This Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) webpage explains the federal rule known as “Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for the Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level, and Transuranic Waste” (40 C.F.R. Part 191). It is a nationwide regulatory standard that sets limits on radiation exposure from nuclear waste activities.
The page provides a plain-language summary of how the rule works, where it applies, and which types of radioactive waste and facilities it covers. It applies broadly to both federal facilities (such as DOE sites) and to licensed facilities regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
This document explains a binding federal regulation with the force of law. Part 191 establishes enforceable safety standards that federal agencies and license applicants must meet:
- It sets strict limits on the amount of radiation the public can be exposed to from the storage or management of nuclear waste.
- It requires disposal systems to contain radioactive materials for up to 10,000 years, thereby limiting the amount of contamination that can reach the environment.
- It establishes groundwater protection standards that restrict radioactive contamination of drinking water sources.
These standards are used by regulators (EPA and NRC) to evaluate, approve, or deny nuclear waste facilities. A project cannot legally move forward unless it demonstrates compliance with these limits.
