GOAL:
Protect public health and safety from harmful exposure to electric and magnetic fields which are produced by high-voltage transmission lines, low-voltage distribution lines, building wiring or household appliances, if subsequent national studies verify t hat a substantial hazard exists.

OBJECTIVE:
Develop a measurement mechanism and collect an adequate data base to enable Connecticut to determine the degree of hazard which may exist and the measures needed to reduce the potential hazard to an acceptable level.

STATUS AND TRENDS:
Three kinds of studies have been done on the effects of EMF: epidemiological studies of various human populations exposed to EMFs which look for an association between exposure to EMFs and diseases; lab studies that expose animals or humans to fields and look for affects in body function, chemistry, disease, or behavior; and lab studies that expose single cells, groups of cells, or organs to fields under a variety of conditions. At this time, no one knows for certain what, if any, health effects exist. Certain biological affects have been identified from relatively high levels of exposure, but whether any of these changes can lead to health risks is not known. More studies are needed to make these determinations.

STRATEGIES:

1. Monitor the progress of studies being conducted on a national basis to determine the relative degree of hazard from exposure to electromagnetic radiation in low frequency ranges.
2. Acquire appropriate instrumentation and training to enable adequate and accurate assessments of these electromagnetic fields.
3. Develop a measurement mechanism which will enable results produced by the State to be included in a national database.
4. Collect sufficient data to enable Connecticut to assess what degree of hazard, if any, from this source may exist, and what measures should be taken, to reduce this risk to an acceptable level.