Despite concerns from the community and calls from an Ohio congressman, open-air demolition began last week at the U.S. Department of Energy s former uranium enrichment plant in a southern Ohio village.
The demolition in Piketon comes after the federal agency promised the community, which has experienced high cancer rates, independent testing for radiological contaminants. The results are expected to come later this year.
The demolition is moving forward without that information. With it comes the potential for releasing more contaminants into the surrounding area, residents say. We do not believe that to be a safe or responsible plan, wrote Tony Montgomery, president of the Pike County Board of Commissioners, in a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine late last year.