Standing up for our communities, again. Public Comments Open on Sweeping Nuclear Regulatory Changes

Tell the NRC: Continue Protecting Communities, Public Health, and Meaningful Oversight

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Standing up for our communities, again. Public Comments Open July 15 on Sweeping Nuclear Regulatory Changes

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing major regulatory changes as part of Executive Order 14300. This order directs the agency in charge of protecting communities from radiation exposure to revise and streamline nuclear regulations. These changes will reshape how nuclear reactors, fuel manufacturing facilities, radioactive waste projects, and other nuclear activities are licensed and regulated. 

A Brief Background

On July 15, 2026, the NRC published proposed rules that would revise the NRC’s radiation protection framework that could lead to more communities being exposed to more radiation in their lifetime. In particular, the NRC is reconsidering its use of the linear no-threshold (LNT) model for radiation exposure and the “as low as reasonably achievable” standard. The LNT model holds that there is no threshold at which radiation is safe. The LNT model correctly assumes that any radiation exposure increases health risk, and the “as low as reasonably achievable” (ALARA) principle requires minimizing exposure whenever possible. All of this is based on decades of research, evidence, and lived experience. In simple terms, weakening these standards could allow higher levels of radiation exposure for workers and the public. The deadline to submit these comments is 11:59 pm. ET or 9:59 pm MT on August 31, 2026.

The NRC is proposing a broad review of its radiation protection framework for the benefit of private industry. One part of that review will change radiation standards that could affect how much radiation the public and workers could be exposed to on a daily, annual, and lifetime basis. The proposed rule changes would also impact how worker and public exposure to radioactive materials at locations such as radioactive waste and nuclear energy sites are evaluated and regulated. 

 

Scientific research has consistently linked exposure to ionizing radiation with an increased risk of leukemia, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and other solid cancers. Radiation exposure has also been associated with cataracts, cardiovascular disease at higher cumulative doses, and potential impacts on fetal development during pregnancy. While the level of risk depends on the dose and duration of exposure, public health experts have long recognized that there is no known completely risk-free level of exposure to ionizing radiation.

The NRC is also proposing revisions to environmental review requirements and allowable radiation exposure rates for communities. These changes could influence how impacts to water, air quality, wildlife, emergency preparedness, and nearby communities are assessed before projects move forward.

Proposed changes to oversight and radiation exposure rates could affect how risks are evaluated and how communities prepare for accidents or radiological releases. These proposed changes could also impact how much radiation emergency responders could be exposed to. 

Proposed changes to radiation exposure standards that increase the allowable annual rate of exposure will have profound impacts on workers who are in close daily contact with radioactive materials. These include, but are not limited to, uranium miners, uranium ore truckers, as well workers at uranium mills, nuclear fuel production facilities, nuclear reactors, and waste facilities. 

The Utah Connection

A key point that is missing from the current push for rapid nuclear expansion is an acknowledgment of the human costs of choosing this path. Utah has a long history of radiation exposure from nuclear weapons testing and uranium production during the Cold War Era. Advocacy by community members who had countless friends and family members fighting cancers eventually led to the creation of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to acknowledge and compensate victims of nuclear fallout, known as Downwinders, as well as uranium workers and onsite participants. Thanks to continued research demonstrating how widespread nuclear fallout from nuclear weapons was, in 2025 RECA was expanded to include all of Utah.

Uranium Mining and Milling

Utah’s uranium industry left a legacy of occupational illness, environmental contamination, and community exposure that many families are still living with today. Thousands of uranium miners and mill workers developed serious illnesses after being exposed to radiation before adequate protections were in place, while abandoned uranium mines continue to pose risks to nearby communities and Tribal Nations to this day. As Utah expands uranium mining and milling again to supply a growing nuclear industry, more workers and communities could be exposed to radioactive materials. Weakening NRC radiation protection standards now risks repeating the mistakes of the past rather than applying the hard-earned lessons that led to the creation and expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

 

Utah is rapidly becoming a hub for nearly every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle, including reviving uranium mining, expanding milling, radioactive waste disposal, uranium enrichment, and testing of reactor projects. (Check out HEAL’s map of existing and proposed nuclear related sites here) If the NRC decreases radiation protections for our communities, it could mean that our families are at greater risk of radiation related illnesses. 

 

These proposed NRC rule changes could accelerate nuclear development while reducing opportunities for public input, weakening independent oversight, and changing how radiation risks are evaluated. Communities that could be affected by new nuclear facilities deserve transparency, strong protections, meaningful opportunities for input, robust emergency planning support, and the ability to say no to nuclear development in their communities before decisions are made. 

 

  • If the NRC weakens radiation protection standards or allows higher levels of radiation exposure to the public, families and children could face increased health risks over time.

 

  • Children are generally more vulnerable to radiation exposure because their bodies are still developing, their cells divide more rapidly, and they have a longer lifetime ahead during which radiation-related illnesses may develop. Women, girls, and the elderly are also more vulnerable.  

 

  • Scientific research has linked radiation exposure to an increased risk of cancers, including leukemia, thyroid cancer, breast cancer, and other solid tumors, as well as potential impacts on fetal development during pregnancy. While the exact risk depends on the dose and duration of exposure, public health experts have long recognized that there is no known completely risk-free level of ionizing radiation exposure. 

 

  • For communities living near nuclear facilities, waste sites, uranium operations, or areas affected by accidental releases, weakening radiation protections could increase cumulative exposure and leave future generations more vulnerable to preventable health impacts.

 

Resources:

Why You Should Care

These rulemakings could shape the future of nuclear development in Utah, across the nation, and around the world for decades. These decisions will also have impacts on the health of communities for generations.

 

These changes may affect:

  • Public health protections from radiation exposure, including for medical workers and technicians.
  • Emergency preparedness and community safety
  • Environmental review and accountability
  • Tribal sovereignty and environmental justice concerns
  • Long-term radioactive waste management
  • Transparency and public participation in decision-making
  • Taxpayer risks associated with nuclear development and cleanup with high economic costs and financial risk

 

Communities should have a voice in decisions that could affect their health, environment, and future generations.

Call To Action

Tell the NRC that public health, environmental protection, emergency preparedness, and meaningful public protections must remain at the center of nuclear regulation. The deadline to submit these comments is 11:59 pm. ET or 9:59 pm MT on August 31, 2026.

 

Ask the NRC to:

  • Maintain strong, science-based radiation protection standards for workers and the public, including preserving the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model and the ALARA (“As Low As Reasonably Achievable”) principle unless compelling independent scientific evidence demonstrates that alternative approaches provide equal or greater protection.
  • Maintain strong radiation protection standards for workers and the public founded on sound science, evidence, and lived experiences.
  • Preserve meaningful opportunities for public participation, including saying no to projects that might harm their communities.
  • Require thorough environmental reviews for proposed projects that include strong radiation protection standards.
  • Protect emergency planning requirements for communities and the allowable radiation standards.
  • Ensure independent safety oversight and public health are not weakened in the name of faster approvals.

How to Take Action

Submit a Public Comment: 

  • Beginning July 15, 2026 through August 31, 2026, review the proposed rules and submit a public comment through the federal rulemaking process. Public comment opportunities can be found through the NRC’s Documents for Comment page and Regulations.gov.
  • Please feel free to edit your comments using the draft below. Individual comments with specific stories make a much stronger case than seeing multiples of the exact same comments. Share why YOU as a Utahn, a family member, a community member, a person, are concerned about decreasing radiation protections.

 

  • How to submit comments: 
  1. Type in your comments or you can create a document and upload the file.
  2. Fill out the other information
  3. Select “Submit Comment”
  • Contact Decision Makers
  • Contact your members of Congress and ask them to support strong nuclear safety standards, transparency, and public participation.
  • Find your federal representatives: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

 

  1. Spread the Word!
    1. Share this action alert with your friends, family, coworkers, and community networks. The more voices that participate, the stronger the message that public health, environmental protection, and community safety must come before industry expediency.
Submit Your Comment Here!

Example language Directed to NRC

To the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

 

I am writing to urge the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to maintain strong radiation protection standards and reject any changes that would weaken protections for the public. The NRC’s primary responsibility is to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation, not to make it easier for the nuclear industry to expand at the expense of public health and safety. Any revisions to radiation exposure standards should be based on independent science and a precautionary approach that prioritizes protecting communities.

 

As a person concerned about the future of nuclear development, I am especially troubled by any proposals to reconsider the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model and the “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) principle. Radiation exposure has been linked to increased risks of cancer and other health impacts, particularly for children, pregnant women, workers, and communities living near nuclear facilities. Lowering protections or allowing greater public exposure could increase cumulative health risks for current and future generations.

 

In Utah, we know the consequences of radiation exposure firsthand. Decades of nuclear weapons testing and uranium production left lasting impacts on communities across the state, leading Congress to expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include all of Utah. This history demonstrates why strong oversight and protective standards remain necessary. I urge the NRC to maintain robust radiation protections, preserve meaningful public participation opportunities, require thorough environmental reviews, and ensure that public health remains the highest priority in all future rulemaking decisions.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration in protecting our families today and in the future,

 

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

(Your State/Country)

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