Documenting Downwinder Residences through Archival Collections
Idaho Downwinders are utilizing old phone books and directories at the University of Idaho Library to prove residence and claim compensation.
The University of Idaho Library's Special Collections and Archives has experienced a significant increase in patrons seeking information from the Idaho Telephone and Business Directories collection. These patrons, known as "Downwinders," are individuals who lived near nuclear test sites in the mid-20th century and developed cancer as a result.
Their inquiries are related to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), which was first enacted by Congress in 1990 to provide financial compensation to individuals who developed specific cancers and other serious illnesses following exposure to radiation during Cold War-era nuclear testing.
RECA was reauthorized and expanded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, prompting the increase in inquiries.
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) provides financial compensation to individuals who developed specific cancers and other serious illnesses following exposure to radiation during Cold War-era nuclear testing.
Author's summary: Downwinders use archival collections to claim compensation.
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