SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Initial test results show that the Oregon governor’s mansion has elevated levels of radon gas in its basement.
The federal government says the radioactive gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
The Salem Statesman Journal reports (http://is.gd/335rxZ ) that monitors detected 6.2 picocuries per liter of air in the basement’s billiard room and 4.8 in a storage room. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends home repairs if radon levels exceed 4 picocuries per liter.
Radon levels were measured over four days at the request of Cylvia Hayes, Gov. John Kitzhaber’s companion. Hayes says in a statement that the radon test highlights the importance of checking homes for the odorless gas.
