Is This Idaho Town Giving Its Residents Cancer?

When you move to Idaho, you probably expect beautiful scenery and seclusion from the noise of the world. The last thing you probably expect when moving into a new place is catching cancer.

Is This Idaho Town Giving Its Residents Cancer?

According to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Acquisition & Sustainment (or "OUSD A&S" which is much easier), there were "188 nuclear tests conducted between 1951 and 1958" with many of those taking place at the Las Vegas Bombing and Gunnery Range in Nevada.

These tests resulted in nuclear fallout that got carried through our skies and contaminated parts of Idaho... including a beloved Idaho town that many call home.

Nuclear Fallout In Idaho

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), nuclear fallout is filled with hundreds of radionuclides which can stay in the environment ranging from a few minutes up to thirty years.

Back in 2004, a report from the New York Times revealed that many residents in Emmett, Idaho may have been exposed to those radionuclides which might have caused an increase in cases of various types of cancer.

The 1997 report caused quite a stir when it was revealed how badly the nuclear fallout polluted the soil and even polluted the cattle that consumed the vegetation in the area.

Is It Safe To Live In Emmett?

Now, let's try and make sense of this: if bomb testing took place back in the 1950s and fallout can only last for up to thirty years, wouldn't it be safe to live in Emmett?

Maybe... but not everyone is convinced especially when there are rumors the radiation from those nuclear tests is still within the Emmett soil.

Comment
byu/Ghostt-Of-Razgriz from discussion
inIdaho

As you can see, many still believe living in Emmett will increase your chances of catching cancer.

The EPA has monitoring systems that allow you to check on the gamma levels in the area and at least to us -- normal people who aren't scientists -- it appears that everything is OK and safe.

But is it?

What do you think? Is there leftover radiation from nuclear testing in Emmett or is it all hearsay?

Share your thoughts or experiences with us here.