GAO’s Radiation Terrorism Report Illustrates EPA Overreach

Published November 25, 2013

A newly published Government Accountability Office report on response plans to nuclear radiation terrorism illustrates Environmental Protection Agency overreach on asserted radiation dangers, Jon Utley observes at Reason.com.

Utley points out 1,600 people died in the panicked evacuations after the Fukushima nuclear power plant shutdown, yet nobody died from radiation itself. Utley notes most people who were evacuated experienced minimal radiation exposure, but nevertheless experienced much more deadly conditions in the evacuation itself.

Japanese officials appeared to be merely following U.S. evacuation guidelines while relying on scientifically unjustified EPA claims of radiation risk. Utley summarizes how EPA overstates radiation risks and warns EPA is considering even more stringent – and less scientifically justified – guidelines on radiation exposure. Utley says the GAO report may be a useful development in returning sound science to radiation guidelines.

Utley’s column is available here