Hi all
It appears that the democratic process failed at this inquiry in Scotland. Wouldn't you think that an inquiry should hear the best evidence available, even if it does not support government policy?
It is worth considering, that a powerful electrical distribution system near your home could cause similar harm. Your own house wiring and electrical appliances could also be a danger if there is an unknown fault.
Martin
From The Times
May 21, 2008
Radiation expert is barred from Highland power station inquiry
New evidence of a cancer risk to children will not be heard at an inquiry into plans to expand an electricity substation
A leading scientist who believes that proposals to expand a Highland power station could increase the risk of childhood leukaemia, as well as some degenerative diseases among adults, has been barred from giving evidence to a public inquiry.
Roger Coghill, an expert biologist and member of SAGE, the British government's Stakeholder Advisory Group on Electro-magnetic fields (EMFs), had been asked to present evidence on behalf of residents at an inquiry being held in Beauly this week.
In pre-inquiry documents Mr Coghill suggested that enlarging the sub-station, which is operated by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), could increase the risk of leukaemia among children by almost five times, and contribute to other degenerative conditions in adults, including Parkinson's Disease.
He also pointed out that a previous public inquiry into a huge power line from Beauly to Denny, in Stirlingshire - which has prompted the sub-station expansion proposals - had failed to examine properly the health risks associated with EMF emissions.
However, the reporter conducting the hearing ruled that his evidence was inadmissible on the grounds that he had criticised government policy and dealt with issues out of the scope of the proceedings.
Mr Coghill, who had been asked to give evidence by the residents of Wester Balblair near Beauly, yesterday accused the Scottish government of ignoring the health risks associated with the proposed scheme.
"My evidence is different, new and more important than that given to the power line inquiry," he said. "Studies are coming up all the time. Two weeks ago research showed that foetuses in the womb have their brain development altered by the kind of electric field levels we are talking about here, but the reporter has drawn a line at December 2007 when the power line inquiry ended and ignored the new evidence that has since emerged."
He claimed that the SNP administration was "kowtowing" to the energy industry, and indeed Westminster, as it had accepted without question safety limits on EMF emissions adopted by the British government, which other countries have now rejected.
"Scotland has its own parliament but it is just rubber-stamping what Westminster told it to do," he said.
Steve Byford, a member of Kilmorack Community Council who has campaigned against the sub-station proposals said he was deeply disappointed that Mr Coghill had been excluded from the public inquiry.
"The health issues surrounding the sub-station are not the same as the Beauly-Denny line," he said. "The plans are also premature as the Beauly-Denny line decision has not yet been made."
The inquiry began on Tuesday and is due to continue until tomorrow. It was held after SSE's planning application was rejected on three separate occasions by Highland councillors. More than 1,200 objections have raised.
SSE argue the expansion is necessary to deal with the anticipated extra demand created by a proposed 400,000 volt transmission line upgrade between Beauly and Denny.
The Beauly Denny inquiry closed in December but a decision is not expected until the end of this year.
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Evidence the power inquiry won't hear
Inverness Courier - Inverness,Scotland,UK
The claim is made by Roger Coghill, a member of the Government's advisory body on electro-magnetic fields, whose inquiry precognition has been passed to The ...
See all stories on this topic
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Voices for Accessibility
Posted on: Tuesday, 20 May 2008, 09:00 CDT
By GABE TAYLOR
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1394292/voices_for_accessibility/ A Dos Griegos Homeowners Association panel at the Eldorado Community Center recently discussed the dangers of cell-phone antennas. The discussion was sobering.
A wireless-antenna facility that includes six 10-foot-plus cell- phone antennas was being installed in the Dos Griegos community, where 37 antennas already exist. These antennas emit microwave frequencies that some say produce health risks, particularly for people with electromagnetic sensitivities. "There is progressive nerve damage," said Bill Bruno, one of the four panelists and a research scientist in biophysics.
"A whole range of neurological symptoms can result," said Arthur Firstenberg, author of Microwaving Our Planet: The Environmental Impact of the Wireless Revolution and founder of the Cellular Phone Task Force, a nationwide organization raising awareness on the dangers of cell-phone radiation, pointed out other risks. "This radiation gives us diabetes, asthma and skin conditions," he alleges. "It makes our children hyperactive and autistic."
Firstenberg added that this radiation could also cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, ringing in the ears, hearing loss and Alzheimer's disease.
This was sobering news for someone like me sitting there with a cell phone in my pocket.
Panelist Ann McCampbell, a physician and chair of the Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Task Force of New Mexico, is so affected by chemicals in her surrounding environment that she sat at the table wearing a protective mask. She pointed out that there is a link between chemical sensitivities and the dangers of electromagnetic sensitivities.
"Many people that have chemical sensitivities have electromagnetic sensitivities or they develop electromagnetic sensitivities and then have the chemical sensitivities," McCampbell explained.
Glenn Capener, a network engineer with Alltel, proposed re- positioning the antennas to change the amount of radiation emitted. "From what we know, the radiation pattern is coming out of the antennas," he explained. "So if we want to separate ourselves from the radiation, vertical separation is the best type of separation."
The discussion got heated at times. Toward the end, it broke down. Not much is known about the risks created by electromagnetic emissions but they are very real for the people who say they have problems because of them. So how do we talk about something that has so many questions and so few answers?
The only thing we can do is keep the dialogue going and invite as many views as possible into the discussion. Julie Tambourine, a local resident, reiterated this need to find a common ground. "We have a responsibility, whatever we believe about the data, to really listen and think about this because this is a rare place where this issue can be legally debated."
For more information, contact The Cell Phone Task Force at 471- 0129.
Know of any issues that need to be talked about? Contact Gabe Taylor at
neighbors@sfnewmexican.com.
(c) 2008 The Santa Fe New Mexican. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: The Santa Fe New Mexican
