The Trump administration has rewritten nuclear safety rules
10 days ago
- #regulatory-changes
- #nuclear-safety
- #public-trust
- The Trump administration secretly rewrote nuclear safety rules to accelerate new reactor development.
- Changes include reduced safety requirements, loosened environmental protections, and eliminated key safety roles.
- Over 750 pages of regulations were cut, leaving only about one-third of the original content.
- New rules allow higher radiation exposure for workers and reduce record-keeping requirements.
- The Department of Energy (DOE) defended the changes, claiming they promote innovation without compromising safety.
- Critics argue the changes undermine public trust and increase risks of nuclear accidents.
- The new rules were developed without public input, raising transparency concerns.
- The DOE plans to publicly post the revised directives later this year.
- The changes were driven by an executive order from President Trump to build experimental reactors by July 2026.
- Experts doubt the feasibility of the aggressive timeline and express safety concerns.