The Nuclear Legacy in Appalachia

Nestled in the rolling hills of Appalachia Ohio is a reminder of the role that the region played in winning the Cold War. For more than 40 years in rural Pike County, the 3,700-acre Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS), or the “A-Plant” as the locals refer to it, enriched uranium for use in nu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Appalachian health 2020-01, Vol.2 (1), p.54-59
Main Authors: Morrone, Michele, Perkins, Harold
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Childrens health
Cold War
Environmental health
Hazardous materials
Health care
Health disparities
Hearing loss
Middle schools
National security
Nuclear weapons
Organic chemicals
Prostate cancer
Public health
Radiation
Rural areas
Rural health care
Uranium
Voices from the Hollow
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Summary:Nestled in the rolling hills of Appalachia Ohio is a reminder of the role that the region played in winning the Cold War. For more than 40 years in rural Pike County, the 3,700-acre Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS), or the “A-Plant” as the locals refer to it, enriched uranium for use in nuclear weapons. While the facility produced nuclear fuel for national security, it simultaneously exposed plant workers to chemicals and radiation and discharged pollution into the surrounding community. The A-Plant is now being demolished and the site repurposed. However, the site continues to affect the community as, for example, a middle school near it was closed in late spring of 2019 due to alarming levels of radiation detected in the building.
ISSN:2641-7804
DOI:10.13023/jah.0201.07