Increasing Public Exposure to Radiation - with Cindy Folkers

The federal government is proposing to increase the amount of radiation to which the public can be exposed, in order to help reduce costs for the nuclear industry. 

In the news summary this week, Patti and Doug talk about the Trump administration working to undermine California’s efforts to pivot away from fossil fuels, the pork industry’s powerful influence over regulations concerning concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and new research showing that athletes consuming a plant based diet have just as much energy and strength as those consuming animal foods. Then Cindy Folkers, Radiation and Health Hazard Specialist at non-profit Beyond Nuclear, talks about a new proposed regulation from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that would allow the public to be exposed to increased levels of radiation, lowering costs and regulatory hurdles for the nuclear power industry. 

Increasing Public Exposure to Radiation with Cindy FolkersGreen Street with Patti & Doug Wood

29:00

Links from the Interview

• The website of Beyond Nuclear: https://beyondnuclear.org/

• To file comments with the NRC: https://www.protectbetter.org/nrc-comments

Links from the News

• Trump administration undermines California's effort to reduce use of fossil fuel: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/20/climate/trump-california-climate.html

• Pork lobby in Missouri gets its way: https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/21/missouri-supreme-court-upholds-state-law-prohibiting-local-cafo-regulations/

• Plant based diet study at Rutgers shows no difference in athletic performance: https://sebsnjaesnews.rutgers.edu/2026/08/in-tests-of-athletic-performance-plant-based-diets-hold-their-own/