Many years ago Alabama simply printed our own zone map. It is different from EPA's. But Alabama basically works by zip codes instead of counties. We have zip code maps on our web site. Some of Alabama's zone 2's should be zone 3's and vis-versa.
Florida has for over a dozen years now has openly stated that the EPA zone map for their state in wrong.
Most of the states have data that shows one or more of their counties are wrongly classified.
The problem was not deliberate or negligent on the part of EPA. There just simply wasn't enough data at that time, especially in rural areas, to accurately classify many counties.
There is also the matter of in what season the original tests were made. Alabama's EPA sponsored statewide survey that was a major factor in the original EPA zone map was made in April and early May, if those tests had been done in January and February, Alabama would have higher percentages and possibly more zone one counties.
I agree that Bill Bell has the best map. Zone 1 = Test your home, Zone 2 = Test your home, and Zone 3 = Test your home.
James L. McNees, CHPAssistant DirectorOffice of Radiation ControlAlabama Department of Public HealthOffice-334-206-5368 Fax-334-206-5387Cell- 334-850-5293--- On Thu, 1/8/09, Shawn Price wrote:
From: Shawn Price Subject: Re: [RADONPROFESSIONALS] LEED-HTo: RADONPROFESSIONALS@LIST.UIOWA.EDUDate: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 10:43 AM
Trudy's comments are right on the mark. I have been told that local Bureaucrats changed certain areas from Zone 1 to Zone 2 when the original EPA zone map was being created. Missouri and Georgia are two examples that I heard about from reliable sources. That means that there are probably more. Alabama is the only state that I know of that has taken the initiative to change a Zone 2 county up to a Zone 1, but I don't know whether EPA ever acknowledged or incorporated their modification? So limiting any type of outreach to Zone 1 alone is missing the mark. Our test results database indicate that there are many counties that have been under estimated.An additional concern is the outdated nature of the map and the limited amount of test data that was used in its development. Many areas had almost no data. Combine this with the growth of certain areas, and you'll find that land use has changed over the
last 20 years. In the county that I grew up in, Wake County, NC, the population has grown so much that the rolling hills of pastures and forests have been changed into very valuable real estate and has actually grown toward the parts of the county with higher radon potential. I would say that an extensive study of Wake County may indeed result in a reclassification into a Zone 1 County, which could actually get the attention of the State Legislatures since Wake County hosts the capitol. Are we going to see an updated map some day? Maybe we should ditch it and color the whole US red? I like Bill Bell's map. Zone 1 = Test your home, Zone 2 = Test your home, Zone 3 = Test your home.I agree that this is an area of opportunity. We are also finding it difficult in Western NC to get into their ears and we'll need a national strategy, hopefully with the support of EPA, before they'll listen.Regards,Shawn
PriceJeff Miner wrote:> Thanks, Trudy,> I will post your comments for the radon community to see. I think more of us need to hear the problems with radon being ignored by LEED-H committees.> Jeff Miner> > Trudy Y Smith wrote:>> I'm really pleased to hear you have been following the LEED-H standards-writing and have been as disappointed as I with the relegation of radon to a step-child--again. Since LEED-H refers to the EPA Energy with Indoor Air Plus, I'm doubly disappointed that EPA changed the final version of that program to only cover RRNC in Zone I areas. The original package required RRNC in Zones I and II. In the USGBC meetings I've attended the radon message has been soundly ignored. I think it will again take more hollering from the radon community to get these consensus-based documents to give radon its due. It's not hard to get onto the USGBC comments e-mail
lists. Usually the local chapter dues are fairly low. Yet another spot where our voices are needed.>> >> >> Windows Live™ Hotmail®: Chat. Store. Share. Do more with mail. See how it works. > --------------------------- RADONPROFESSIONALS - http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/radonprofessionals.html --------------------------- --------------------------- RADONPROFESSIONALS - http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/radonprofessionals.html
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From Name
James McNees
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mcneesj@YAHOO.COM