Congress is currently voting on a bill titled “Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2024,” which is sponsored by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. This bill presents a crucial opportunity to improve support for individuals impacted by nuclear testing and uranium exposure.
For the past year, HEAL Utah and our partner organizations have been actively engaged in opposing the proposed 635-acre limestone quarry and gravel pit development in Parleys Canyon, a beloved natural area close to Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, at least three bills currently under consideration at the state legislature could pave the way for the approval of this disastrous mine by undermining local decision-making, limiting public engagement, and curtailing access to judicial review.
Advocates for downwinders held a press conference in Salt Lake City urging Utah’s Congressional delegation to support the expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include all victims of nuclear weapons testing in Utah and other Western states. The bipartisan amendment, included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), awaits conferencing with the House. The expansion, supported by new evidence and resolutions from Utah entities, aims to provide justice to downwinders and uranium miners who suffered illnesses due to nuclear exposure. Despite bipartisan Senate approval, Utah senators did not vote in favor. Urgency is stressed as the current RECA program expires in Junio.
A recent article published by the New York Times highlights a study that contains startling revelations about the widespread reach of radioactive fallout from nuclear testing in the southwest starting in the 1940s. The study highlighted in the article, titled “Trinity Nuclear Test’s Fallout Reached 46 States, Canada, and Mexico,” sheds light on the far-reaching consequences of these tests, including their impact on Utah. As advocates for health and environmental justice, HEAL Utah is calling for the expansion and extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to provide much-needed compensation and support for the victims of nuclear testing, particularly in Utah.
¿Qué son los downwinders? Los downwinders son personas y comunidades expuestas a la contaminación radiactiva o a la lluvia radiactiva debido a las pruebas con armas nucleares, la industria del uranio,...
