War Department Press Release Announcing the Transfer of the Atomic Energy Program to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

This press release is a statement from Secretary of War Patterson. According to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), "the independent agency that ensures the safe use of radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while protecting people and the environment," Congress established in the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) with the Atomic Energy Act of 1946. "Eight years later, Congress replaced that law with the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which for the first time made the development of commercial nuclear power possible. The act assigned the AEC the functions of both encouraging the use of nuclear power and regulating its safety. The AEC's regulatory programs sought to ensure public health and safety from the hazards of nuclear power without imposing excessive requirements that would inhibit the growth of the industry." Congress abolished the AEC in 1974. "Supporters and critics of nuclear power agreed that the promotional and regulatory duties of the AEC should be assigned to different agencies. The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 created the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; it began operations on January 19, 1975."