1. The History: The "Secret City"
Built completely from scratch by the federal government in 1942, Oak Ridge was established explicitly for the Manhattan Project. At its peak, this "Secret City" housed 75,000 workers who operated massive, covert facilities—specifically the Y-12, K-25, and X-10 plants—to enrich the uranium used in the world's first atomic weapons.
Decades of intense uranium enrichment, weapons manufacturing, and scientific research resulted in radioactive materials and heavy metals leaching into the local environment. Contaminants spread beyond the federal reservation boundaries into the air, soil, and local watersheds, including the Clinch River and White Oak Creek, affecting surrounding civilian communities in Anderson, Roane, and neighboring counties.
2. Eligible ZIP Codes in East Tennessee
The geographic footprint for Tennessee's RECA eligibility covers 14 specific ZIP codes surrounding the Oak Ridge reservation. 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 any of the following ZIP codes:
- 37710
- 37716
- 37719
- 37748
- 37763
- 37769
- 37828
- 37829
- 37830
- 37831
- 37840
- 37845
- 37854
- 37887
3. Proving Your Physical Presence
The Department of Justice requires official, contemporaneous documentation to prove your 24 months of physical presence. Because Oak Ridge originated as a federally managed town, your path to finding documents might look different than in a standard city:
| Type of Record | Where to Find It in Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Housing & Tax Records | Anderson or Roane County property tax receipts, local deeds, or early federal housing assignment records if your family resided in government-owned Oak Ridge housing during the early post-war years. |
| School Transcripts | Official transcripts or attendance records from Oak Ridge Schools, Roane County Schools, Anderson County Schools, or local private academies located within the eligible ZIP codes. |
| Employment Records | W-2s, pay stubs, or state unemployment records. (Note: You can submit employment records from any local business within the 14 ZIP codes, not just the Department of Energy or its contractors). |
| Federal Badges & Clearances | If you or your family members *were* civilian contractors, Department of Energy (DOE) security badges, dosimetry logs, or clearance paperwork can also establish physical presence in the area. |
If you are struggling to locate historical documents, the Oak Ridge Public Library and the Oak Ridge History Museum maintain extensive local archives, including historic city directories and phone books, which the DOJ often accepts as secondary proof of residency.
4. Medical Requirements
In addition to proving your geographic presence, 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 seek full reimbursement for related out-of-pocket medical expenses.