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TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – The Cherokee Nation’s Environmental Protection Program is urging residents to take action during this year’s National Radon Action Week, October 15 – 21, by testing their homes for elevated levels of radon. According to Cherokee Nation Environmental Specialist Shaun West, this issue affects many Cherokee citizens on a local level. “Radon is a health risk that has been found in 27 percent of the homes tested in Cherokee County and 36 percent of the homes tested in Delaware County,” said West. “These numbers are quite high when compared to an average of six percent of homes across all of America.” Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, can be harmful at elevated levels. The National Academy of Sciences has found that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and that it is a serious public health problem. Testing homes for elevated levels of the harmful gas is simple and inexpensive. Radon is considered a serious public health hazard with a straightforward solution. The Cherokee Nation is aligned with the American Lung Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is currently conducting numerous activities throughout the Cherokee Nation. For more information about radon, radon testing and radon mitigation contact, phone: 918-453-5363.

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org