In the News

Denver, Colorado — On August 17, 2026, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (D-C ), Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), Congressman James Moylan (R-Guam), and others introduced H.R. 10115 (click HERE for the bill text) to expand and improve the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). Among its provisions, the bill would recognize the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant near Denver and the Cotter Uranium Mill near Cañon City as Manhattan Project waste sites and designate Colorado as a downwind state for exposure to radioactive fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing.

These long-sought changes would help acknowledge the impacts of the nation’s nuclear weapons program on Colorado communities and offer new hope to individuals and families seeking recognition and compensation for radiation-related illnesses. For decades, communities across the country have sought recognition that exposure to radioactive materials associated with uranium mining, nuclear weapons production, waste disposal, and atmospheric nuclear weapons testing can have lasting health consequences.

If enacted, the legislation would help correct longstanding gaps in federal compensation by extending eligibility to additional affected populations, marking a significant step toward justice for radiation-exposed communities nationwide.

Rocky Flats Downwinders (RFD), Colorado Citizen’s Against ToxicWaste, Inc. (CCAT, est 2002), Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC), Physicians for Social Responsibility Colorado (PSR Colorado), Young Breast Cancer – Colorado Mapping Project (YBCC), and other concerned organizations and impacted citizens welcome the introduction of the legislation, calling it a historic step toward addressing longstanding gaps in federal compensation for communities affected by radiation exposure.