"Green Groups Say EPA Rules Would Weaken Radiation Standards"

"Green groups say the Environmental Protection Agency's plan to weaken radiation standards at nuclear power plants would triple the likelihood of people in surrounding communities developing cancer.

The EPA said earlier this year it is considering new rules that green groups claim would actually weaken radiation standards, increasing public exposure by at least three times from the current level. The agency has not updated the standards since 1977.

'The EPA admits that radiation is much more likely to cause cancer than was believed when the rule was originally written,' said Dan Hirsch, president of nuclear watchdog group Committee to Bridge the Gap. 'So it's perplexing that rather than tightening the rule, they're proposing to weaken it further.'"

Tim Devaney reports for The Hill August 4, 2014.