JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri State Representatives Chantelle Nickson-Clark and Doug Clemens commend the recent passage of legislation by the U.S. Senate to expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), offering compensation to Americans exposed to radiation by the government.
The legislation seeks to extend RECA for five years, expanding coverage to include individuals in Missouri, as well as Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alaska, and Guam. The legislation aims to compensate those affected by radiation exposure, acknowledging the government’s role in their illnesses. The bill received overwhelming support in the Senate with a 69-30 vote.
“As a two-time breast cancer survivor and advocate for communities impacted by nuclear waste contamination, I am heartened by the Senate’s passage of this crucial legislation,” said Missouri State Rep. Chantelle Nickson-Clark, D-Florrisant. “This bill represents a significant step forward in recognizing and addressing the harm caused by governmental actions. We must ensure that affected individuals receive the support and compensation they rightfully deserve.”
“We would like to congratulate Dawn Chapman, Karen Nickel, and the many other advocates who have worked tirelessly to address this issue for decades on this hard-fought victory. While this bill still must get through Speaker Johnson’s dysfunctional Congress, the bipartisan recognition of the importance and urgency of this issue by the Biden Administration and the US Senate brings us hope that the victims of the radioactive waste contamination will finally be compensated for some of the irreparable damage inflicted on them by their government. I hope I can count on my colleagues in the state house to support my legislation that would require notification of hazardous waste in excavation zones as a practical next step.” said Rep. Doug Clemens, D-St. Ann.
The legislation’s passage comes in response to longstanding concerns about radioactive contamination in regions such as St. Louis, where uranium processing during World War II and the Cold War has left lasting environmental and health impacts. Both representatives have been active in advocating for measures to address these issues, with Rep. Clemens leading efforts to require notification of hazardous waste in excavation zones.
The bill now awaits consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives, where advocates hope it will receive similar bipartisan support and swift passage.
Background: State Representative Chantelle Nickson-Clark represents part of St. Louis County (District 67) in the Missouri House of Representatives. Rep. Nickson-Clark, a two-time breast cancer survivor, was raised in a neighborhood situated along the creek contaminated by nuclear waste in the 1960s. She made history as the first African American woman elected to represent her district in November 2022.
Representative Doug Clemens, a Democrat, represents St. Louis County (District 72) in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2018. Representative Clemens has served for more than four years as the chairman of the West Lake/Bridgeton Landfill Community Advisory Group. As a founding member of the group, Clemens has been highly active in efforts to eradicate radioactive waste from his community. Clemens’ HB 1583 proposes that upon receiving notice of intent to excavate, the One Call notification center must relay all information to the Department of Natural Resources to ascertain and notify the excavator whether the excavation site falls within certain hazardous waste zones.