National Toxicology Program

[Federal Register: August 3, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 148)
[Notices]
[Page 41267-41268]

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 causal 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, PO Box 12233, MD EC-16, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 or by fax: 919-541-0144, or by e-mail: emf-rapid@niehs.nih.gov. 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 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).

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, PO Box 12233, MD EC-16, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, by fax: 919-541-0144, or by e-mail: emf-rapid@niehs.nih.gov

Dated: July 27, 1998

_______________________
Kenneth Olden, Ph.D.
Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

[Billing Code 4140-01-P]