The projected dose to an individual from a release of a radioactive material at which a specific protective actionis recommended to reduce or avoid that dose. PAGs are guides to help officials select protective actions under emergency conditions when exposures would occur over relatively short time periods. EPA provides the PAG Manual to assist public officials with their radiological emergency response planning activities. The PAG Manual is a guidance document, not a legally binding regulation, and does not affect or supersede any environmental laws. The PAG recommendations do not represent the boundary between safe and unsafe conditions. PAGs do not establish an acceptable level of risk for normal, nonemergency conditions, nor do they represent the boundary between safe and unsafe conditions. They are not meant to be applied as numeric criteria, but rather as guidelines to be considered in the context of incident-specific factors. PAGs may be implemented to protect the public in a wide variety of radiological emergencies, including terrorist incidents and accidents involving nuclear power plants transportation and the space program. PAGs are appropriate for implementation in the specific phases of radiological incidents. The following 3 principles were used in establishing exposure levels of the PAGs: (1) Prevent acute effects, (2) Balance protections with other important factors and ensure that actions result in more benefit than harm, (3) Reduce chronic effects. (Source: EPA PAG Manual, Draft for interim Use, March 2013, pages 1, 3 and 12)