Nuclear regulators remove requirement to keep radiation ‘as low as is reasonably achievable’

Published July 2, 2026 4:03pm ET



The Trump administration is proposing to roll back long-standing radiation safety requirements for nuclear power plants, arguing the changes would reduce regulatory burdens and help accelerate a revival of the U.S. nuclear industry.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Thursday unveiled proposed changes to its radiation protection regulations that would eliminate the decades-old requirement to keep radiation exposure “as low as reasonably achievable,” which requires radiation levels to be minimized even when they fall below federal limits.

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