Subject: NIEHS (RAPID) EMF Working Group Report (fwd)
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 185200 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To: emfguru@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 18:04:04 -0500
From: Louis Slesin / Microwave News
To: Colleagues.LS
Subject: NIEHS EMF Working Group Report
August 5, 1998
Dear Colleagues:
In June, an NIEHS EMF Working Group voted 19 to 9 to classify extremely low
frequency EMFs, such as those from power lines and electrical appliances,
as possible human carcinogens. After we told you about this development,
many of you wrote back and asked how to order copies of the NIEHS EMF
Working Group report. Here's how:
The full report is now available on the Internet at:
A print version will be available next week. The report can also be ordered
on CD-ROM. Both print and CD-ROM versions are free.
The public is invited to comment on the report by mail, e-mail or in
person. Public hearings for comments on the report will be held:
in Tucson, AZ, on September 14-15
in Washington, DC, on September 28
in San Francisco on October 1
in Chicago on October 5.
Full details on how to comment are in the official notice below.
I encourage you to order, read and comment on the report.
Microwave News' July/August issue will feature a special report on the
working group's decision with a behind-the-scenes look at how the working
group reached the possible carcinogenicity designation, including how the
members of the panel actually voted. In a commentary, Microwave News will
also analyze how the NIEHS is trying to "spin" the news about the panel's
decision. This special issue will be available at the end of next week.
For those who do not subscribe to Microwave News, you can order a copy of
this special report for only $10.00 if you pay with a personal check. If
you pay with an institutional check, the price is $25.00. You MUST include
a 9x12 SASE with $1.01 postage. Those outside the U.S. must add $5.00 and
pay with an international money order. (Note the usual price of a single
issue is $60.00)
The full text of the NIEHS announcement is reprinted below.
Sincerely,
Louis Slesin
Editor
_____________________________________
THE NIEHS/NIH
Requests Public Review and Comment
on the
WORKING GROUP REPORT -
Assessment of Health Effects from Exposure to
Power-Line Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National
Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Toxicology Program, DHHS,
announce the availability of the Working Group Report for public review and
comment for a period beginning August 10 and ending October 9, 1998.
Written comments can be sent to the address shown below and oral comments
can be presented at any of the three scheduled public meetings discussed
below. The working group report and the comments received will provide
critical input to the NIEHS in the preparation of a Report to Congress on
the potential for human health effects from exposure to EMF resulting from
the production and distribution of electricity.
BACKGROUND
The NIEHS/NIH is charged by Congress to prepare and submit an evaluation of
the potential human health effects from exposure to extremely low frequency
(50-60 Hz) electric and magnetic fields (EMF). To evaluate the quality of
the science and the strength of the evidence for the potential human health
effects, the NIEHS organized a comprehensive review of the data which
included:
1) Three scientific symposia to discuss and evaluate the quality of
the research findings in these study areas: a) theoretical and in vitro
research findings; b) epidemiological results; and c) in vivo experimental
and clinical laboratory findings. Symposia participants reviewed the
quality and reproducibility of the studies and discussed the degree to which
the scientific evidence can support a causal linkage between EMFs and
biological and/or health effects in each of the study areas.
2) A working group of scientists both within and outside the field
of EMF research to ensure cross-disciplinary discussion of experimental
findings, broad scientific perspective, and critical review and evaluation
of the research data. Several different sources of information were
reviewed by the working group including discussion reports from the three
symposia; a comprehensive, critical review of the scientific literature; and
other pertinent information and experimental data. The working group report
draws conclusions on the strength and robustness of the experimental data
related to extremely low frequency EMF exposure and its implication for
human health and disease etiology.
THE WORKING GROUP REPORT - - AVAILABLE AUGUST 10
In brief, the panel of experts concluded that electric and magnetic fields
like those surrounding electric power lines should be regarded as a
"possible human carcinogen." The panel vote 19 to 9 was based largely on
epidemiological evidence in the face of animal and other laboratory studies
that the panel agreed did not support or refute the population studies.
Because of the conflicting studies, eight of the nineteen panel members
found the EMF fields not classifiable as to carcinogenicity, while one
member of the panel said EMF probably is not carcinogenic to humans.
The working group report will be available August 10 and can be obtained
free of charge by contacting by mail: EMF-RAPID Program/LCBRA NIEHS, NIH, PO
Box 12233, MD EC-16, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 or by fax:
919-541-0144, or by e-mail: emf-rapid@niehs.nih.gov. The document will be
available in both hard copy and CD-ROM. Please provide the following
information when requesting the report: Name, Mailing Address, and whether
you prefer a hard copy or CD-ROM copy of the report.
The report will also be available on the internet and can be accessed from
the NIEHS and NTP at www.niehs.nih.gov/emfrapid/home.htm.
PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT ENCOURAGED
In order to fulfill the request from Congress for a report on the potential
for human health effects from exposure to EMF resulting from the production
and distribution of electricity, the NIEHS will review the working group
report and all public comments on the report received during the open
comment period, the information obtained from the three science symposia,
and any other relevant information. The NIEHS Report to Congress will be
prepared following the October 9, 1998 deadline for comments and is expected
to be submitted to Congress late 1998.
Written and/or oral comments on the working group report are welcome as
described below:
WRITTEN COMMENTS:
The NIEHS invites interested public to submit written comments providing
their perspective on the implications of the Working Group Report to be
considered by the NIEHS as it prepares a Report to Congress on the potential
for human health effects from exposure to EMF resulting from the production
and distribution of electricity. Written comments should be sent to the
address given below. All comments must be received by October 9, 1998 and
must identify the person making the comments and the sponsoring organization
(if any).
ORAL COMMENTS:
To encourage and facilitate the broadest base of input possible, the NIEHS
is hosting three meetings to receive comments providing perspectives on
the implications of the Working Group Report to be considered by the NIEHS
as it prepares a Report to Congress on the potential for human health
effects from exposure to EMF resulting from the production and distribution
of electricity. Oral comments will be presented to NIEHS officials with
responsibility for preparing the Report to Congress as well as to other
officials associated with the implementation of the EMF Research and Public
Information Dissemination (RAPID) Program, established by the 1992 Energy
Policy Act (Section 2118 for Public Law 102-486). Meeting locations follow;
the hours for each meeting will be 2-3:00 p.m. for registration/welcome and
the public comment period will be held from 3-8:00 p.m. unless all speakers
have been heard prior to that time (local time).
Date---City---Location---Address
September 28, Washington, DC
Ronald Reagan Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
October 1, San Francisco, CA
US EPA, Region IX
75 Hawthorne St.
October 5, Chicago, IL
University Of Chicago
450 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr., Gleacher Center
Each speaker will be asked when registering to identify their sponsoring
organization (if any). The number of speakers representing the same
sponsoring organization may be limited to one in order to assure time for as
many speakers and organizations to be represented as possible. Brief
introductory comments will be presented by the agencies represented and the
remainder of the time will be devoted to the receipt of public comments both
oral and written. While the time allotted for each presentation will
largely be dependent upon the number of individuals who wish to speak, it is
anticipated that approximately 5-6 minutes would be available for each
presenter to address the panel. Speakers will be registered and assigned
time on a first-come, first-serve basis. To register to speak, provide the
following information: name, affiliation, mailing address, phone, fax,
e-mail, sponsoring organization (if any) to the address (mail, e-mail, fax)
given below. Registration is accepted on site prior to the start of the
meeting so that the time available to each speaker can be determined.
When oral comments are read from printed copy, it is requested that copies
be provided when registering at the meeting to supplement the record of the
meeting. Written statements may expand on the oral presentation as well, or
may be submitted in lieu of an oral presentation. It is important, however,
that all written statements, if not provided at the time of the meeting, be
received by the October 9 deadline.
The meetings will be recorded to establish a record of the comments for use
by the NIEHS in preparing the Report to Congress. NIEHS staff will be
available to welcome and meet the interested public during the registration
hour that will precede each meeting.
1998 ANNUAL EMF RESEARCH REVIEW - Tucson, Arizona
An additional public comment period on the Report will be held on the
afternoons of September 14-15, 1998, in conjunction with the DOE/NIEHS/EEI
Annual EMF Research Review Meeting. The meeting will be held at the
InnSuites, 475 N. Granada Ave., Tucson, AZ, 85701. Given that a number of
research scientists will be in attendance, NIEHS and other officials with
responsibility for preparing the Report to Congress will be available to
receive comments from meeting attendees or from interested public. Anyone
not attending the conference but interested in attending the afternoon open
comment sessions are asked to contact the NIEHS EMF-RAPID Program as
described on the following form.
Please return this form via fax or mail with your request selection.
Requests for the report, questions, comments, or to register for a Public
Meeting, please contact: by mail: EMF-RAPID Program/LCBRA NIEHS, NIH, PO
Box 12233, MD EC-16, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, by fax: 919-541-0144,
or by e-mail: emf-rapid@niehs.nih.gov
Please Print or Type
Name: ______________________________________________________
Affiliation: ______________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________________________
State: ______________________________________________________
Zip: ______________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________________________________________
Fax: ______________________________________________________
E-mail: ______________________________________________________
Sponsoring Organization:
______________________________________________________
Register to Attend Public Meetings: (Please check the appropriate cities)
San Francisco, CA ____ Chicago, IL ____ Tucson, AZ ____ Washington,
DC ____
Register for Comments: (Please check the appropriate cities)
San Francisco, CA ____ Chicago, IL ____ Tucson, AZ ____
Washington, DC ____
Report Type: CD-ROM ______ Hard Copy ______
__________________________________________________________
Louis Slesin, PhD
Editor, Microwave News
A Report on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Phone: 212-517-2800; Fax: 212-734-0316
E-mail: , Internet:
Mail: PO Box 1799, Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163, U.S.A.
Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org
Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html