§ 2665. Technical assistance to States for radon programs
(a)
Required activities
The Administrator (or another Federal department or agency designated by the Administrator) shall develop and implement activities designed to assist State radon programs. These activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1)
Establishment of a clearinghouse of radon related information, including mitigation studies, public information materials, surveys of radon levels, and other relevant information.
(2)
Operation of a voluntary proficiency program for rating the effectiveness of radon measurement devices and methods, the effectiveness of radon mitigation devices and methods, and the effectiveness of private firms and individuals offering radon-related architecture, design, engineering, measurement, and mitigation services. The proficiency program under this subparagraph shall be in operation within one year after October 28, 1988.
(3)
Design and implementation of training seminars for State and local officials and private and professional firms dealing with radon and addressing topics such as monitoring, analysis, mitigation, health effects, public information, and program design.
(4)
Publication of public information materials concerning radon health risks and methods of radon mitigation.
(5)
Operation of cooperative projects between the Environmental Protection Agency’s Radon Action Program and the State’s radon program. Such projects shall include the Home Evaluation Program, in which the Environmental Protection Agency evaluates homes and States demonstrate mitigation methods in these homes. To the maximum extent practicable, consistent with the objectives of the evaluation and demonstration, homes of low-income persons should be selected for evaluation and demonstration.
(6)
Demonstration of radon mitigation methods in various types of structures and in various geographic settings and publication of findings. In the case of demonstration of such methods in homes, the Administrator should select homes of low-income persons, to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with the objectives of the demonstration.
(b)
Discretionary assistance
Upon request of a State, the Administrator (or another Federal department or agency designated by the Administrator) may provide technical assistance to such State in development or implementation of programs addressing radon. Such assistance may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(c)
Information provided to professional organizations
The Administrator, or another Federal department or agency designated by the Administrator, shall provide appropriate information concerning technology and methods of radon assessment and mitigation to professional organizations representing private firms involved in building design, engineering, and construction.
(d)
Proficiency rating program and training seminar
(1)
Authorization
There is authorized to be appropriated not more than $1,500,000 for the purposes of initially establishing the proficiency rating program under subsection (a)(2) of this section and the training seminars under subsection (a)(3) of this section.
(2)
Charge imposed
To cover the operating costs of such proficiency rating program and training seminars, the Administrator shall impose on persons applying for a proficiency rating and on private and professional firms participating in training seminars such charges as may be necessary to defray the costs of the program or seminars. No such charge may be imposed on any State or local government.
(3)
Special account
Funds derived from the charges imposed under paragraph (2) shall be deposited in a special account in the Treasury. Amounts in the special account are authorized to be appropriated only for purposes of administering such proficiency rating program or training seminars or for reimbursement of funds appropriated to the Administrator to initially establish such program or seminars.
(4)
Reimbursement of general fund
During the first three years of the program and seminars, the Administrator shall make every effort, consistent with the goals and successful operation of the program and seminars, to set charges imposed under paragraph (2) so that an amount in excess of operation costs is collected. Such excess amount shall be used to reimburse the General Fund of the Treasury for the full amount appropriated to initially establish the program and seminars.
(5)
Research
The Administrator shall, in conjunction with other Federal agencies, conduct research to develop, test, and evaluate radon and radon progeny measurement methods and protocols. The purpose of such research shall be to assess the ability of those methods and protocols to accurately assess exposure to radon progeny. Such research shall include—
(B)
developing measurement protocols for different building types under varying operating conditions; and
(6)
Mandatory proficiency testing program study
(A)
The Administrator shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a mandatory proficiency testing program that would require that—
(B)
The study shall also address procedures for—
(i)
ordering the recall of any product sold for the measurement of radon which does not meet minimum performance criteria;
(ii)
ordering the discontinuance of any service offered to the public for the measurement of radon which does not meet minimum performance criteria; and
(iii)
establishing adequate quality assurance requirements for each company offering radon measurement services to the public to follow.
The study shall identify enforcement mechanisms necessary to the success of the program. The Administrator shall report the findings of the study with recommendations to Congress by March 1, 1991.
(7)
User fee
In addition to any charge imposed pursuant to paragraph (2), the Administrator shall collect user fees from persons seeking certification under the radon proficiency program in an amount equal to $1,500,000 to cover the Environmental Protection Agency’s cost of conducting research pursuant to paragraph (5) for each of the fiscal years 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995. Such funds shall be deposited in the account established pursuant to paragraph (3).
(e)
Authorization
(1)
There is authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of carrying out sections
2663,
2664, and
2665 of this title an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1989, 1990, and 1991.
(2)
No amount appropriated under this subsection may be used by the Environmental Protection Agency to administer the grant program under section
2666 of this title.