Subject:  (Mueller) Thirty Years of Agony......
Date:     Sat, 12 Jun 1999 193737 -0500 (CDT)
From:     "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To:       emfguru <rbeavers@llion.org>
--------------------------------------------------




---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 12 Jun 1999 20:19:08 EDT
From: JCMPelican@aol.com
To: "Roy L. Beavers" 
Subject: Publicity

Roy  -   Sorry the article couldn't be forwarded but will do my best to type 
it verbatim even tho there are some errors and some comments are "out of 
context".....   (actually I have elected to eliminate the last couple of 
paragraphs of the article due to the "poor me" message it conveys.   This was 
not my purpose in doing the story and I think it takes away from the overall 
message, however, I do appreciate the reporter's efforts and she did have to 
follow guidelines the editor set out for the "People" section).  


ABC Newspapers      Friday   June 11, 1999    (Coon Rapids, Minnesota)

FAMILY SPENDS 30 YEARS OF AGONY, LOBBYING, RESEARCH

	   -        HIGH VOLTAGE POWERLINE 50 FEET FROM HOME REASON

by Holly Broden, Staff Writer

It has been 30 years since a high voltage powerline was installed 50 feet 
from the Muellers' bedroom window ........

It has been 30 years of research, lobbying and agony for Joanne Mueller and 
her husband Bud.

The Muellers built their home in Coon Rapids in 1956.  "This is all we have," 
said Joanne Mueller.  "We both built the house.  We have an emotional 
attachment to the house even tho we believe it causes health problems.

"The bottom line is we can't live any cheaper than we are living here."

In 1969 the Muellers were forced to comply with an Anoka County District 
Court restraining order which allowed United Power Association and Rural 
Cooperative Power Association to place high voltage transmissions lines on 
the boulevard in front of their property.  Since then, Joanne Mueller has 
written letters to United States presidents, Congress members and Senators 
trying to bring the debate surrounding electromagnetic fields to the 
forefront.

The debate regarding high voltage transmission lines, which produce 
electromagnetic fields started many years ago and is still ongoing.

Epidemiologist Dr. Nancy Wertheimer showed a possible relationship between 
electromagnetic fields (EMFs) with readings of two mgs (miligauss -- spelling 
corrected from 'megagauss') and leukemia in children continuously exposed to 
such fields.

Other authors including Paul Brodeur, "The Great Powerline Cover-Up," who 
writes on the dangers of high-voltage and high-current lines and suggests in 
his book that there is an attempt by the power industry to downplay the 
dangers.  Brodeur has also written books on the asbestos industry.

Author Ellen Sugarman has written a book titled "Warning, the electricity 
around you may be hazardous to your health: how to protect yourself from 
EMF's and why you should."

Recently, the debate concerning EMFs has added celebrity status to those 
concerned.  Julia Child has protested an antenna farm at "Look Out Mountain" 
in Colorado and Robert Redford has opposed potential power lines across his 
ranch in New Mexico.

It's reports like these that sit opened and dog-eared on the reading tables 
in the Mueller home.  She hopes that all the books and media attention will 
lend credibility to the EMF debate.

Also close at hand is a gaussmeter which Mueller uses to measure the amount 
of EMF's in her home, yard and boulevard.  She has been taking readings in 
her home for the past eight years.  She has pages and pages of documented 
gauss readings.

She is convinced that electromagnetic fields have caused her health problems 
and those of two of her grandchildren.

The two grandchildren have unusual immune problems that have not been linked 
to any inherited genetic problems.  Mueller believes the exposure her own 
children had to EMF's while living at home contributed to the immune 
dysfunctions as well as the time the children spent sleeping on waterbeds, 
she said.  Mueller said waterbeds can carry EMF's if they are against a 
"power wall," the wall where the electric meter is placed and where 
electricity comes into the home.  

"It was very frightening.  It was like nothing added up.  The doctor said if 
the problems aren't genetic then they could be environmental," said Mueller.  

Many in her family were tested and genetic causes were ruled out, she said.  
But, taking it a step further and linking immune problems to EMF's has been a 
leap that the medical community has been reluctant to make, Mueller said.

"Doctors don't want to get into it," she said.  When the children's 
immunologist was questioned about the link between EMF's and immune problems 
Mueller said the immunologist told her "that what is known is there have been 
studies on mice and the mice have developed affected immune systems.  What 
isn't known is how what happened to mice is translated into humans," she was 
told.

Mueller said even her own children initially "bucked" the connection.  She 
knows of two families who previously lived in the neighborhood who haveT 
grandchildren with similar immune problems and similar physical problems, 
Mueller said.

"Most of the neighbors haven't lived here very long or don't have bedrooms in 
the front of the house," she said.  "The ones I do know that had problems, 
grew up under the lines and don't live here anymore." 

In many ways, according to Mueller, it has been a lonely battle.  "I've been 
in the forefront," she said.  "I feel I've been isolated even in my own 
family.

"People in the neighborhood don't want me to talk about it because they're 
afraid it will devalue their homes.  It's been going on so long now, the 
isolation I can handle."

Mueller said the Internet now provides her with an outlet and an opportunity 
to talk about EMF's.  "The Internet is a support group in one respect because 
there are many who feel hopeless," she said.  

Paging through Inernet listings regarding EMF's a person will find a lot of 
information, including companies touting EMF mitigation services.

Mueller said Internet information can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing 
and should be screened carefully.

For those who are concerned about exposure she urges them to become aware of 
EMF sources in the home -- microwaves, televisions, etc.

"At the very least people should partake in prudent avoidance," Mueller said. 
 "Don't let the children sit too close to the television sets.  If there is a 
transformer in your yard the the electricity comes into the house on a 
certain wall, don't let your children sleep against that wall."

Sleeping with electric blankets, or too close to answering machines, clock 
radios and other electronic products should also be avoided, Mueller said.

As for her own hopes, she wants to leave the neighborhood, but feels 
financially trapped.  "Most people can't fathom why we can't move," Mueller 
said.......

#########


I do have to make some additional comments afterall.  The article should have 
said:  "waterbeds alone have EMF's as well as EMF's coming from the 
"powerwall."  

Also,  we have not been able to find anyone else with children who have low 
Igg-1s and Igg-3's nor did we find any other children from the neighborhood 
with low immune levels (no other families were tested).  However, we did find 
grandchildren of persons who grew up "under the lines" with lots of sinus 
problems, asthma and in two instances (other than one in our own family), 
penile anomalies.   We have been told low Igg-1 and Igg-3 is a RARE 
occurrence in any child under the age of 10 years.

Take care everyone  -   Joanne



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Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html