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Testimony. Charles Tedford Pago 6 



community native involvement should occur and that a portion of the 

 radiation detection responsibility should be placed accordingly. 

 The system should provide accurate, non-panic type information back 

 to the native communities in an understandable manner. The Federal 

 government should develop preventive strategies to intervene before 

 potential accidents. Dr. Mala stated that representatives should 

 be sent to Siberia to work with the people, particularly at the 

 reactor at Bilibino. Dr. Mala is pleased that Congressional 

 representatives are working with Alaska representatives to reduce 

 a potential threat to Alaskans. 



The State of Alaska and the Chukotka local governments should 

 be included in negotiations and implementation of bilateral 

 emergency response plans, as well as multilateral efforts to 

 improve emergency response in the arctic under study by the eight 

 nations represented in the Arctic Environmental Protection 

 Strategy. We should have international response drills at least 

 yearly. Governor Hickel, as Chairman of the Northern Forum, has 

 commissioned an effort to improve environmental health and 

 emergency response in the North in conjunction with thirteen other 

 northern Governors, and that group is prepared to work with their 

 -respective nations. 



Mr. Chairman, as Congress wraps up the Russian Aid Package, we 

 want to make clear the State of Alaska supports transmitting an 

 appropriate amount of that aid through Alaska , directly to local 

 governments which neighbor our state, to assess, together, with us , 

 all environmental threats of transboundary, potential contamina- 

 tion, and to undertake mitigation. We further believe aid should 



