Page 1055 - Week 04 - Thursday, 3 May 2007
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(1) In relation to environmental guidelines, Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Guidelines apply to residential development in close proximity to power lines and associated sub stations;
(2) In order to meet environmental standards the width of the easement for the 132kV powerlines and buffer around the nearby Canberra Zone Substation adjacent to Holt is determined by ActewAGL considering electrical safety, structural failure and electromagnetic fields implications on public health.
(3) The easement has been incorporated into the Macgregor West Concept Plan that establishes the planning framework and requirement for the new residential estate.
(4) Factors associated with electricity and electromagnetic effects associated with the Canberra Zone Substation and 132 kV powerlines were investigated during 1992 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for West Belconnen and confirmed during the recent concept planning study that was completed in late 2006 (http://apps.actpla.act.gov.au/tplan/index.htm).
The following guidelines and documents were applied and complied with in the Macgregor West concept planning process:
a. The properties of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields described in detail in the World Health Organization’s Environmental Health Criteria 35 Extremely Low Frequency Fields; http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc35.htm
b. Health effects related to ELF fields described further in the ARPANSA fact-sheets Electricity and Health and Powerlines-Electromagnetic fields and Possible Adverse Health Effects. http://www.arpansa.gov.au/is_electricity.htm http://www.arpansa.gov.au/is_emf.htm
c. The World Health Organization’s fact-sheet http://www.who.int/docstore/peh-emf/publications/facts_press/efact/efs205.html
d. Interim Guidelines on Limits of Exposure to 50/60 Hz Electric and Magnetic Fields (1989) http://www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/rhs/rhs30.pdf New National Standards on Exposure Limits to ELF are in the process of being adopted by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.
In addition, ActewAGL provided technical advice during the Concept Planning process for Macgregor West.
(5) All guidelines and documents mentioned above are available as per the websites cited.
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