Plutonium Contamination in Acid Canyon Sparks Outrage

Recent research has uncovered alarming levels of radioactive plutonium in New Mexico's Acid Canyon, a popular hiking and biking trail near Los Alamos, the birthplace of the atomic bomb. Despite being deemed 'sufficiently free of contamination' after decontamination efforts in the 1960s and 1980s, the area still harbors 'extreme concentrations' of plutonium, comparable to the Chernobyl disaster site. Michael Ketterer, a Northern Arizona University scientist, led the study and highlighted the hidden dangers, noting the potential for contamination of water supplies and the food chain. While the US Department of Energy maintains that current radiation levels are within safe exposure limits, public health advocates are calling for warning signs and further action. The federal government's recent decision to increase plutonium pit production at Los Alamos has fueled local outrage due to health risks and exclusion from federal benefits.