Subject: American Civil Liberties' Union of Minnesota - Request for legal representation re close EMF exposures
ACLU
of Minnesota
Executive Director: Charles Samuelson
450 North Syndicate Street North, Suite 230
St. Paul, MN 55104
Phone: 651-645-4097
E-mail: sup...@aclu-mn.org
Dear Mr. Samuelson: I am a non-accredited EMF/EMR activiist/researcher working every day in an attempt to "spread-the-word" regarding facts that are being withheld from the public regarding "EMF prudent avoidance!"
The $46 mil EMF RAPID Interagency Committee Report has never been presented to Congress. The result of this "non-action" has been and continues to be "catastrophic!" We increasingly hear that autism-spectrum disorders, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and Leukemia are linked to immune deficiency. Studies confirm low levels of melatonin in persons diagnosed with these health problems and many more symptoms/diseases! The release of known facts regarding the link between low EMF levels and immune deficiency and Leukemia will help to inform doctors, educators, caregivers, parents, students -- "the general public" that there are many things each person can do to help reduce large numbers of adverse health problems.
Close, chronic, prolonged electric field exposures interfere with cell signaling which greatly affects function of pineal gland. The pineal gland is responsible for natural production of melatonin. Melatonin is a powerful "radio-protectant," "powerful antioxidant," and therefor is also "a cancer fighter!" See (re Leukaemia) Henshaw/Reiter study at: http://www.electric-fields.bris.ac.uk/melatoninpaper.pdf ....... Melatonin is often referred to as "an anti-aging supplement." This has more to do with good health than outward beauty......... Melatonin supplementation is known to help reduce agitation and depression. Good sleep alone is imperative for numerous reasons. Melatonin promotes proper sleep.
The EMF RAPID Report cites a connection between adverse health problems in persons living as close as 50 ft. to high voltage powerlines. In 1978, two high voltage transmission lines were forced upon us. We live on a residential street. An aerial view of surrounding area clearly shows how placement of the lines avoided both a golf course and several schools instead of being routed down Trunk Highway 242 which is two blocks north of our street. We had lived in our home since 1955 and our youngest child, a girl, was about five years old at time we were served with a restraining order to stop interfering with installation of the poles (1970). Two high voltage powerlines -- one 69 kv and one 230 kv, are over our home.
Please take a look at the July 3, 2008, article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune: ........ The story is about a bike-pedestrian bridge that has been closed due to persons being shocked while riding over the bridge. The electrical engineer for X-Cel Energy -- the company that owns the high voltage powerline close to the bridge, explains that the persons themselves are being charged and that grounding efforts will not completely eliminate the problems. See additional comments below.
The same sort of adverse situation affects us every day on our land as well as within our house. Our toxic exposure, however, goes on "un-interrupted 24-hours each day of each week of each year" -- i.e., we are subjected to "close, chronic, prolonged electric field exposures non-stop!" The powers-that-be closed down a bridge because persons are/were being adversely affected for "very short periods of time" yet we are forced to put up with being "guinea pigs without informed consent" by the fact two high voltage powerlines were forced upon us and our property/home over 30 years ago!
Attorneys in Minnesota and Wisconsin willingly represent individual farmers in stray voltage cases due to adverse effects on cows against various power companies. Recent news reports state that the science between immune deficiency and EMF's is specific therefor allowing farmers to be awarded substantial sums to compensate for cow deaths, reduced milk production and farmers are also compensated for "annoyance' and loss of use and enjoyment of their property!" See: http://www.strayvoltage.org/ .......
Some of the facts regarding my concerns over close electric meter and/or electric clock/appliance exposures are in my appeal to Dr. Marilyn Albert, Alzheimers' Advisory Board at: http://freepage.twoday.net/stories/3038870/ .........
My letter to Dr. Albert focuses on electric fields from electric meters and/or appliances close to beds. However, our family has also been, and continues to be, greatly affected by electric fields continuously emanating from the two high voltage powerlines over our home!
The NIEHS recommends "practical ways to reduce EMF exposures!" See: http://freepage.twoday.net/stories/3038870/ .......
How does one "practically reduce constant electric and magnetic field exposures from two high voltage powerlines that loom over their home?" This is "impossible" and the fact that ambient readings in our living room as well as master bedroom usually are well in excess of 2.0 mg -- the higher limit when evaluating average home exposures, strongly supports my reasons for being very concerned!
The NIEHS admits (see: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/niehs-report.pdf ) that ".....ELF EMF exposure can not be recognized as enirely safe" and also states: "......passive regulatory action is warranted such as a continued emphasis on educating both the public and the regulated community over means aimed at reducing exposure........"
If our government's interpretation of "passive regulatory action" means only that the public and/or regulated community will learn about the possible need to reduce exposures IF they happen to come upon the NIEHS website, then the meaning of the above paragraph is obvious. However, "the intent" and "purpose" of the EMF RAPID Study provided funds specifically allocated for "informing the public."
In my letter to Dr. Marilyn Albert, I refer to a booklet that was written by utilities' communications' experts and printed in 2001, titled "Your Guide to Understanding EMF." (CulverCo.com Product #41025). I was told by a person working for Culver Co. that the booklet was intended for distribution in schools but that it had been taken out-of-print. Page 3 of the booklet contains the following statement:
"......During your daily activities, you are continuously exposed to varying levels of EMFs. These fields are so weak you can't feel them. But by a yet unknown mechanism, these currents appear to cause a variety of small, short-term changes in cells during laboratory experiments. Concern focuses on whether these short-term changes can have effects on human health........"
Time and the need to limit length of this letter do not allow for recitation of the considerable studies and links to facts acquired in addition to what I mention above; but, I can assure you that there is plenty of evidence to indicate that "close, chronic, prolonged exposures to appliances and powerlines (particularly nighttime exposures), are responsible for a multitude of adverse health changes in humans as well as animals!
A $2-3 million bike-pedestrian bridge that is used only occasionally and even then, for very brief periods-of-time is closed down. The following is quote by power company electrical engineer:
"We are operating under the assumption that part of what is happening is that people themselves are getting charged as they are traveling underneath [the power lines] and they are discharging to the bike and rail," Xcel Energy engineer Benjamin Gallay said. "There's nothing significant we can do to stop that other than telling people, 'No, you can't walk there.' "
Gallay said that even with additional grounding, riders may still feel a bit of the sensation. http://www.startribune.com/local/west/22923059.html?page=1&c=y ..........
You can't walk there, but, you can live there? You can live 24 hours a day every day for 365 days every year, year-after-year in your home only 50 ft. from two high voltage powerlines? This is my question. What is the answer?
Is the ACLU willing and able to help me file a legal case and/or to handle the case regarding the considerable harm that has befallen most members of our family and those who have lived in our home since the two high voltage powerlines were forced upon us? Or, in the alternative, can the ACLU help me locate an attorney who will represent us? The attorneys who care about what has happened to the farmer's cows won't even acknowledge my emails or phone calls!
Will the ACLU help to inform doctors and the public that persons need to move electric appliances off of nightstands and headboards and that sleeping on top of cell phones is very hazardous? Page 13 of the above-mentioned EMF booklet, cautions re electric clocks, fans and answering machines near beds.
Autism-spectrum disorders as well as Alzheimers Disease are literally "exploding!" How can we justify not informing the public about many simple precautions that may greatly reduce those problems and/or the severity of symptoms? How long will we allow our politicians and regulators to deny existing facts regarding close electric field exposures? How long will we stand for children (and persons of all ages) to be "abused by the system" -- a system that permits "experimentation without informed consent." If a parent deliberately placed a child's bed close to an electric meter or other appliance once the public is informed, he or she would be prosecuted for "child endagerment and/or child abuse!": Yet, those with the power to bring about positive changes choose to ignore those of us who continue to suffer and who "have no voice" and "no legal representation!"
Best wishes for a better future for all - Joanne
Joanne C. Mueller
Guinea Pigs "R" Us
731 - 123rd Avenue N.W.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55448-2127 USA
Phone: 763-755-6114
Email: jcmpe...@aol.com
(7-08-08)
WEBSITE: http://guineapigsrus.org
ARE YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN GUINEA PIGS?
Letter 7-22-04 by Joanne Mueller
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/282050/