Developing a Tribal Radon Program

Vivian CraigEnvironmental SpecialistNNEPA Radon Program

Objective of the NNEPA Radon Program

Is to protect the health of the Navajo Nation through:

-public outreach-radon testing-informing the communities on the risk of radon-increase radon testing-finding sources for mitigation

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• History of Uranium Mining and Abandoned Mines

• Building and homes have been constructed with materials from mines and milling waste sites

• Outreach on radon risk

• Radon Program is the only resource available for testing of tribal buildings, schools and homes

• A monitoring program not a regulatory program

Developing a Tribal Radon Developing a Tribal Radon ProgramProgram

• Navajo Nation covers 17.6 million acresNavajo Nation covers 17.6 million acres– Arizona, New Mexico and UtahArizona, New Mexico and Utah

• Population of 289,000 (+) NavajosPopulation of 289,000 (+) Navajos• Five AgenciesFive Agencies

– Eastern, Northern, Chinle, Western & Fort Eastern, Northern, Chinle, Western & Fort DefianceDefiance

– Three Islands-Alamo, Pinehill & TohajiileeThree Islands-Alamo, Pinehill & Tohajiilee– 110 Chapters 110 Chapters

• Tribal Buildings & Tribal EntitiesTribal Buildings & Tribal Entities– Head Start Centers, Senior Centers & Head Start Centers, Senior Centers &

Chapter HousesChapter Houses– BIA, Public, Border Town & Public SchoolsBIA, Public, Border Town & Public Schools

How and Where Do I How and Where Do I Begin?Begin?

Who is going to train Who is going to train me?me?

HELP!

Developing a Tribal Program

• Contacted the Division of Dine Education• 160 Head Start Schools

• List of all the Schools on Navajo• 67 Public Schools on Navajo Nation• 105 Public Schools off Navajo Nation• 34 Bureau Of Indian Affairs• 26 Contract/Grants on Navajo Nation• 2 Contract/Grants off Navajo Nation• 5 Private Schools on Navajo Nation• 10 Private Schools off Navajo Nation

Planning and Planning and SchedulingSchedulingOutreachOutreach

•Distance/TimeDistance/Time•MaterialsMaterials•BusinessBusiness

•TribalTribal•GovernmentGovernment•Private Private EntitiesEntities•HomesHomes

•AudienceAudience•Youth/Youth/StudentsStudents•Senior CitizensSenior Citizens

SamplingSampling•Distance/TimeDistance/Time•WeatherWeather•Start/End TimeStart/End Time•Amount of Amount of canisterscanisters

•Blanks/DuplicatesBlanks/Duplicates•Short/Long termShort/Long term

•DocumentationDocumentation•Chain of CustodyChain of Custody

CChurch hurch RRock ock UUranium ranium MMonitoring onitoring PProjectroject

Community MembersCommunity Members

CRUMPCRUMP

AMLAMLAMLAML

USEPA IXUSEPA IX

NMENME

DD

TAMSTAMS

SRICSRIC

ITEPITEP

FWHSFWHS

IA&R Lab

IA&R Lab

Overview of CRUMPOverview of CRUMP•Church Rock Chapter applied for a grant to conduct an environmental assessment of their communities.•Existing environmental data outdated, lacking in critical areas•Current residents face increased health risks•No public health study ever conducted in the Church Rock and surrounding areas•Proposed 1000 homes to be built put on hold for a thorough EA I & II

PREVIOUS FINDINGS

• Mine water dumped into the Rio Puerco ’60-’80s

• High U levels measured in wells next to Rio Puerco in late ’80s and early ’90s

• Sheep and Cattle had higher levels of radioactive materials in their muscles and organs in Church Rock

• No new radon monitoring since 1988

Radioactive waste spill in 1979

Uranium “101” EducationUranium “101” Education

Perry Charley w/ Dine’ College

Church Rock Uranium Monitoring ProjectChurch Rock Uranium Monitoring Project

•

Training on the Ludlum & DocumentationWHS Student/Teacher w/Roger & Melinda

John & Diane taking readings Melinda, Stanley & Larry in Scanner Van

EPA Scanner EPA Scanner VanVan

Water Pond RoadWater Pond Road

CRUMP Radon TeamCRUMP Radon Team

• John Plummer-NNEPAJohn Plummer-NNEPA• Gerald Brown-ChapterGerald Brown-Chapter• Alta Yazzie-CommunityAlta Yazzie-Community• Vivian Craig-NNEPAVivian Craig-NNEPAPhotographer-Chris Shuey/SRICPhotographer-Chris Shuey/SRIC

• Met with Chapter Officials Met with Chapter Officials – Outreach Outreach

• Chapter Officials Chapter Officials • CommunityCommunity

– USEPA Lab Las Vegas, NVUSEPA Lab Las Vegas, NV• 300 radon canisters300 radon canisters

– Strategize where to begin rategize where to begin • Water Pond RoadWater Pond Road• Pipeline Canyon Pipeline Canyon

– When will sampling beganWhen will sampling began– Chapter informed that Chapter informed that

• NNEPA Radon Program is NNEPA Radon Program is a Monitoring Program not a Monitoring Program not a Regulatory Programa Regulatory Program

Church Rock Uranium Monitoring ProjectChurch Rock Uranium Monitoring Project

Gallup IndependentGallup Independent

Radon: A deadly killerRadon: A deadly killerDetectors to be installed in 175 Church Rock homesDetectors to be installed in 175 Church Rock homes

FORT DEFIANCE — Members of Navajo Nation FORT DEFIANCE — Members of Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency will be installing Environmental Protection Agency will be installing radon detectors in up to 175 homes in the Church radon detectors in up to 175 homes in the Church Rock area beginning Monday. Nearly one in 15 Rock area beginning Monday. Nearly one in 15 homes in the United States has a high level of indoor homes in the United States has a high level of indoor radon, the second-leading cause of lung cancer.radon, the second-leading cause of lung cancer.

CRUMP Radon UpdateCRUMP Radon Update• Voluntary ProjectVoluntary Project• Explanation of Project.Explanation of Project.• Educated the Educated the

community on Radon community on Radon and canisters:and canisters:– What is Radon?What is Radon?– Health Effects.Health Effects.– What's in the canisters? What's in the canisters? – Retrieval in 7 days.Retrieval in 7 days.– Results to take time.Results to take time.

• Indoor Air Quality-Indoor Air Quality-Radon House.Radon House.

• Community members Community members were hesitate, but were hesitate, but Thankful.Thankful.

• Enjoyed meeting all the Enjoyed meeting all the participants.participants.

CRUMP Radon AssessmentCRUMP Radon Assessment• 169 Homes tested169 Homes tested• 276 Canisters placed from 276 Canisters placed from

– 31 homes with readings 31 homes with readings >4 pCi/l>4 pCi/l

• Radon results were turned over to the Church Radon results were turned over to the Church Rock ChapterRock Chapter

• CRUMP Technical Team and Chapter Officials met CRUMP Technical Team and Chapter Officials met on follow-up recommendations.on follow-up recommendations.– Cultural & Traditional Sensitivity issues Cultural & Traditional Sensitivity issues – Technical Interpretation in the Dine’ LanguageTechnical Interpretation in the Dine’ Language

• If follow-up measures needs to be taken it will be If follow-up measures needs to be taken it will be confirmed with a second short-term or long-term confirmed with a second short-term or long-term test.test.

• AML will assist with homes surveysAML will assist with homes surveys– Naturally occurringNaturally occurring– Mine or Mill waste usedMine or Mill waste used

Comparison of Winter and Summer Indoor Radon Levels in Homes with 1st Test >4.0 pCi/l-air

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

42 51 52 59 60 61 76 148

Home No. in CRUMP Database

Ind

oo

r R

n (

pC

i/l-a

ir)

Winter Summer

Next Steps for CRUMP

CRUMPCRUMP• With all these findings the UNC North With all these findings the UNC North

site is to be remediatedsite is to be remediated– Talking phaseTalking phase– Removal Option Paper with comments Removal Option Paper with comments

will be given back to USEPA Region 9 will be given back to USEPA Region 9

• New in-law/lawyer on board Mr. John New in-law/lawyer on board Mr. John Hueston, with NNDOJHueston, with NNDOJ

• Further testing for radon in homes Further testing for radon in homes

Signing CeremonySigning Ceremony

• April 29, 2005, April 29, 2005, Navajo Nation Navajo Nation President Joe President Joe Shirley, Jr. signed Shirley, Jr. signed the the “Dine Natural “Dine Natural Resources Resources Protection Act Protection Act 20052005” in ” in Crownpoint, NMCrownpoint, NM..

AHEHEE’AHEHEE’Vivian Craig, NNEPA Radon ProgramVivian Craig, NNEPA Radon Program

P.O. Box 339P.O. Box 339Window Rock, Arizona 86515Window Rock, Arizona 86515

928.871.7863928.871.7863vivcraig@juno.comvivcraig@juno.com

Pictures from RoamingPhotos.comPictures from RoamingPhotos.com

Muttonman recommends that

you test your homes, schools

and tribal buildings for

radon.