For Immediate Release

July 16, 2026

Salt Lake City — Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah) and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) are calling on Utah residents and communities across the nation to submit comments on sweeping federal regulatory changes proposed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) based on Executive Order 14300. In particular, we encourage the public to submit comments on the proposed rule changes to radiation exposures to the public and workers. These proposed rule changes could significantly impact public health, environmental protection, and our future. As our state funnels taxpayer dollars, fast tracks permits, and sets the legislative groundwork for the rapid expansion of the nuclear industry, residents need to demand accountability, stringent regulation, and reasonable limitations on these developments.

This call comes as Utah continues to position itself as a national hub for the entire nuclear fuel and waste chain. On June 18, 2026, Valar Atomics, announced the successful startup of its test microreactor demonstration in Orangeville, Utah at the taxpayer-subsidized San Rafael Energy Center. While this is being touted as a significant step toward meeting Utah’s nuclear ambitions, a test microreactor is still nowhere near commercial scale for energy consumption by the public. These initial “criticality tests” are zero-power meaning they produce no usable electricity.

This event highlights the urgent need for stronger regulatory oversight, meaningful public participation, and transparent decision-making, instead of the weakened regulation and lower level protection being proposed by the NRC and Utah’s legislature. The NRC is advancing several rulemakings that would reshape how nuclear projects are licensed,
approved, and regulated across the country. Proposed changes include new licensing pathways for so-called “advanced reactors” and “microreactors,” accelerated approval timelines, limited environmental review, reduced opportunities for public participation, and weakening radiation protection standards that will impact our communities today and in the future.

These changes are happening at the same time that Utah is pursuing virtually every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle, including restarting uranium mining, expanding uranium milling, and initiating uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication, reactor testing and deployment, reprocessing, and long-term radioactive waste disposal. The recent reduction in landscape-scale protections with lands becoming available for mineral leasing within 60 days across two Utah national monuments shows how vulnerable our land and people are to decisions made with little public input and for the benefit of private industries with questionable track records. The changes to radiation protections made by federal regulators could determine how quickly these projects move forward and how much opportunity communities living
nearby and downwind have to influence those decisions.

HEAL Utah and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment are particularly concerned about efforts to reduce public oversight while expanding an industry with a record of consistent cost and timeline overruns that have left ratepayers and taxpayers left footing the bill. Strong independent reviews, science-based health protections that take into the account the lived experiences of local residents, and meaningful public engagement are essential safeguards that communities have fought for generations.

By stripping those democratic opportunities, we see the state and federal agencies designed to protect our families choosing industry and profit over the lives of those they are meant to represent. Nuclear projects have a long history of cost overruns, construction delays, and dependence on public subsidies. At a time when Utah faces urgent energy, water, and climate challenges, committing billions of taxpayer and ratepayer dollars to technologies that may take years or decades to fully deploy is a risky gamble. Communities deserve investments that are transparent, cost-effective, and responsive to today’s needs.

Public Comment Opportunity
Beginning July 15, 2026, the NRC will open public comment on a proposed rulemaking that could significantly weaken radiation protection requirements and other regulatory standards governing nuclear facilities. The agency is also considering additional rule changes affecting reactor licensing, environmental reviews, low and high-level radioactive waste management, and public participation opportunities.

Residents can submit comments through the NRC’s public rulemaking process. The NRC routinely accepts public input through Regulations.gov and its rulemaking dockets. Public comments become part of the official record and can influence how final rules are written and implemented.

HEAL Utah encourages residents to submit comments and participate while opportunities for public engagement remain available. As state leaders continue promoting Utah as a center for nuclear development, these federal changes could compound risks to public health, water resources, environmental quality, and local decision-making.

Federal regulatory changes could:

● Shorten environmental review timelines and reduce site-specific analysis
● Limit thorough environmental reviews
● Limit public participation in licensing decisions
● Decrease radiation protection policies affecting workers and communities
● Increase the likelihood of new nuclear projects being approved in Utah

Take Action
● Submit comments on NRC proposed rule changes to radiation protections before the August 31, 2026 deadline
● Stay informed about nuclear developments in your community
● Engage local elected officials and decision-makers
● Demand transparency, accountability, and meaningful public participation in decisions that could affect Utah communities for generations

HEAL Utah – HEAL Utah has tracked nuclear and radioactive waste issues in Utah for more than 25 years, advocating for informed public participation, environmental protection, and community health. “The startup of a new test reactor does not eliminate the longstanding concerns surrounding nuclear development,” said Lexi Tuddenham. “Questions remain about radioactive waste management, emergency preparedness, public transparency, costs, long-term environmental impacts, and how communities will be protected over the life of these projects. NRC standards on radiation protection should be strengthened to update current science and protect workers and the public- not eroded–to do so will only undermine public confidence in an industry that has often failed on its promise to protect communities, deliver affordable energy, and deal with its own waste. “

Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment – Dr. Brian Moench, President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment emphasized,”A major public health issue is being hidden by the state. Every phase of the nuclear fuel cycle emits hazardous radiation into the environment, and a bedrock principle of radiation’s health risk is being trivialized. There is no safe level of radiation exposure, especially for women and children. With our tragic downwinder history, Utah, more than any other state, should be saying NO to exposing its citizens to another round of radiation risk.”

Resources:

Department of Energy Celebrates Second Advanced Reactor Achieving Criticality 

Federal Register :: Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

https://www.regulations.gov/document/NRC-2025-1140-0001

Wholesale Revision of Regulations Under Executive Order 14300 | Nuclear Regulatory Commission

GENERATIONAL RADIATION IMPACT PROJECT 

HEAL’s Nuclear Expert Webinar: The Impact of Radiation on Families 

HEAL’s Nuclear Expert Webinar: Beyond the Reactor: What Nuclear Means For Utah’s Future

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

Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment’s report, “The Case Against Nuclear Power in Utah”