“ I don ’ t have anything in the code right now that would compel them to make them share their data with me ,” he said .
With the available data , VDH has begun work on its own radon risk map . Berquist and Kaste are also continuing their own work in the Williamsburg area in hopes of conducting testing in James City , York and other surrounding counties .
State work is slow , however . Virginia ’ s radon program is funded by an EPA grant that requires a 40 percent match from the state . With no general funds dedicated to the program , the match is drawn from revenues generated by other work in the Office of Radiological Health .
“ It strictly limits our ability to grow the program , because we can ’ t get it any bigger than the match that we can afford ,” said Paris .
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SARAH VOGELSONG
Sarah is the Mercury ' s environment and energy reporter , covering everything from utility regulation to sea level rise . Originally from McLean , she has spent over a decade in journalism and academic publishing and previously worked as a staff reporter for Chesapeake Bay Journal , the Progress-Index and the Caroline Progress . She is the recipient of a first place award for explanatory reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists and has twice been honored by the Virginia Press Association as " Best in Show " for online writing . She was chosen for the 2020 cohort of the Columbia Energy Journalism Initiative and is a graduate of the College of William and Mary . Contact her at svogelsong @ virginiamercury . com
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