[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41267-41268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20545]
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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: 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
[[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: emf-rapid@niehs.nih.gov.
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
