Development of the EPA radiation site cleanup regulation

The U.S. EPA is developing a proposed rule that will establish a uniform standard for cleaning up radioactively contaminated sites. The rule will apply to federal facility sites and to sites licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or an Agreement State. The cleanup standard must be met if a site is to be released for public use. The regulation will not mandate the cleanup of any sites or provide remedy selection criteria on when cleanup is appropriate. EPA has coordinated the development of the rule with a wide range of governmental organizations and affected groups. A regulatory impact analysis of the rule's economic effects is underway, and the Agency plans to develop implementation guidance to help agencies responsible for radiation site cleanups meet the cleanup standard. This article discusses the latest technical and policy developments for the radiation site cleanup rule. The information presented is preliminary in nature and is subject to change as the regulatory development process continues. It is intended to be used primarily to maximize discussion and comment with interested parties.