8 



,- — ■-. ■ ,'^ '^ '^ ^' -^-i "!y'7 WALTER J. HICK£L. GOVERNOR 



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DEPT. OF ENVIRONMEIMTAL CONSERVATION 



OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER Phone: (907) 465-5000 



410 WILLOUGHBY AVENUE. SUITE 105 Fax: (907) 465-5070 



JUNEAU, AK 99801-1795 



August 25, 1992 



Rear Admiral Richard J-. Guimond 

 Assistant Surgeon General 

 U.S. Public Health Service and 

 Deputy Assistant Administrator 

 Office of Solid Waste and 

 Emergency Response 

 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

 Washington, DC 20460 



Dear Admiral Guimond: 



Thank you for sending me a copy of your testimony at the recent U.S. Senate 

 Intelligence Committee hearing in Fairbanks. The Department of Environmental 

 Conservation (DEC) appreciates your commitment in addressing the issues 

 surrounding radiation threats to Alaska, the Arctic environment, and the United States. 

 I am sorry I and my deputy, Mead Treadwell, were unable to discuss this subject with 

 you in greater detail. 



The State of Alaska is committed to strengthening its partnerships with Russia's Arctic 

 regions, the Northern Forum and others to define and deal with this vital issue. The 

 joint efforts in upgrading radiation monitoring and response capability will be a good 

 start. A five-phase program is proposed beginning with upgrading air radiation 

 monitoring sampling equipment in the large population centers of Anchorage, 

 Fairbanks and Juneau. Mr. Jerry Leitch, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 

 Region 10 Radiation Program Manager, has agreed to supply the ERAMS sampling 

 equipment and support through the EPA lab in Montgomery, Alabama. 



The second phase of the proposed radiation monitoring and response program is to 

 install real time detectors. Portable Ionization Chambers (PICs) at the perimeter of the 

 State. This system will provide an earlier warning system for Alaska and the nation. 

 These monitors can be located in Barrow or Wainwright to cover the northern-most 

 region; Nome, Unalakleet, St. Lawrence Island, Little Diomede, or Kotzebue to cover 

 the central region; Bethel to cover the southern region; and one on the Aleutian Chain. 



