Ohio Uranium plant shut in 1989; $4.4 bn cleanup transformed site into green preserve
The Fernald uranium plant in Ohio stopped production in 1989 after nearly four decades of operations. A $4.4 billion environmental cleanup followed, involving radioactive waste, contaminated soil and groundwater. The 1,050-acre site was eventually transformed into the Fernald Preserve, with restored wetlands, prairie and forest. A Visitors Center now documents the site’s history and cleanup.