Pwr Line hazards

[wvhsparent]

cbs2chicago.com/investigations/comed.exposed.safety.2.566175.html

It had more to do with bad wooden poles in residential areas.

[gatordog]

thanks for getting that link in here, wvhsp.

I saw the article first thing this AM and was disappointed in the scope of this. But the tantalizing, catastrophizing teasers peaked my interested...the marketing people did there job!

In general, I chalk this down to general decay of lots of our infrastructure....but that is a different topic.

So lesson learned: build the school beyond the "timberrrr" fall radius of any power lines.

[EagleDad]

Just to be clear, the article does not say there are no EMF dangers of power lines, or that rotting poles are a higher danger.

It is simply written about the rotting poles.

[wvhsparent]

eagledad said:

Just to be clear, the article does not say there are no EMF dangers of power lines, or that rotting poles are a higher danger.

It is simply written about the rotting poles.

On top of that one of the poles shown that the reporter pushed on appeared to be a street light pole...probably not belonging to ComEd by the city/town instead.

[gatordog]

Info from California Dept of Ed. Seems like a well thought out and developed policy.

www.cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/sf/powerlinesetback.asp

The summary info is:

Overhead transmission line easement setbacks
100 feet for 50-133kV line (interpreted by CDE up to <200kV)
150 feet for 220-230 kV line
350 feet for 500-550 kV line

One interesting thing I note here is that they give specifications for distance to underground transmission line (in general, 25% distance needed compared to above ground to recognize dirt shield.) We cant forget about that hazard, even though we cant see it. I wonder how many of our schools, or even our homes, are near underground transmission lines?

This seems like good start to understand and plan for a possible MVHS site near power lines.

One example of a thought, the Macom site power lines relocation could mean running them underground instead? Sounds expensive, though. But maybe that is whats best.

[gatordog]

An aerial mapquest look at Eola/Molitor area shows me that the the extreme NW corner of what I understand St John property is is about 500 ft from power lines. And the SE corner would be about 600 ft. (Of course distance to actual bldg could/would be greater, if bldg placed instead toward SW corner.

Looking down the power lines running south along E&J RR tracks, looks like closest houses may be 400 or 500 ft from power lines. I wonder if this is some kind of construction standard.

[gatordog]

I got some EMF hazard info from the City of Naperville Dept of Public Utilities. These are general effects on populations, including children. (not just school-specific). Its good to have some local experts point the public to quality and well-presented information.

Probably the best general description is:
www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/docs/emf2002.pdf

Others, more technical are:
www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/docs/emf2002.pdf
www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf/docs/niehs-report.pdf
www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/publichealthtoxicology/documents/pdf/highfinal.PDF
www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1519884