The environmental radiation risks associated with nuclear power genera­tion have received a considerable amount of attention, and this is to some extent understandable given the occurrence of high-profile incidents such as Chernobyl and the damage caused by the tsunami at the Fukushima plant in Japan. The strong public opposition to nuclear power is often founded on environmental concerns associated with these rare occurrences, which overlooks the day-to-day threat posed in the construction, operation and decommissioning of plant. From water abstraction and discharges to industrial emissions and contamination to land, there are a host of different environmental impacts which will need to be tightly controlled. This is an area where the boundaries of regulation can converge, and which, in turn, requires the coordination of the activities of the authorities involved. The pervasive nature of environmental regulation in the lifecycle of a nuclear power plant (including at the design and planning stages) should not be understated, and it is therefore a subject which requires further consideration.