Demand Senate Hearings on Pike and Scioto Counties' Property Contamination and Cancer Rate
Demand Senate Hearings on Pike and Scioto Counties' Property Contamination and Cancer Rate
The Issue
Petition for Senate Hearings on Property Contamination and Cancer Rates in Pike and Scioto Counties
We, the undersigned citizens of Ohio, urgently call upon the Senate Energy Committee to conduct comprehensive hearings on the severe property contamination and alarming cancer prevalence in Pike and Scioto Counties, Ohio.
Background:
History of Contamination: In 2019, Dr. Michael Ketterer, an emeritus chemistry professor from Northern Arizona University, confirmed the presence of high-enriched uranium isotopes inside Zahn's Corner Middle School, identified as emissions from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). Further investigations within a six-mile radius of PORTS have found hundreds of verified instances of radioactive elements, including americium-241, neptunium-237, and various isotopes of plutonium and uranium.
Health Impact: Pike County has the highest cancer rate in Ohio. Since the closure of Zahn's Corner Middle School in 2019 due to radioactive contamination, 11 children who attended the school over the years have died of cancer.
Recent Findings: On July 15, 2024, Dr. Ketterer released a new study revealing that PORTS transuranic isotopes have been concentrating in plant matter along the Scioto River and its tributaries. Elevated levels of neptunium-237 in soil, sediment, and water samples have raised concerns about the safety of locally grown food and potential future groundwater contamination.
Immediate Concerns:
Public Health: The historic emissions of radioactive elements will take thousands to millions of years to decay to harmless levels. Ongoing and planned activities at PORTS threaten to increase the radioactivity in the air, land, and water.
Environmental Safety: The Pike County General Health District and the Scioto Valley-Piketon Area Council of Governments have advised against consuming produce from gardens within six miles of PORTS due to the presence of plutonium and technetium.
Our Call to Action:
We demand that the Senate Energy Committee:
Conduct immediate hearings to investigate the extent of property contamination and its impact on public health in Pike and Scioto Counties.
Hold the Department of Energy accountable for their actions and require them to implement comprehensive remediation plans.
Provide adequate resources and support to affected communities to mitigate health risks and environmental damage.
92
The Issue
Petition for Senate Hearings on Property Contamination and Cancer Rates in Pike and Scioto Counties
We, the undersigned citizens of Ohio, urgently call upon the Senate Energy Committee to conduct comprehensive hearings on the severe property contamination and alarming cancer prevalence in Pike and Scioto Counties, Ohio.
Background:
History of Contamination: In 2019, Dr. Michael Ketterer, an emeritus chemistry professor from Northern Arizona University, confirmed the presence of high-enriched uranium isotopes inside Zahn's Corner Middle School, identified as emissions from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). Further investigations within a six-mile radius of PORTS have found hundreds of verified instances of radioactive elements, including americium-241, neptunium-237, and various isotopes of plutonium and uranium.
Health Impact: Pike County has the highest cancer rate in Ohio. Since the closure of Zahn's Corner Middle School in 2019 due to radioactive contamination, 11 children who attended the school over the years have died of cancer.
Recent Findings: On July 15, 2024, Dr. Ketterer released a new study revealing that PORTS transuranic isotopes have been concentrating in plant matter along the Scioto River and its tributaries. Elevated levels of neptunium-237 in soil, sediment, and water samples have raised concerns about the safety of locally grown food and potential future groundwater contamination.
Immediate Concerns:
Public Health: The historic emissions of radioactive elements will take thousands to millions of years to decay to harmless levels. Ongoing and planned activities at PORTS threaten to increase the radioactivity in the air, land, and water.
Environmental Safety: The Pike County General Health District and the Scioto Valley-Piketon Area Council of Governments have advised against consuming produce from gardens within six miles of PORTS due to the presence of plutonium and technetium.
Our Call to Action:
We demand that the Senate Energy Committee:
Conduct immediate hearings to investigate the extent of property contamination and its impact on public health in Pike and Scioto Counties.
Hold the Department of Energy accountable for their actions and require them to implement comprehensive remediation plans.
Provide adequate resources and support to affected communities to mitigate health risks and environmental damage.
92
Supporter Voices
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on July 26, 2024