HR0816

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless 
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radioactive gas that comes from the radioactive decay of 
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naturally-occurring uranium in the soil; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The United States Surgeon General issued a Health 
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Advisory warning Americans that indoor radon is the 
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second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and 
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that breathing radon over prolonged periods can present a 
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significant health risk to families; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois Radon Awareness Act requires sellers 
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to provide anyone buying a home, condominium, or other 
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residential property in Illinois with information about indoor 
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radon exposure and how radon is the leading cause of lung 
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cancer in non-smokers; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The United States Environmental Protection Agency 
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has estimated that the number of annual lung cancer deaths 
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related to radon is 21,000; an estimated 1,160 Illinois 
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citizens may develop radon-related lung cancer every year; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, In accordance with our commitment to protecting 
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the citizens of Illinois from the health risks associated with 
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radon, the month of January 2008 was designated "Radon Action 
 


 






HR0816
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Month" by the Governor; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Over 50,000 measurements have been taken in the 
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State of Illinois since 2002, with homes exceeding the EPA's 
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Radon Action Level of 4.0 pCi/L being corrected; the State of 
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Illinois and the American Lung Association of Illinois 
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encourages all citizens to test their homes over 2 years; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and 
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the American Lung Association of Illinois are partnering to 
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provide radon information and guidance to the citizens of 
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Illinois in testing their homes to find out how much radon they 
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might be breathing; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the 
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American Lung Association of Illinois, the University of 
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Illinois Extension Office, the Respiratory Health Association 
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of Metropolitan Chicago, and the United States Environmental 
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Protection Agency are sponsoring video and poster contests for 
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students to increase public awareness of radon and to encourage 
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people to test their homes; therefore, be it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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designate January of 2010 as "Radon Action Month" in the State 
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of Illinois in order to raise awareness of radon and its 
 


 






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effects on families in the State of Illinois and the nation at 
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large; and be it further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That we urge the citizens of this State to 
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regularly test their homes for radon and reduce their risk of 
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developing lung cancer by taking corrective action when 
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necessary.