Release of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium HIA about the 1945 Trinity Test, in Socorro

The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium (TBDC) cordially invites you to join us in the release of our Health Impact Assessment (HIA) report that addresses the physical, mental, generational, and economic health impacts of the July 16, 1945 atomic bomb test at the Trinity Site in south central New Mexico.  The people exposed to the radiation have been the unknowing, unwilling, and uncompensated “collateral damage” of the test that ushered in the Nuclear Age.

Please join us at one or more of the three HIA release events where a light meal will be served:

1. Friday, February 10^th at 6 pm at the Tularosa Town Hall;
2. Saturday, February 11^th in Socorro at noon, at a location to be determined; and
3. Wednesday, February 15^th at 6 pm at the Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center, 202 Harvard, S.E., Albuquerque.

The purpose of the HIA is to analyze the short-term and long-term health impacts of the Trinity Test in Otero, Lincoln, Socorro and Sierra Counties and consider the ways that the passage of amendments to the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include the Trinity Downwinders – and others – may affect the health of the individuals and communities in the Tularosa Basin.  The three primary health determinants that are examined are the lack of access to healthcare; economic impact(s) to patients and families; and generational trauma. The TBDC compiled data from focus groups, literature reviews, and approximately 800 health surveys collected over the years from individuals and families living downwind and downstream of the test. The HIA presents evidence of community frustration, fear, and health conditions that warrant further health studies in Otero, Lincoln, Sierra, and Socorro counties, as well as coverage under RECA. Based on the findings, the TBDC urges the U.S. Government to issue an apology and award reparations to individuals and their families who have suffered as a result of radiation exposures from the Trinity Test.

The New Mexico Health Equity Partnership an initiative at the Santa Fe Community Foundation funded the HIA, which included a two-day training and technical assistance throughout the process.