeton requests copy of McCraw memo re Copies of letter from JLL to Johnson re ocean Address GI absorption values and ranges and resultant Want absorption values from Committee Committee recommends use of revised ICRP values with a footnote Healy - discussion of GI 5 x 10-~ to bone for use of class W for inhaled Am-241 transfer coefficient based primarily on rat data 1 x 10-5 to liver for Pu 0.01% to skeleton for Am (1 x 10-4) 0.005% to liver for Am (5 x 10-5) Thompson: ICRP adopted 10-4 for sol pu 10-5 for insol pu

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Richmond: Requested raw BNL WB data from Rongelap, Utirik and Bikini get data and-info to Committee Req-uestedCokittee views re plan for 13-atoll survey prior to approving plan for funding. Adoption of plan and funding request due within 2-3 weeks Comm. will review plan when it is received Plan should include impact of survey on Enewetak program, with names Healy: Who will prepare plan and be responsible for data? Including Templeton: Which dose assessment - survey or Enewetak - takes priority? If two different groups are involved, will they communicate? Ray: $ are needed now by June 9! Templeton: Discussed data bank for survey Letter from Ray re Hawaii accommodations to be sent to Committee Request review/workshop of Marshall Island participants, approximately Conmittee requests copies of NV-140: Thompson, Bair, Healy, Richmond, Request copies of up-to-date IMP surveys and profile for Healy *Recommend to DOE that removal of buried material on causeway may be of questionable value considering the commitment of available resources. Also, DOE should provide a comparative dose assessment with and without removal of the material, and provide an accident analysis and consequent

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Meeting of Enewetak Advisory Group requests report and current status of analysis of Bikini - urine samples for transuranic elements for each of the sample periods: April, 1977, Ott.-Nov. , 1977, April, 1978. Mhen will the analysis be complete and the data available? b) Information also is requested on identification of control groups. c) tlollisterwill explore alternatives for expediting procedures. a) The Comnittee is concarned that there is inadequate interaction among the several groups of scientists working in the Marshall b) The Committee will recommend whether or not data banks should ment and coordination). Hollister solicited the Committee’s opinions regarding the Enewetak survey and resettlement program, and the 13-atoll survey. expressed concern that no one is integrating and entire Pacific effort. expressed concern over the methods of calibration requested of Hollister a report on (a) above. c) Church will send the Committee whatever data is available regarding

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a) The Committee requested an itemized inventory of all projects conducted by DOE in the Marshall Islands. Supplemental appendices should include brief abstracts (-200 words) of each project (or equivalent description) and the level of ftinding. The Conrnitteeshould conmwnicate with Hollister for any information or documents requested (e.g., periodic reports). Robison will revise the dose assessments taking into account revised concentration ratios of plutonium in foodstuffs, revised estimates of diet compositions, ingrowth of Am-241, and categorization of Am-241 as a class W compound. 8. Requests to Corrunittee ,. What are land use restrictions, if any, between contamination . . Mhat is the meaning of a Departmental sign-off regarding . .

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1) Air monitoring and resuspension data a) Committee suggests that data be exchanged between LLL, DNA, OES, b) If desirable, the Committee should request data from DNA, including quality (e.g., detection limits) characteristics (e.g., air volume, times) Bair should send DNA briefing material to Committee Church will provide island soil volumes based on 160 pCi/gm over Committee should consider wisdomof requesting an EPA exemption re ocean dumping of material in burial pit Documents to the Committee a) McCraw memo re EPA position on ocean dumping b) Copy of DNA minutes of DNA-EPA-ERDA meeting re ocean dumping c) Letter from Liverman to Johnson re ocean dumping a) Cormnitteeadvised Robison to use revised ICRP values, with b) PNL will assist Robison in writing appropriate material Committee recormuendedto Robison that Am-241 be considered as a Committee requests raw BNL whole body counting data (and any analyzed material) from Rongelap, Utirik and Bikini Every effort should be made , within the resources available, to meet the Advisory Group’s guidelines. a) Hollister requests Committee views on plan for 13-atoll survey prior to approval and consideration for funding

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b) Committee will review plan when it is received. Includes: impact of survey on Enewetak program dose assessment (survey is Enewetak) 10) Letter from Ray re arrangements in Hawaii 11) Request workshop/review of all programs in the Marshall Islands (e.g., 12) Committee requests that all members receive copies of NV-140 (RCT, WJB, 13) Healy requests copies …

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