Congress expands federal funding for area residents sickened by radiation exposure
The archdiocesan Office of Archives and Records has received hundreds of requests from St. Louis area residents sickened by radiation exposure who are applying for financial compensation under a recently expanded federal program.
Congress passed an expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) earlier this summer, opening eligibility to Missourians in 21 zip codes. Individuals impacted by Manhattan Project waste and additional uranium-related work not previously covered are now eligible under the expansion.
The archdiocesan Office of Archives and Records began receiving inquiries in mid-July and so far has processed more than 600 requests for records that may help RECA applicants prove they lived, worked or attended school in the affected areas, director Eric Fair said.
“Because we’ve gotten so many RECA records requests, we’ve put together an FAQ and explainer for our own records so individuals can take a look at that and see what types of records we might have to help support their claim,” Fair said. “Just because we’re getting so so many phone calls, we strongly recommend that folks take a look at that website first.”
The website, which includes FAQs on student transcripts, sacramental certificates and other parish records and instructions on how to submit a request for records, may be found at archstl.org/reca.
The Archives Office holds records from closed and most subsumed parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Applicants seeking records from schools and parishes that are open should contact them directly, Fair said.
Federal budget estimates show up to 300,000 people in the St. Louis region could be eligible for funding based on where they lived, worked or attended school.
In the 1940s, St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt Chemical Works was chosen to purify uranium for the first atomic bomb used in World War II. Some of the radioactive waste from the Mallinckrodt wartime project was dumped at several sites in the St. Louis area.
The primary sites include West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton, where nearly 47,000 tons of radioactive waste were dumped in 1973; and Coldwater Creek, which extends about 4 miles east of the landfill from near St. Louis Lambert International Airport, and extending through much of north St. Louis County.
Additionally, some people who developed cancers in the Weldon Springs area in St. Charles County who blame exposure to Mallinckrodt’s uranium processing there from 1957-66 may be eligible for RECA funding.
Fair said that the Archives Office also has shared information with Catholic schools and parishes in the affected areas with guidance on responding to requests for information.
“These are records that have personally identifiable data on them, so they need to be careful who they’re releasing the records to,” he said. “We want to make sure that not just anybody that calls and says, ‘Hey, can I get access to these records?’ are getting those records.”
Even with the closure of a parish or school, “their records live on,” Fair said. “These are still living, breathing documents, and they can be used in all kinds of ways that may not have been originally considered when they were created. For us, our goal is to make sure that everyone who should have access to the records gets access to the records. It may be a little while, since demand is high right now, but our goal is to help every individual.”
More information
The U.S. Department of Justice’s claim form may be downloaded from justice.gov/civil/ media/1410736/dl?inline
The form must be printed, completed and mailed, along with documentation to: U.S. Department of Justice, Radiation Exposure Compensation Program, P.O. Box 146, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC 20044-0146. An online portal is expected to open in December.
Claims must be submitted by Dec. 31, 2027.
Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Archives and Records RECA website: archstl.org/reca
Just Moms STL RECA Missouri Resources: reca-missouri-resources.org
St. Louis County government RECA website: stlreview.com/4mXoBUx
