397 



particulate samplers and their population centers, and real time 

 detectors at the perimeter of the state. 



The environmental surveillance system consists of a continually 

 operating environmental radiation ambient monitoring system for 

 which the acron3rm is ERAMS, and they have particulate samplers 

 and they will be located in large population centers of Anchorage, 

 Fairbanks and Juneau. And as the paper noted, one of these have 

 been activated at this time in Fairbanks. The filters would be re- 

 moved, scanned and forwarded twice a week to the EPA lab in 

 Montgomery, Alabama for laboratory analysis. Obviously this is an 

 after-the-fact evaluation. Also, four or five portable ionization 

 chambers, pics, will be located throughout the State. These mon- 

 itors could be located in Barrow or Wainwright to cover the north- 

 em-most region and appropriately located in the central regions 

 and one located in the southern region. 



The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to supply the 

 ERAMS sampling equipment, consumables, analjrtical services and 

 data management without cost to the State. The State of Alaska 

 would be responsible for personnel to collect the ERAMS filters, 

 monitor the pics, and for funds to purchase the pics and satellite 

 communication systems and computer services. 



The State has requested $150,000 for radiation counting labora- 

 tory equipment. The State has also requested $135,000 for pics, for 

 a total I believe of $285,000. Hopefully, through an appropriate 

 Congressional bill or funding mechanism, the EPA or military 

 could serve as a vehicle for the funds. The framework for emer- 

 gency response to a nuclear radiation incident or accident is con- 

 tained in the Alaska Emergency Operations Plan. The Conference 

 of Radiation Control Program Directors, a national organization 

 comprised of the directors of all 50 state radiation programs, will 

 review the Alaska Radiation Program, including our emergency re- 

 sponse capability, this fall. This review will include recommenda- 

 tions about statutory changes, personnel and equipment, methods 

 to establish the response capability, and funding necessary to ac- 

 complish these tasks. 



The Department of Health and Social Services is headed by Dr. 

 Theodore Mala. Dr. Mala supports the concept of the environ- 

 mental monitoring systems, and he indicated efforts should focus 

 on air and water surveillance. He also indicated the federal govern- 

 ment should develop preventative strategies to intervene before po- 

 tential accidents. Dr. Mala stated that representatives should be 

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

 at Bilibino. And we should have international response drills at 

 least yearly. 



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, hopefully, and 

 directly to local governments, which will enable our state to assess 

 all environmental threats of transboundary potential contamina- 

 tion and to undertake mitigation. 



Finally, we urge the federal government to support Russian par- 

 ticipation in a northern forum. Too often international meetings 

 are held and Russians lack the means to attend. If the aid package 

 is to have meaning in this part of the world, we must use it to en- 



