User:Patameno/Patty Ameno

Patty is the environmental activist who spearheaded a 14-year lawsuit for wrongful death, personal injury and property damage from the operations of two former nuclear fuel plants in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.

The owners, Babcock & Wilcox and the Atlantic Richfield Co. settled with over 300 plaintiffs for more than $80 million in 2009. The companies and their predecessor, the Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corp. (NUMEC) operated two plants in Apollo and Parks from 1957-86, producing nuclear fuel to power submarines and nuclear reactors and other nuclear products.

Ameno grew up across the street from the plant in Apollo and saw first-hand the problems that residents and workers faced.

Ameno fought for, and won, special status from the federal government to compensate former employees who became ill from working in those plants. Former NUMEC workers have since received more than $28 million from the government and still counting.

Ameno grew up across the street from the Apollo plant with her parents operating a deli frequented by the workers. Her father, the late John Ameno asked her questions and made her promise to look into the plant across the street.

"If I hadn't screamed at those meetings or called attorneys, we'd still sitting here doing nothing," said the 57-year-old Ameno.

Ameno's activism has been colorful, from getting arrested in September 1993 for disrupting a public meeting on the Apollo nuclear fuels plant to clogging up U.S. Rep. John Murtha's fax machines — at several locations, including his Washington, D.C. office — for a "fax-a-thon" demanding help for area former nuke workers who became ill several years ago.

Patty has received honors and recognition from the State of Pennsylvania, U.S. Senate, and The Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP).

Patty continues to fight for her community's health and safety.