In 1976, Jefferson County public health director Dr. Carl Johnson and two U.S. Geological Survey scientists reported plutonium concentrations in respirable surface dust downwind of Rocky Flats as high as 380 times their measured background. Published in Science, their research questioned whether measuring plutonium in whole soil adequately captured the potential hazard from fine particles capable of becoming airborne and being inhaled.

A new University of Southern California-led study found higher self-reported rates of autoimmune and endocrine conditions among participants living closer to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. The findings raise an important question for Colorado: Could similar research help identify health patterns among communities surrounding Rocky Flats?

Rocky Flats Downwinders has created a new resource to help community members discuss their environmental exposure history with their doctors. The Environmental Exposure Letter for Primary Care Providers is designed for people who lived, worked, or attended school near the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant. The one-page letter gives healthcare providers a concise overview of Rocky Flats’ operating history, materials associated with the facility, potential long-term heal