Legislating Lower Health Risks
RADON
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) can
provide more information on state radon legislation; contact
Ms. Barbara Foster, Senior Policy Specialist, or Ms. Debra
Starkey, Policy Specialist, at (303)830-2200.
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STATE RADON STATUTES AND REGULATIONS
Certification/Licensing/Registration
1. California
2. Connecticut
3. Delaware
4. D.C.
5. Florida
6. Illinois
7. Indiana
8. Iowa
9. Kentucky
10. Maine
11. Maryland
12. Nebraska
13. New Jersey
14. Ohio
15. Pennsylvaniai
16. Rhode Island
17. Virginia
18. West Virginia
CA Health and Safety Code §19010
CT General Stat. §20-420
DE Radiation Control Regulations, § B.5
D.C. Law 9-183
FL Stat. §404.056(5);
FL Admin. Code, Chap. 10D-11.13
32IL Admin. Code, Part 420
DM Radon Cert. Rule, 410 1AC 5.1
IA Code Ann., vol. 9, §136B
KYRev.Stat.§211l.856
22 ME Rev. Stat. Title 22,§771 et seq.
MD Environment Code Ann., Art. Title 8,
Subtitle 3, §301-305
NE Draft Rqmts. for Radon & Radon Progeny
Meas. & Mit. Svcs. Title 180, Chap. 1, Sec. Oil
NJ Admin. Code 7:18
OH Rev. Code §3723
PA Stat., Tide 63, c. 34, §2001 et seq.
RI General Laws §23-61
VA Code Ann. §§32.1-229.01,229.01:1
WV Code § 16-34-1 et seq.
Radon-Resistant Building Codes
1. California
2. Florida
3. New Jersey
4. Washington
Real Estate
1. California
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Maryland
5. Michigan
6. Mississippi
7. Montana
8. New Hampshire
9. New Jersey
10. Ohio
11. Rhode Island
12. South Dakota
13. Texas .
14. Virginia
15. Wisconsin
School Testing
1. Colorado
2. Connecticut
3. Florida
4. New Jersey
5. Virginia
CA Health & Safety Code §426.9
FL Stat. §404.056 (5);
FL Stat., Title 33, §553.98
NJ Admin. Code 5:23-10
WA Admin. Code, Chap. 51-13
Civil Code §1102.6
FL Stat. §404.056(8)
IL Res. Real Property Disclosure Act
MD House Bill 1210
MI House Bill 4375
MS House Bill 143
MT House Bill 585
NH Rev. Stat. Ann., Chap. 477:4-a
NJ Stat. 26:2D-73
OH Rev. Code Ann. §5302.30
RI Public Laws Chap. 425
SD Codified Laws §43-4-44
TX House Bill 1094
VA Code Ann. §55-519
WI Stat. §709.01-03
Rules and Regulations Governing Schools
in the State of Colorado
CT Public Act 90-114 (S.B. 234)
FL Stat. §404.056(7)
NJ Admin. Code 5:23-10, Appdx. 10-A
VA Code Ann. §22.1-138
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1980
U.S. EPA 402-F-94-006, July 1994. Copies of this pamphlet are available from NCLS or from the
Radon Information Center (RIC) at 1355 Beverly Road, Suite 216, McLean,VA, 22203, FAX
(703)356-5386.
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RADON INFORMATION
"Radon is the: second leading cause of jlung cancer, after smoking. Although you cannot
see, smell, or taste radon, the Surgeon General warns:
Indoor radon gas is a national health problem. Radon causes
thousands of deaths each year. Millions of homes have elevated
radon levels. Homes should be tested for radon. When elevated
levels are confirmed, the problem should be corrected.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 7,000 to 30,000 lung
cancer deaths each year in the United States are caused by exposure to radon in the
home.
Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil,
rock and water, and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S.
It can get into any type of building - homes, offices, and schools - and build up to high
levels. Testing is the only way to know if building occupants are at risk from radon.
Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U-S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels
and nearly one in five schools have at least one room with an elevated screening level
above EPA's action level of 4 picocuries per liter. The greatest exposure to radon
occurs in homes because that is where {people spend most of their time:
Radon exemplifies a problem that can effectively be addressed through State-
Federal partnerships. Because the prevalence of the problem varies across the country,
local and individual action is critical to reducing radon risks. Therefore, States are vital
to EPA's efforts to significantly reduce the public's health risks from radon.
State legislators are protecting their citizens from the risk of radon. The
adoption of radon resistant building codes, the enactment of mandatory real estate
testing and disclosure laws, the passage of school testing requirements, and the
implementation of certification programs for the radon industry, are several examples of
radon legislation that States are implementing.
The Environmental Law Institute (ELI)* has written a report entitled State
Radon Legislation: Issues and Options. This report identifies some of the issues related
to radon laws and programs and describes options for addressing them. The report is
intended for state legislators, program Officials, policymakers and regulators who are
interested in designing or enhancing radon laws and programs. State Radon
Legislation: Issues and Options has been reviewed by the National Conference of State
Legislatures' (NCSL) Radon Working Group to ensure that questions pertinent to the ,
interests of State policy makers were answered. NCSL has also issued a State
Legislative Report entitled "Radon: An Invisible Threat."
*ELI is a non-profit organization that has played a pivotal role in shaping the field of
environmental law, policy and management, domestically and abroad, for more than two decades.
Central to ELI's mission is work with diverse constituencies to develop effective solutions to
pressing problems, ELI does not lobby or litigate. For more information call the Environmental
Law Institute at (202)325-5150.
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