Late last month, NPR, via Oregon Public Broadcasting, revealed that the Trump administration quietly overhauled key Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear safety orders without public disclosure. The revisions—designed to expedite approval of small modular reactors (SMRs)—dramatically reduced regulatory safeguards, downgraded environmental and worker protections, and supplanted long-standing oversight mechanisms, raising alarms about transparency and safety. Though focused on federal policy, the implications may eventually extend to new reactor proposals in or near Cowlitz County, where local environmental and public health concerns remain paramount.

The changes center on DOE orders that govern every aspect of operational safety—from radiation exposure limits and groundwater discharge rules to site security protocols and accident investigations. NPR obtained more than a dozen of these updated directives, none of which are publicly accessible. Their review shows that over 750 pages of content were removed, leaving roughly one-third of the original scope intact. Critics note that the revisions soften standards, eliminate certain safety roles, and reduce documentation requirements—while escalating allowable worker radiation exposure before triggering investigations. Security protocols were similarly slashed, collapsing seven separate directives into a single, 23-page order and discarding details like firearms training, physical barrier requirements, and limits on security officers’ working hours. Radiation safeguards such as the ALARA (“As Low As Reasonably Achievable”) standard were eliminated, and environmental protections, such as prohibitions on radioactive discharge, were replaced with weaker “should avoid” language. Experts argue these changes risk undermining public trust and could potentially invite regulatory confusion or violations of existing laws like the Clean Water Act. The DOE did not respond directly to NPR’s request for comment, though it has historically asserted safety as a top priority. NPR reports that the Biden-era DOE spokesperson previously affirmed the department’s