High-voltage rally to draw thousands
"We're hoping to send a message to the government, loud and clear, that these power lines need to be buried and that's what the people of Alberta want," said Bruce Johnson, who heads a group called Responsible Electricity Transmission for Albertans (RETA).
The 7 p.m. meeting, to be emceed by local country singer Danny Hooper, will feature speeches by experts about the harm the 500 kilovolt line could cause to people and property.
Organizers say Hooper lives near one of four proposed routes and volunteered his services.
"Danny is pretty inspirational," said Johnson. "He can get people to commit to the cause."
Johnson hopes residents from all four potential routes will cram the Edmonton Oilers hockey rink to show that, no matter which route is chosen, there is united support for a buried line connecting Wabamun Lake power plants to the Industrial Heartland, east of Edmonton--no matter what the extra cost.
Power line proponents say it could cost four to 20 times more to bury the line than to string it from 20-storey high towers; they aren't sure burying it underground is warranted or possible.
There are two ongoing studies-- one commissioned by Alberta Energy and one by the Alberta Electric System Operator and the proponents AltaLink and Epcor--to determine if burying the line is feasible.
Johnson is confident it can be done, if there's the political will.
"We have every reason to believe that there is no technical reason why undergrounding can't go ahead."
RETA is also bringing in Magda Havas, a Trent University associate professor of environmental and resource studies, from Peterborough, Ont., to speak about the effect of electromagnetic energy on health, particularly the health of children.
While the World Health Organization and Health Canada have found no proven links between power lines and cancer or other diseases, Havas has testified at hearings in Canada and the U.S. that there are adverse health effects from electromagnetic fields.
She has also expressed concerns about the safety of wireless computer networks and has publicly urged school boards to refrain from installing Wi-Fi in schools.
She has warned about the dangers of cellphone towers and dubbed dairy cows the "canaries in coal mines" when it comes to detecting stray electricity because of its effect on their milk production.
Other speakers include appraiser Brian Gettel, who will talk about the impact of the power lines on property values, and power line company officials, who are expected to talk about the feasibility of burying the lines.
People will also have a chance to purchase anti-power line lawn signs and T-shirts and to sign a canvas mural that will be presented to the Alberta government.
Organizer John Kristensen says the group has drawn crowds of 1,800 and 1,400 to previous meetings.
"Not too many people like living next to these things," he said. "They are pretty ugly, to be blunt."
RETA, which has created a quality website to press its cause, has also hired pollsters to demonstrate that nearly 70 per cent of Albertans are willing to pay more on their monthly power bills to bury high voltage lines near homes and schools.
"We're not against electricity," adds June McNeil, a school teacher who has taken up the cause.
"We're for responsible electricity transmission."
dhenton@thejournal.canwest.com
THIRD SCHOOL CLOSED in this town
that was located BESIDE MULTIPLE CELL PHONE TOWERS
Thornhill in 2002, beside FIVE ANTENNAS
Meadowland in 2004 beside THREE ANTENNAS
| EMFacts Consultancy By Administrator The truth is that there have not yet been any major, comprehensive studies into the impact of Wi-Fi radiation on our health, so such reassurances are unjustified. No one can state with any confidence that Wi-Fi is safe. ... EMFacts Consultancy - http://www.emfacts.com/weblog/ |
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Celltower Radiation Needs Independent Review
An independent review of New Zealand's standard for telecommunications facilities is urgently required said the Green Party, in light of a new select committee report.
Parliament's Local Government and Environment committee today released a report that only recommends the Government review the New Zealand standard for radiofrequency fields to ensure it is in line with the world's best practice.
"This is a first step but it does not go nearly far enough, said Green MP Sue Kedgley, "There needs to be an independent review of the standard that covers the risks associated with low-level exposure to electromagnetic radiation which are not taken into account at present.
"The second step is a review of the separate National Environmental Standard for telecommunications facilities. This standard has allowed the proliferation of celltowers without community consultation and has increased the risk that the public will be exposed to potentially dangerous electromagnetic radiation."
Recent international research shows electromagnetic radiation can affect people's health and increase the risk of brain tumours. It also shows that adverse health effects can happen at levels of exposure that are thousands of times below the current safety limit.
The Green Party submitted a minority report that calls for a precautionary approach, and for further investigation into the health effects of long term exposure to electromagnetic radiation, as part of a review of the overall standard.
"The Government should play it safe and stop allowing celltowers, antennas and masts to go up next to homes, schools and playcentres - people's health should come first.
"Telecommunications companies must also be required to consult with the people affected before they put up towers or transmitters in their communities," said Ms Kedgley.
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Electromagnetic radiation has become a new environmental pollution focus. The amount of EMR has increased greatly in recent years due to advances in ...
We're talking about industry's own brand of
junk science that promotes misinformation and
confusion and presents a distorted picture of
EMF science.
The latest example is a call to end research
on power-line electric fields and cancer by
two industry scientists. Epidemiologic studies on
electric field effects on workers have produced some
of the most provocative findings in the entire
EMF-cancer literature. Yet, they now want to bury
this work for good.
We think that this is the real scientific
misconduct that is plaguing EMF science.
Read the full story at:
http://www.microwavenews.com/junkscience.html
and
http://www.microwavenews.com/3cases.html
Best,
Louis Slesin
__________________________________________________________
Louis Slesin, PhD
Editor, Microwave News
A Report on Non-Ionizing Radiation
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