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FACT BRIEF

Did nuclear weapons testing in Nevada spread radiation to most of the U.S.?

By Todd Butterworth
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YES

Studies of nuclear fallout from bomb testing at the Nevada Test Site show that virtually the entire continental U.S. received radioactive iodine-131 fallout, with higher concentrations in locations as far away as Vermont.

From 1951 to 1992, the U.S. conducted more than 1,000 nuclear bomb tests in Nevada, 100 of them above ground. Weather patterns carried radioactive fallout throughout the continental U.S., mostly in low doses. Higher concentrations occurred in certain areas, such as the northern U.S., the Midwest and New England. The community of St. George, Utah, was particularly affected.

As of 2014, the federal government’s Radiation Exposure Compensation System paid nearly 30,000 claims to people whose health was affected by nuclear fallout from the bomb tests. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Google Books Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
US Department of Justice Radiation Exposure Compensation System
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
The Nevada Independent
The Nevada Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website founded in 2017 by veteran political journalist and commentator Jon Ralston. The site and its supporting channels are focused on ethical, unbiased and transparent journalism. In general, we aim to gather and disseminate important public information and increase civic engagement. We are supported by corporate donations, memberships, event ticket sales and sponsorships and foundation grants. We disclose all our members and donors. Donors have no influence over our content, ever. The Nevada Independent is the dba for Nevada News Bureau, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2010 by Elizabeth Thompson, who now serves as one of The Nevada Independent's managing directors and its Editor.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.