9711192 May A central component of efforts to address losses posed by earthquakes is the incorporation of mitigation measures into decisions about land use, building practices, and risk bearing. Considerable research has been undertaken about prospective measures and the factors that shape decision making by the affected groups. But, despite this growing body of research, there is a rather unsatisfying understanding of the prospects for mitigation. This is an exploratory, case-study investigation of exemplars of programs that are useful analogs to earthquake mitigation and have been successful in bringing about change in risk termite inspection, and radon detection. Interviews will be conducted with representatives of each of these groups within state (or local) programs that are identified as part of the research as being exemplars. In addition, library research and document collection will be undertaken. The purpose of the study of the exemplars is to draw insights concerning research about and the institutional design of federal earthquake-hazard mitigation programs. ***