PIKETON, Ohio — In a recent announcement, Vanguard Ministries stated it will hold its first church service at the former Zahn’s Corner Middle School in Piketon in February, a building long known for its reported radioactive contamination. The church’s acquisition of the property, finalized over the summer, has sparked significant public outcry and raised questions about the intersection of faith, public health, and the nuclear industry in this small Ohio village.
The sale was initially reported by the Guardian and quickly became a flashpoint in the local community. During a live-streamed service following the purchase, Pastor Wayne Conley and Assistant Pastor John Howard addressed the growing controversy, attempting to reassure the congregation that the contamination levels at the former school site were within what they considered “acceptable” limits. The church leaders, both with ties to the local nuclear industry, also conveyed their belief that the purchase was divinely inspired and aligned with their vision for a new Christian charter school focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
However, their explanation failed to quell the concerns of many residents and health experts who point to a long history of radioactive contamination in the area, particularly surrounding the nearby Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS), which has been a focal point for the community’s health struggles for decades.
Radioactive School Becomes Radioactive Church
Vanguard Ministries is led by Wayne and Jan Conley, with several members of the church’s leadership directly involved in current cleanup operations at the nearby Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) or employed by contractors working at the site.
Several members of Vanguard are employed by WAI, a firm with a history of contracts with the Department of Energy. In 2019, WAI’s owner and CEO, Steve Moore, awarded Vanguard Ministries a $25,780 grant through his private foundation for their food pantry program and new building fund.
The Legacy of Contamination at Zahn’s Corner
Zahn’s Corner Middle School was closed in 2019 by the local school board, citing concerns about radioactive contamination. The board noted that “the health and safety of staff and students is of paramount importance” and moved students to other district buildings. Yet, even after the closure, questions remain about the extent of the contamination and the ongoing health risks for those who live and work near the site.
Joseph J. Mangano, MPH, MBA, of the Radiation and Public Health Project, highlighted in a recent op-ed, “For half a century, Portsmouth enriched uranium for nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors. The enrichment process generated harmful radioactive chemicals, some of which were released into local air, water, and soil, and ingested by humans.” He pointed to rising cancer rates in the region, with Pike County experiencing the highest rate of diagnosed cancer cases in Ohio between 2015 and 2019.
Experts are also concerned about the continuing presence of radioactive elements in the area. In 2017, air monitoring stations detected trace amounts of radioactive neptunium-237 and americium-241 near Zahn’s Corner.
Health and Safety Concerns Persist
Local residents have long connected their health issues to the contamination from the nearby nuclear facility. In recent years, multiple cases of childhood cancer have been reported in the Piketon area, and tragically, several of the affected children have died. These statistics have made residents particularly sensitive to any activities involving the site. In 2023, local health authorities even advised against consuming produce grown within a six-mile radius of the plant after soil samples from Piketon and surrounding areas tested positive for radioactive isotopes.
Despite these documented reports of contamination, Vanguard Ministries maintains that the contamination levels at Zahn’s Corner Middle School are safe and below any health risk levels. However, critics argue that this new religious facility might be putting not only the congregation at risk but also the broader community.
The church’s leadership has expressed their commitment to renovating the facility and offering educational opportunities for local children. Yet, as the church prepares for its first service at the shuttered school next week, the broader public continues to raise questions: Is this a reckless decision that could jeopardize the health of the community, or is this the fulfillment of a divinely inspired vision?
A Divinely Inspired Vision or a Controversial Move?
As Vanguard Ministries embarks on this new chapter, the controversy surrounding their purchase of the school remains unresolved. The potential for a Christian STEM charter school at the site, though well-meaning, may be overshadowed by the environmental legacy of the plant and the church’s connections to the nuclear industry.