The NRC has approved a staff recommendation to discontinue funding for potassium iodine (KI) stockpiles near nuclear power plants beginning in FY 2028. The NRC staff will pursue multiple options to ensure the NRC meets its delegated responsibility for KI tablet distribution under Section 127 of the 2002 Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act (the Bioterrorism Act). This policy update is intended to reflect modern scientific evidence on the effectiveness of KI use following reactor release accidents and reduce inefficiencies within the KI tablet procurement process. This blog post analyzes the background, rationale, and implications of this policy shift.
Background
Potassium iodide (KI) is a stable iodine salt that, when taken in appropriate amounts at the right time, blocks the thyroid gland’s uptake of radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine is a byproduct that occurs during the fission of uranium atoms and could potentially be released into the environment during an accident at nuclear power plant facilities. Contrary to popular misconceptions, KI tablets only protect against absorption of radioactive iodine by the thyroid, and do not provide protection against other types of radioactive materials.
In 2001, the NRC amended its emergency preparedness regulations, 10 CFR 50.47(b)(10), to require that emergency plans for populations within the 10-mile emergency planning zones (EPZs) surrounding nuclear power plants consider KI tablets as a supplemental protective measure. KI tablet usage is intended to be a supplemental action to other protective actions like evacuation and sheltering. As a part of the adoption of this final rule, the NRC offered to fund states’ initial purchases of KI tablets. This was noted as an exception to the long-standing policy that funding for state and local emergency planning is the responsibility of state and local governments.
In 2002, federal KI policy developed further following the passage of the Bioterrorism Act. Section 127(a) directed the President to "make available to State and local governments potassium iodide tablets for stockpiling and distribution . . . within 20 miles of a nuclear power plant." The responsibility for implementing Sections 127(a) through 127(e) was delegated to the NRC in 2007.
In a 2008 decision, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) waived the requirements of Sections 127(a) and (d) thus declining to extend the program to a 20-mile radius. OSTP found that more effective measures than KI tablets exist beyond the 10-mile EPZ of a nuclear power plant to avoid exposures. Federal KI policy has not significantly evolved since.
NRC Policy Change: Ending Funding for Initial and Replenishment Stockpiles
Last month, the Commission approved the staff’s recommendation to discontinue funding for both initial and replenishment stockpiles of KI tablets beginning in FY 2028. This change ends the decades-long exception to the NRC’s policy that emergency planning costs are a state and local responsibility. Chairman Nieh’s comments, echoing the staff’s recommendation, stated that his decision hinged on two supporting principles. First, modern scientific insights on KI use and effectiveness suggest extremely low risk of thyroid cancer following radioiodine release, even in the absence of administering KI. Second, the current arrangement of NRC funding for KI stockpiles is insufficiently administered to ensure the efficient use of federal funds.
Scientific Evidence and Effectiveness of KI Tablets
In the decades following the adoption of NRC KI funding, further research has been conducted into the effectiveness of KI administration following the radiological release of radioiodine. Scientific evidence supports that timely KI administration, ideally before or within two hours of exposure to radioiodine, can reduce thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine.
Recent research examining responses to modern nuclear accidents like Fukushima as well as the introduction of new, smaller reactors has led to the conclusion that while KI distribution methods can alter projected thyroid doses, real-world benefits are likely lower than modeled estimates. Given this research, NRC and international guidance continue to prioritize evacuation and avoidance of contaminated food over broad KI stockpiling.
Reducing Procurement Inefficiencies
The NRC staff also identified inefficiencies in the existing procurement process, noting that the agency’s transfer of funds to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for KI purchases introduces delays and complicates stockpile management. Additionally, there is no standardized process for states to request KI or estimate their actual needs, making budget planning unpredictable and undermining accountability for federal funds. Discontinuing NRC funding may, in interested communities, encourage more resilient, state-driven stockpiling and distribution plans and reduce the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse.
Transition Plan: Meeting the NRC’s Delegated Bioterrorism Act Responsibility
The Commission directed the staff to pursue, listed below in priority order, several options to ensure that the NRC’s Section 127 delegated authority is met:
- Establishing an agreement with HHS or another federal agency to provide sufficient quantities of KI tablets to state and local governments without requiring requests under the Bioterrorism Act;
- Developing and offering a technical basis and recommendation to the OSTP for a waiver of KI requirements under Sections 127(a) and 127(d) of the Bioterrorism Act; and
- As a fallback, making KI available through the Strategic National Stockpile under Sections 127(a) and 127(d) of the Bioterrorism Act.
The discontinuation of NRC funding is conditioned on at least one of these options being in place before the November 2027 procurement deadline. If none are in place, the Commission has directed the staff to return with further options prior to the deadline.
Conclusion
The NRC’s decision to end funding for KI stockpiles prioritizes science-backed protective actions and efficient resource allocation. The policy aims to maintain federal support for KI access as required by law, while emphasizing state and local responsibility for emergency planning.
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Summer associate Shelby Hobohm contributed to this post.