Letter to H Hollister, Subject: Request for Suggestions on the Management of the Northern Marshall Islands Program

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Telex 32-6345Mr. Hal Iiollister Office of the Assistant Secretary Department of Energy This letter is in response to your request for suggestions on the management of the Northern Marshall Islands program following our discussion of the subject with Mrs. Clusen. As you remember from my letter of October 23, 1978, a major concern of the Northern Marshall Islands Advisory Group is the Iack.of a coordinated effort in the Marshall Islands. Me believe this fragmentation exists because there is no single DOE administrator with overall management responsibility and authority. While the members of the Advisory Group are in agreement about the nature of the problem, we might not all agree upon a solution. Therefore the following represents my own view. A major source of this fragmentation is the independent funding of projects in the marshall Islands by several divisions within the EV program and by the Nevada Operations Office. The information from these projects is generally (but not always) shared among the DOE organizational components. However, since the areas of interest and concern vary among these relatively independent projects, it is necessary to provide ongoing administrative guidance to integrate and focus their activities to the needs of the Marshall Island inhabitants and the U.S. government. I be-iieve that guidance can be best achieved by mak~ng the “ overall management responsibility and authority for the program independent of the current participating organizations. Therefore, my first suggestion is that the Marshall Islands program be directed fromthe Office of the Assistant Secretary. This will have the added value of correcting two weaknesses of the current effort. It will provide the high visibility needed to assure DNA and DOI that the Assistant Secretary for Environment recognizes the sensitivity and importance of the Marshall Islands issues. -Itwill also. assure that. the Assistant Secretary’s authority is behind the Marshall Islands program management. Concerning the.program management organization, I believe the Marshall Islands effort will be best served by forming a task group with a program manager as chairman. This task group should include persons from the EV Divisions who have responsibility for the various projects and persons from the Enewetak Radiological Support Project, which reports to the Nevada Operations Office. The task group should report to the office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment. The program manager would serve as the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary on matters concerning the Marshall Islands and, at her discretion, would represent . the Assistant Secretary in relationships with other DOE components and other governmental agencies. It should not matter to whom the program manager reports

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purposes. To facilitate funding that the task group considers necessary, it may help to establish a project review group consisting of the Director~-of OHE~, OECO, and OMS to approve the proposed budgets and provide funds. An advisory committee, such as the Northern Marshall Islands Advisory Group, might also serve in support of the program. “The most crucial factor in assuring the plan’s effectiveness is the selection of the Marshall Islands program manager and chairman of the task group. The person filling this position would have major tasks to integrate the effort, develop an active plan and successfully deal with issues raised by other government agencies and by the Marshallese and their representatives. While the position may not be full-time, the managershould devote sufficient time to these responsibilities and have adequate funding and technical and clerical staff There ‘are several possible candidates for a program manager. In accordance with our telephone conversation, you would be the logical person to assume this responsibility for many good reasons. These include your experience, knowledge of the Marshall Islands program arid the fact that you already report directly to Mrs. Clusen. However, I recognize the compelling reasons, such as your other important assignments, that probably make you unavailable. In considering other possibilities, I would rule out other DOE staff who have current responsibilities in the Pacific because it would be difficult, if not impossible, for one of them to gain the full cooperation of other participants ~n the program. Appointing someone from a laboratory could be an attractive option; however, it might pose problems unless the appointee were from a laboratory that is not participating in the Marshall Islands program in any capacity, even advisory. In view of these considerations, I feel that Dr. Bruce Wachholz is the most desirable choice to assume management responsibility for the Marshall Islands program. He is well qualified in terms of experience and knowledge of the program and he would rank h~gh among all possible candidates. Dr. Wachholz also has abundant experience in working with participating DOE organizational components and other government agencies. I have complete confidence in his ability to provide-the direction required for the Northern Marshall Islands program. As you know, this is an urgent matter. A program manager should be in place early in January so that he can deal with the Enewetak issues. Also, it is imperative that a program planbe developed soon to provide guidance to all participants because it appears that prior to a postcleanup survey and dose assessment, steps are being taken towards resettlement of Enewetak. These steps may be in conflict with eventual DOE recommendations. I will be pleased to discuss this further. Environment, Health, and Safety Research Program

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Office of the AssistantSecretary Department of Energy This letter is in response to your request for suggestions on the management of the Northern Marshall Islands program following our discussion of the subject with Mrs. Clusen. As you remember from my letter of 0ctober23,1978, a“major concern of the Northern Marshall Islands Advisory Group. is the Iack.of a coordinated effort in the Marshall Islands. Me believe this fragmentation exists because there is no single DOE administrator with overall management responsibility and authority. Mhile the members of the Advisory Group are in agreement about the nature of the problem, we might not all agree upona solution. Therefore the following represents my own view. A major source of this fragmentation is the independent funding of projects in the marshall Islands by several divisions, within the EV program and by the Nevada Operations Office. The information from these projects ii generally’ (but not always) shared among the DOE organizational components. However, since the areas of interest and concern vary among these relatively’ independent projects, it is necessary to provide ongoing administrative guidance to integrate and focus their activities to the needs of the Marshall Island inhabitants and the U.S. government. I beiieve that guidance can be best achieved bymaklng the - overall management responsibility and authority for the program independent of the current participating organizations. Therefore, my first suggestion is that the Marshall Islands program be directed from-the Office of the Assistants ecretary. This will have the added value of correcting .two weaknesses of the current effort. Itwill provide the high visibility needed to assure DNA and DOI that the Assistant Secretary for Environment recognizes the sensitivity and importance of the Marshall Islands issues...--Itwill also. assure that. the Assistant .Secretary’s authority is behind the Marshall Islands program management. ----... Concerning the.program management organization, I.believe the Marshall Islands effort will be best served by forming a task group with a program manager as chairman. This task group should include persons from the EV Divisions who have responsibility for the various projects and persons from the Enewetak Radiological Support Project, which reports to the Nevada Operations Office. The taskT~;oup should report to the office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment. program manager would serve as the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary on matters concerning the Marshall Islands and, at her discretion, would represent the Assistant Secretary in relationships with other DOE components and other governmental agencies. It should not matter to whom the program manager reports

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/’ Mr. Hal Hollister 2 December 21, 1978 for administrative purposes. To facilitate funding that the task group considers necessary, it may help to establish a project review group consisting of the Directors of OHER, OECO, and OMS to approve the proposed budgets and provide funds. An advisory committee, such as the Northern Marshall Islands Advisory Group, might also serve in support of the program. The most crucial factor in assuring the plan’s effectiveness is the selection of the Marshall Islands program manager and chairman of the task group. The