Reporting briefly from ORNL–a heads up about this upcoming conference on EMF.

The RAPID program is drawing to a close, but more critically, DOE may not continue with its own core EMF program. This conference may be an important forum for that issue to be raised. One implication-a void in the U.S. when and if standards are set internationally!

An excellent contact on EMF issues overall is Paul Gailey at Oak Ridge.
423-574-0419 pg7@ornl.gov

http://www.emf-data.org/symposium98.html

(Note this website as a resource on emf generally)

EMF Engineering Review Symposium
Status and Summary of EMF Engineering Research

April 28-29, 1998
Sheraton Charleston Hotel
Charleston, SC

Organized by the United States Department of Energy

Last updated: February 11, 1998
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BACKGROUND

The Electric and Magnetic Fields Research and Public Information Dissemination (EMFRAPID) Program was established by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) are partners in the EMFRAPID Program’s effort to address the question of whether extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields (EMF) produced by the generation, transmission, and use of electric energy pose a risk to human health, and if so, to determine the significance of the risk and to develop mitigation technologies.

ENGINEERING REVIEW SYMPOSIUM

Engineering results provide one of the foundations for understanding and characterizing EMF exposures in biological and epidemiological studies. DOE is convening a public symposium to assess the state of knowledge of EMF engineering issues and to present results of RAPID engineering studies conducted by DOE. These studies focus on exposure characterization and methodologies, exposure levels, and evaluation of strategies for field reduction.

Symposium presentations will address current knowledge of EMF exposure parameters, measurement technology, exposure systems, quality assurance, modeling, and exposure distribution. Participants will evaluate these results and discuss the potential social and economic implications. DOE will document the evaluations and conclusions of participants, together with summaries of each RAPID engineering study. Findings will be integrated into the risk evaluation process, which NIEHS is conducting.

Details and updates on the EMF Engineering Review Symposium will appear on this webpage.

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EMF Engineering Review Symposium

Status and Summary of
EMF Engineering Research

April 28-29, 1998
Sheraton Charleston Hotel
Charleston, SC

GOALS

1. To assess the state of knowledge of EMF engineering issues, and
2. to provide engineering input to the RAPID risk evaluation process.

PROGRAM

The symposium will allow all participants to attend all discussions (there will be no break-out groups). Both on-site discussions and written comments will be incorporated into the report. Proposed topics are listed below.

* Field Parameters
* Measurement Technologies
* Laboratory Exposure Systems
* Field Calculation Models
* Field Management
* Interaction with Biological Systems
* Exposure Assessment Methodologies
* Engineering Quality Assurance for EMF Studies
* Exposure Distribution Across Populations
* Implications of Imposing Field Limits

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Investigators and users of EMF source characterization, exposure assessment,
laboratory exposure systems, field management techniques, and field modeling
are invited to attend and participate in the discussions. This symposium
will be of interest to researchers in engineering, biological sciences, and
epidemiology, as well as electric utility personnel and regulators. The
meeting is open to the public.

Hotel

A block of rooms is being held through March 27, 1998 at the Sheraton
Charleston Hotel, 170 Lockwood Drive, Charleston, SC 29403, at the
government per diem rate ($89.00 plus 12% tax). For reservations, call
800-968-3569, or fax 803-723-6276. Be sure to state that you are attending
the DOE Engineering Symposium.

Travel Information

The Charleston International Airport services this area. Low Country
Limousine Service offers transportation to and from the airport. The one-way
fare is $15.00 per person. For reservations, call 800-222-4771. Taxis are
available at a slightly higher cost.

Registration

Advance registration is required in order to receive pre-conference
materials. The deadline for registration is March 27, 1998. To register,
please send the following information for each attendee:

* Name
* Name for badge
* Title/Position
* Company/Institution
* Address
* City/State/Zip
* Country
* E-mail address
* Telephone number
* Fax number

To:

W/L Associates
7519 Ridge Road
Frederick, MD 21702
Telephone: 301-663-1915
Fax: 301-371-8955
e-mail: 75230.1222@compuserve.com