ST9302-CS 940915 (3)~'i'B.. !z-,/l'-a'}4 17: 2i
Sept, 15, 1994-
Can~' Sheehmn
I am one of the homeowners who talked to yotl in recent days. N4v husbaad alld I are builchng a house m
Waters Edge. Needless to say. we may not go through with the d~2at in light of the Sandy Lake Road
controversw Though we li.ke Coppell, we xx, ere already concerned about the many power lines
crisscrossing tile area, One more just seems ridiculous
We love the idea of Coppell's good schools, the small town atmo~hpere, the ciedication to qualib'
development etc, But unless someone can assure me that thoro's not going to be a 138.000 volts running
down the middle of Sandy_ Lake, an absurd notion at best, we're out of there.
We believe that such a po~v~r line, which is very different from the residential distribution lines that we all
must live with, is con~piet~ly inat~roi~riat~ in that location. It is too close to too many houses. It will emit
a hazaxdous electro-magXtetic field, Yes. the science on EMYs is inconclusive, but the statistical link to
childhood cancers was not sot~eone's imaginings, The link was first shown by studies down in Denver and
later corroborated by' a study out ¢ff UNC-Chapel Hill. The Swedes did an even larger study. that verified
the lin.k. The only questions about EI'vlZF concern how nluch is dangerous, at what distances and over what
period of time etc, The EPA, which is .typically notoriously late in coBUng to obvious conclusions about
health risks, (it took over 300 studies on secondhand smoke before the agency_ issued its waxBinS
classifyinS that as a carcinogen), urges "prudent avoidance" at this juncture. To me that means that if the
power pole is looming outside your backyard, you're probably better off to not live there, especially if you
have chil~en, which I gather a lot of people in Coppelt do. (We were surlY sod that more people weren't
at the cit).- council meeting thi~ week raising concerns about the schools, Lee and Lakeside. which v,'ill be
very. near these power lines.)
In addition. this project would be hi~tsougy ilgly smi most ~s~inly sefzct ~ ~, ~obably for
many blocks in either direction. And the thought of a bike path beneath the pov, er poles is ludicrous.
There the EMF issue IS clear cut. It is not safe to recreate immediately beneath high-voltage lines. The
utility compmly itself does not build sWrage sheds beneath such power lines because the EM.F has a
deleterious effect on machinery. Finally, thoro's the risk of someone hiring a pole. Need I say more?
I've enclosed some resources that may be of use, Please don't take offense if i'm covering stuff you airend>
know. I just want to throw out ideas. A.tier a certain city official told me that he didn't how whether TU
needed a pernUt to o~ain m~y new easements [ began to worry that people haven't a)had very. much time
to study this issue and b)were relying too heavily on TU's local representative as their sole source of
U~formation This man with TU may be very_ nice. But it seems to me that his sole purpose in his job is to
stnooth the way for TU projects. That's title. That's Ir6s busSnest But the ci.ty's interests don't necessarily
dovetail with TU's. I would tlUnk tile city must firmly and carefully protect its ¢nan~ interests, those being
the health of the residents, the retention of property.' values and the property tax base and the beautification
of the ci.ty- More than anything. the city needs sonle independant views and sources to help it ascertain the
possibilities. Because my husband and I have a strong interest is deterretiring as quickly as possible wl~tch
x, cay this issue might go, please contact me if there a~. an..~ key developments or if I can help with your
research
Incidentally. we favor rerouting these lines along a less po~.,ui~-~ed area, or leaving them on the south s:de
ere the road. where TU may or may not be forced to leave theta at a lover voltage. l ,,,~nder, could Sandy
Bobbi and Tom Kessler
/' '. 556-1433
(Please sha,r~ this letter w~th others on the CounCil if you w~sh.)
0'9.."' 1E,/1994 17: 21 2 _ 7?~}l:i:l 'B ]::,f'.'lH f'.'IETF'O P'AGE 02
1 - The Environmental Protection Agency' has a hotline on EMZF Issues.
1-800-363-2383.
Unfortunately it's not all that helptiff However, tt~e EPA did do a
survey of all the studies on EMF risks/effecTs through 1989. The
report. released in draft form in 199t. was inconclusive, but urged
"prudent avoidalice" of s~rong electro-magnetic fields. It was never
formally issued as an final official document for political teasons.
The EPA has resumed research in this area m~d is expected to update
this 400-page report later this year.
The draf~ report can be orderM throught the hotline. It costs about
EPA's Dennis O'Connor is an expert m~ staff. He foilows the
issue. 202-233-9486
2 - Carnegie Mel]on University. puts out pumplets and mfo on EM1r
issues The three brochures available are:
-- '~Electfical m~d Magnetic Fields from 60 hertz." ($3.50 for lass
tha~ 10.)
-- "Measuring Power Frequency Fields" ($2.50)
-- "What Can We Conclude ~rom Tha~e Measurements" ($3,00)
Orders must b~ preprod- Write checks to Carnegie Mellon University..
Mail to DeVt, of Enginering and Public Policy., Carnegie Mellon,
Pittsburgh, PA. 15213. Attn: EMF Brochures
3 - Bonneville Power puts out a good booklet on EMFs.
Order by calling 800-6224519 It is called" Questions and Answers into the Biological E~r~zts of
I~MFs" (Or something.)
4 - The National Electric Safety. Cod~ may b~ the most useful d~eument in this matter. Apparently ttus
book used try. electricians and utilities (and available at some libraries). sets out the parameters for
eve.mixing from household wiring to transmission lines. It explains how much easement is recommended
for various levels of voltage, !.t w~uld help clarify what TU can and can't do within the easement that
exists now. What it could do within th6 new easement etc. In other w~rds. it could spell out whether TU
can actually go above 138,000 volts on those lines where they are or would need a w~der ~.asement.
(If TU needs a larger easement than it has it would have to obtain a "Certificate of Convenience and
NecessiW' as you know from the PUC,)
5 - The PLIC. Paul Irish 512-4511-0100. ext. 224, can explain the approval process for ct~ang~ng
easements. increasing voltage etc. He says that TU has not obtained a l'Cenificate of
Convenience and Necessity" for increasing the power on the lines at Sandy. Lake, That may mean that TU
doesn't need it because it already has adeqtmte easement for that amount of pew~r. Or it could mean they
simply haven't
applied yet. As you know, if they ate required to get a certificate. there's a public comment component to
the pr~oess. It would seem that it's critical to find out if they need to make this request or not.