================================================================ MindNet Journal - Vol. 1, No. 5 ================================================================ V E R I C O M M / MindNet "Quid veritas est?" ================================================================ Notes: Permission is given to reproduce and redistribute, for non-commercial purposes only, provided this information and the copy, remain intact and unedited. The views, and opinions, expressed below are not necessarily the views and opinions of VERICOMM, MindNet, or the editor, unless otherwise noted. Editor: Mike Coyle Contributing Editors: Walter Bowart Harlan Girard Assistant Editor: Rick Lawler ================================================================ HISTORY OF THE BRIDLEWOOD HYDRO LINE STRUGGLE BY: Richard W. Woodley Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee EMF Files - November 23, 1993 For more information, contact ab190@freenet.carleton.ca May/September 1984 Ontario Hydro states at public information meetings that the existing corridor through Bridlewood was ruled out for the new 500 kV lines because it was too narrow and did not meet their guidelines for community impact. Ontario Hydro's environmental assessment study stated the corridor width requirement for 500 kV lines to be between 100-130 metres (the Bridlewood corridor is 80 metres wide). November 20, 1984 Joint Board (Ontario Municipal Board and Ontario Environmental Assessment Board) hearings begin. November 4, 1985 Joint Board chooses the existing Bridlewood corridor for the new 500 kV lines. This decision contradicts all the expert evidence presented at the hearings, including that of Ontario Hydro. Public health concerns were barely touched. The location of the Bridlewood school was not considered by the Board because it was not built yet. May 9, 1986 Appeal of Joint Board decision by City of Kanata to Ontario Cabinet is denied. September 26, 1986 Ottawa Citizen carries an article by April Lindgren on health effects of electromagnetic radiation. Lynn Barrett and Judy Hunter, along with other concerned residents, form the Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee (BRHLC). Research into health effects and lobbying campaign begins. December 1986 City of Kanata and Ontario Hydro fail to reach agreement on mitigating measures as required by previous Joint Board decision. On December 15, 1986 the Joint Board holds a one and a half hour hearing on Ontario Hydro's proposed mitigating measures. The BRHLC is not given notice or adequate time to prepare for the hearing. They are denied full standing and not allowed to call witnesses or cross-examine Ontario Hydro's witnesses. January 1987 BRHLC engages legal counsel and announces it will seek a judicial review of the routing decision. On January 20, 1987 200 Bridlewood residents protest outside the official opening of the new Ottawa Court House by Premier Peterson. March 1987 Joint Board accepts Ontario Hydro's proposed mitigating measures in a March 9, 1987 decision. On March 31, 1987 the BRHLC appeals the Joint Board decision to the Ontario Cabinet. April 1987 BRHLC survey finds that if the lines are built as planned 34% of parents would definitely not send their children to the new school and another 16% would probably not. June 4, 1987 Ontario Hydro starts construction in the Bridlewood corridor and are met by mothers and children who physically prevent construction from continuing. Later that day, in the Legislature, the Energy Minister orders Hydro to stop construction until the BRHLC appeal is decided on by Cabinet. July 8, 1987 The results of the New York Power Lines Project are released, including a study linking electromagnetic fields from power lines to childhood leukemia and brain cancer. December 1987 On December 8, 1987 the Ontario Cabinet announces that it had denied the BRHLC appeal on November 26, 1987. On December 10, 1987 Ontario Hydro begins construction and is met by protesters who disrupt gravel deliveries for several days. On December 20, 1987 the Bridlewood struggle is featured on the CTV television program W5. March 1988 On March 7, 1988 the Carleton Board of Education announces that it will undertake it's own study into the health risks from electromagnetic radiation at the Bridlewood school. A March 1988 BRHLC survey finds that if the lines are built as planned 40% of parents would definitely not send their children to the new school and another 30% would probably not. May 9, 1988 Ontario Hydro states in a letter to the community that the magnetic field strength at the edge of the right-of-way would be less than 10 milliGauss (mG) under normal everyday conditions. May 13, 1988 300 residents demonstrate outside the new Bridlewood school while 67% of the students are kept home by their concerned parents. June 13, 1988 Carleton Board of Education releases the findings from the first phase of its health study which finds that at that time (without the new lines in place) the school is safe. July, 19, 1988 BRHLC announces it has hired Jeff Cowan of the Toronto law firm of Weir and Foulds (which has successfully fought Ontario Hydro in the past) to represent them in their legal actions. October 1988 Joint Board agrees to consider a BRHLC request that it hold new hearings and requests written submissions on the matter. March 1989 CBE issues preliminary report on the Bridlewood school. Magnetic field readings have increased 10 times in and around the school and are at levels associated with childhood cancer and leukemia by the New York Power Lines Project. The readings at the edge of the right-of-way exceed Ontario Hydro's 10 mG forecast of May 9, 1988. May 1989 BRHLC holds DAY OF CONCERN on May 5, 1989. Over 100 residents demonstrated outside the Bridlewood school while 40% of the students were absent. CBE issues another report which claims there is no health risk to students at the Bridlewood school. BRHLC spokespersons call the report "totally wrong, false inaccurate, untruthful and deceptive". May/June 1989 The May/June 1989 issue of Intervenor, the Newsletter of the Canadian Environmental Law Association, published an article on hydro lines and health written by Richard W. Woodley of the BRHLC. October 1989 BRHLC application for judicial review is withdrawn. BRHLC continues to fight for new Joint Board hearings. Lobbying efforts are intensified. BRHLC continues ongoing monitoring of the electromagnetic field levels using its own dosimeter. On October 27, 1989 Ontario Hydro upgrades the voltage on one of the lines from 230 to 500 kV. January 25, 1990 BRHLC Field Measurement team releases a report, at a public meeting attended by over 100 residents, indicating that magnetic field readings at the Bridlewood school site were up to 27 times higher than readings at the control school in the CBE study (Henry Larson Elementary School). Readings in the school were as high as 14 mG. Ontario Hydro had stated on May 9, 1988 that the magnetic field strengths at the edge of the right-of-way would not exceed 10 mG. Readings above 2 mG have been associated with increased risks of childhood leukemia. February 20, 1990 BRHLC representatives meet with Ontario Energy Minister Lyn McLeod. Spring 1990 BRHLC engages in a series of meetings with Ontario Hydro. April 16, 1990 CBC The Journal broadcasts a documentary on the issue of electromagnetic radiation, including the Bridlewood struggle. May 14, 1990 CBE issues another report on the Bridlewood school magnetic field readings which states that Bridlewood magnetic field levels are among the highest of the six schools tested. It also states that these conditions occur at other schools, particularly Greenbank/Knoxdale public school in Nepean which borders a 230 kV and 115 kV power line. BRHLC says the report is trying to downplay the potential health risks from the lines. A BRHLC spokesperson states "They are trying to perpetuate the myth that the new lines haven't had an impact on the readings at the school, but they have had a serious impact". June 20, 1990 BRHLC plans to hold a public meeting to update the community. Ontario Hydro officials have been invited to attend the meeting to explain their position and answer residents questions. 1990-1991 The BRHLC participated in Public Focus's Visions 2020 program by means of a background paper provided by Richard W. Woodley. Visions 2020 is an educational program designed to provide students with the tools that will be needed in their lifetime to understand and take part in the shift towards sustainable development. The program involved thousands of senior secondary school students from across Canada in developing their vision for Canada on various topic areas. January 1991 BRHLC meets with senior aide to newly elected New Democratic Party Energy Minister Jenny Carter. Also BRHLC begins preparations for Environmental Assessment Board Hearings on Ontario Hydro's Demand/Supply Planning Study. The BRHLC has received intervenor status and funding to present independent evidence on the EMF issue before the Board. May 1992 Kanata councillor Marriane Wilkinson raised the issue of EMFs at City Council stating that the health concerns should be taken into consideration in planning and zoning decisions and that staff should look further into the issue. June 1992 BRHLC makes a deputation to a special meeting of the Ontario Hydro Board of Directors held in Ottawa on June 7, 1992. On June 16, 1992 the BRHLC holds a public information meeting at the Bridlewood school to bring update the community on the EMF issue and the committee's activities. September 1992 Carleton Board of Education makes a conscious decision to locate new portables at the school site as far away from the hydro corridor as possible Fall 1992 Swedish study confirms findings of New York Power Lines Project study linking electromagnetic fields from power lines to childhood leukemia. Winter 1992 Ontario Hydro upgrades lines to full operating power with 1- 230 kV line and 2-500 kV lines. March 1993 BRHLC begins series of EMF measurements at Bridlewood school site to determine if a continuous monitoring program is warranted. BRHLC continues preparations for Ontario Hydro environmental assessment panel. Environmental Assessment Board has been replaced with an advisory panel due to Ontario Hydro's withdrawal of its Demand/Supply Plan. In March 1993 the BRHLC also joined the National EMR Alliance composed of public interest groups from across North America concerned about the health effects of electromagnetic fields. May 1993 BRHLC joins the National Capital Freenet as an information provider. The committee has established a section within the environment section of the Freenet providing information files and a discussion group on electromagnetic fields and health. This also provides the BRHLC with access to Internet e-mail and the ability to communicate internationally at no cost and distribute information throughout the world. Since then we have received numerous requests for information from all over the world. ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND HEALTH BY: Richard W. Woodley Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation are separated on the electromagnetic spectrum by visible light - a frequency of roughly 500 trillion cycles a second. Above that frequency is ionizing radiation which contains enough energy to physically alter the atoms it strikes, changing them into charged particles called ions. Below visible light the low frequency waves are non- ionizing - they do not possess enough energy to charge atoms. Ionizing radiation, such as nuclear radiation and X-rays, have long been known to be harmful. However, the question of the health effects of electromagnetic radiation, which is non- ionizing is a controversial one. Some of the first warnings came in 1972 when scientists in the Soviet Union reported strange health effects in switchyard workers who were routinely exposed to high levels of electromagnetic fields. The workers experienced increased heart disease, nervous disorders, blood pressure changes, recurring headaches, fatigue, stress and chronic depression. Although concerns had been raised earlier, one of the first epidemiological studies to indicate a health risk was a 1979 University of Colorado study by Dr. Nancy Wertheimer and Ed Leeper which reported a two to three fold increase in cancer deaths among children living near high current power lines in Denver, Colorado. In November 1986 Dr. David Savitz, of the University of North Carolina, reported the results of a study done as part of the New York Power Lines Project which confirmed Wertheimer and Leeper's findings. The study found increased incidences of childhood cancer and leukemia associated with EMF exposures above 2.5 mG. Dr. Savitz's final report to the New York State Health Department stated: "The degree of confidence placed in these findings is open to varying interpretation, but the tentative conclusion that the study is supportive of an association of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer risk is warranted." Dr. David Carpenter, the Executive Secretary of the New York Power Lines Project, in response to statements that the Project "revealed no evidence that magnetic fields pose a health hazard" stated: "Any logical person cannot conclude that there are no effects." He said "It's just wrong to imply that there are no hazards." Plans are now underway for a second New York Power Lines Project. The findings of the Wertheimer and Leeper and Savitz studies were confirmed by a 1991 study by S.J. London et al., published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. A University of Southern California study undertaken by John Peters and colleagues and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in November 1991 also confirmed these findings. Public Power Weekly reported on January 28 1992 that: "The most comprehensive study to date of childhood leukemia and exposure to electromagnetic fields offers additional evidence that proximity to power lines may increase leukemia risk." When wire codes were used to measure exposure, the risk of leukemia among children with the highest exposure to magnetic fields was about two times greater than the risk of leukemia among children with the least risk. There was no clear association shown when direct measurements of magnetic fields in the children's residences were used as an indication of exposure. However the discrepancy between results based on measurements and those using wire codes may mean that wire codes are a more accurate predictor of magnetic fields, according to the researchers. They stated: "Although magnetic fields are imperfectly approximated by wiring configuration, the wiring configuration is determined with little error, is unlikely to change over time within a residence, and therefore, may actually be a superior indication of long-time field exposure than the measurements taken." "Even though our 24-hour measurements were longer than measurements made in previous studies, they're still just snapshots", said Peters. "The estimates based on wiring configuration may better reflect the long-term exposure." These findings were further confirmed by a 1992 Swedish study by Maria Feychting and Anders Ahlbom which reported a higher relative risk of 2.7 times for childhood leukemia and 1.7 times for leukemia in adults for subjects exposed to higher magnetic field levels compared with the control group in the study. Christine Gorman in the October 26, 1992 issue of Time, stated: "One of the most telling results was that the cancer risk grew in proportion to the strength of the electromagnetic field." She reported that children with constant exposures to the weakest fields (less than 1 mG) had the lowest incidence of cancer. Those exposed to 2 mG had a threefold increase in risk and those exposed to 3 mG had a fourfold increase in the risk of leukemia. As Gorman stated: "Such a clear progression makes it difficult to argue that factors other than exposure to the electromagnetic field were responsible for the extra cases of leukemia." As well a 1992 Danish study found a five-fold increase in the risk of childhood leukemia, lymphomas and brain tumours where children living near power lines were exposed to 4 mG. Children are not the only ones at risk. Microwave News reported in March/April 1990 that "there are now at least 12 studies pointing to an EMF-brain tumour risk". Researcher Dr. Samuel Milham Jr. stated: "There are far too many positive studies to dismiss an EMF-brain tumour connection". As well, Microwave News reported in July/August 1990 that epidemiologists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA, had uncovered new evidence for an association between occupational exposures to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and the development of male breast cancer. The study supports the preliminary findings of a Johns Hopkins University (JHU) study, reported last year, showing an increased risk of male breast cancer among young New York telephone workers. Paul Demers, working with Dr. David Thomas's research group at the Hutchinson center, has found that telephone linemen, electricians and electric power workers have six times the expected rate of male breast cancer - a statistically significant increase. For radio and communications workers, the risk was almost tripled. Overall there was a doubling of the cancer risk for all EMF-exposed workers. Over 40 occupational studies have shown that adults who were routinely exposed to high EMFS in their work environment had a significantly increased chance of dying of cancer when compared to other workers. Laboratory studies have also shown health effects from electromagnetic radiation. Cass Peterson, writing in The Washington Post, states: "Similarly, numerous animal studies have demonstrated neurological or reproductive effects from low frequency electromagnetic fields. Chick embryos show a higher rate of abnormalities when exposed to low-frequency fields, mice suffer a higher rate of abortion and abnormal fetuses when exposed to slightly higher frequencies, approximating those emitted by video display terminals." Peterson further stated: "In separate experiments, scientists at the Cancer Therapy and Research Centre in San Antonio discovered human cancer cells exposed to 60 Hz fields (the frequency of a high-voltage line) grew as much as 24 times as fast as unexposed cells and showed 'greatly increased resistance to destruction by the cells of the body's defense system.'" While doing research for the New York State Power Lines Project Dr. Jerry Phillips and Dr. Wendell Winters discovered that human cancer cells proliferated like crazy when exposed to magnetic fields. As well, the exposed cells became increasingly resistant to the body's immune system. Drs. Phillips and Winters stated that their observations led them to believe that it was possible that magnetic fields stimulate the rate of cancer cell growth, or act as a cancer promoter. We only have room here to cite a sampling of the hundreds of laboratory studies that have shown a link between EMFs and health effects. Scientific research studies are not the only indicators of health effects. The Middletown, N.Y. Sunday Record carried a report about a farmer with two 345 kV lines through his farm. it reported: "Rodney Grogan got blisters on the back of his head after a day spent working under the lines. Then his wife got them, too, when she helped. Still, he didn't blame the line until his father came to help out, and he got the same, runny blisters." Other farmers in the area have similar stories. In the United States several courts have ruled on the health risk issue. In late 1985, after parents brought suit, a Texas court ruled that Houston Lighting & Power had shown "callous disregard" of their children's health by siting a 345 kV line within 200 feet of a school and playground. The court ordered the utility to relocate the line. In June 1989 a Florida judge ruled that children may not play in a Boca Raton school yard which borders on high voltage power lines. The suit was brought by three local parents who sought to close the Sandpiper Shores school because of potential electromagnetic field health hazards. The judge noted that children have "no choice" about going to school and therefore EMF exposure at school is an involuntary risk: He stated that "a 1% chance that there is substantial danger is unacceptable". Official recognition of the health hazards of electro- magnetic radiation is slowly coming. In a report issued June 19, 1989 the United States Congressional Office of Technology Assessment stated: "Electric and magnetic fields produced by electric power systems may pose public health hazards." The report states that a growing amount of evidence now indicates that, under certain circumstances, even relatively weak extremely low frequency (ELF) fields can cause biological changes and that, although the implications are still unclear, "there are legitimate reasons for concern". Among the report's proposals is a strategy of "prudent avoidance": attempting to route new transmission lines so that they avoid people; widening transmission line rights-of-way; developing designs for distribution systems - including new grounding procedures - which would reduce the associated fields; and redesigning appliances to minimize or eliminate fields. Further official recognition comes from a United States Environmental Protection Agency draft report which, according to The New York Times (May 23, 1990), says that there is a possible link between cancer and the electromagnetic fields generated by power lines. In particular, the agency's survey of existing human health studies found that children exposed to such radiation seemed to face a higher than normal risk of developing leukemia. The findings on the possible health effects of exposure to radiation from electromagnetic fields generally agree with those in the report issued previously by Congress's Office of Technology Assessment. Of the EPA report, Time magazine reported, on July 30, 1990, that Louis Slesin of Microwave News, has printed what may be his greatest scoop: the key paragraph of a two-year Environmental Protection Agency study recommending that so-called extremely low-frequency fields be classified as "probable human carcinogens" alongside such notorious chemical toxins as PCBs, formaldehyde and dioxin. The recommendation, which could have set off a costly chain of regulatory actions, was deleted from the final draft after review by the White House Office of Policy Development. "The EPA thing is a stunner," says Paul Brodeur, a writer for the New Yorker. "It's a clear case of suppression and politicization of a major health issue by the White House." Paul Brodeur wrote of the EPA report in The New Yorker: "In spite of the deletion, the summary-and-conclusions section of the draft EPA report contained a persuasive indictment of power-line magnetic fields as a cancer-producing agent. Its authors stated that five of the six case-control studies published in the peer- reviewed medical literature showed that children who lived near power lines giving off strong magnetic fields were developing cancer more readily than children who did not live near power lines." Public health officials are now beginning to take a position on the EMF issue. Patti Miller, who is in charge of the Washington State Department of Health EMF Task Force, is quoted by Ellen Sugarman in Warning: The Electricity Around You May Be Hazardous to Your Health as stating: "In the Department of Health, we've been answering questions about the dangers by telling people to avoid fields at the level of 3 mG. The utilities recently complained to the governor's office about it and the governor has tried to make us stop saying this when people call. But we feel strongly that we can't just pass the buck the way they do. After all, we're responsible for the public health." Dr. David Carpenter, former Executive Secretary of the New York Power Lines Project and now Dean of the State of New York School of Public Health, is quoted by Ellen Sugarman as stating: "I am now convinced that EMFs pose a health hazard. There is a statistical association between magnetic fields and cancer that goes beyond the shadow of reasonable doubt. I think there is clear evidence that exposure to EMFs increases the risk for cancer. This is most clear with leukemia and brain tumours, but in the residential studies, statistical significance increased for all kinds of cancer. And we're just beginning to have a whole body of evidence that reproductive cancers are increased by exposure." The Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line is maintaining a Bibliography on Electromagnetic Radiation and Health which currently contains over 800 entries consisting of scientific reports and journal articles, government and official reports, newspaper and magazine articles, books, and non-print media such as videotapes and TV programs. HYDRO LINES AND SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUNDS BY: Richard W. Woodley Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee "Schools may become the next battleground in the EMF (electromagnetic fields) conflict. As parents learn more about EMF health effects, they are demanding measurements and, when necessary, reductions of EMF levels in classrooms and schoolyards." As Microwave News reported in April 1990, "Conflicts over EMFs in schools are not new". Certainly this is not a new issue in Kanata as the Bridlewood community has been fighting this issue since 1984 over high voltage transmission lines located beside the Bridlewood Community Elementary School. Houston, Texas, 1985 One of the most famous and earliest cases occurred in Houston, Texas in late 1985. After parents brought suit, a Texas court ordered Houston Lighting & Power to pay more than $25 million to a local school district for "callous disregard" of their children's health for siting a 345,000 volt line within 200 feet of a school and playground. The court also ordered the utility to relocate the line, at an additional cost that may exceed $40 million. Boca Raton, Florida, 1989 Another significant case was in Florida in the summer of 1989. A Florida judge ruled that children may not play in a Boca Raton school yard which borders on high voltage power lines. The suit was brought by three local parents who sought to close the Sandpiper Shores school because of potential EMF health hazards. The judge noted that children have "no choice" about going to school and therefore EMF exposure at school is an involuntary risk: "A 1% chance that there is substantial danger is unacceptable". As well the school board agreed to allow the parents of children attending the school to request transfers to another school if they had concerns about the school being located next to the power lines. California, 1989 Also in the summer of 1989, the California State Department of Education adopted a policy for siting schools near power lines, noting that a "conservative approach" should be taken when evaluating sites near power line easements. The department's School Facilities Planning Division limits for schools are: 100 feet from the edge of easement for 100-110 kV lines, 150 feet for 220-230 kV lines and 250 feet for 345 kV lines. County Wicklow, Ireland, 1989 In 1989 in County Wicklow, Ireland, a citizens group called SPARKS (Stop Powerlines Across Residences Kindergartens and Schools) began fighting a 220 kV power line located near two schools and many homes. The group called a Ministry of Energy report claiming there is no health risk a whitewash stating that it is biased and contains flaws and omissions. Santa Barbara, California, 1990 On February 28, 1990 New Yorker writer Paul Brodeur and the Electric Power Research Institute's Dr. Leonard Sagan went head- to-head in Santa Barbara before the California Municipal Utilities Association. The EMF issue is hot in Santa Barbara because of an unexplained childhood cancer cluster at Montecito Union School. Between 1981 and 1988, there were six cases of leukemia and lymphoma among the students - five times the expected rate. Of particular concern is the fact that two 66 kV power lines are on the perimeter of the school property. In addition there is an electrical substation close by. The day after the Brodeur-Sagan face-off, Jack Sahl of Southern California Edison told the Santa Barbara News-Press that, based on his EMF survey, "Montecito looks like just a normal school in terms of [EMFs]." On March 16, 1990, the News- Press reported that the school board had decided to rope off sections of the school that have strong magnetic fields. The school board voted unanimously to limit the exposure of students at the Montecito Union School to EMF exposures below 2 mG. The school relocated playgrounds and desks and roped off sections of the school with high magnetic fields. New Jersey, 1990 Also in 1990 the New Jersey Commission on Radiation Protection proposed that the siting of new playgrounds under power lines be prohibited and that warnings be posted at playgrounds that are already located under power lines. Sweden, 1990 Early in 1990 The Swedish National Energy Administration (NEA) advised that new schools, day-care centres and playgrounds not be located near power lines, "pending further research." Jack Nou, the head of the NEA's department of electrical safety, recommended that magnetic fields in those areas not exceed 2-3 mG, the threshold for increased childhood cancer risks indicated by the Wertheimer-Leeper and Savitz studies. Mesa, Arizona, 1992 Parents concerned with an unusually high incidence of brain cancer among children at Frost Elementary School identified a 50 mG magnetic field hot spot in the basement. The problem was rectified by correcting an improperly wired lighting system. Fresno, California, 1992 In an article in the December 7, 1992 issue of The New Yorker, Paul Brodeur reports on a cluster of cancer cases among teachers and teachers aides at the Louis N. Slater Elementary School in Fresno, California. A high voltage transmission line is within a hundred feet or so from the school and the cancer cases were concentrated amongst people working on the side of the school closest to the power lines. New schools in California are now required to be at least 150 feet from such lines. The Fresno Unified School District responded to parents' demands for action by closing ten classrooms, placing the children in portables on the other side of the schoolyard and closing off an area of the playground that was nearest to the power lines. San Francisco, California, 1992 Teachers at the Alvarado Elementary School have refused to work in the front half of the school that is beside electrical transformers and distribution lines. Twenty-two cases of cancer have been identified in staff that worked in that half of the school while none were reported amongst staff who worked in the other half of the school. The San Francisco Board of Education is looking into the problem. Oregon (1992) The Bonneville Power Administration has passed a moratorium on siting playgrounds in transmission line right-of-ways. Clark County, Washington, 1992 The mother of a teenager who died of leukemia has filed a wrongful death suit against the Public Utilities District alleging that electromagnetic fields from a 115 kV transmission line next to her daughter's school and a substation near their home caused her daughter's cancer. HYDRO LINE AND EMF STRUGGLES AROUND THE WORLD BY: Richard W. Woodley Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee New York State - Goshen/Middleton (1982-1989) Farmers and other landowners are fighting the New York Power Authority (NYPA) over the 345 kV Marcy-South transmission line carrying power from Canada to New York City. The property owners want the NYPA to establish a 2,400 foot right-of-way limiting magnetic field exposures to 0.5 mG. They are seeking $63 million in damages, the utility has offered $400,000. United States (1985 -) Since 1985 more than 100 EMF lawsuits have been launched in the United States. Australia - Melbourne (1988) A 220 kV power line from Brunswick to Richmond, serving Melbourne, has been placed on hold pending a new study by a review panel. The panel will be watched closely by Powerline Action, an umbrella organization of community groups and residents based in Melbourne. California - Fremont (1988) The planning commission is requiring the state real estate department to warn potential buyers of homes in a new subdivision near power lines that the lines may pose a health risk. Maryland (1988) The Brinkwood Community Association in Maryland is opposing a 500 kV power line proposed by the Potomac Electric Power Co. The line was approved subject to a hearing on health effects by the Public Service Commission. The Maryland People's Council, which represents the interests of residential electricity users, will be participating in the hearings. United States (1988) In its August 22, 1988 issue, Newsweek told the public what utility professionals have long known: There is a virtual moratorium in the U.S. on building new high-voltage power lines because of "community opposition and environmental worries." British Columbia (1989) BC Hydro has offered to pay a fair market price to landowners concerned about increased electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from a new 230 kV power line on Vancouver Island, although they claim there is no reason to believe the line poses a health risk. 90% of those eligible have indicated an interest in the purchase offer. Since then the British Columbia Utilities Commission has ordered BC Hydro to stop all work on the line until a public inquiry could be held into the safety of the line and ordered it to extend its offer to buy the homes along the right-of way until September 15, 1989. Florida (1989) On December 29, 1989 Florida's Hillsborough County challenged the state's power line electromagnetic field standards claiming that the standards disregard studies showing a potential link between increased cancer risks and magnetic field exposures at levels significantly lower than the specified limits. According to the county, they "do not further the statutorily mandated goal of protecting public health and welfare," because they are "approximately 100 times greater than the intensity of magnetic fields, which are suspected to increase the incidence of all childhood cancer by 30 percent and to double the risk of contracting childhood leukemia." Texas - Austin (1989) Austin, Texas City Council adopted a resolution requiring the City Manager to develop a transmission plan which will provide reliable service while minimizing the potential health effects from electromagnetic radiation and requiring that if any lines greater than 138 kV are proposed the field strengths are no greater than those of 138 kV lines with the same capacity. Maryland (1989-1990) On January 22, 1990 the Maryland Office of People's Counsel (OPC) challenged a December 21, 1989 Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) decision to allow the Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) to complete the last segment of a 243 mile 500 kV power line loop around Washington, D.C. The OPC challenged the PSC Hearing Examiner's decision, arguing that the "evidence clearly is sufficient to justify the commission's adoption of a 'prudent avoidance' policy in this case, and the imposition of conditions which will reduce the magnetic field exposure levels in a reasonable and prudent manner." Oregon (1990) Pacific Power and Light, an Oregon utility, recently announced that it will use a "delta" tower design that will nearly halve the EMF levels along the edge of the right-of-way (ROW) of a proposed 500 kV power line. The total additional cost of the new towers is approximately $2.4 million, about 3.5% of the total cost of the project. PugetPower, which received a permit to build the 130-mile Eugene-Medford line in 1982, hit a roadblock when residents living near the proposed line banded together to fight the utility's plans. The ensuing controversy led the DOE to assemble a panel of experts to review the literature on ELF health effects. Rhode Island (1990) On October 9, 1990 the town council of East Greenwich, RI, banned all new power lines above 60 kV for three years. The ordinance came about in response to widespread citizen concern about the EMFs from proposed new 345 kV and 115 kV lines which the Narragansett Electric Company plans to run through parts of East Greenwich. This is the first moratorium on power line construction in the U.S. Rhode Islanders for Safe Power (RISP) pushed for the three- year moratorium because of the need for further research on the health effects of EMFs and because it "was the least noxious formula and most likely to be sustained by the PUC," RISP's Ed Seiler told Microwave News. The nearby towns of Coventry and Foster have followed East Greenwich's lead by passing moratoriums of their own, and a statewide ban on high voltage power lines was proposed during the 1991 legislative session. Washington (1990) Voters in Whatcom County, WA, approved a citizens' initiative restricting power lines exceeding 115 kV to industrial areas. Citizens Initiative No. 4-90 marks the first successful power line siting referendum in the U.S The 1990 Whatcom County vote stood out in a year in which many other environmental referendums were rejected. California's "Big Green" and New York's environmental bond propositions both failed, yet the Whatcom County power line initiative passed by a nearly two-to-one margin. Soviet Union 1990 In response to citizens' protests about the siting of a high-power transmission line the government ordered the utility to make the line direct current. Michigan (1991) Michigan Rep. Howard Wolpe (D) has asked Consumers Power Co. (CPC) of Jackson, MI to suspend construction of a controversial 115-mile, 345 kV transmission line, citing concerns about electromagnetic field (EMF) exposures. In an August 13, 1991 letter, Wolpe urged the utility to "announce a moratorium on this project". Wolpe is the chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, which held a hearing on August 6, 1991 in Battle Creek, MI, on the power line and EMFs. The Michigan branch of RAGE (Residents Against Giant Electric) has succeeded in getting many of the towns along the proposed route to pass resolutions opposing the project Wisconsin (1991) Add Wisconsin to the list of states considering a temporary ban on new power lines because of concerns over possible EMF health effects. On November 6, 1991, Maxine Hough and eight other state representatives, along with two state senators, introduced legislation calling for a three-year moratorium on new lines above 60 kV. The bill would require the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) to conduct EMF research and measurement surveys during the moratorium. "It is dangerous and foolhardy to build more high voltage power lines...until we have adequate answers to the health concerns," Hough said at an October 7, 1991 press conference. Last year, Wisconsin legislators and their staffs were disturbed to learn that EMFs as high as 400 mG had been recorded in the buildings where they work. State legislators in Michigan, Rhode Island and Tennessee, as well as local officials in Missouri, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Washington State, have proposed power line bans. California - Daly City (1992) Developers of a subdivision next to a large transformer station and under high-voltage lines have been required to give buyers a disclosure statement that warns of "possible potential adverse health effects caused by exposure to electric and/or magnetic fields generated by high-voltage lines". Illinois - Chicago (1992) Better Electric Safety Today (BEST) is a network of citizens groups and activists in the Chicago area fighting power lines. One of the groups - No Power Towers, in Kane County was successful in getting Commonwealth Edison (Com Ed) to indefinitely postpone plans for a new transmission line. Citizens Against Unsafe Electricity (CAUSE) in Lake County has also been fighting Com Ed. Two groups in Dupage County, in Warrenville and Wheaton. are fighting Com Ed plans as well. Another two groups have also been formed in the Chicago area. Indiana (1992) Families United for Safe Energy (FUSE), a Shipshewana, Indiana based group fighting the power line issue, celebrated it's first anniversary in May 1992. Kansas (1992) The Pinckney Neighbourhood Association is fighting plans by KPL Gas Service to upgrade power lines in their community from 69 kV to 115 kV. They fear increased exposure to electromagnetic fields created by the high-voltage lines. They want KPL to string the lines along the Santa Fe Railway right of way on the west bank of the Kansas River. Pennsylvania - Scranton (1992) Mayor Jim Connors appeared before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in January to report on community concerns that a high incidence of cancer among residents on the south side of the city may be caused by a 69-kV power line running through the neighbourhood. Pennsylvania - York County (1992) Opponents of a proposed 268-mile 500 kV power line in northern York County, Pennsylvania have won a delay in the technical hearings on the project. The opponents, including the Citizens' Action Group, have argued that the line will decrease property values and that the electromagnetic fields surrounding the line may be harmful to human health. Tennessee - Tiptonville (1992) The Lake County Commission has forced the Tennessee Valley Authority to reroute a 161-kV line residents felt was going to pass too close to their residences. "I just don't feel people will stand for it", said Shelby Barker, a Lake County executive. Virginia - Alexandre (1992) Residents are fighting to get the power company to remove lines near their homes and the city council is behind them. SOURCES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM BY: Richard W. Woodley Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD EXPOSURE IN THE HOME What Are Normal EMF Levels in the Home According to the industry-funded Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in residences generally range from 0.5 to 10 mG. However, a number of recent studies have found that most residences have readings below .5 mG. A large-scale Denver study showed magnetic fields to be below 1.82 mG for 90 percent of the homes, while 75 percent had fields below 1 mG. What Are Safe EMF Levels This is the most controversial aspect of the EMF issue with some scientists saying more research is necessary to determine safe or dangerous levels. However a growing number of scientists have accepted that EMFs are a proven health risk. The levels cited by these scientists as a maximum safe level of exposure range from 1 mG (for example, Dr. Robert O. Becker) to 3 mG (for example, the Washington State Department of Health). What Are the Sources of EMFs in the Home A study by the Electric Power Research Institute listed the primary sources of residential magnetic fields as: - Transmission lines - Distribution lines - Currents in the residence's grounding system - Unusual wiring arrangements in the residence - Appliances (Appliances don't contribute greatly to the overall high magnetic fields in a house). Numerous studies have established that most high magnetic fields in houses are produced by nearby power lines. The fields from high-voltage transmission lines are greater and require greater distances before they drop off. Fields from distribution lines are lower and drop off sooner but are more pervasive within our communities. Transformer stations and pole/ground mounted transformers also emit EMFs. Luciano Zafanella of EPRI states: "The two most common sources of magnetic fields in this country today are the power lines outside on the street and the home grounding system". How to Avoid EMF Exposure in the Home The simplest way is to avoid purchasing a home with high EMF levels. This can be determined indirectly by checking for the presence of EMF sources such as nearby transmission or distribution lines or transformer boxes close to the home. The first or second home from a pole/ground mounted step-down transformer will likely have high readings. The EMF level can be determined directly by measuring the fields in the home. If you choose to measure the fields (or have them measured for you) the readings should be taken at a time of peak power usage - around supper time is best. Susan Sugarman in her book (cited below) sets forth a protocol for measuring EMFs on your property and in your home. Often the utility company can reduce EMF levels by balancing the loads in the distribution lines. Transmission line fields can be lowered by using different tower designs or by burying the lines. Sometimes high EMF levels in the home can be a result of the way the electrical system is grounded to the municipal water system, especially if the water pipes and electrical power lines enter the home at opposite ends of the house. Even currents from your neighbours house may enter your home this way and contribute to high fields. It may be possible to make changes to the electric grounding system or the water system to eliminate these fields but anyone contemplating this should consult an electrician to ensure the changes comply with the electrical code. Unusual wiring, such as having the positive and neutral wires of a circuit not running together can contribute to higher fields. Again, consult an electrician for possible solutions. Susan Sugarman provides greater details of these electrical wiring problems in her book. Electromagnetic Fields from Household Appliances Utility companies like to cite appliance use when discussing EMFs -- mostly to confuse the issue. For the most part, magnetic fields from appliances are not a significant factor. Although some appliances have high fields they usually drop off within a short distance and the appliances are usually used only for a short period of time. For example the field within an electric oven is extremely high. However, if one was to keep one's head inside an electric oven when it is on for any length of time the EMFs would be the least of their worries. However there are some appliances where magnetic fields may be a problem - electric blankets and water-bed heaters, hair dryers, black and white televisions and electric heat. Studies have linked higher miscarriage rates to the use of electric blankets. Water-bed heaters emit similar fields. It is recommended that electric blankets be used to pre-heat the bed and not plugged in while you are in bed; although some newer models are being designed so that the fields cancel each other out. As well electric clocks with motors should not be placed on bedside tables. Electric hair dryers and razors are two devices that emit high fields next to the head. Although used for short periods of time there are alternatives that pose no EMF risk. It is recommended by Dr. David Carpenter that children not use electric hair dryers. Children should also keep a reasonable distance from the screen while watching television - 42" is cited as a minimum distance - greater for large screen TVs. Studies have linked electric heating coils embedded in the ceiling with cancer and miscarriages. As well, electric heaters, portable and baseboard, produce EMFs. Keep your distance from electric heaters and do not place a child's bed immediately beside an electric baseboard heater. Also one should not needlessly stand beside a microwave oven while it is operating, not only to avoid EMFs but to avoid possible microwave leaks. Electromagnetic Fields and Energy Conservation One way to challenge proposed new transmission lines in your neighbourhood is to take a two-pronged approach. First raise the health issue. But also question the need for the new lines in the first-place. Utility companies are notorious for over-forecasting future electricity needs. Often a proposal can be defeated by demonstrating there is no need for the power it will be carrying - and recent energy use trends support this argument. Electromagnetic fields increase with the current in the power lines. Reduce energy consumption and you reduce the load and with that you reduce the fields. That is why Ellen Sugarman states: "Energy conservation policy holds the key to an immediate, sensible, inexpensive and safe resolution of the EMF public health question. Energy conservation is also the answer to everyone's concern about our continued ability, as a society, to produce all the energy we need." OCCUPATIONAL EMF EXPOSURE Workers can be exposed to EMFs from the electrical system in their buildings and the equipment that they work with. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (United States) has made recommendations on reducing EMF exposure in the workplace. These include: - Studies to identify and characterize EMF sources. - Changes in the electric code to reduce exposures to EMFs that result from dispersed neutral return currents in the ground systems of buildings. - Designs for placement of wires in new construction that would reduce exposure. - Development of electrical wiring installation practices that would lead to lower EMF levels. - Research into field cancellation techniques. - Wiring and circuit design of industrial equipment, power tools, and office equipment to reduce EMFs, and possible retrofit of existing equipment. - Development of more effective shielding materials. - Administrative controls of work practices to reduce exposure, such as increasing the distance between the worker and the source; minimizing exposure times, task redesign; work-station redesign; use of robotics. - Design of lower EMF equipment. - Modification of circuit design in equipment to reduce the generation of transient fields. - Development of better protective equipment, - Training and education of workers to reduce exposure. Electromagnetic field exposures from Video Display Terminals (VDTs) are a major concern among office workers as studies and anecdotal evidence have linked EMF exposure to increased risk of miscarriages among pregnant workers. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has recommended that office space be arranged so that workers not be exposed to emissions from the sides and backs of other people's computers. Sweden has established a manufacturing standard for both ELF and VLF emissions from VDTs. the ELF radiation limit is 2.5 mG at 20 inches. Low EMF computer monitors are now being marketed in North America as industry has recognized that it is a concern of consumers. WITH INFORMATION FROM: Sugarman, Ellen; Warning: The Electricity Around You May Be Hazardous to Your Health; A Fireside Book; Simon & Schuster; 1992; and other sources. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND EMF INFORMATION SOURCES Becker, Robert O., Cross Currents: The Perils of Electro- pollution, The Promise of Electromedicine, Jeremy P. Tarcher Inc., Los Angeles, CA, 336 pp., 1990. Becker, Robert O., & Andrew A. Marino, Electromagnetism and Life, SUNY Press, Albany, NY, 1982. Becker, Robert O., & Gary Seldon, The Body Electric: Electro- magnetism and the Foundation of Life, William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, NY, 1985. Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee, Bibliography on Electromagnetic Radiation and Health, over 700 entries - updated regularly. [May be requested via e-mail from "ab190@freenet.carleton.ca"] Brodeur, Paul, Currents of Death: Power Lines, Computer Terminals and the Attempt to Cover Up Their Threat to Your Health, Simon and Schuster, New York, NY, 333 pp., 1989. Casper, B.M., and P.D. Wellstone, Powerline: The First Battle in America's Energy War, University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, Mass., 1981. Coghill, Roger, Electropollution: How To Protect Yourself from It, Thorsons Publishing Group, Wellingborough, U.K., 192 pp., 1990. Electric Power Research Institute, EMF and Human Health, A Reprint, EPRI Journal, October/November, 1987. Electromagnetic Field Health Report, serial, Information Ventures Inc., Philadelphia, PA, USA, June 1993-. Electromagnetic Field Litigation Reporter, "The monthly journal of record of litigation involving power lines, cellular telephones, radar apparatus and other EMF-emitting products", Andrews Publications, Westtown, PA, USA., May 1993-. EMF Papers, biweekly clipping service on non-ionizing radiation, for information contact Louis Slesin at (212) 517-2800. Feychting, Maria, & Anders Ahlbom, Magnetic Fields and Cancer in People Residing Near Swedish High Voltage Power Lines, Institutet for Miljomedicin, (IMM-rapport 6/92), Stockholm, Sweden, 1992 Landsbergis, Paul, & Eric Scherzer, A Worker's Guide to Electro- magnetic Radiation, booklet, Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW) Union 8 Resource Centre, 1155 W. Chestnut St., Union, NJ, 07083, 1990. London, S.J., D.C. Thomas, J.D. Bowman, E. Sobel, & J.M. Peters, "Exposure to Residential Electric and Magnetic Fields and Risk of Childhood Leukemia", American Journal of Epidemiology, 134, 923- 37, 1991. Marino, Andrew A., ed., Modern Bioelectricity, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY, 1136 pp., 1988. Marino, Andrew A. & Joel Ray, The Electric Wilderness, San Francisco Press, San Francisco, CA, 120 pp. 1986. Microwave News: A Report on Non-Ionizing Radiation, Louis Slesin, ed. and publisher, P.O. Box 1799, Grand Central Station, New York, NY, 10163, (bimonthly). Morgan, M.G. Electric and Magnetic Fields from 60 Hertz Electric Power: What Do We Know About Possible Health Risks?, brochure, 45 pp., Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 1989. National Electrical Manufacturers Association (United States), Biological Effects of Electric and Magnetic Fields, brochure, 1991. National Health and Welfare Department (Canada), Working Group on Electric and Magnetic ELF Fields, Electric and Magnetic Fields and Your Health: A Report, May 1989. New York State Power Lines Project, Scientific Advisory Panel, Biological Effects of Power Lines: Final Report, New York State Department of Health, New York, NY, July 1987. Ontario Hydro, Electric and Magnetic Fields and Human Health Research, brochure. Peters, J., "Childhood Leukemia and Exposure to Electricity", American Journal of Epidemiology, pp. 215-230, November 1991. Savitz, David A., Case-Control Study of Childhood Cancer and Residential Exposure to Electric and Magnetic Fields, Final Report to New York State Power Lines Project, 1987. Smith, Cyril W., & Simon Best, Electromagnetic Man: Health & Hazard in the Electrical Environment, J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London, U.K., 344 pp., 1989. Sugarman, Ellen, WARNING: The Electricity Around You May Be Hazardous to Your Health - How to Protect Yourself from Electromagnetic Fields, A Fireside Book, Simon & Schuster, New York, 238 pp., 1992. Tomenius, L., "50-Hz Electromagnetic Environment and the Incidence of Childhood Cancers in Stockholm County", Bioelectromagnetics, 7, pp. 191-207, 1986. United States Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), Biological Effects of Power Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields, report, June 19, 1989. United States Environmental Protection Agency, EMF In Your Environment, booklet, 1993. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Evaluation of the Potential Carcinogenicity of Electromagnetic Fields, External Review Draft, No. EPA/600/6-90/005B, October 1990. Wertheimer, Nancy, & Ed Leeper, "Electrical Wiring Configurations and Childhood Cancer", American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 109(3), 273-284, 1979. Young, L.B., Power Over People, Oxford University Press, London, England, 1973. Organizations Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee 23 Riding Way, Kanata, Ontario, K2M 1C3 (NATIONAL CAPITAL FREENET: ab190 - INTERNET: ab190@freenet.carleton.ca) Electric Power Research Institute (industry funded) 3412 Hillview Ave., P.O. Box 10412, Palo Alto CA, 94303, United States National EMR Alliance 16269 11 Mile Road, Battle Creek, MI, 49017, United States Ontario Hydro, 700 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X6 On May 16, 1992, the first National Conference on Citizen and Union Action was convened in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Co- sponsored by the Robert Carl Strom Foundation and the Michigan Safe Energy Fund and attended by over 100 individuals and representatives of local citizen action organizations and unions, the Conference was a resounding success. The Conference participants heard panels on the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation, on the efforts of citizens groups to oppose powerline construction and a panel on electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposures at the workplace. In each of these panel discussions Conference participants were able to share valuable information about the ways in which electromagnetic radiation can be hazardous to our health and the tactics and strategies that have been successful in calling public attention to EMR's health hazards and in reducing, minimizing or eliminating exposure of living things to those hazards. At the end of the Conference, a motion was unanimously passed to create a National Alliance of local citizens groups in order to share resources, network on important local and national issues, publish a newsletter and call into being a national organizational form for accomplishing these goals. On Sunday, May 17, 1992, a group of individuals and representatives of citizens groups convened in order to discuss the tasks and steps to be taken to create this National Alliance. It was decided that Michael Withey, on behalf of the Robert Carl Strom Foundation, Cathy Smith on behalf of Michigan Safe Energy Project and Clare Fogelsong on behalf of the Neighbours Opposed to Powerline Encroachment were authorized to prepare this proposal for creating the National EMR Alliance. This document sets forth the political conception, principles of unity and proposed organizational structure for this National Alliance. In the past several years, health concerns about the hazards of electromagnetic radiation have risen dramatically. Numerous articles in both the scientific and popular literature have identified a clear and unmistakeable trend in scientific thought that identifies electromagnetic radiation at levels experienced by people in their homes and workplace as having hazardous potential to life. Research work done in the realm of epidemiology (including both residential and occupational studies), animal studies, biophysics, cell level research and cancer causation work have combined to produce a reputable body of scientific research which provides clear support for the hypothesis that electromagnetic radiation is hazardous to human health and can cause cancer. Articles in the popular literature, including the publication of Paul Brodeur's book, Currents of Death, his articles in The New Yorker, and Dr. Robert Becker's book, Cross Currents, together with numerous magazine and newspaper articles, have pointed out how many Americans who are exposed to electromagnetic radiation at home and at work have begun to take seriously the need to protect the public health. Reports of cancer clusters among utility workers, leukemia deaths of children living near powerlines, cancer clusters near substations, birth defects and adverse pregnancy outcomes by women working with VDTs, testicular and other cancers experienced by police officers who use radar, etc., have all heightened concerns that efforts be taken now to protect our children and ourselves from EMR. As a result of this wave of concern, numerous organizations on a local level have organized in order to protect themselves and their children from the adverse biological effects of electromagnetic radiation. These organizations include those local groups opposed to the construction of powerlines, transmission lines, substations and other sources of electromagnetic radiation in our homes, neighbourhoods and communities. This movement has included concerted action by unions and employees (including utility and telephone utility workers unions, VDT operators, police radar technicians, MRI technicians, etc.) to call for measures designed to assess these workers' exposure to electromagnetic radiation to determine whether excess cancer or disease effects have occurred and to require employers to provide medical monitoring for their employees. In addition, a number of public interest-minded attorneys associated with the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice ("TLPJ") Foundation have initiated precedent-setting lawsuits seeking compensation for the victims of electromagnetic radiation. One such TLPJ lawsuit, Strom v. Boeing, resulted in a favourable settlement out of which Bob Strom and his family created the Robert Carl Strom Foundation. These three trends in the scientific realm, the citizen action movement, and the public interest plaintiffs trial bar came together for the Ann Arbor conference. In response to these developing trends, the electric utility industry and manufacturers of products giving off electromagnetic radiation continue to deny the health hazards and biological effects of EMR. Claiming that the scientific evidence is "inconclusive" and the "jury is still out," some in the electric utility industry and product manufacturers have dragged their feet on taking steps to reduce, minimize or eliminate hazardous forms of EMR in our homes and workplace. Through the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the electric utility industry has attempted to dominate the funding for bioeffects research and has sought to discredit or defund those researchers whose studies show a positive effect of electromagnetic radiation on biological systems. EPRI is heavily funded and is engaged in a national coordinated public relations campaign seeking to dissuade the public from health concerns about EMR. In recent years, a split has developed from within the electric utility industry on the EMR public health debate. A group of utilities have followed the lead of Granger Morgan of the Carnegie Mellon Institute, who authored an assessment of EMR for the Office of Technological Assessment of the U.S. Congress. Morgan calls for a utility policy of prudent avoidance, i.e., to take no or low cost steps to reduce exposure to EMR. He bases this policy on the medical evidence which, though "inconclusive" (in his view), warrants concern and further research. Morgan's call for prudent avoidance has been picked up by the more visionary utilities. Others in the industry are critical of prudent avoidance as a policy. Taking a "head in the sand" approach, these utilities refuse to admit there are any adverse health effects. We believe our approach must be to urge mitigation steps that go beyond a "no or low cost" approach. At the same time, we must be mindful of the differences of opinion within the electric utilities and encourage those who advocate prudent avoidance to increase their commitment to protecting the public health. On a local level, citizens and union groups are engaged in a wide variety of activities, most with little national coordination or exchange of information. Citizen action groups seeking to stop powerline construction have sprung up throughout the country, doing battle with their local utility at the Public Utility Commission hearings, city or county hearing boards, legislative bodies, and even through the initiative process. These groups have organized, raised funds, held informational meetings, provided testimony before administrative and legislative bodies, published newsletters and held press conferences. They have been opposed by powerful and well-heeled efforts by electric utilities and manufacturers. In many instances, these local citizen and union groups had to reinvent the wheel. Although important lessons have been learned and valuable victories have been won, these lessons and victories cannot easily be appropriated by other citizen and union groups around the country. Indeed, no national environmental or consumer organization has taken up the fight to rid our communities of the health hazards of electromagnetic radiation. It was the consensus at the Ann Arbor conference that a national alliance of citizen and union groups would play a vital role in enhancing communications amongst the grassroots organizations, providing a network for the exchange of information and resources, and conducting selective national campaigns at the crucial junctures in the common interest. Based on this historical background, the proposal was put forth and adopted to create a National Alliance with the following principles of unity: 1. We believe that electromagnetic radiation can be hazardous to life, and constitutes a significant threat to the public health. 2. We are in favour of local, regional and national efforts to reduce, mitigate and, where possible, eliminate hazardous exposures to electromagnetic radiation. 3. To organize and coordinate these efforts, a national alliance of representatives of local citizen and union/workplace organizations is needed to exchange information, educate the public, and to conduct selective national campaigns. The National EMR Alliance plans to hold a founding convention in the fall of 1993. (Documents Dated: 93/10/12)