Radiation Protection at EPA
Basic Information
Organizational ChartsEPA's Radiation Protection Program protects people and the environment from potentially harmful amounts of radioactivity in all media-air, water and in soil. As a result, its mission crosses organizational boundaries throughout the Agency.
The information below shows its location within the Agency:
EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, or simply ORIA, is the organizational home of the Agency's Radiation Protection Program. Most radiation protection responsibilities are carried out by staff in ORIA's Radiation Protection Division and its two national laboratories: the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory and the Radiation and Indoor Environments Laboratory. ORIA's other division, Indoor Environments, addresses radon in buildings.
ORIA is part of the broader Office of Air and Radiation, which is headed by one of nine Assistant Administrators in the Agency. We primarily work with two other offices at the Assistant Administrator level on radiation protection issues:
- ORIA provides radiation expertise to the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response on radioactively contaminated Superfund sites, emergency response, and mixed radioactive and hazardous waste.
- We work with the Office of Water to protect people from radon and other radionuclides in drinking water.
We also assist and coordinate with the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
In addition, ORIA coordinates with and assists EPA's ten regional offices on radiation protection issues. Regional radiation protection staff provide technical assistance to regional Superfund and Federal Facility Programs on radiation contaminated site cleanup; emergency response; radionuclide NESHAPs; and regional radiation health and safety.
In addition, we provide guidance and training to other federal agencies, the states, and the tribes and work closely with international organizations.