Working Group ReportAssessment of Health Effects From Exposure to Power-Line Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

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 casual

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, 1998

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, P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-16, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

or by fax: 919-541-0144, or by e-mail: [email protected]. 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

[[Page 41268]]

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

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).

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Date City Building Address

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September 28......................... Washington, DC......... Ronald Reagan Trade 1300 Pennsylvania Ave.

Center. NW.

October 1............................ San Francisco, CA...... US EPA, Region IX...... 75 Hawthorne St.

October 5............................ Chicago, IL............ University of Chicago, 450 N Cityfront Plaza

Gleacher Center. Drive.

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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 below:

REQUESTS FOR THE REPORT, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR TO REGISTER FOR A

PUBLIC MEETING, please contact: by Mail: EMF-RAPID Program/LCBRA NIEHS,

NIH, P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-16, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, by

fax: 919-541-0144, or by e-mail: [email protected].

Dated: July 27, 1998.

Kenneth Olden,

Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

[FR Doc. 98-20545 Filed 7-31-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4140-01-M