Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

USDA will develop working agreements with nonprofits that can assist 504 home repair grantees and loan recipients in funding mitigation efforts whenever radon is found at or above the EPA 4 pCi/L action level.

Unnumbered Letter (PDF) (27 pp, 99 K, About PDF) dated June 19, 2012 was signed by Tammy Trevino, Administrator for Rural Housing Service, and distributed across USDA programs to increase radon awareness, importance of testing and look at potential funding opportunities.

USDA will educate Rural Housing Grantee Program lenders and State Housing Finance Authorities about radon risks and encourage the testing of existing homes in Zone 1 and 2 areas.

Unnumbered Letter (PDF) (27 pp, 99 K, About PDF) dated June 19, 2012 was signed by Tammy Trevino, Administrator for Rural Housing Service, and distributed across USDA programs to increase radon awareness, importance of testing and look at potential funding opportunities.

USDA will leverage financing through renovation/repair programs and essential community programs to test and mitigate radon in schools and daycare facilities.

Unnumbered Letter (PDF) (27 pp, 99 K, About PDF) dated June 19, 2012 was signed by Tammy Trevino, Administrator for Rural Housing Service, and distributed across USDA programs to increase radon awareness, importance of testing and look at potential funding opportunities.

USDA will collaborate with the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) to focus their testing efforts on new and existing Rural Housing financed properties.

Unnumbered Letter (PDF) (27 pp, 99 K, About PDF) dated June 19, 2012 was signed by Tammy Trevino, Administrator for Rural Housing Service, and distributed across USDA programs to increase radon awareness, importance of testing and look at potential funding opportunities.

USDA will educate multifamily housing developers about radon risks and what construction mitigation strategies can be used when radon is found.

Unnumbered Letter (PDF) (27 pp, 99 K, About PDF) dated June 19, 2012 was signed by Tammy Trevino, Administrator for Rural Housing Service, and distributed across USDA programs to increase radon awareness, importance of testing and look at potential funding opportunities.

USDA will promote radon testing and mitigation through Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Programs.

Unnumbered Letter (PDF) (27 pp, 99 K, About PDF) dated June 19, 2012 was signed by Tammy Trevino, Administrator for Rural Housing Service, and distributed across USDA programs to increase radon awareness, importance of testing and look at potential funding opportunities.

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

DOD will review and update, as appropriate, the Unified Facility Criteria to reflect current standards for radon measurement, mitigation and radon-resistant new construction for low rise buildings, e.g.

• Multifamily
• Schools
• Daycare facilities

DoD reviewed the existing Unified Facility Criteria and determined that no changes are required:

• Child Care Centers UFC 4-740-14 (PDF) (152 pp, 1.3 MB, About PDF) Exit, criteria detailed in paragraph 2-19.2 on pp 2-22
• Family Housing UFC 4-711-01 (PDF) (52 pp, 389 K, About PDF) Exit, criteria included in paragraph 7-1.6 on pp 27
• Sustainable Developments UFC 4-030-01 (PDF) (103 pp, 1.2 MB, About PDF) Exit criteria included in paragraph C-6.3 on pp 73

DOD will develop a communications campaign to educate all personnel - living both on and off base - about the health risks associated with radon exposure and solutions to address these risks

Fall 2015
DOD is developing a communication campaign which includes internet, social media and education and outreach to DOD personnel - living both on and off bases.

DOD will identify the universe of low-rise buildings in high radon potential areas (Zone 1) and for those buildings not previously addressed, develop a testing and mitigation plan for those at or above the EPA 4 pCi/L action level.

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

DOE will finish the radon study as part of the National Evaluation to determine whether the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) impacts radon levels in homes.

Spring 2015
The Indoor Air Quality and targeted ventilation studies -- part the WAP evaluations for program years 2008 & 2010 – will be released once final review and agency clearance are complete.

DOE will test various remediation protocols to determine what level of effort is required when radon is discovered in a home or when the level rises after WAP services are delivered.

Spring 2015
The Indoor Air Quality and targeted ventilation studies -- part the WAP evaluations for program years 2008 & 2010 – will be released once final review and agency clearance are complete.

DOE will add a healthy homes curriculum to WAP training requirements that include radon identification and remediation protocols.

Radon addressed in WAP Health and Safety Training Materials Exit

DOE will include training, described above, as part of DOE's routine health and safety training such that every worker in the WAP network will be trained over the next 2 years.

Radon addressed at Weatherization Plus Health Regional Conferences Exit and during the 2011 National Weatherization Training Conference.

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

EPA and Treasury will work together to facilitate the deductibility of radon testing and mitigation costs within Health Spending Accounts.

Spring 2015
On December 13th 2012, EPA requested an Information Letter from the Treasury/IRS on the tax treatment of radon expenses. Treasury/IRS replied to EPA on February 20th 2013, stating that radon expenses would be addressed in draft regulations being written under §213 of the Internal Revenue Code. The proposed regulations are expected to be published 2015. Copies of the EPA/IRS letters are available upon request from Philip Jalbert at Jalbert.philip@epa.gov.

EPA will invest in new standards of practice for:

• School measurement and mitigation
• Multifamily mitigation
• Quality assurance

EPA has invested and established committees for the four standards. Please follow the links for more information on each standard:

• Multifamily Buildings Mitigation Exit
• Schools-Large Buildings Measurement Exit
• Schools-Large Buildings Mitigation Exit
• Device Protocols Exit

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

GSA will explore testing for radon and mitigating high levels in childcare facilities through the Federal Real Property Program.

July 2014

GSA has completed testing in 92% of its 102 childcare centers in accordance with EPA recommendations. The test results are included in this report. When an elevated radon level is detected, GSA will prioritize, design and schedule appropriate mitigation actions (mitigation pending funding)

• General Services Administration Childcare Radon Results in the Federal Radon Action Plan

GSA will promote professional radon services to federal tenants.

The GSA Public Buildings Service (PBS), developed a Video Announcement that informs building occupants about how GSA minimizes radon exposures through:

• Testing for radon according to EPA's guidelines;
• Mitigating and retesting if action levels are exceeded;
• Providing alternate water supplies and air sources when action levels are exceeded; and
• Notifying occupants of testing results.

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

HHS will include radon in healthy homes activities.

Due to budget constraints, HHS will not be able to implement this activity.

HHS will work to increase radon awareness among states participating in the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program.

Implemented radon awareness in the following states:

• The Vermont Dept. of Health CCCP:
  • Developed resources for Preventing Future Cancers
• The Utah Dept. of Health CCCP:
  • Partnered with the UT Radon program to help support the recent Region 8 Radon conference
  • Added radon policy issues to its recent policy action plan (under CDC review)
• The Minnesota Dept. of Health CCCP partnered with the MN Radon program to better address radon issues in the state.
  • Highlighted radon in its 2011 Lung and Bronchus cancer report
  • Presented at the 2011 MN Cancer Alliance meeting by the radon group (Breakout session C mid-page)

HHS will update the current Toxicological Profile for Radon.

The Toxicological Profile for Radon (PDF) (283 pp, 3.4 K, About PDF) has been completed.

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

HUD will incorporate radon testing and mitigation into as many agency programs as possible to include public and other assisted housing.

HUD wrote new radon testing and mitigation requirements for participants in a significant portion of HUD's multifamily housing mortgage insurance programs, and if program activity in 2013 is similar to that in 2012, the new requirements will be applicable to an estimated 105,000 housing units in 2013. HUD Office of Multifamily Development Radon Policy (PDF) (7 pp, 196 K, About PDF)

HUD will prepare a plan within the next 18 months to collect radon test results as part of its ongoing inspection protocol of public and assisted housing as the first step in conducting a baseline study of its housing stock.

Fall 2015

HUD's PowerSaver Loan Program will make radon mitigation an explicitly eligible/allowable expense within the 25% non-energy related set-aside.

Statement on Radon Mitigation As An Eligible PowerSaver Home Improvement Measure (PDF) (1 pp, 275 K, About PDF)

HUD's Healthy Homes Production Program grantees will check for sources of radiation, such as from radon, as required by HUD's Healthy Homes Rating Tool. Mitigation is required for high radon levels.

Radon inclusion in HUD Healthy Homes Rating System (PDF)(172 pp, 1.4 MB, About PDF)

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

DOI will send a message on the hazards of radon to approximately 70,000 employees.

Agency-wide memo sent June and November 2011

DOI, through the National Park Service, will test approximately 5,000 residential units for radon.

DOI's National Park Service has performed sampling and analysis at 3223 residential units and is presently engaged in follow up testing. Approximately 2.5 percent of locations have been recommended for mitigation; planning is underway for implementation of mitigation activities. Approximately five percent of locations are being retested to verify the need, or the absence of need, to mitigate.

DOI, through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, will test approximately 3,500 residential units and 500 schools and will work with Tribes to increase awareness of radon risk.

June 2017

In FY-2012 the BIA tested two school sites with quarters in the Rocky Mountain Region which resulted in remediation of three living quarters at the Blackfeet Dormitory campus. From this initial project, BIA developed radon testing and remediation guidance which will be used to proceed the BIA radon testing program. In FY-2013 BIA anticipates testing and remediation for 48 buildings including schools and quarters within the Southwest Region as the Radon pilot program. BIA anticipates testing 2,542 residential units and schools as part of the Bureau's five-year facilities management plan.

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

VA will promote radon testing and mitigation through a comprehensive disclosure of the radon health risk to borrowers.

Fall 2015

VA will explore providing a radon mitigation cost set-aside through its Home Loan Guarantee Program.

Issue has been explored and requires legislative initiative. Issue in current form does not meet legislative agenda requirements.

Status

Commitment

Target Completion Date

EPA, HUD, USDA and HHS will collaborate on an interagency radon outreach initiative that builds on existing campaigns addressing home-based risk and or healthy homes.

Summer 2015
Awaiting formal launch of HealthyHomes.gov website.

EPA, HUD and USDA will engage the philanthropic community to support radon risk reduction in the context of their support for local healthy homes programs.

Spring 2015

HHS and EPA will explore including radon in environmental health tracking.

The white paper was prepared by members of the Radon Task Force of CDC's Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (EPHTP). The white paper investigated the merits (opportunity, cost and value) of developing public health indicators associated with residential exposure to naturally occurring radon gas. To find out more about the current status of radon monitoring and data collection in the U.S. and the suitability of these data for inclusion in the EPHTN visit: Lung Cancer and the Environment.

DOE and HUD will promote radon awareness through their weatherization and healthy homes outreach.

Radon incorporated in DOE Weatherization Program Notice (WPN) 11-6 Weatherization Assistance Program Health and Safety Guidance (PDF) (11 pp, 238 K, About PDF). Exit

Radon incorporated in HUD's revised Healthy Homes Programs Guidance Manual (July 2012)