Electromagnetic Fields

Much needed federal research on the health consequences of exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted from power lines lags behind schedule, and a final report to be delivered to Congress by March 1997 will likely be based on limited information. Most federal power lines are found in rural areas, where the risk of public exposure to electromagnetic fields is lower. Sources other than power lines, such as home appliances and office equipment, are more common sources of exposure to electromagnetic fields. Lacking conclusive scientific evidence on the health effects of such exposure, states and utilities have responded cautiously to the public's concerns and have taken relatively inexpensive and convenient measures to reduce public exposures, such as restricting public uses of power line rights-of-way. Future actions will be driven largely by the results of scientific research. The Energy Department (DOE) and other agencies have missed milestones for implementing a national research program on electromagnetic fields. DOE officials blame the delay on competing priorities during the 1992-93 presidential transition.

GAO found that: (1) less than 1 percent of the U.S. population is exposed to electromagnetic fields from federally owned power lines; (2) about 85 percent of federal power lines are located in nonmetropolitan areas where the public is unlikely to be exposed to electromagnetic fields; (3) states and utilities have taken limited, inexpensive actions to minimize the public's exposure to electromagnetic fields and future actions will be driven largely by the results of scientific research; (4) the Department of Energy and other agencies have missed milestones specified by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 for implementing a national research program on electromagnetic fields; and (5) many research projects will not begin until fiscal year 1995, reducing the amount of information that can be reported to Congress by the 1997 deadline.