The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority is responsible for a nationwide network of 28 stations that continuously measure background radiation levels. The network was established in the years following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, and was upgraded to a new and modern network in the period 2006-2008. The purpose of the monitoring network is to provide an early warning if radioactive emissions reach Norway. The measurements from the network will also form an important part of the decision base for the Crisis Committee for Nuclear Preparedness in an early phase, once the news of the emissions has reached Norway.