PIKETON, Ohio — Residents across southern Ohio gathered on Wednesday to protest the impending sale of Zahn’s Corner Middle School in Piketon. The school, which was permanently shut down in 2019 due to radioactive contamination, is now slated for auction, sparking outrage and controversy.
Zahn’s Corner Middle School was closed after radioactive isotopes of enriched uranium were discovered inside the building. Dr. Michael Ketterer, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Arizona University, published a comprehensive 155-page report detailing the contamination. Despite these findings, the United States Department of Energy publicly refuted the report, claiming the school was safe.
The Scioto Valley Local School District’s Board of Education voted to quarantine the school after radioactive material was detected in an air monitor stationed at the site. Students were subsequently relocated to other buildings within the district. Superintendent Wes Hairston emphasized the priority of constructing a new middle school, stating, “Any level of contamination on or near a school increases health risks and is unacceptable. Our students and staff deserve a safe place to learn.”
The environmental group Piketon/Portsmouth Residents for Environmental Safety and Security (PRESS) released a statement expressing deep concern over the decision to sell Zahn’s Corner Middle School to the general public without proper decontamination. Vina Colley, President and founder of PRESS, called on the Scioto Local School Board to immediately halt the sale of the building and its contents until thorough decontamination has been completed.
In response to the community’s reaction, the Scioto Local School District released a statement saying, in part, “Since its closing, Zahn’s Corner Middle School has required significant and ongoing maintenance, including utilities, insurance, groundskeeping, and HVAC upkeep; the costs of which are a significant financial liability for the Board of Education, which is a small, rural, public district with limited means. Maintaining an unoccupied building has impacted the ability of the Board of Education to provide the necessary programs and opportunities for its students. As a result, the Board of Education has determined to sell the Zahn’s Corner Middle School property.”
The school is being sold “As-Is,” according to the district and the auction company handling the sale.
The sale of the school comes in the midst of renewed controversy surrounding the legacy of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. On Monday, The Guardian reported a new scientific study that revealed plants located near the uranium enrichment facility are radioactive.
The recent independent investigation has confirmed the significant presence of neptunium-237, a highly radioactive man-made element, in plants growing near the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP).
In a study spearheaded by Dr. Michael Ketterer and the environmental advocacy group PRESS, alarming levels of radioactive contamination have been found in the environment surrounding the former PGDP site. The findings, detailed in a newly obtained report, paint a disturbing picture. Neptunium-237, a byproduct of uranium enrichment with a half-life of 2.1 million years, has infiltrated the area, potentially exposing residents to long-term health risks.
These findings come at a time of heightened community anxiety surrounding the atomic plant’s environmental legacy.
Dr. Ketterer’s report, with the help of local environmental groups, adds a crucial piece to the puzzle, highlighting the ongoing environmental contamination and the potential health risks posed to residents. The report underscores the need for immediate and comprehensive action. Additional research is crucial to understand the long-term behavior of neptunium and other transuranic elements (elements heavier than uranium) in the environment, particularly their transfer from soil to plants.
Another round of protests is scheduled for July 24, coinciding with the open house for Zahn’s Corner Middle School.
