W.E.E.P. News Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution News 15 April 2010
Man's static jacket sparks alert
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4252692.stm
An Australian man built up so much static electricity in his clothes as he walked that he burned carpets, melted plastic and sparked a mass evacuation.
Frank Clewer, of the western Victorian city of Warrnambool, was wearing a synthetic nylon jacket and a woollen shirt when he went for a job interview.
As he walked into the building, the carpet ignited from the 40,000 volts of static electricity that had built up.
"It sounded almost like a firecracker or something like that," he said.
"Within about five minutes, the carpet started to erupt," he told Australian radio.
Considerable current
Perplexed firemen evacuated the building and cut its electricity supply, thinking the burns could have been caused by a power surge.
"There were several scorch marks in the carpet, and we could hear a cracking noise - a bit like a whip - both inside and outside the building," said fire official Henry Barton.
Mr Clewer said that after leaving the building, he scorched a piece of plastic in his car.
His clothes were measured by firemen as carrying an electrical charge of 40,000 volts, the Reuters news agency quoted Mr Barton as saying.
The fire official added that the charge was close to being high enough to cause the items to spontaneously combust.
"I've been firefighting for over 35 years and I've never come across anything like this," he said.
Submitted by Mark G and forwarded by Iris
Wonder whether there was strong Wi Fi or cell phone radiation at this location? Martin
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Smart Meters
On behalf of the EMF Safety Network I have filed an application for modification on two Decisions pertaining to Smart Meters with the California Public Utilities Commission. Today I received news from the CPUC docket office that they have accepted the filing and it is posted on the CPUC website for viewing.
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/EFILE/A/116285.htm
On the Network website you can find other new articles of interest about Smart Meters, including comments on privacy also filed with the CPUC. We now have Smart Meter opt out letters for utility customers in two California utility districts that can be sent to the CPUC.
Sandi
Sandi Maurer
EMF Safety Network
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Worthington Hills assembles troops for cell-tower fight
Planned tower at country club surprises residents; Perry Township leaders say battle will be futile
By BRET LIEBENDORFER
Published: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 5:37 PM EDT
http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2010/04/13/multiple_papers/news/allwotower_20100413_0516pm_12.txt
If he hadn't been curious about work a surveyor was doing, Steve Rosenberg thinks his neighbors still would be in the dark about a proposed cell tower in Worthington Hills.
Around 40 residents who live near Worthington Hills Country Club filled Perry Township offices Monday, April 12, during a meeting and passionately expressed their opposition to the tower that could be built on the northwest corner of the club's property near the railroad tracks.
They quickly learned the township was powerless in the decision.
"We're really just providing a forum," said Trustee James Roper. "There's nothing Perry Township can do."
Township Attorney Bill Loveland said the land is zoned for exceptional use and the FCC prohibits local governments from regulating public utilities unless they are on properties zoned for residential. Therefore, the decision lies entirely in the hands of the Worthington Hills Country Club board of directors.
"We're delighted to take up cases with some hope of being successful ... but I have to advise the township not to waste their time with a lawsuit," Loveland said.
Roper said the township tried unsuccessfully to fight towers 20 years ago on Riverside Drive. Personally, he was against a neighbor installing a 40-foot-tall amateur radio antenna on his house, but there was nothing he could do legally about the structure, he said.
With a lack of options from the township, residents said they would do whatever it takes to prevent the tower, including filing lawsuits against the devaluation of their property, signing petitions (120 signatures were collected last weekend), and dropping their memberships to the club.
"I cannot financially support a club that would take away $50,000 to $60,000 from my property," said Eric Brown, who moved into a house on Fairway Drive nine months ago.
Brown said if the tower were to be built, there would be an exodus of members from the country club that would exceed the $40,000 the club would receive annually in lease payments for the tower. That dollar amount is equal to about 10 memberships.
Another concern from residents was health risks from living close to cell towers. Rosenberg said no long-term studies have been completed on cell phone towers, which is troubling because six children live in the nearest cul-de-sac.
"We don't want our children to be guinea pigs," he said.
In response, Marlene Zepkin, a site acquisition specialist for FMHC Corp. who was contracted by Clearwire, the company building the tower, said all work would comply with FCC requirements. Clearwire engineer Gabriel Poling said individual cell-phone use provides far more exposure that what residents would experience from the tower.
Discussion about installing a tower on the land began 12 months ago with Verizon, said Greg Steller, Worthington Hills Country Club general manager. Negotiations failed to materialize and now the club is considering a contract with Clearwire for a 125-foot tall monopole tower, resembling a pine tree, to be located at the north of the property. At its base would be a 40-by-50-foot cabinet large enough for three providers.
While residents were upset about the lack of communication from the country club, Clearwire Site Manager Doug Koski said the process has not been secretive and the club had no obligation to alert nearby residents.
"I've seen other times where if (the tower) is to be built in a township and it's not zoned residential, that it just gets built," Koski said.
Construction would not occur between April and October because it's the heart of golf season and the work could damage the course's soft grounds, club officials said. Surrounding the ground cabinets would be a six-foot-tall green fence. The top of the tower would not be lit.
Steller said no contract has been signed, but the area makes sense because it provides a buffer for the club and residents -- the closest of which is 180 feet -- and the land cannot otherwise be used by the country club. Access to the tower would be provided by expanding an existing cart path.
Out of 214 sites in the state, Clearwire representatives said the Worthington Hills tower is their best potential site, would service 5,000 people, and would be their most stealth. Services for Ohio are scheduled to be launched in November.
With some time left to protest, Kristi Brown, a resident of Oakbourne Drive, asked her neighbors to be calm and encouraged more discussion.
"The process is flawed," she said. "Because there's still time, this discussion needs to go forward."
From here, Worthington Hills Country Club said it would provide a fact sheet for nearby residents and solicit opinions from members.
More discussion will be held at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, April 21, at the Worthington Hills Civic Association's annual meeting, held at the country club. Club President Craig Carlson said information from the meetings and opinions from members would be presented to the club's board of directors later this month.
"The more you use your data (on a cell phone) ... the more towers you will see in the area, whether that's ours or the next one," said Zepkin. "They're here to stay."
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Verizon cell tower battle continued
http://www.kvsun.com/articles/2010/04/13/news/doc4bbb8c3780bf5024244474.txt
Published on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 10:14 PM PDT
Cathy Perfect
Kern Valley Sun
In the wake of public outcry from a group of Kernville neighbors, the Kern County Planning Commission hearing date for Verizon's proposed cell tower on James Road has been continued until April 22.
"This request was made to allow Verizon more time to evaluate alternative sites for the tower," reported Judy Hyatt, representative for 1st District Supervisor Jon McQuiston.
At issue is Verizon's proposed location near the Masonic Lodge, which, according to the families living in the 12-residence neighborhood on James Road in Kernville, is unacceptable. "We believe that the tower would degrade our neighborhood," said Kernville resident Erin Havrilesky.
The Masons intend to lease the property in question to Verizon for $6,000 annually, according to Tom McKinney. "The money will be used for scholarships," he said.
In a letter to the editor in last week's issue of the Sun, neighbors asked the Masons to, "withdraw your offer to lease property to Verizon. We believe this will demonstrate to the citizens of Kernville that the Masons truly want to continue to be good neighbors."
Verizon has not tried to find "the least intrusive" site in the community for its tower, residents said. They cited alternative locations that include Southern California Edison property off Sierra Way near Cannell Meadow; above Camp 9 on "antenna hill"; Kern County property at Camp Owen; and numerous other hillsides in Kernville or Lake Isabella.
The possibility of declining property values is another sore spot for homeowners.
According to The Appraisal Institute, (www.appraisalinstitute.org) the largest global professional organization for appraisers, "[A] cell tower should, in fact, cause a decease in home value."
The California Association of Realtors maintains that, "[S]ellers and licensees must disclose material facts that affect the value or desirability of the property," including "known conditions outside of surrounding" it. That property values would be affected and the presence of a cell tower must be disclosed to potential buyers.
At a March 24 public meeting, residents cited a Sept. 8 ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the "least intrusive" standard "allows for a meaningful comparison of alternatives sites."
Verizon needs to make a good faith effort to identify and evaluate less intrusive alternatives, residents said.
Organizers went on to describe the, "many unusual circumstances that warrant further study. Specifically, a fake tree, or "monopine" is an aesthetic eyesore and the proposed tower would be in a migratory bird corridor and would be a hazard to birds.
The US Fish and Wildlfe Service has voiced concerns over the placement of cell towers in areas where migratory birds are found. (http://www.northlandoutdoors.com/event/article.id/155189/publisher_ID.)
This potential negative effects of radiofrequency (RF) is also a concern. However, according to Lana M. Shearer, Project Manager, Complete Wireless Consulting of Sacramento, "Calculations were made in accordance with the recommendations contained in the Federal Communications Commission, Office of Engineering and Technology Bulletin 65 entitled, "Evaluating Compliance with FCC-Guidelines for Humman Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields."
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Microwave Auditory effect
From: Toa Greening
Subject: RE: 98 Hill Rd Cell Phone Tower - RC 33752
To: Brett.O'Shaughnessy@manukau.govt.nz
Date: Thursday, 15 April, 2010, 11:36 AM
Good Morning Brett,
Have you been advised as to whether the Resource Consent is to be notified or non-notified?
With regards to whether this is a minor effect. You may not be aware but we developed tinnitus (continuous buzzing in the ears) 6 weeks after the Cell Phone Tower was installed in front of our home. In the end I purchased a EMF meter to determine that the Microwave radiation in our lounge was equivalent to standing 1-2 meters away from a Microwave oven on full. We no longer sit in our lounge because of this. I have since been to the Auckland University Audiology clinic and have been diagnosed with Tinnitus. I can send you the diagnosis from the Auckland University Audiology clinic.
After some research I found that what we were experiencing was a scientific principal called the Microwave Auditory effect. I contacted several government agencies and ended up in contact with one of the lead scientists (who is employed by Motorola) on the Microwave Auditory effect. The studies completed were of higher power but very short exposures (ie in the minutes) however there are no studies on the lower power levels in our lounge and continuous exposures (ie 4-6 hrs / day for 6 weeks). Tinnitus is unpleasant and has a major effect for those who have it.
The Resource Consent should be fully notified so that we can have an opportunity to be fully heard.
Regards
T Greening
B.Tech (Information Engineering)
CCNA, CCDA, MCSE, CNA, CCA, HPNSP
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Please note the EHS book titled 'A Beautiful Prison' that was circulated on Tuesday, is a working copy. The finished article will be available some time in the future. Martin
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