[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: [email protected]. 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).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Date                            City                   Building                 Address        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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: [email protected].

    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