Nature Vacuum EMR.
Dear All
Please find attached a short paper I have produced on an issue that I believe is fundamental to the mobile telecoms health debate.
The 'bottom line' on this issue is given by - the bottom line in this paper.
I'd be happy for you to circulate and/or display this information if / as you see fit.
[I've copied it to all those I know who regularly circulate such material.]
Sincerely
(Dr) Grahame Blackwell
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Bonjour,
8 juillet 2009
Collectif SEMO http://www.dangersemo.com/
Sauvons nos Enfants des Micro-Ondes.
Communiqué de presse – Conférence de presse
Objet : Contestation de l'implantation d'une antenne relais de ROGERS à Châteauguay
Conférence de presse,
Jeudi 9 juillet à 14 h, au 411 boul. St-Francis, Châteauguay
SVP voir l'invitation ci-jointe
Pour plus d'informations,
François Therrien 450 471 8371 Porte-parole du collectif SEMO
ftherrien@aei.ca
Site internet http://www.dangersemo.com/
Jagdish Mirchandani 450 699 9497 – Citoyens concernés de Châteauguay
jpsg@videotron.ca
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- The French Green Party adopted a motion on electromagnetic radiation.
- All Next-up News:
www.next-up.org/Newsoftheworld/2009.php
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Group presses for action over cell towers
Stuff.co.nz
By DIANA WORTHY
Last updated 08:35 08/07/2009
The Waiheke Community Board is being urged to help get consultation over cell phone towers in the light of protests elsewhere as health concerns grow.
The renewed plea comes from resident Andrew Crawford following a resource consent application lodged last year for a cell phone tower on the Surfdale Bowling Club.
The application sparked concerns among more than 400 residents.
Neighbours have since asked telecommunications companies planning to erect towers on the island to consult with residents and to give written guarantees that people's health will not be harmed by electro-magnetic emissions.
But Vodafone, Telecom and New Zealand Communications' representatives said "no" to the guarantees at a Community Forum meeting in April.
They told the meeting their installations fully complied with the national standard and said if change was required it was up to government to make the decision.
Telecom's Paul Leslie added safety issues were a matter for public health authorities.
"We're saying the responsibility lies with public health authorities. It's our responsibility to comply and to design our sites with a minimum level of radio frequency emissions," he said.
Surfdale protestors, though, claim the national emissions' standard has been set too high and that health experts around the world have been issuing warnings over long-term health effects.
The claim is echoed by protest groups around the country calling for more consultation and the need to notify resource consent applications so communities can have a say.
They have the backing of Green MP Sue Kedgley, who spoke to a public meeting in Pakuranga last week.
She said the growth of cell towers throughout New Zealand had been partly sparked by the introduction of a new law and the passing of the National Environmental Standard by the last government.
Kedgley claimed the standard had been drawn up by the telcos and was one of the most permissive in the world.
She said it had been based on the false assumption that electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) could only cause acute effects and not long-term ones.
"Our government's approach is to assume that EMR is safe until such time as conclusive evidence of harm is proven. It is exactly the opposite of a precautionary approach," she said.
And she cited a 17-nation World Health Organisation study on cell phone tower safety, due for release five years ago, saying results had been held up because a link had been found between cell phones and the risk of tumours.
"If cell phones - which officials have insisted are safe - turn out to increase our risk of cancer, what about cell towers, cabinets, WIFI dishes and all the rest?"
Both the Surfdale group and another in South Island's Nelson are pressing for the chance to make submissions to the Local Government and Environment Committee about their concerns.
Meanwhile, a protest group in Titahi Bay (near Wellington) is celebrating a co-operative approach that saw Telecom cancel plans to build a tower close to residents' homes.
It will now be erected elsewhere.
Andrew Crawford told the Waiheke Community Board last week he was keen to see the same thing happen on the island.
Board chairman Tony Sears said he would liaise with representatives and Crawford over the progress of tower notification.
Cell phone health claims
British charity Electro-Sensitivity UK says a recent conference included presentations that claimed:
A 500% increase in brain tumours for young people using a mobile phone more than 10 years.
A 500% increase in cancers for people living within 400 metres of a mobile phone mast.
See website www.es.uk-info or contact Andrew Crawford at safetowers@gmail.com for more information.
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The following resolution has been adopted by the Sebastopol City Council on July 7, 2009. It was a late night vote at the end of a grueling 6 hour council meeting. Three votes yes with one no and one member absent. If anyone would like a word document for this resolution let me know.
Sandi Maurer
EMF Safety Network
707-829-9403
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL ADVOCATING AMENDMENTS TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1996 TO PERMIT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO CONSIDER THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) EMISSIONS FROM WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES; AND TO REQUEST THAT THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION PURSUE A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE IN ORDER TO UPDATE THEIR EXISTING RF SAFETY STANDARDS.
WHEREAS, there is an ongoing debate within the scientific community and among governing bodies throughout the world regarding how thoroughly the long-term health effects of low-frequency electromagnetic and radio frequency (RF) emissions are understood including questions regarding how well the existing regulations established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) protect more vulnerable populations such as children, and how well they protect against the cumulative effect of RF emissions on people who live or work in close proximity to cellular facilities;
WHEREAS, Section 704 of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 prevents local governments, including the City of Sebastopol, from regulating the placement of personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental or health effects of radio-frequency emissions to the extent that the proposed facilities comply with the Federal Communications Commission regulations concerning such emissions;
WHEREAS, The California Public Utilities Code additionally unfairly limits the authority of local governments to regulate wireless facilities in public rights of way;
WHEREAS, The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the LA Unified School District, as well as the cities of Glendale CA and Portland OR, have recently unanimously adopted similar resolutions asking the Federal Government to repeal the preemption of the authority of local jurisdictions to regulate the placement of wireless facilities based on health or environment considerations and/or asking the FCC to update the RF studies;
WHEREAS, The European Parliament has adopted a resolution encouraging (1) the establishment of setback criteria for wireless antennas, mobile phone masts and other electromagnetic emitting devices to be set within a specific distance from schools and health institutions; (2) stricter regulations and protections for residents and consumers; and (3) more reliable information be made available about the effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields to citizens in an effort to prevent a "proliferation of poorly positioned masts and transmitters.";
WHEREAS, Local governments should have the ability to include a consideration of the health and environmental effects of wireless facilities when deciding whether or not to approve the placement, construction and modification of a wireless communications facility as long as questions exist as to the adequacy of these federal regulations;
WE, THEREFORE, MOVE that the City Council of Sebastopol instruct the City's legislative advocates to actively seek and support federal legislation to repeal limitations on state and local authority imposed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that infringe upon the authority of local governments to regulate the placement, construction, and modification of telecommunications towers and other wireless facilities on the basis of the health and environmental effects of these facilities.
WE FURTHER MOVE that the City Council of Sebastopol instruct the City's legislative advocates to actively seek and support state legislation that would give local governments greater flexibility to regulate the placement of wireless facilities within public rights of way given the unique aesthetic and safety issues these facilities raise.
WE FURTHER MOVE that the City Council of Sebastopol instruct the City's legislative advocates to actively seek and support federal legislation that would direct the Federal Communications Commission to pursue a comprehensive global analysis of best practices and scientific evidence in order to update their existing standards and to adequately measure the health impacts of wireless facilities.
ADOPTED this 7th day of July, 2009.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by City of Sebastopol City Council following a roll call vote:
City of Sebastopol City Council:
Ayes: 3
Noes: 1
Abstain:
Absent: 1
