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Press Release 14 October 2022

Radiation Limits Ballot Initiative Planning

 

Cell tower opposition remains strong in many local communities, such as in Pittsfield where the Board of Health issued a cease and desist order early this year because locals persuasively reported a cluster of illness soon after a Verizon cell tower turned on in 2020, reporting headaches, ringing in the ears, dizziness, heart palpitations, nausea, and skin rashes. The board, however, reversed course and the city and Verizon are now being challenged in court by residents, who claim pressure from and conflicts of interest of the town mayor and city solicitor.

While the Pittsfield case may advance promptly and with good results, such challenges can be time consuming and expensive – Murray v. Motorola, case no. 2001 CA 008479 B, finally held hearings on brain tumors associated with cellphones at the federal D.C. Superior Court this September, after 21 years. If industry loses on this or in similar cases, legislation may then suddenly play an enormous role, determining industry accountability and acceptable exposures.

Ballot question committee RadLimits at Last Tree Laws is pursuing a 2023 ballot initiative, which would be an enormous signature drive of registered voters. If about 100,000 certified signatures are gathered, then voters can decide whether to enact a relevant law in 2024 that would limit exposures from wireless and electricity. The committee is seeking planning committee members, funding, and other assistance as well as town contacts or organizers across the state.

Last Tree Laws director Kirstin Beatty explains the reasoning for pursuing a ballot question, “I can’t help but notice that despite ongoing education about serious damage from non-ionizing radiation since 2013, the proposals that advanced furthest simply asked industry to sit at the table with legislators to discuss what might be done. If ever passed, this would mean a delay of 2 years for discussion while we all suffer physical and mental consequences, plus opportunity for industry influence. If there must be feet dragging, I’d rather at least have a bill that takes a few concrete steps.”

In August, a draft proposed law to limit non-ionizing radiation was submitted to the attorney general’s office for review and found generally acceptable if an expanded disease registry were revised or omitted. The committee would like to improve this draft and, if legislative sponsorship and time enough exists, submit a version as state legislation in January.

Currently, the draft limits non-ionizing radiation emitted from wireless antennas and electricity, while still allowing for functionality. Software, equipment, infrastructure, and institutions are required to minimize emissions, including by moving towards hard-wired functionality. Such limits already exist in countries like France, where reduced electrical and wireless exposures are required in all schools and WiFi is banned entirely in elementary.

Informal interviews are currently being held for committee leadership and assistance. Information on applying, joining or donating can be found at Last Tree Laws (https://lasttreelaws.com) or at Donorbox.org/RadLimits (https://donorbox.org/RadLimits).

REFERENCES

Background:

• Timeline of Massachusetts non-ionizing radiation legislation: https://beatty.fyi/timeline-ma-rf-bills/
• Sample of DPU testimonials: https://beatty.fyi/smart-grid/
• Timeline of Massachusetts non-ionizing radiation history: https://beatty.fyi/ma-timeline-rf/

Ballot Initiative:

• RadLimits quick review: https://lasttreelaws.com/2022/10/radlimits-review/
• 22-09 Initiative Petition for a Law Relative to Non-Ionizing Radiation Limits (1 of 4 versions submitted) – https://www.mass.gov/doc/22-09-initiative-petition-for-a-law-relative-to-non-ionizing-radiation-limits/download
• Donation link with information: donorbox dot org/RadLimits

Pittsfield Cell Tower Opposition:

• Local opposition: https://stoptower.com/faq/
•  Board of Health order: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/67151/Pittsfield-Health-Board-Ordering-Verizon-to-Remove-Cell-Tower.html
• Local residents sue, claiming conflicts of interest: https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/central_berkshires/legal-action-pittsfield-cell-tower-mayor-linda-tyer/article_91aa3d2e-0f4b-11ed-a2fb-0bd279394765.html

International laws discussed at the Environmental Health Trust:

• 2015 French Wireless Legislation – “Law on sobriety, transparency, information and consultation for exposure to electromagnetic waves.” Original Report: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/14/propositions/pion2065.asp
  • 2018 French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) published a report on power line exposures and issued recommendations to limit exposures from electricity: https://www.anses.fr/fr/content/effets-sanitaires-li%C3%A9s-%C3%A0-l%E2%80
• %99exposition-aux-champs-%C3%A9lectromagn%C3%A9tiques-basses-fr%C3%A9quences
• • Overview of French ANSES and other countries reducing electrical exposures: https://ehtrust.org/reduce-exposure-to-children-french-health-agency-issues-2019-report-on-health-effects-of-low-frequency-electromagnetic-fields/

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IMPORTANT INFO ON MASSACHUSETTS BALLOT INITIATIVE
RADLIMITS AT LAST TREE LAWS (LastTreeLaws.com)

For public safety, we need a law that limits non-ionizing radiation exposures (from electricity & wireless).

To bypass industry, we need to a voter signature drive to let voters approve the law: a Massachusetts ballot initiative!

LIMITS ON NON-IONIZING RADIATION ARE GOOD:

• • In Massachusetts, limits exist to prevent electric shock;
  • In other states, limits exist on magnetic and electric fields from high-voltage power lines;
  • In the US, limits on cell tower transmissions are meant to prevent heating;
  • In India, cell tower transmissions are much lower than in the US to reduce harmful biological effects;
  •  In Chile, limits exist on cell towers near hospitals or schools;
  • In Cyprus, WiFi is prohibited in pediatric wards and elementary schools.

WE NEED STRONG LIMITS BECAUSE since c. 2000 most of us sit near computers, routers, and other electrical and wireless equipment while regulations fail to address this chronic exposure.

INTELLIGENT PEOPLE AGREE – e.g. Dr. Olle Johansson, PhD, discovered that computers even without wireless could change the skin biome, with markers such as mast cells increasing. Dr. Johansson is now retired from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, but continues with research and advocacy for limits. Many scientists in this specialized field have appealed for stronger limits citing existing harm, and very few say otherwise – but those who do have their voices amplified by industry marketing and money. In sum most say WE NEED LIMITS FOR OUR OWN INTELLIGENCE, HEALTH & JOY.

WE PROPOSED A LAW FOR STRONGER LIMITS which so far includes:

• • Tech design that makes turning off or limiting wireless easy or default mode;
  • Limits on incidental non-ionizing radiation from electrical and wireless equipment to as little and as safe as possible;
  •  Wireless facility (e.g. cell towers) maps & ownership public info;
  • Require MA telecommunications department prefer technologies that lessen exposures;
  • Take steps to hard-wire and limit exposures where under state control in public institutions;
  • Set up a commission of first responders to examine how to protect them.

WE COULD IMPROVE THIS LAW WITH FUNDING & VOLUNTEERS NOW to support:

• • Time for improvements and legal expert feedback;
  • Polling to see what voters will support.

REFERENCES

• • RadLimits at Last Tree Laws: https://LastTreeLaws.com
  • US states with exposure limits relevant to electricity or policies of prudent avoidance: https://www.emfs.info/limits/limits-usa/
  • Dr. Olle Johansson’s donation page with information: https://research.radiation.dk/
  • Scientific appeal on wireless & electricity with summary: EMFscientist.org
  • Scientists and doctors appeal for 5G moratorium: 5GAppeal.EU
  • For international policies please see the Environmental Health Trust

A SAMPLE OF SOME SMART SCIENTIST CONCERNS:

– Dr. Robert Becker, MD (1923 – 2008), became famous for bringing media and a generation’s attention to the dangers of high-voltage power lines. Despite his hitherto successful career, he lost his research contracts and retired early because he spoke out against non-ionizing radiation. He wrote the cult classic The Body Electric and was nominated twice for Nobel Prize because he discovered electricity could heal bone.

– Dr. Henry Lai, PhD, and Dr. Narinda Singh, PhD, in 1995 published that wireless signals broke DNA strands, and then dealt with industry attempts to discredit their work. Dr. Singh is best known for developing the comet assay, a technique used around the world to detect DNA breaks. Dr. Lai, who became a research professor at the University of Washington, has published evidence of harm documented in peer-reviewed science for the public on the Bioinitiative.org.

– Dr. Neil Cherry, PhD (1946-2003), who published on how modulation of small amounts of non-ionizing radiation, including solar and geomagnetic activity (such as thunderstorms) can have harmful effects and advocated for making technology as safe as possible. Cherry also examined cancer clusters, such as on high rates of cancer in the line of transmissions from the Sutro Tower in San Francisco. In 2002 Dr. Cherry was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to science, education and the community.

– Dr. Chris Portier, recently retired from the US NIEHS, chaired the committee at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that in 2015 stated wireless and radiofrequencies were a 2b ‘possible’ carcinogen. Many original members of the committee have since stated wireless is carcinogenic and the classification must be strengthened. In 2022 for a brain cancer lawsuit, Portier wrote 176 pages of testimony with scientific references to prove cellphones cause brain cancer.

– Dr. Sam Milham, PhD, used his access to a WA state database to find workers exposed to more non-ionizing radiation, such as electricians,  contracted leukemia more than would be expected, sparking other researchers to look and find similar patterns. After retirement, he did further research and discovered that where electricity was newly introduced, ‘diseases of civilization’ like heart disease arose, about which he wrote the easy read Dirty Electricity. Milham believes the problem is linked to pulsing or surges and harmonics on ‘dirty’ electrical lines.

REFERENCES:

• Dr. Henry Lai: https://seattlemag.com/news/uw-scientist-henry-lai-makes-waves-cell-phone-industry/
• Dr. Narendra P. Singh: https://microwavenews.com/news-center/singh-comet-assay-radiation-research
• Dr. Robert Becker: https://robertobecker.net/
• Dr. Portier’s 176 page report tying wireless to tumors: https://microwavenews.com/papers/chris-portier-rf-evaluation
• Dr. Portier’s resume at IARC where he represented the CDC: https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/PORTIER_Bio.pdf
• Dr. Sam Milham: https://microwavenews.com/milham.html
• Dr. Neil Cherry (Archived Website): https://web.archive.org/web/20190628014620/http://www.neilcherry.nz/bio.html