An Ohio woman alleged that uranium enrichment operations were the cause of her daughter's death, according to WCMH.   

What's happening?

Cheyenne Dunham died in 2015 due to health issues stemming from GATA2 deficiency. Her mother, Julia, blamed the genetic disorder on exposure to refined uranium from the nearby Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, which had closed in 2001.

She has taken her case against the plant owner, Centrus Energy, to court and is seeking monetary damages for emotional distress, hospital bills, and funeral costs. 

"Cheyenne Dunham, from birth until she was a teenager, regularly consumed food grown in a garden within close proximity to [the Portsmouth site], including corn, tomatoes and beans," the legal complaint read. 

The Dunhams weren't alone, either. Julia has also joined a class-action lawsuit against Centrus after the local middle school was shut down suddenly after the discovery of enriched uranium on the premises. 

One study showed that the community had cancer rates three times higher than those of other Ohio populations. 

Why is uranium important?

Nuclear energy is an important part of America's bid for greater energy independence. As a low-carbon alternative to gas and coal energy, there's an environmental argument to be made for its adoption. 

However, like mining for other critical minerals, including lithium, copper, and nickel, there is localized pollution to manage with uranium. This is exacerbated by the challenges of handling nuclear energy waste after its useful life. Inadequate protection and oversight of such processing can cause unneeded harm to those living nearby and cast a pall on sustainable energy solutions.   

Switching to solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear power can displace dirtier forms of power, reduce pollution, and stabilize growingly destructive weather patterns. 

What's being done about nuclear power?

Centrus is engaging in a major retrofit to address the health dangers of its operation. It intends to resume production once the renovations are complete in 2029. 

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