St. Louis RECA Act Expands Radiation Compensation to ZIP Codes 63106 and 63107, Retroactive to 2021

The newly introduced St. Louis RECA Readjustment Act is a short, targeted piece of legislation designed to expand who qualifies for federal compensation related to historical radiation exposure from Manhattan Project waste. Essentially, this bill updates the existing Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) by adding two specific St. Louis ZIP codes—63106 and 63107—to the list of areas eligible for claims. If you live or lived in these areas and meet the other health criteria under RECA, you are now potentially eligible for compensation.

The Fine Print: Correcting the Map

For years, residents dealing with the health fallout from Manhattan Project waste—material often dumped improperly around the St. Louis area decades ago—have fought for recognition and aid. This bill fixes a geographical gap in the current law. By adding ZIP codes 63106 and 63107, it acknowledges that people in those specific neighborhoods were also exposed. This isn’t a new program; it’s just opening the door to people who were previously excluded due to an arbitrary line on a map.

What “Retroactive” Really Means for Your Wallet

The bill specifies that this expansion is applied “as if it were part of Public Law 11921,” which means the eligibility change is retroactive to the date that law was enacted. Why does this matter? If you or a family member in those ZIP codes developed a qualifying illness, this change means you can file a claim now, even if the diagnosis occurred before this new bill was introduced. This is a huge win for residents who have been waiting, potentially for years, for their claims to be considered valid under federal law.

Who Benefits from the Change?

This legislation directly benefits residents and former residents of ZIP codes 63106 and 63107 who meet the health criteria for radiation exposure under RECA. For example, if you lived in one of these areas during the period of exposure and developed a specific type of cancer or other qualifying disease, you can now pursue compensation for medical costs and other damages. This provides a pathway to financial and medical relief for individuals and families who have been carrying the burden of historical environmental contamination on their own. While this will increase the total payouts from the federal government, the intent is clearly to provide long-overdue justice to a population affected by government activity.