People Power Defeats Eirgrid

 The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC; French: CIRC) is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organisation of the United Nations.: “ELF magnetic fields are possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on consistent statistical associations of high level residential magnetic fields with a doubling of risk of childhood leukaemia.”

What an Irish expert group said in 2007(Inter-departmental Committee on the Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, in September 2005): “There is limited scientific evidence of an association between ELF magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia. This does not mean that ELF magnetic fields cause cancer, but the possibility cannot be excluded… Overall the evidence is considered weak… Nevertheless the evidence should not be discounted.

What Europe says: The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks.

The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (abbreviated SCENIHR) is one of the independent scientific committees managed by theDirectorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection of the European Commission, which provide scientific advice to the Commission on issues related to consumer products says “extremely low frequency magnetic fields are a possible carcinogen” and “might contribute to an increase in childhood leukaemia”. Studies indicating a “possible increase in Alzheimers disease arising from exposure to extremely low frequency fields”

The following statement by Tanaiste, Eamonn Gilmore in the Dáil on November 12, 2013 is typical of misleading statements made by Eirgrid and government spokespersons; “There is a quite a degree of both national and international reviews of the likely health effects, none of which reaches the conclusions Deputy Healy has put on record.” Leaders Questions, Nov 12, Dáil Eireann

The health effects of these power lines can only be established over long periods of time. They cannot be established by laboratory experiment. The onus is not on the objectors to prove conclusively that there are damaging health effects. Serious concerns have been raised by reputable scientific bodies. The onus is now on Eirgrid and the government to ensure that these effects do not occur.

The Precautionary Principle must be implemented. “Where there is uncertainty as to the existence or extent of risks of serious or irreversible damage to the environment, or injury to human health, adequate protective measures must be taken without having to wait until the reality and seriousness of those risks become fully apparent.” Architectural and Design Practice1 “The precautionary principle enables rapid response in the face of a possible danger to human, animal or plant health, or to protect the environment. In particular, where scientific data do not permit a complete evaluation of the risk, recourse to this principle may, for example, be used to stop distribution or order withdrawal from the market of products likely to be hazardous.” Europa Summaries of EU Legislation2

There is ample evidence that there is at least “a possible danger to human health”. Under the Precautionary Principle the Eirgrid proposal must not be implemented

1  Sustainable Design under Precautionary Principle    http://www.sustainable-design.ie/arch/precautionaryprinciple.htm

2 Precautionary Principle  Europe http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/consumer_safety/l32042_en.htm

The damage which would be done to the environment including the beauty of the countryside by these huge pylons is self-evident. The landscape of Ireland is the heritage of all Irish citizens. The suggestion that the pylons can be hidden away in unpopulated places is derisory. Such places are often among the most beautiful. In a tiny island the very presence of such structures cannot fail to damage scenic amenity. Damage to scenic amenity cannot fail to damage the tourist industry in which very many of our citizens are employed.

Devaluation of Homes and Land

“A study carried out in Britain in 2007 showed the value of detached properties at a of less than 100m from overhead transmission lines was 38 percent lower than properties”. North East Pylon Pressure

The proximity of huge pylons and power lines with attendant health risks cannot fail to seriously devalue properties. At a time when many householders are in negative equity and many farmers are in difficulty with banks, the implementation of the Eirgrid proposals would be grossly unfair to these citizens. It can be safely said that any home from which these pylons can be seen will be significantly devalued.

INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE

Worldwide, the use of underground transmission is increasing rapidly. Currently, there are approximately 5,500 km of high voltage underground cable in Europe. In the past ten years there has been a 73.1% rise in underground cabling. Denmark, for example, now has 19.43% of all of its transmission lines underground. The UK has 8.04%. In France, 25%of all high tension lines must now be placed underground. Even in Ireland,we see from EirGrid statistics that 5.01% of these lines are underground.Importantly, Eirgrid has already announced that it proposes to build a 30 km underground cable from Rush, County Dublin, to Batterstown, County Meath.

The  Cost

Firstly, cost issues cannot supersede health concerns and destruction of heritage and environment. Secondly, the relevant cost is not the cost to Eirgrid but the overall cost to Irish citizens taking into account, inter alia, the devaluation of homesteads and damage to the tourist industry. Eirgrid constantly claims that undergrounding will cost three times the overhead figure. This figure is itself arguable. However, it is the UPFRONT cost to Eirgrid only. There are considerable savings in undergrounding over the 30 year life cycle of the project. It is arguable that there is no difference even in the cost to Eirgrid over a 30 year cycle. The cost  to Irish citizens over  the 30 year cycle could be less.  But this, as in the case of other issues, must be independently

INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT

EIRGRID and the government cannot be judges in their own cause. Workers and Unemployed Action  calls on Eirgrid and the Government to defer the closing date for submissions and to suspend this project pending the outcome of a comprehensive feasibility study including cost assessment to Irish citizens (not just to Eirgrid), risk assessment including health issues, and environmental impact assessment, carried out independently of Eirgrid and the Department of Communications, Energy,and Natural Resources,  into the laying of these lines underground and under sea and of the carrying of these lines on pylons over-ground.

There can be significant bias even in scientific studies when these are carried out at the behest of interested parties. This matter is of such importance to the future of our country and above all to the health of our citizens that all interested parties must be allowed to make submissions, written and oral, and to call expert witnesses, to an independently
constituted assessment group.