2024 EPA Tri-Regional Radon Stakeholders Meeting (Regions 8, 9, & 10)

    --------------EPA Tri-Regional Radon Stakeholders' Meeting

    Resources 2024--------------

 
 
    Agenda 
 
    Quiz (only valid for those who attended in person)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Presentations
Welcome - Christine Kelly
Keynote: Lung Cancer Screening Saves Lives - Dr. Chivonne Harrigal, MD, Radiologist
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Update - Bill Long, EPA Headquarters
EPA Region 8 - Courtney Johnston
EPA Region 9 - Ryder Freed
EPA Region 10 - Gretchen Stewart, Vanessa Marshall, & Jim McAuley (virtual)
Rocky Mountain IEA/AARST - Brent Ulbert, RMAARST Vice Pres
NW Radon Coalition - Carolee Cooper, NW Radon Coalition
Radon Exposure and Stroke Risk - Eric A. Whitsel, MD MPH, University of North Carolina
Radon in Pulmonology in Nevada - Dr. Vishisht Mehta, MD, Pulmonologist (virtual)
EPA Proposed Radon Credentialing Criteria Group Discussion - Brian Hanson, NRPS & Katrin Kral, EPA
NRPP Update - Diane Swecker, NRPP
NRSB Update - Nancy Bredhoff, NRSB (virtual)
Houses from Heck - Norm Denny, Pinnacle Construction
Tribal Radon Work - Vivian Craig & Darlene Jenkins, Navajo Nation Superfund
Getting Radon Work Done for Tribes, Nations and Territories
  • Ryder Freed, EPA Region 9
  • Martina Wilson, Fort Peck Tribes
  • Janice Archuleta, Ute Mountain (virtual)

Radon in Water - Dr. Mike Kitto (virtual)

State Reports:

  • Colorado – Margaret Horton
  • Montana – Michael Gustafson
  • North Dakota – Dr. Gary Schwartz
  • Utah – Eleanor Divver
  • Wyoming – Randi Norton-Herrington
  • Fort Peck Tribes – Martina Wilson
  • Rosebud Sioux Tribe – Clifford Broken Legg III
  • Arizona – Brian Goretzki
  • Nevada – Chris Kelly
  • Alaska – Paul Goodfellow
  • Idaho – Carolee Cooper
  • Oregon – Brett Sherry (virtual)
  • Nez Perce – Johna Boulafentis
 

CRCPD Resources, FHFA, HUD - Joshua Kerber, CRCPD E25 Chair (virtual)

 
 
Speaker Bios (as supplied)
Christine Kelly
Christine Kelly is the Nevada Radon Program Manager at the University of Nevada, Reno, specializes in educational outreach designed for realtors and medical professionals. She enjoys teaching continuing education classes and collaborating with the Nevada Cancer Coalition to raise awareness about the link between elevated radon levels and lung cancer. 
 
Dr. Chivonne Harrigal   
images shows the head and shoulders a light-skinned woman with shoulder length medium brown hair, light colored eyes smiling wearing a grey blouse and white lab coat   
Dr. Harrigal (aka Dr. H) is a board-certified radiologist who specializes in cancer imaging. She received her M.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2005. She graduated from the Stanford University Radiology residency program in 2011 and from Stanford’s fellowship program in Breast Imaging in 2012. Dr. H has lives and worked in the Reno-Tahoe area since 2012. She is passionate about saving lives from cancer and will be talking to us today about lung cancer.
 
 
 

Courtney Johnson   
  
 

Courtney Johnson is a General Physical Scientist in EPA Region 8. Before federal service, she graduated from James Madison University with a BA in Earth Science and a minor in Communication Studies. She worked as a volunteer ranger at Shenandoah National Park where she learned an appreciation for the outdoors. Courtney currently works on the Clean School Bus Program where she helps replace older diesel buses with cleaner alternatives. Her passion is, and continues to be, environmental protection.
 
 
 
Eric A. Whitsel   
  
MD MPH is a Professor of Epidemiology in the Gillings School of Global Public Health and Adjunct Professor of Medicine in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill where he conducts research at the junction of environmental, cardiovascular, and genetic epidemiology.  
 
 
 
 
 
Carolee Cooper   
  
Carolee Cooper is an accomplished Environmental Health Specialist with over 18 years of dedicated experience in Idaho. For 15 years, she served as an EHS health inspector at Southeastern Idaho Public Health before transitioning to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, where she has spent the last 2 and a half years focusing on radon and private well water programs. Carolee is an alumna of Idaho State University, where she earned a degree in biology. Prior to her career in public health, she proudly served in the Navy. 
 
Throughout her career, Carolee has been committed to making the world a safer place through her expertise in environmental health. Alongside her professional accomplishments, she has raised three beautiful daughters, demonstrating her dedication to both her career and her family. 
 
Margaret Horton   
Margaret Horton is an Environmental Protection Specialist with the Colorado Radon Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The Radon Program is an education and awareness program to encourage residential radon reduction and lung cancer prevention. Margaret has a Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology and uses data-driven approaches to inform programming and promote environmental justice throughout Colorado. 
 
Eleanor Divver   
  
Eleanor Divver is the Radon Coordinator for Utah.  She worked in the radon world in the 90’s for Salt Lake County Environmental Health and now for the State.  She taught Environmental Science and Introduction to Public Health at the University of Utah for 20 years.  Most importantly she has three amazing daughters, a great husband, and an adorable dog. 
 
 
 
 
Paul Goodfellow   
Paul Goodfellow is a program manager for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys. He is manager of the Alaska Radon Program, which is coming off its second most successful Radon Awareness Month and winter season since the program was transferred to DGGS in 2018. Paul also oversees several U.S. Geological Survey grants, as well as a statewide EPA-funded groundwater mapping project which will provide valuable information on naturally occurring groundwater contamination for homeowners and elected officials. He has a master’s in public administration from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Paul lives in Anchorage with his wife, 2-year-old son, and a boxer mix the family adopted.
 
Johna Boulafentis   
  
Johna, an Environmental Specialist with the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), has lead air quality outreach and education activities on the Nez Perce Reservation for over 19 years. She also conducts indoor environment and health research with agencies and universities. The NPT received their first SIRG funding in 2020 and Johna performs the radon activities including testing of tribal housing. Johna appreciates the passion and dedication of the radon community. 
 
 
 
Vivan Craig   
Vivian Craig is a Sr. Environmental Specialist for NNEPA Superfund Program. Vivian loves working for her Dine’ on the great Navajo Nation. Her job is working on Contaminated Structure Project (CSP) with EPA R9 and looking for homes that are made of uranium mine waste. She works with her communities on raising awareness on the risk of Abandoned Uranium Mines (AUM’s) on Navajo. 
 

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What is Radon?

Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and chemically inert radioactive gas. It is formed by the natural radioactive decay of uranium in rock, soil, and water. It can be found in all 50 states. Testing for it is the only way of telling how much is present.

 

Call Us

  • National Radon Hotline: Purchase radon test kits by phone.
    1 (800) SOS-RADON (767-7236)
     
  • National Radon Helpline: Get live help for your radon questions.
    1 (800) 55-RADON (557-2366)
     
  • National Radon Fix-It Line: For general information on fixing or reducing the radon level in your home.
    1 (800) 644-6999
     
  • Living Healthy and Green Hotline
    1 (866) 730-4733
     
  • National Radon Hotline En Español
    1 (866) 528-3187