Indoor Radon Abatement Reauthorization Act of 1992 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to state that it is a national goal that all homes, schools, and Federal buildings be tested for radon.
Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), by January 1, 1992, to designate areas in which the average radon level is likely to exceed the national average by more than a de minimis amount as priority radon areas and to revise such designations as appropriate.
Requires the Administrator to make available to the public and the building industry final radon control standards and techniques for residential dwellings by January 1, 1992, and for multiunit residential structures and schools by January 1, 1994.
Directs the appropriate Federal official, before providing any direct Federal financial assistance, to require residential dwellings or multiunit residential structures constructed in a priority radon area more than two years after the establishment of new construction standards, the date of enactment of this Act, or the designation of such area as a priority radon area, whichever is later, to be constructed in accordance with radon control standards.
Requires the Administrator to establish a radon design awards program to provide for awards for the best residential design incorporating radon control or mitigation standards.
Revises provisions concerning charges imposed to cover the costs of operating radon proficiency rating programs. Requires the Administrator to consider reductions of charges for small businesses. Prohibits the imposition of charges on State and local governments.
Adds to the list of activities eligible for grant assistance for radon programs: (1) technical assistance to public water supply systems concerning mitigation of radon in public water supplies and public education activities to assist homeowners in the assessment and mitigation of radon in water supplies; (2) activities to adopt new construction standards for reducing radon levels in new buildings; (3) technical and financial assistance to public interest groups to encourage radon testing and mitigation at local levels; (4) outreach and technical assistance activities for licensed child care facilities in priority radon areas; (5) measures to prevent and test for radon in school buildings above the target action point; (6) educational programs for members of the housing industry concerning model construction standards and techniques; and (7) financial assistance to conduct surveys to improve the precision of priority radon areas.
Requires States receiving such assistance to investigate consumer complaints about radon services that violate the EPA or State radon proficiency program. Removes a prohibition on the use of grant assistance to cover costs of radon proficiency rating programs.
Directs the Administrator to publish guidelines on testing for and remediating radon in school buildings. Requires local educational agencies located in priority radon areas to conduct radon tests in school buildings owned or operated by such agencies. Makes test results available for public review. Requires testing to be supervised by a person who has received instruction pursuant to an EPA or State-approved program and requires the use of devices and methods approved by the radon proficiency program.
Authorizes regional radon training centers to provide training to State and local building code officials, contractors, and others in the building community on model construction standards and techniques.
Directs the Administrator to submit to the Congress a plan describing activities to be undertaken by Federal agencies to assess and mitigate radon in Federal buildings.
Requires the Administrator to develop a written document containing radon-related information. Requires such document to be provided by every originating mortgage institution to every person from whom it receives or for whom it prepares a written application for a mortgage loan. Prohibits federally chartered secondary mortgage institutions from purchasing mortgage loans originating twelve months or more after this Act's enactment date unless such institutions require originating mortgage institutions to comply with radon information distribution requirements.
Prohibits persons from offering radon measurement devices or measurement or mitigation services to the public unless they have completed the EPA radon proficiency program. Permits the Administrator to delegate authority for such program to States. Makes it unlawful to fail to comply with proficiency program requirements or to fail to keep records, submit reports, or permit access to facilities or records.
Requires the Administrator to: (1) implement an outreach program to provide information about radon to the medical community; and (2) develop and distribute informational material concerning radon tailored to doctors in general practice and in specialties related to lung cancer.
Directs Federal agencies to adopt procedures to assure that new Federal buildings or schools constructed with Federal funds in priority radon areas conform to model construction standards for controlling radon levels.
Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to disseminate information on health threats posed by radon, proper radon testing methods, and radon mitigation techniques to public housing, Indian housing, and other housing assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937 and the National Housing Act in priority radon areas.
Directs the Secretary to undertake a program of radon research.
Directs the Administrator to establish a national educational campaign to increase public awareness about radon health risks and to motivate public action to reduce radon levels.
Requires the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to study and report to the Congress on the extent of radon contamination in work places. Authorizes appropriations.
Prescribes civil penalties for violations concerning the radon-related information document, the radon proficiency program, and construction standards for federally-assisted housing. Sets forth additional enforcement provisions. Authorizes citizen suits with respect to specified violations of this Act.
Extends the authorization of appropriations for technical assistance, grants to States for radon programs, and regional radon training centers. Earmarks funds for radon remediation measures for local educational agencies and for grants to such agencies for reducing radon levels.
Directs the Administrator to: (1) evaluate existing efforts to promote radon testing in homes and ways to increase such testing; and (2) report to the Congress on the effectiveness of alternative strategies to promote such testing.
Requires the Administrator to conduct: (1) a program to reassess, on a periodic basis, the human health risks associated with radon exposure; and (2) a multi-media risk assessment of radon, prior to promulgating any national primary drinking water regulation for radionuclides under the Safe Drinking Water Act.