[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19277-19278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10814]



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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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