"The Department of Energy, which is overseeing the Reactor Pilot Program to build at least three experimental commercial nuclear reactors by July 4, made the sweeping changes over the fall and winter. Critics are warning that the move gambles with the public's trust and compromises safety. After comparing hundreds of pages of new rules with the old ones, NPR's Geoff Brumfiel says he and a colleague found that there are some very important changes to the safety guidance."
"President Trump spoke in Iowa last night as part of a midterm election campaign. The president focused his speech on a top voter concern: the economy. The state's Republicans are defending an open Senate seat and other positions they normally expect to win easily. But the GOP candidates may need to put in more work to garner the votes they need this year."
Documents obtained by NPR show the Trump administration secretly overhauled nuclear safety directives to accelerate construction of a new generation of reactors under the Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program. The changes, made over fall and winter, replace strict groundwater protections and other absolute requirements with softer language that only requires consideration of avoiding contamination, and roll back limits on discharges to public sewers and the environment. Critics warn the changes risk public trust and safety and could affect worker radiation exposure and reactor security. Separately, President Trump campaigned in Iowa focusing on the economy amid midterm races, while inflation remains elevated and the job market shows mixed signals.
Read at www.npr.org
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