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indoor Environments Network
Highlights of Network News and Events
October-December 2004
AROUND THE NETWORK
CRCPD Ron Frosse (left) with EPA Administrator
Mike Leavitt (right) during a Radon Awqrds
Ceremony
Spotlight On the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors
The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors
(CRCPD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, professional organization
whose primary membership is comprised of radiation
professionals who regulate the use of radiation sources in state
and local governments. CRCPD and EPA currently maintain a
cooperative agreement working with two committees that
specifically address radon: The Committee on Radon and the
Radon Suggested State Regulations Committee.
CRCPD annually sponsors and coordinates a National Radon
Meeting for state radon program managers, Federal agencies,
local governments, Indian tribes, EPA Cooperative Partners,
and other individuals or organizations interested in the
reduction of elevated radon levels. This meeting provides a
forum for the exchange of information regarding radon. CRCPD continues to plan and hold the National
Radon Meeting concurrently with the meeting of the American Association of Radon Scientists and
Technologists (AARST). A CD-ROM containing the meeting's attendee list and proceedings is furnished
to each attendee within 30-45 days following the meeting. The proceedings are also posted to the
CRCPD Web site at www.crcpd.org/radon.asp. Please see "Upcoming Events" for more information.
Support for State Radon Programs is achieved through:
• The Radon Bulletin, which provides for the exchange of timely and relevant radon information and"
regulatory methods among states, regions, EPA, individuals, and organizations interested in radon
issues;
• Review of EPA radon documents;
• Compilation of information that contains brief descriptions of radon projects and activities on a
state-by-state basis;
• State Radon Program Information ("Cookbook") is posted to the CRCPD Web site and is
periodically updated as a dynamic document;
• Maintenance of a list of key products that are produced by state radon programs; and,
• A mini-grant program that funds activities that are not currently being supported by the state
through EPA's State Indoor Radon Grant (SIRG) program. The mini-grant program encourages
partnering of the state radon program with their state (or local) Extension Educator (EE), and/or with
any general partner on an innovative project that addresses radon risk reduction.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air and Radiation
Indoor Environments Division
Washington, DC 20005
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IEN Quarterly
Page Two
Protecting Children from Secondhand Smoke
The Smoke-free Home Pledge Campaign has grown
throughout the nation since it launched in October
2001. With more than 1,400 activities on the state,
local, and grassroots levels, the Campaign now totals
more than 35,000 pledges.*
As of August 2004, 30,908 pledges were made through
Smoke-free Home Pledge Hotline and collected by
organization at health fairs, school programs, and other
events. The Smoke-free Home Pledge Web site
received 4,862 pledges since April 2002.
October-December 2004
Cumalative Pledge Total
the
2003 2004 (August)
Year
To ensure that your efforts are counted in the national Smoke-free Home Pledge
tally, use the bilingual "Planning Guide for Pledge Events/Gufa de Planificacion para
Eventos de la Promesa." It provides you with an Event Log that you fill-out for your
pledge event and fax back to EPA so your pledges are included. This easy-to-use
Planning Guide also gives you templates for certificates, signs, and signature sheets
that can be customized with your logo and text. You can order a copy on CD-ROM
by calling the IAQ Info Hotline at 1-800-438-4318, or download this product from
www.epa.gov/smQkefree/publications.html.
'This pledge total does not represent pledges collected by partners outside the national tracking system.
Collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO)
EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air's (ORIA) Radon Team will be working with WHO, which is
extending its activities on residential radon exposure. The objectives of the WHO radon program
include:
1. Building a network of agencies involved in radon exposure assessment and mitigation programs
and encouraging other countries at risk to join the network;
2. Creating a worldwide database of national and international authorities/institutions dealing with
radon issues and research, national residential radon levels, radon action levels, radon
regulations and other mitigation strategies; and
3. Preparing public health guidance to raise awareness of radon and methods for dealing with it.
• The project is intended to estimate the global health burden of disease associated with
exposure to residential radon and to begin monitoring programs to determine the
effectiveness of mitigation strategies.
International Partnership for Clean Indoor Air Activities in China
In September, EPA staff traveled to China to launch Partnership for Clean Indoor Air activities. Staff
briefed Chinese government officials on the Partnership and explored opportunities for working together.
EPA met with private sector "cookstove" businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and foreign
governments funding household energy and health work in China to share lessons learned and generate
commitments and action to improve health, livelihood, and quality of life. Also, EPA worked with the U.S.
Embassy in China to generate a press release/event that announced two new Partnership grantees, and
conducted site visits with the grantees during the trip.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air and Radiation
Indoor Environments Division
Washington, DC 20005
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IEN Quarterly October-December 2004
Page Three
EPA's Awards Program for Environmental Management of Asthma
In early October, EPA will open the application process for a new awards program to recognize health
plans and health care providers with programs that effectively incorporate environmental management
techniques to address asthma. An inaugural leadership award was recently presented to America's
Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) to recognize their dedication to the reduction of childhood asthma. The
award will be open to all health plans and health care providers with comprehensive asthma
management programs that are consistent with NIH Guidelines.
Tribal IAQ Stakeholder Meeting
On August 18-19, 2004, EPA, Portage Environmental, and the Institute for Tribal Environmental
Professionals (ITEP) held a two-day meeting to assess IAQ issues associated with indoor heating and
cooking devices as they relate to Native American populations. More than 30 participants attended. The
participants included Tribal councils, Tribal environmental professionals, academia, Tribal health
practitioners, and Federal/Tribal housing authorities, primarily from the Northwest U.S. The premise of
the meeting was to examine, assess, and get feedback on IAQ issues specifically for Native Americans.
EPA's Office for Air and Radiation has been very involved in supporting clean indoor air initiatives
abroad with the U.S. Agency for International Development (US AID) and most recently EPA's
Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA). As EPA seeks to establish international and domestic
partnerships to reduce indoor air pollution in homes and workplaces, it is important to note, however,
that the approaches and components toward achieving risk reduction in Tribal communities will be
culturally very different than those being used abroad.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The 14th National Radon Meeting
The 2004 National Radon Meeting will be held in Newport, Rhode Island, on November 7-10, 2004. The first
day of the meeting is a joint session with the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists. It
will be attended by more than 400 radon professionals, more than 100 State and local radon program
directors, and radon educators. The meeting provides an opportunity for information and idea exchange,
highlighting program successes, and discussing new developments in addressing radiation risk from radon
gas. For information on the National Radon Meeting, contact Curt Hopkins (CRCPD) at (502) 227-4542 or
chopkins(a?.crcDd.oq.
Lou Witt
Partner Network Support Coordinator
Environmental Protection Agency
Voice (202) 343-9051
Fax (202) 343-2394
witt.lou@6Da.qov
United States Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Environments Division
Office of Air and Radiation Washington, DC 20005
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