Public Workshop on Privatization of the National Radon Proficiency Program

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5465-8]

Public Workshop on Privatization of the National Radon

Proficiency Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Public Workshop.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce a public workshop on

the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Radon

Proficiency Program, and provide information about the workshop date,

time and location. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss EPA's

options for privatization. This notice includes a description of the

workshop materials and background information being made available

before the workshop, and information on how to request them. The Agency

expects a wide variety of organizations to attend, including those with

an interest in operating the program, states with similar programs,

radon industry practitioners, program participants and members of the

general public.

DATES: EPA will hold the public workshop on privatization of the

National Radon Proficiency Program on Thursday, May 30, 1996, in

Washington, D.C. Details of the workshop location and time will be

included in the pre-workshop materials. The workshop is expected to

start at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m.

Written comments about the Agency's plan to privatize the National

Radon Proficiency Program will be accepted until July 1, 1996, and

should be submitted to the public docket or to Mr. Ed Chu as indicated

in addresses below.

ADDRESSES: A package of information about the National Radon

Proficiency Program and the public workshop, including the agenda, fact

sheets, program design description, administrative costs, the Agency's

strawman privatization plan, and other relevant materials may be

obtained before the workshop by phone, fax or E-mail. Although these

materials will also be available at the workshop, EPA recommends that

background materials be obtained and reviewed before the workshop. To

request the package of information before the workshop, contact Ms.

Taunya Davis (202) 233-9398, or Ms. Estelle Mackall (202) 233-9390, or

by facsimile at (202) 233-9555. Ms. Davis and Ms. Mackall are with the

Indoor Environments Division (6604-J), Office of Radiation and Indoor

Air, 401 M Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20460. Facsimile requests

should clearly identify this public workshop in any cover sheet used,

and include the requester's full name and address, phone and facsimile

number and e-mail address (if any). You may also request the

information package by e-mail at ``[email protected]''.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ed Chu, RPP Privatization

Workgroup, U.S. EPA/Office of Air and Radiation, Indoor Environments

Division (6604-J), 401 M Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20460; telephone

(202) 233-9347 or by e-mail at ``[email protected]''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Authority

After smoking, human exposure to radon gas is the second leading

cause of death due to lung cancer. EPA and others believe that radon is

responsible for about 14,000 deaths each year. To ensure accurate radon

measurements and proper mitigation of homes with high radon levels,

Congress directed EPA to establish and operate a radon proficiency

program as part of the Radon Abatement Act (IRAA) of 1988 (U.S.C. 2661

et seq.).

The Agency's National Radon Proficiency Program is a non-

regulatory, voluntary program that is open to anyone who provides radon

measurement and mitigation services. The primary purpose of the program

is to improve the quality of radon services that consumers and

organizations receive, and to assist individual states in protecting

consumers and public health.

II. Background

The EPA established the National Radon Proficiency Program in late

1985. At that time the states and consumers needed an objective means

for evaluating the radon measurement and mitigation services being

offered to the public by a then fledgling radon services industry. In

recent years, more than 20

[[Page 19278]]

states have established some form of registration, certification or

licensing program for those in the radon services business. Many of

these states have made participation in the EPA National Radon

Proficiency Program mandatory. As of January 30, 1996, about 2,700

individuals and organizations were participating in the program. About

770 participants were listed as proficient for radon measurement

analytical services, with another 1,450 for residential measurement

services, and about 480 individuals for mitigation, or radon reduction,

services.

Until 1994, EPA funded the program through its annual budget

appropriation. However, in April 1994, the Agency began assessing and

collecting user fees to defray the program's operating costs. Congress

directed EPA to establish this user fee system under section 305 (e)(2)

of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA distributed the

percentage of program costs to be recovered incrementally over five

years, with the first year's fees based on 30% of program costs, and

full cost recovery (100%) expected in 1998.

EPA is now interested in exploring privatization of the National

Radon Proficiency Program for several reasons. First, the radon

services industry has matured sufficiently to a point where the scale

of EPA's direct involvement in making proficiency determinations can be

reduced. Second, the states are much stronger in their public health

and consumer protection radon activities now than they were a decade

ago, because of their general radon programs and certification

programs. Finally, the Agency is interested in the private sector's

potential to operate the program more cost effectively.

Purpose of Public Workshop

To more fully explore privatization, EPA is today announcing a

public workshop to discuss the Agency's options and the mechanics of

privatizing the National Radon Proficiency Program, and to gauge the

level of private sector interest. The Agency expects a wide variety of

organizations to have a potential interest in the question of whether

and how to privatize the National Radon Proficiency Program.

Topics that the Agency expects to discuss with those attending the

public workshop include: (1) EPA's strawman privatization plan; (2) a

brief history of the program and the radon industry; (3) the current

program design; (4) alternatives to the current program design; (5) the

process and mechanisms for moving all or parts of the program into the

private sector; (6) the Agency's role in a privatized program; and, (7)

what steps and actions EPA expects to take following the workshop to

implement any final privatization plan and provide a mechanism for

continuing a dialog with interested parties. Also, the Agency has

established a public docket for the privatization effort and this

public workshop. The Agency will place in the docket all public

materials about the privatization effort and this public workshop.

Furthermore, EPA has established a 30-day comment period, ending

July 1, 1996, for receiving comments about the privatization plan and

the public workshop. Written comments should be sent to the docket. The

Agency will issue a Federal Register notice announcing the outcomes

from the public workshop, the Agency's decision on privatization and

what steps the Agency will take to implement any final plan. The Agency

expects to have decided on a privatization plan by the Fall of 1996.

IV. Public Record

EPA has established a public record for this workshop (docket

control number A-96-21). The record for this workshop is available to

the public in the Clean Air Act Docket, located on the first floor

Waterside Mall, room M1500, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M

Street SW, mail stop 6102, Washington, DC 20460, open from 8:30 a.m. to

12 p.m., and 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding

legal holidays, (202) 260-7548. The Agency may charge a reasonable fee

for the copying of docket materials.

Dated: April 24, 1996.

Richard Wilson,

Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.

[FR Doc. 96-10814 Filed 4-30-96; 8:45 am]

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