Metro East Communities, Including Granite City, Again Excluded from
Federal Radiation Compensation Program

GraniteCityGossip.com, July 14, 2025

Residents of Granite City, Madison, and Venice were left out once again in the latest expansion of a federal compensation fund aimed at helping people suffering from radiation-related illnesses tied to the Manhattan Project era.

Congress recently passed legislation expanding the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include 21 ZIP codes in Missouri, including areas surrounding Coldwater Creek and former nuclear waste sites. However, neighboring Metro East communities in Illinois, specifically ZIP codes 62040 (Granite City) and 62060 (Venice and Madison), were not included—despite decades of proximity to radioactive materials, cancer clusters, and contamination dating back to the mid-20th century.

Illinois lawmakers and advocates have been fighting for recognition for years. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield) voiced frustration, saying, “I think there are others that were left behind.” Local activists like former uranium worker Larry Burgan echoed the concern: “This small group of people here in Venice and Madison in Illinois have been left out once again.”

Though cleanup at key sites wasn’t completed until 2007, hundreds of residents continue reporting long-term health effects. Advocates argue the exclusion ignores a documented environmental hazard and undermines fair access to federal aid.

Budzinski is currently working with bipartisan colleagues to identify new legislative pathways to bring inclusion to Metro East communities in future compensation efforts.