CRAIG SANDERS AND ROY LAWS

JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH

EPA REGION 8 RADON CONFERENCE

APRIL 20, 2017

Jefferson County Radon Projects, 2016-2017

Presentation Outline

Radon Grant CCC

Grant Basics

Forms and Documents

Results thus far

Radon Mitigation: What’s it Gonna’ Take

Q & A

CDPHE GRANT REQUIREMENTS

RADON GRANT BASICS Visit 200 child care centers as part of routine inspections Provide up to 6 kits per CCC Provide training on radon kit deployment Assist with obtaining missing testing information Give away at least 200 kits to the public during radon action

month Have at least 2 persons attend the EPA Radon Conference Provide reports and fiscal documentation for reimbursement Grant Amount: $19,683 (JCPH Match $9,700)

PROCEDURES

Press release once program was underway Site visit to determine number of kits needed Use CDPHE assessment protocol Occupied rooms (classrooms, offices, etc.)

Just in Time Training Follow up documentation CDPHE reporting

Documentation

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Little Tigers GLittle Zebras GLittle Wildebeests GLittle Gnus G

Safariland Child Care

12345 Serengeti Street

303 202-5555

Lakewood CO 80226

safaricc@gmail.com

Jan 22, 2017 Dr. Livingston

Documentation

Notification Letter

Preliminary Results (4/11/2017)

97 Facilities Visited 524 Radon Kits Distributed Average of ~6 kits per facility

56 facilities have completed testing 13 Testing Underway; 28 not started yet RESULTS 21 (38%) have at least one test result >= 4.0 Highest result so far: 38.2 pCi/L

Radon Mitigation: What’s it Gonna’ Take

T R A C Y V O L K M A NT E R R I L E I C H T W E I S

R O Y L A W SC R A I G S A N D E R S

Background

Land Development Regulation (LDR)

Zoning Resolution (ZR)

Radiation Section in LDR was outdated

Request made to Planning and Zoning to allow

JCPH to revise Section 27 – Radiation

Jefferson County is Zone 1 (worst) for Radon

Initial Steps

February 2016 P&Z decides to revise ZR Site Development Plan process

May 2016 - Stakeholder Meeting Transportation & Engineering Jeffco Economic Development Council P&Z Engineer Supervisor P&Z Planner Supervisor Public Health Private Industry Consultant

Initial Steps (cont)

P&Z had meetings with the Fire District HOAs

JCPH had multiple meetings/correspondence with P&Z (Case Managers, Supervisors, Geologist, Deputy Director, Director)

Some Interesting Things

Educate P&Z on radiation and radon

Existing Radiation Hazard Section

Rocky Flats Map

Misinterpreted this as being the only radiation hazard to consider

Probably did not catch this 100% of the time

Rocky Flats Map

Some More Interesting Things

Limited consideration of other radiation sources

Mill tailings

Nuclear reactor

Radon – our case comments have always

referenced RRNC as recommendation

What does the Statute Say?

COLORADO REVISED STATUTES 30-28-133 (3) Subdivision regulations adopted by a board of county

commissioners pursuant to this section shall require subdividers to submit to the board of county commissioners data, surveys, analyses, studies, plans, and designs, in the form prescribed by the board of county commissioners, of the following items:

(b) Relevant site characteristics and analyses applicable to the proposed subdivision including the following, which shall be submitted by the subdivider with the sketch plan:

(III) In areas of potential radiation hazard to the proposed future land use, evaluations of these potential radiation hazards;

What does the Master Comprehensive Plan say?

The word “radiation” occurs nine times in the

comprehensive plan

Noted in physical constraints section

Radiation Section/Goals/Policies

Hazards (Naturally occurring radiation)

What does the North Plains Area Plan Say?

The word “radiation” appears once in the North Plains Plan:

“Residential development proposed within 4 miles of Rocky Flats should be evaluated to ensure that ambient levels of radiation existing in the soil will not present a hazard during the construction and full-time occupancy of residential dwellings.”

Getting it on Paper

Numerous iterations of the proposed language Six official responses modifying the RRNC language Numerous emails between P&Z and JCPH Conference calls Video conferencing

Planning and Zoning Director -They are going to want an out.

(BCC will want an out for the applicant.)

Barriers

Replacing the old Rocky Flats map with a County comprehensive radiation hazard map

Building Department not want to be involved –RRNC cost prohibitive FTEs Training

Uncertain of the politics surrounding radon

How did this play out with the Elected Officials

Board of County Commissioners briefing JCPH was on time but missed it by 15 minutes! Planning and Zoning winged it! Hooray!

Planning Commission – PZ Staff Presentation Site Development Planning process and related regulations Radon revisions highly discussed

Educated Planning Commission on Radon and RRNC Turning point – one more opportunity Golden and Lakewood have adopted Appendix F-nailed it PC recommended approval after debating 3 hours

Laying the groundwork for the BCC

Late November – Early December Board of Health letter to BCC supporting RRNC BOH sent it from their office directly to BCC office Removed us as the middleman

BOH & BCC Proclamation - January 2017 as Radon Awareness Month

Sent Radon brochures and information in BCC packet

BCC Hearing on Dec 13th

December 13th Finally Arrives

Board of County Commissioners Hearing P&Z presented SDP changes JCPH answered questions on Radon & RRNC Cost Active vs Passive RRNC versus retrofit

BCC passed it quicker than it took to say the Pledge of Allegiance! (Well almost)

Final Outcome

The proposed development shall evaluate and mitigate naturally occurring and man-made radiation hazards through the following:

a. A radon mitigation system shall be required for new residential construction in accordance with the International Residential Code to address the health hazard associated with radiation from radon gas.

b. During the evaluation of the Environmental Questionnaire, if radiation not associated with radon gas is identified as a potential hazard, a Radiation Assessment will be required.

Final Outcome (cont)

Revised the Environmental Questionnaire and Disclosure Statement (EQDS) to include radiation hazard assessment

EQDS - now required for all planning processes Comprehensive county radiation hazard map Uranium deposits and mines Uranium processing sites Uranium disposal sites

RRNC installation certification letter (Form R)

Lessons Learned

Don’t assume everyone understands radon Rely on your partnerships – they are crucial Staying involved, make the meetings, rely on your

team’s expertise & learn from them Do what you can to educate the policy makers prior

to the meetings/hearings Pictures are worth a thousand words Be ready to leap at the chance to revise the

regulations you work with

What a Ride!

ANSWERS.

THANK YOU!

Questions?

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