Nuclear Regulators Try to Cut Paperwork on Radioactive Stuff
Published Date: 5/18/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is updating its rules for using certain radioactive materials to make licensing easier and safer for everyone involved. These changes will cut down on paperwork, remove outdated rules, and speed up approvals for businesses and labs that work with these materials. If you’re affected, get ready to share your thoughts by July 2, 2026, and expect smoother, more modern rules soon!
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Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Lower decommissioning funding rules
The NRC would change the radionuclide values used to calculate decommissioning financial assurance (DFA). This would move many radionuclides from appendix B to values in appendix C to part 20, remove all radionuclides with half-lives of 120 days or less from the DFA table, and generally reduce DFA requirements. Under current rules a decommissioning funding plan (DFP) or fixed DFA is triggered when unsealed activities exceed 1 x 10^5 or 1 x 10^3 times the appendix B values (and sealed-source thresholds at 1 x 10^12 and 1 x 10^10 times); the proposal preserves default values for certain radionuclides but would raise thresholds for many accelerator-produced radionuclides, which could reduce DFA amounts such as the example changes tied to possession amounts like 0.1 mCi, 1 mCi, and 10 mCi (which today relate to $225,000 and $1,125,000 DFA examples).
Optional lower-burden Standard General Licenses
The NRC would create a new class of general licenses called Standard General Licenses (SGLs) for certain low-risk activities (e.g., portable and fixed gauges, a subset of diagnostic medical uses, some analytical instruments, and certain in vitro testing). Entities using an SGL would register, pay a fee, and certify understanding instead of applying for a specific license, and could face lower application and annual fees and use notifications instead of amendment requests.
New distribution paths for microsources
The NRC would amend Sec. 32.72 and Sec. 32.74 to include microsources (for example radioactive microspheres) so commercial radiopharmacies and any applicant legally authorized under Federal or State law to manufacture, compound, prepare, or distribute radioactive drugs or devices could prepare and distribute these materials. The rule would also authorize distribution to any licensee authorized under 10 CFR part 35 without limitation to specific subparts.
Consortium rule lets PET sites be farther apart
The NRC would revise the definition of 'consortium' in Sec. 30.4 by removing the requirement that a PET radionuclide production facility be in the 'same geographical area' as medical use licensees. Under the proposed definition, consortia that jointly own or share operation and maintenance costs could produce PET radionuclides for noncommercial distribution among consortium members without requiring a separate distribution license under Sec. 32.72.
Stop annual transfer reports for exempt products
The NRC would remove the requirement in 10 CFR parts 32 and 40 that licensees submit annual reports of transfers for certain exempt byproduct material and source material. This would reduce the paperwork licensees must prepare and the NRC's need to collect and store those reports while the NRC retains access to the information by other means.
Cut paperwork and update radiography rules
The NRC would revise industrial radiography rules in part 34 to clarify the two-person rule, remove obsolete administrative recordkeeping and notification requirements, and replace the requirement to meet ANSI N432-1980 with registration of the device under Sec. 32.320. These changes aim to reduce anti-competitive barriers and allow innovation in radiography equipment while maintaining safety.
Simpler well-logging maintenance rules
The NRC would modernize part 39 for well logging by aligning sealed source leak testing to Sealed Source and Device Registration (SSDR) frequencies, extending survey meter calibration frequency in Sec. 39.33 from 6 months to 12 months, and eliminating certain notifications. These changes reduce administrative frequency and notification burdens for well-logging operations that support the oil and gas industry.
Less paperwork for Agreement State licensees
The NRC would amend part 150 to remove the requirement that Agreement State licensees using special nuclear material of low strategic significance meet 10 CFR part 73 physical protection rules, shorten the time Agreement State licensees must file for reciprocity before work in an NRC jurisdiction, eliminate the need to notify the NRC of location changes for offshore waters, and allow SGLs to be recognized for reciprocity. These changes reduce administrative burdens on Agreement State licensees.
NRC estimates ~$3M net industry savings
The NRC's draft regulatory analysis estimates that the proposed rule and associated guidance would result in net savings of $2,987,000 to industry, Agreement States, and the NRC using a 7-percent discount rate. The analysis considers both quantitative costs and benefits and qualitative factors like regulatory efficiency and public confidence.
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