New Iowa Radon Law & Its Impact on Iowa K-12 Schools

A new Radon Testing Bill was signed into law on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, requiring thorough and more frequent radon testing for schools.

Shive-Hattery is experienced in radon testing and beyond for school districts including the development of your entire mitigation and compliance plan. Shive-Hattery will proactively reach out to you as legislation changes and new deadlines approach. This best practice has helped many school districts from compliance woes.

A Quick Guide to Iowa House File 2412

Here’s what the new radon legislation means for your district:

The basics:

• School districts must establish a radon plan and perform short-term radon tests at each attendance center/classroom by July 1, 2027.
• After that, you’ll need to test at least once every five years.
• You will need to publish the results of the tests on your District’s website.
• All new school construction must incorporate radon-resistant construction techniques.

What are the testing requirements?

• The legislation calls for short-term tests, which are set out for 2-7 days at a time.
• If the results of any test are at or above 4 picocuries per liter, you will need to test again within 60 days.
• If the average of the two tests is above 4 picocuries per liter, you must work with a professional to develop a radon mitigation plan and implement it within two years of the first test.

Who can perform the tests?

Testing must be performed by a person certified to conduct radon tests. This could be a contractor or a district employee that has completed a school radon testing training program.

What should I do next?

Make your radon plan and complete your first round of tests by the January 1, 2027 deadline.

Although this may seem like plenty of time, please remember January 1, 2027 deadline applies to testing every classroom in every building in your district. There are more than 350 districts in the State working to meet the same deadline. Get started early!

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