by Pat Marida, Ohio Nuclear Free Committee Chair
As schools start up across the nation, the Zahn’s Corners Middle School in Piketon, Ohio, remains closed. The reason? Neptunium, a highly radioactive element, was found by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) air monitor outside the building. Not in a current broadcast, mind you, but hidden in a 2017 DOE report that was made public in January of 2019.
Dr. Michael Ketterer, an expert on radioactive isotopes who happened to be in Ohio in April, took samples from the school and from local streams and attics. His testing found unmistakable evidence of radioactive contamination coming from the nearby Portsmouth Nuclear Site – a 4,000-acre area that once housed a massive uranium enrichment operation. The site name of Portsmouth a misnomer, as it is actually just outside Piketon. Preparations are now being made for cleanup of the site.
The Piketon community, including the Pike County Health District, demanded that the DOE do more testing, and that testing have an independent component. In response, the DOE attempted to shut out independent testing by going to the school unannounced over the Memorial Day weekend and asking to be let in to take samples. The school principal, however, called Ohio EPA and the Health District, who sent their people to split the samples that were taken. When Dr. Ketterer tested the Health District’s samples, he found more radioactive contamination with the signature of the Nuclear Site.
On July 16, the DOE held a public meeting, bringing in an expert on radiation sickness from Oregon. They maintained that the results of their testing showed that the radioactivity was “below acceptable levels.” First, this contradicts science, which says there is no safe level of radioactivity. Second, so-called “acceptable” levels are often political in nature and are subject to revision. One may accept a risk to ride in a car. But it is a different matter to be asked to take a health risk because a neighboring industry pollutes.
DOE is refusing to halt work or use mitigation techniques in their “cleanup” of the site, which is likely putting radioactivity into the air.
In the meantime, two class action lawsuits have been filed by nearby residents claiming radioactive contamination on their properties and/or illnesses related to radioactive poisoning. Dr. Christopher Busby, famed English expert radiation and health expert spoke in Piketon about these lawsuits on July 20. Hundreds attended. People who have lived near the plant were asked to fill out forms detailing their illnesses. This effort is ongoing. All through the crowd horrifically sad tales could be heard of people and their loved ones who were sickened or had died from cancers and other illnesses. Pike County is second after Vinton County in cancer. Vinton lies cattycorner from Pike.
On August 10, Dr. Ketterer spoke at Piketon High School about the results of his testing, which showed more radioactivity with the Portsmouth Site signature. He explained how the DOE results were inconclusive because the testing materials they used were already contaminated with uranium. Ketterer said that the outcome of all this would depend on sustained action from the community.
Victims of injustice are always the ones tasked with obtaining justice. The Nuclear Free Committee has been involved for many years with issues at the site, working with Piketon City Council and others. We believe the community is up to the task.
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