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Jul. 29, 1976
July 29, 1976

Fund established for Fermi cleanup personnel


President Rockefeller signed a bill into law today establishing a fund for workers injured as a result of the Fermi cleanup. Nearly ten years after the accident, there have been thousands of claims made by site liquidators. [1] The fund sets aside several hundred million dollars for the soldiers, construction workers, firefighters, scientists, and engineers who worked at the Fermi site between 1966 and 1970, when the site was most active. In order to be eligible for compensation, personnel must have been present at the Fermi site for at least one month.

Individuals involved in the cleanup of the Fermi site have reported a variety of health problems, especially cancer. [2] Despite the precautions taken to minimize radiation exposure at the Fermi site, many cleanup workers report serious health problems. Some skeptics, however, suggest that not all of the claimants’ health problems can be directly tied to radiation exposure. [3]


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