Trump Administration Proposes Changes to Radiation Safety Standards

The Trump administration aims to revise a radiation safety principle that has guided radioactive material use for decades. Currently, the principle requires minimizing radiation exposure to the lowest feasible level, even if it is already within legal safety boundaries.

On July 15, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a proposed change in the Federal Register. The proposal seeks to replace the “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) principle with a “graded approach.” According to the NRC, this new approach aims to reduce any ambiguity in the current system.

ALARA mandates that facilities like nuclear power plants, hospitals, universities, and research institutions using radioactive materials must keep radiation exposure not only below legal limits but also as low as reasonably practical. The introduced changes, the NRC claims, could facilitate faster actions for companies developing smaller reactors. The changes would not alter the exposure standards for workers or the public.

Critics have raised concerns, questioning whether the removal of ALARA could lead to increased permissible radiation levels in specific circumstances.

The proposed change is open for public comment until August 31.

This story is developing and will receive updates as more information becomes available.