Ohio Atomic Press is a radical new force in investigative journalism.
We expose the stories the powerful bury — from nuclear negligence and environmental crimes to government corruption, political cover-ups, and corporate greed. Rooted in Ohio but watching everywhere, we shine light on the systems poisoning our communities, silencing dissent, and selling out the public for profit.
Built on grit, truth, and unapologetic reporting, we hold the line where mainstream media flinches. Whether it’s the toxic legacy of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant or the quiet expansion of surveillance, deregulation, and environmental collapse, we dig deeper, hit harder, and speak louder.
PIKETON, Ohio — Centrus Energy is quietly operating the most sensitive uranium enrichment project in the country, producing nuclear fuel just shy of weapons-grade at its Piketon facility. But beneath the banner of energy innovation lies a veil of secrecy—one that’s become nearly impenetrable.
LUCKEY, Ohio — A recent 105-page laboratory report analyzing groundwater samples from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Luckey Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) site has confirmed what residents feared and regulators continue to downplay: uranium is still showing up in drinking water.
PIKETON, Ohio — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Ohio EPA, and Ohio Department of Health released their latest update this week on the ongoing cleanup of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant—but beneath the bureaucratic talking points lies a toxic truth: the site remains one of Ohio’s most contaminated, and most dangerous, nuclear legacies.
Introduction: A License to Pollute? The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stands poised to approve a significant license amendment for American Centrifuge Operating, LLC (ACO). This amendment, outlined in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the American Centrifuge Plant (ACP) in Piketon, Ohio, would extend the High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) demonstration cascade operation until June 30, 2034, and substantially increase its uranium hexafluoride (UF6) possession limit. The EA, issued by the NRC's Environmental Center of Expertise, concludes with a "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI), asserting that the proposed action would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment. This conclusion is based on the premise that the project involves no new construction, no increase in production rates, and its impacts are merely an extension of "previously assessed impacts".
VINCENT, Ohio — Local residents and environmental advocates will gather Tuesday, July 15, at Warren High School for a public meeting to discuss the growing concerns over oil and gas waste injection wells in Washington County.
Ohio, a state once defined by its heartland charm, now finds itself at the epicenter of an environmental crisis, scarred by the relentless march of hydraulic fracturing. This industrial behemoth, while promising energy independence, has unleashed a torrent of toxic wastewater, primarily brine, into our very bedrock via Class II injection wells. Proponents trumpet economic gains, but the escalating concerns for our environment and public health are a chilling counter-narrative. This report is a deep dive into Ohio's fracking nightmare: the failing injection wells, the insidious creep of radioactive waste, the poisoning of our most vital resource—water—and the shocking betrayal of our cherished state parks. This is not a theoretical debate; it's a documented catastrophe, laid bare with the latest data and undeniable truths.
DEFIANCE, Ohio — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public meeting and hearing on July 17 to discuss a wastewater discharge permit application submitted by First Quality Tissue. The event will begin at 6 p.m. at the City of Defiance Council Chambers, located at 631 Perry Street.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the first time since 2022, Ohio’s farm count fell sharply, underscoring renewed consolidation in the state’s agricultural landscape, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.Ohio’s total farms dropped from 75,800 in 2023 to 74,000 in 2024, a decline of 1,800 operations (2.4%). Over the same period, total farmland contracted by 200,000 acres to 13.5 million acres, even as the average farm size grew by one acre to 182.
Our lead investigative journalist was the first to uncover the bombshell story about Anduril Industries' billion-dollar plan to build a next-gen weapons facility in the heart of central Ohio. Dive into his relentless reporting that peels back the curtain on the powerful forces driving this push to turn Ohio into America's new epicenter for advanced warfare.
Since 2018, Anduril Industries—a rapidly growing defense tech firm backed by billionaire Peter Thiel and founded by Palmer Luckey—has landed 16 contracts from the Department of Homeland Security worth over $550 million. The goal? To blanket the U.S.-Mexico border with autonomous surveillance towers, AI-powered drones, and military-grade interceptor systems. What started as a modest border security pilot project has morphed into a full-blown, algorithm-driven enforcement machine.
Anduril Industries, a prominent defense tech firm, publicly announced, earlier this year, its plan to build Arsenal-1, a five-million-square-foot advanced weapons manufacturing facility in Pickaway County, Ohio, near Rickenbacker International Airport. This initiative, originally and secretly codenamed "Project Thor," has been promoted by Governor Mike DeWine as the biggest job-creation and payroll project in the state’s history. They’re promising 4,000 direct jobs by 2035, 4,500 more indirectly, a $1 billion boost to Ohio’s GDP, and $2 billion in annual economic output. Anduril claims Arsenal-1 will "rebuild the arsenal" of U.S. military might by "hyperscaling" production of autonomous systems and weaponry, like advanced drones.
The New Architects of Conflict
Anduril Industries’ latest expansion near the Mississippi Solid Rocket Complex is drawing harsh criticism from community activists and arms control advocates who say the move accelerates a dangerous militarization of domestic industry.
DUBLIN, Ireland — Anduril Industries, the defense startup synonymous with AI-driven warfare, has announced its acquisition of Irish IT firm Klas. The move, framed as an expansion of Anduril’s tactical computing capabilities, signals deeper entrenchment of autonomous defense operations—but critics warn of unchecked corporate control over military decision-making.
Defense technology startup Anduril Industries has just raised an eye-popping $2.5 billion in its Series G funding round, catapulting its valuation to an astounding $30.5 billion. This fresh infusion of capital—more than doubling its previous valuation of around $14 billion—has positioned the company as a formidable force in modern defense tech and military innovation.
At Ohio Atomic Press, we are driven to expose the harsh realities of Ohio’s nuclear industry and its devastating legacy. Our team of writers, historians, scientists, and activists is committed to uncovering the secrets, lies, and consequences hidden behind the atomic curtain. From the radioactive scars of past events to the dangerous ambitions of modern nuclear plans, we reveal how Ohio has been exploited as a proving ground for the atomic age. Our mission is clear: to shine a light on the contamination, corruption, and risks caused by Ohio's Atomic Energy sector so that future generations are spared from the fallout of this toxic industry.
Jason Salley is an investigative journalist known for his hard-hitting reporting on environmental contamination and government oversight. With a focus on uncovering the hidden truths of Appalachia, his work has exposed decades of radioactive pollution and corporate negligence at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Salley’s fearless storytelling and relentless pursuit of the facts have made him a powerful voice for the communities impacted by America’s nuclear legacy.
