Electromagnetic Radiation Out Ouruhia Way

In case anyone is making the mistake that cell phone antennas are the onlyantennas causing serious harm to health and the environment, here is an articlewell worth reading. The article was written in New Zealand during 1998 byJacqueline Steincamp and published in NZine. It is an example of classicinvestigative environmental reporting, with great scientific assistance from Dr. NeilCherry and an entire neighbourhood involved in trying to resolve the situation. Unfortunately, ten years later, there is a similar situation happening near Victoria,British Columbia, Canada, at this moment. Sharon Noble and her neighbourshave been trying to get the Canadian Government to move radio antennas whichare located dangerously close to their homes. The radiation exposure of thesehomes is very high and several illnesses have been caused. The Governmentresponse has been extremely disappointing, if not grossly negligent. If you canoffer any help to Sharon, I will pass on your messages. There is also a lot of good EMR information available at the Ouruhia web sitehttp://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/ouruhia/but you will also find many links are nolonger working. Martin Weatherallwww.weepinitiative.org Electromagnetic Radiation- Out Ouruhia Way

- Jacqueline Steincamp - 9/1/98

http://www.nzine.co.nz/features/emr.html For more information on Dr Neil Cherry and his work, please visithiswebsite.Ouruhia?You will probably have never heard of it.Will the ill health of its residents and animals become a international landmark inEMR research?Possibly, if the information is allowed to get out. EMR (electro-magnetic radiation)is a very sensitive topic, which makes big business (and advertisers) extremelyunhappy. The Ouruhia problems are a well-kept secret.

Concern about this problem

Dr Neil Cherry, Regional Councillor, agricultural meteorologist and electro-magnetic radiation researcher is extremely concerned about health problems

caused by radio towers in the Ouruhia area, northeast of Christchurch. It is a deadflat, semi-rural area at the north end of Marshlands Road. He is pushing theRegional Council for a health survey on EMR effects in the area.

Source of concern

The source of concern is towers erected in 1980 and 1988. The 1980 137.2m (450ft) tower emits AM radio waves, and since 1990, 12000 watts of FM have alsobeen transmitting from the tower. (A cell phone tower has a base power of only200 watts). A 1988 FM test tower was erected near by, transmitting FM signalsprobably until September 1996 when it was removed.FM towers are usually sited on a high point so that residential properly are wellbelow the FM beam. There is no high point at Ouruhia. It's all as flat as a pancake.The beams of course, do not stop at Ouruhia. They travel on across Christchurch,down the coast through Brighton, across Redwood, up the Kaikoura coast, narrowat the start, and widening out the further they are away. Small relay towers boosttheir power along the way.

Health problems

Back to Ouruhia. Since the erection of the towers, and particularly since theintroduction of the increased FM transmissions, residents claim a steady increasein serious health problems. These include wide-spread M.E./CFS, heart attacks,bypasses and general heart problems; bone pain and inexplicable deaths.

Dr Cherry's views

"The health problems at Ouruhia, including leukaemia, depression and asthma,are consistent with international and national studies," Neil Cherry says. "Of especial significance", he thinks, "is that nearly everyone feels better when theyare away from the area, and worse when at home."

Residents' requests

Residents want the radio towers moved, and their health problems acted on. Theyhave taken their concerns to the highest level and received little official help. In1996 Mike Moore MP and Neil Cherry wrote to the Minister of Health asking for asurvey. That was ignored. In 1997 they wrote again. First Bill English, then NeilKirton replied that ill effects are not proven and refused an inquiry or funding for asurvey.

Limited national awareness

National awareness of the problem is limited, perhaps because of the apparentrefusal of Christchurch's premier daily, "The Press" to cover the story. On the other hand, reporter Nick Tolerton at the giveaway "Star" runs regular updates on it.

Amateur health survey

In a sensible world, the findings of the 1996 door-to-door survey in the areashould spur the authorities into action. Six residents carried it out after their effortsto have a proper epidemiological survey were turned down. As a result it was notprofessionally conducted. There were no controls, no supervision was given. Buttheir findings, even though they may not be totally correct, should cause serious

concern.131 houses in the area were surveyed for health problems since 1980. Theresponses showed an upsurge in ill health in 1990 and an even bigger one in1995 when transmission for a second FM station was added. There were 44reports of heart problems; 41 reports of M.E/CFS type symptoms, including somesevere enough to be mistaken for AIDS; 15 reports of severe bone pains andarthritis; 15 of cancer; 11 of asthma, and three babies born with birth defects.People with metal implants, including amalgams, felt burning sensations in thesurrounding tissues. Almost all the children are now on asthma medication.At least 14 deaths due to heart attacks were recorded. Two farm workers droppeddead close to the towers; a third by being crushed underneath his tractor.

Aching bones and asthma

Well-known horse trainer, Penny Hargreaves, has a small farm off one of the mostaffected roads. Her health was devastated when she lived there, as was that of her daughter. She had all the classic M.E./CFS symptoms, with a great deal of brain confusion, tinnitus, and mental tension. She was tested thoroughly for coloncancer, arthritis, heart abnormalities, and asthma. Nothing was found except for the asthma. This was real enough and she went on medication to control it. Theworst symptom was "bones that ached so much it felt as though a hole was beingburned in them". Each cheek still bears two dull red spots adjacent to filled teeth.For several months, she actually felt she was dying.

Moving from Ouruhia brings improvement

Penny moved her home to central Christchurch and transferred her horses to theRangiora area. As a result, her health and that of the animals is much improved.She reports on her animals:"In 1993 we bought some cows. Several months later one of them became verynervous and disoriented. One minute quiet, the next crashing through fences allover the farm. One minute she was grazing, the next minute running in panic.Sadly, she jumped out onto the road and was killed."

Problems for horses

Every one of her about 90 horses and those of other horse owners were affectedwhen they were in paddocks in the direct beams. Five horses lost co-ordination,but returned to health when moved and treated with an electrolytic solution. Twohad mystifying deaths."They were very nervous and jumpy. They all seemed to have sore feet. Horseswho had travelled by trailer for years were losing balance while travelling. Wehave several hot spots around our yard where the horses become very volatileand hurt themselves and us."Our very valuable colt had serious health problems and walked as if his feet hurt.He could not bear to be shod. We had many vets look at him to try and solve his