NRC Proposes Removing ALARA from Radiation Protection Rules
The NRC proposes removing the ALARA principle from radiation protection regulations.
Why it matters: This regulatory change could affect legal compliance and regulatory counseling for businesses dealing with radiation, requiring close attention from legal and compliance teams.
- On July 1, 2026, the NRC proposed eliminating the ALARA principle and replacing it with a graded approach.
- The proposal keeps existing public and worker radiation dose limits unchanged while aiming to reduce regulatory burden.
- The NRC seeks to replace ALARA's ambiguity with clearer, more objective compliance requirements.
- This change aligns with Executive Order 14300 from May 2025, directing NRC to update its radiation safety framework.
On July 1, 2026, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposed removing the principle of "as low as reasonably achievable" (ALARA) from its radiation protection regulations. The ALARA principle, a longstanding cornerstone of radiation safety since the 1970s, focuses on minimizing radiation exposure as much as is reasonably achievable.
The NRC plans to replace ALARA with a "graded approach" focusing on more objective, clear regulatory requirements to ensure compliance with established dose limits for public and worker safety. According to NRC Chairman Ho Nieh, this proposal aims to "raise the standard for regulatory clarity, not lower the standard for safety," emphasizing that radiation dose limits will remain unchanged.
This regulatory update aligns with Executive Order 14300 issued in May 2025, which directed the NRC to reconsider the use of ALARA and modernize radiation protection rules. The NRC also references current scientific understanding and operating experience to support this modernization, reflecting research indicating public radiation doses from nuclear plant releases are well below strict protective limits (NRC fact sheet on tritium).
While the NRC is maintaining current radiation dose limits, legal and compliance teams in industries handling radiation—including nuclear power and medical facilities—should monitor this rulemaking closely. The shift from ALARA’s qualitative guidance toward a clearer, graded compliance framework may change regulatory approaches and counseling needs.
By the numbers:
- July 1, 2026 — Date NRC proposed removing ALARA
- May 2025 — Executive Order 14300 directing NRC to reconsider ALARA
What's next: The NRC will review public comments on this proposed rule before finalizing changes to radiation protection regulations.