Justification

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for Participatory Science and Crowdsourcing Projects” (OMB Control Number: 2080-0083; EPA ICR Number: 2521.47)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:

Radon Measurement in US Virgin Islands

PURPOSE:

The primary objective is to safeguard the communities of the US Virgin Islands from indoor radon risk through additional education and testing. In partnership with the University of the Virgin Islands, local EPA staff, and the Virgin Islands Department of Health, EPA is enlisting the assistance of friends and family of scientific and engineering employees to measure radon in their local residences.

Eligible homes throughout the Virgin Islands are about to undergo a radon screening study funded by EPA Region 2’s Air and Radiation Division discretionary funds. The data developed from the current screening study will provide the basic information on local potential health risks that may exist from radon exposure throughout the islands.

The data collected will provide both short and long-term integrated radon concentrations by location across the islands, as well as general radon concentration data. Research participation teams (scientific staff) will be trained to perform the standard radon measurement protocols.

Information gained by this radon measurement and mapping project will be used to inform EPA’s regional staff on next steps in radon measurement and funding for the territory to institute its own radon program using EPA funding.

NEED AND AUTHORITY FOR COLLECTION:

EPA can collect this information under various program authorities and regulations. The minimal information requested is necessary to coordinate and communicate the results of testing to homeowners. Participation is strictly voluntary.

The Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-551) directed the EPA to identify areas of the United States that have the potential to produce harmful levels of indoor radon. These characterizations were to be based on both geological data and on indoor radon levels in homes and other structures. EPA was also directed to develop model standards and techniques that new building contractors can use to adequately prevent and mitigate radon entry in the future.

15 USC CHAPTER 53, SUBCHAPTER III: INDOOR RADON ABATEMENT

USES OF RESULTING DATA:

Information gained by the current radon mapping project will be used to inform EPA’s regional air quality staff in assessing the potential for radon hazard in individual residences and in planting for future action. Under existing programs and authorities, the test results along with generalized location data, will be shared with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that operate a public mapping project.

DATA COLLECTION METHODS:

Scientific staff who volunteer to participate will undergo a brief training session. Scientific staff will invite friends and family who are interested in learning more about radon measurements in their homes and wish to volunteer to participate as citizen scientists. Staff will place between one and three detectors in each home for both short and long-term measurements up to 350 days.

PARTICIPANT UNIVERSE:

Any homeowner with a property that meets the project’s scientific interests as selected by scientific staff may participate. Participation is strictly voluntary on the part of the homeowner.

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Participation Time per response	Burden Hours
Homeowner-Test Start & Stop	300	1	6 min	30 Hours
Scientist Participant	10	10	18 min	30 Hours
Total	310	100	24 min	60 Hours

AGENCY COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $20,000 for detectors plus staff time and parts and $32,000 federal employee salary.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

This is preliminary research. Generalized descriptive statistics as well as community-based statistics will be prepared and shared with the research participants. The addresses of the participating homes will not be shared.

DATA QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES:

The Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) is currently under review/development. Quality assurance (QA) responsibilities have not been assigned to the project manager at this time.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE INSTRUMENT: (Check all that apply)

[ X ] Web-based or Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

Data will be collected on an Adobe form that can be returned via Adobe cloud or directly to the data manager. Data will be shared with the analytical laboratory, who will complete a personally identifiable information safeguarding agreement and with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under existing agreements.

INSTRUMENT:

A draft of the permission form is attached to this document.

CONTACT NAME: Conrad Sherman EMAIL: [email protected]