State and Tribal Indoor Radon Grants

The EPA assists states and federally recognized Tribes to provide radon risk reduction through activities that will result in increased radon testing, mitigation, and radon resistant new construction through the authorizing statute: Title III of the

State and tribal radon programs are critical to the Agency's national goal of minimizing and preventing radon-related lung cancer. States and Tribes receive grant funds from the EPA that help finance their radon risk reduction programs. For more than 30 years, the EPA has supported state and tribal efforts to advance radon protection and risk reduction through the State and Tribal Indoor Radon Grant (SIRG) program.

Eligible entities include states (including District of Columbia (DC)), Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, federally recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal consortia, or any other U.S. Territory or possession.

The following activities are eligible for funding under SIRG: radon surveys, public information and educational materials, radon control programs, purchase of radon measurement equipment or devices, purchase and maintenance of analytic equipment, training, program overhead and administration, data storage and management, mitigation demonstrations, Community development, consumer protection, housing, training, and toll-free hotlines. Funding for these eligible activities may be used to develop State radon response programs. States may, at the Governor's direction, aid local governments for public information and educational materials, radon control programs and training.

The statute, IRAA Section 306(i), places the following restrictions on the use of these funds: 1) SIRG recipients must perform satisfactorily in the preceding budget period to be eligible to receive additional funding; 2) State expenditures for measurement equipment/devices and mitigation demonstrations cannot exceed 50 percent of the grant amount in a budget period; 3) State expenditures for general overhead and program administration cannot exceed 25 percent in a budget period; and 4) SIRG applicants may use grant funds for financial assistance to persons only to the extent that such assistance is related to approved demonstration projects or the purchase and analysis of radon measurement devices. This program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. A discretionary award means an award in which the Federal awarding agency, in keeping with specific statutory authority that enables the agency to exercise judgement ("discretion"), selects the recipient and/or the amount of Federal funding awarded through a competitive process or based on merit of proposals. A discretionary award may be selected on a non-competitive basis, as appropriate. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.

Awards funded under TSCA Section 306 (IRAA), are normally for a period of 12-36 months. The EPA encourages 36-month (3-year) SIRG project periods. The EPA negotiates project periods appropriate to a suite of projects or specific project. However, the EPA project periods are limited to a maximum of five years. Grants and cooperative agreements may be fully funded or incrementally (partially) funded, conditional on the availability of funds. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Assistance agreements are generally funded incrementally, depending on the availability of funds. This may vary by region and grants management office.

Application assistance is available through Regional radon coordinators and their Regional grants specialist counterparts. For additional state specific information on the state radon programs and a list of the EPA Regional and State Contacts visit Data and Information About Regional, State and Tribal Radon Programs.

Issuing office will provide location of application procedure details as appropriate.

The EPA will base its review of SIRG applications on whether they reflect program goals and promote integrity through a state's use of grant funds. Pursuant to TSCA Section 306(e), if state applications exceed the funds appropriated for award in a fiscal year, the EPA will prioritize state activities based on the following criteria: (1) the seriousness and extent of the radon contamination problem to be addressed; (2) the potential for the activity or project to bring about reduction in radon levels; (3) the potential for the development of innovative radon assessment techniques, mitigation measures as approved by the Administrator, or program management approaches which may be of use to other States; (4) the potential for the activity to implement the EPA's model radon-resistant building standards; (5) the potential for the development of radon programs in high-risk areas; and (6) the potential for the activity to improve the effectiveness and viability of the State program. The EPA may establish additional criteria related to demonstration activities or other aspects of the SIRG program.

Each state or tribal SIRG application is subjected to an administrative and prior period performance evaluation to determine the recipient's eligibility to receive continued funding. An applicant's proposed projects and work plan are evaluated for projected results and alignment with the Agency's radon program goals and priorities. SIRG award decisions are non-competitive and made at the EPA Regional level, based on a formula moderated by Regional management discretion utilizing prior performance and results. A state or Tribe able to provide the required 25% in matching funds (first year of participation only) and 40% in matching funds (every subsequent year) is eligible to apply to the Regional EPA office for a grant.

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate, for application deadlines. For program information, visit: https://www.epa.gov/radon/state-and-tribal-indoor-radon-grants-sirg-program-and-resources

Approximately 90 days.

Renewals of awards will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of TSCA Section 306 and the SIRG Program Handbook available State and Tribal Indoor Radon Grants (SIRG) Program Resources.

Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.