"Environmental Radiation Protection Standards
for Nuclear Power Operations"
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
of Proposed Rulemaking
About the Standards
EPA issued Environmental Radiation Protection
Standards for Nuclear Power Operations in 1977 [42
FR 2860, Vol. 42, No. 9, January 13, 1977.]. The
standards limit the radiation releases and doses to the
public from the normal operations of nuclear power
plants and other uranium fuel cycle facilities—the
facilities involved in the manufacture and use of
uranium fuel for generating electrical power.
Should the Standards Be Revised?
Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for
Nuclear Power Operations are protective of human
health and the environment, but scientific
understanding of radiation risk and dose to human
health has advanced since 1977, and new nuclear
technologies and operational practices have emerged.
A number of specific developments have led EPA to
consider whether to revise these standards—
• Improved Dose and Risk Methods: EPA wants
to ensure that its standards are based on up-to-
date science. Advances in radiation dose and risk
methodologies since 1977 have led to a better
understanding of the health risks from ionizing
radiation in general, as well as from specific
radioactive elements. Improved calculational tools
have also become available.
• Renewed Interest in Nuclear Power: Growing
concern about greenhouse gas emissions from fossil
fuels could lead to renewed interest in nuclear
power. The nuclear industry anticipates demand
for construction of new nuclear power plants in the
next 10 to 30 years.
The Rulemaking Process—from Laws
to Environmental Standards
An environmental law is enacted when Congress
passes a bill and the President signs it. Specific
bills make EPA responsible for writing regulations
which specify what must be done to obey the law.
Many environmental regulations set standards that
limit the amount of a hazardous material that can be
discharged into the environment.
After an environmental law is enacted, EPA
conducts a scientific analysis of the issues and, if
necessary, proposes new or revised regulations in
a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The proposal is
listed in the Federal Register so that members of
the public can consider it and send their comments
to the Agency. EPA will consider comments
received as it finalizes the regulations. The
comments and EPAs response to them become
part of the public record.
Final regulations are published in the Federal
Register as a Final Rule, and added to the Code of
Federal Regulations.
Why is EPA issuing this Advance
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking?
EPA is taking the optional rulemaking step of
issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (ANPR) to start a public discussion
about whether to revise the Environmental
Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear
Power Operations. We want input from affected
stakeholders and the public on a number of specific
issues. After reviewing the responses received, EPA
may propose revised radiation protection standards
or leave the existing ones in place. Any revisions
to the standards would be published in the Federal
Register in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6608J)
EPA 402-F-12-001 | September 2013
www.epa. gov/radiation/laws/190
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• New Nuclear Technologies: Some emerging nuclear
technologies that are not explicitly mentioned in the
standards could become available for commercial
generation of electricity within 10 to 30 years. EPA is
considering whether to include these technologies in a
revised regulation to ensure that its radiation protection
standards appropriately cover potentially viable
commercial nuclear power facilities.
• On-site storage of spent nuclear fuel: Highly
radioactive spent nuclear fuel is currently stored at
nuclear power plants in pools or specially designed
storage casks until a long-term disposal solution is
available. The current regulations apply to all aspects of
the uranium fuel cycle, which includes storage of spent
nuclear fuel. EPA is considering clarifying the coverage
of such storage facilities in revisions to this regulation.
• Groundwater contamination: EPA is re-examining
whether additional water protection provisions are
needed to safeguard the public and the environment.
Radioactive elements from nuclear power plants and
fuel facilities have leaked or spilled into groundwater in
recent years. EPA is considering whether to supplement
existing ground and surface water protections to address
the specific types of contamination that could come
from the uranium fuel cycle facilities.
EPA and Nuclear Power Operations
EPA's mission is to protect human health and the
environment. The Agency sets generally applicable
environmental standards that limit the amount of
radioactivity that can be released into the environment.
EPA does not oversee the daily operations of nuclear
power plants or nuclear fuel facilities. The Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) has regulatory
responsibility for licensing and oversight of nuclear
power plants and other commercial facilities that use
radioactive materials. NRC implements EPA standards
at applicable facilities.
How You Can Participate—
The public will have 120 days to submit comments
on this Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
starting the day of its publication in the Federal
Register. You will be welcome to submit written
comments on this ANPR by email or regular mail.
Detailed Instructions for submission of comments
are in the ANPR, which you can download at:
www.epa.gov/radiation/laws/190/
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6608J)
EPA 402-F-12-001 | September 2013
www.epa. gov/radiation/laws/190
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