General Information
What is RECA?
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) is a federal program that provides compensation to individuals who developed certain illnesses after exposure to radiation from U.S. nuclear testing. This includes "Downwinders" who lived in affected areas during specific atmospheric testing windows.
Who qualifies as a Downwinder?
Downwinders are individuals who lived in designated areas during specific periods of atmospheric nuclear testing (primarily 1951–1962) and later developed qualifying cancers or diseases.
What geographic areas are covered?
Eligible Downwinder regions based on the 2025 RECA Expansion.
The 2025 RECA Expansion Bill widened the map to include locations in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. While the program is broad, reca.help currently focuses on assisting those in the Utah and Idaho areas.
What cancers and conditions are eligible?
Eligible conditions include: Leukemia (except chronic lymphocytic leukemia), Multiple Myeloma, Lymphomas (other than Hodgkin’s), and primary cancers of the Thyroid, Breast, Lung, Stomach, Colon, Esophagus, Small Intestine, Pancreas, Bile Ducts, Gall Bladder, Liver, Kidney, Urinary Bladder, Brain, and Ovary.
The Science & History
Why are certain dates more significant for Downwinders?
Eligibility is tied to specific operations at the Nevada Test Site. Periods like Operation Plumbbob (1957) and Operation Dominic II (1962) are critical because the rush to beat international political deadlines resulted in condensed, high-intensity fallout releases.
What was the "1958 Moratorium"?
A voluntary "Gentleman's Agreement" between the U.S. and USSR. The pressure to test before the pause (Operation Hardtack II) and the "catch-up" testing in 1962 often led to testing in poor weather conditions, which maximized unplanned fallout in downwind communities.
How did fallout enter the food chain?
Through the "Milk Pathway." Radioactive isotopes like Strontium-90 fell on grass consumed by livestock. The radiation was then passed into the local milk supply and absorbed into the developing bones and thyroids of children.
Claim Assistance
What makes a Downwinder claim difficult?
Proving residency from decades ago is the primary challenge. Many records from the 50s and 60s were never digitized, are missing, or are incomplete. Success depends on precise medical coding and verifiable proof of residence during the exact testing windows.
What does RECA.help do?
We assist claimants with the "heavy lifting" of documentation—locating and organizing proof of residency and medical records that meet federal requirements, specifically for difficult cases where records are scarce.
Are you a law firm?
No. RECA.help is a consultancy resource. We do not provide legal representation. Our focus is strictly on documentation support and navigating the administrative hurdles of the application.
Do I need a consultant to file?
No. You can file on your own using free government resources. Assistance is simply an option for those who find the documentation process overwhelming or have complex residency histories.