1. The History: The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Constructed in 1952, the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) was a massive federal facility built to enrich uranium for the United States' growing nuclear weapons stockpile, and later for commercial nuclear reactors. For decades, it was the only operating uranium enrichment facility in the country.
While the plant provided thousands of jobs, it also produced immense amounts of radioactive material and hazardous chemicals. Over time, significant contamination spread beyond the plant's security fences. Radioactive isotopes (like technetium-99 and uranium) and toxic industrial solvents (like TCE) leached into the groundwater, contaminating residential wells, local creeks, and soil throughout surrounding communities in McCracken County.
2. Eligible ZIP Codes in McCracken County
The geographic footprint for Kentucky's RECA eligibility is highly concentrated around the plant and its affected watersheds. To qualify, you must prove you lived, worked, or attended school for at least 24 months (cumulatively or consecutively) anytime after January 1, 1949, in one of the following ZIP codes:
- 42001 (Paducah)
- 42003 (Paducah / Lone Oak area)
- 42086 (West Paducah)
Note: Because the plant wasn't built until 1952, you might wonder why the eligibility date starts in 1949. The 1949 start date is a universal legal baseline set by Congress for all Manhattan Project Waste areas, ensuring no early site preparation or testing exposures are accidentally excluded.
3. Proving Your Physical Presence
Because the Department of Justice requires official documentation to prove your 24 months of physical presence, you will need to gather contemporaneous records. Here are the most effective ways for Paducah-area residents to build their claims:
| Type of Record | Where to Find It in Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Tax & Property Records | McCracken County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) records, local property tax receipts, or deeds establishing home ownership in the eligible ZIP codes. |
| School Transcripts | Official transcripts or attendance records from McCracken County Public Schools, Paducah Public Schools, or local private academies (e.g., St. Mary). Yearbooks can support a claim but are usually not sufficient on their own without a formal transcript. |
| Employment Records | W-2s, pay stubs, or state unemployment records from businesses located within the 42001, 42003, or 42086 ZIP codes. (Again, this can be from any local business, not just the PGDP). |
| Medical & Utility Bills | Contemporaneous medical records from local clinics, or utility bills (water, electric) sent to a residential address within the coverage area during the qualifying time period. |
If you are struggling to find decades-old documents, the McCracken County Public Library maintains extensive local history and genealogy archives, including old city directories and phone books, which the DOJ often accepts as secondary proof of residency.
4. Medical Requirements
In addition to proving your presence in Paducah, you must have a certified medical diagnosis of a qualifying radiation-linked illness (such as specific primary cancers, leukemia, or multiple myeloma) that occurred after your period of exposure. If you meet both the geographic and medical requirements, you can file a claim for the $50,000 lump sum or medical reimbursement.