ALPINE SCHOOL DISTRICT TURNS DOWN OFFER FOR INDEPENDENT TESTING OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

By Miriam Raftery

March 9, 2016 (Alpine) – The Alpine Union High School District(AUSD)  has turned down an offer by the Alpine Education Foundation to conduct independent testing of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) at the Alpine Elementary School campus, citing legal concerns. 

But Superintendent Bruce Cochrane suggests the door is open to a compromise to get the readings done.  “IF AEF were open to donating the necessary funds to the AUSD, the district would be open to contracting out to the firm they have recommended to do testing at AES,” the Superintendent told ECM.

The AEF sought to have testing by an independent consultant done at the school site and elsewhere, funded with a $5,000 grant from the Viejas band of the Kumeyaay Indians. Such tests aim to confirm whether recent tests conducted by the County Office of Education are accurate.

The County’s tests found EMF levels  in classrooms to be below thresholds generally considered safe in Europe (the U.S. has no standards for safety of long-term exposure to EMFs, though high levels have been linked to childhood leukemia and brain cancer in some studies).  However a bridge and parking lot area near Alpine Boulevard was above the threshold.

The County study was prompted by concerns over informal readings earlier that showed high EMF levels along Alpine Boulevard, where SDG&E's Sunrise Powerline, a high voltage line, is buried.  EMF levels tend to drop off quickly the farther away from the line one moves, hence the interest in verifying what levels are found in schools and other locations near the line.  Concerned parents filled a recent public meeting on the matter at the Alpine Elementary auditorium.  

Asked why the District had turned down the request by AES to conduct independent testing of EMFs on the campus, Superintendent Cochrane offered this explanation. “The Alpine Union School District has been advised by legal counsel not to allow testing to be completed by any company that is not retained by the district or the Joint Powers Authority (JPA). One reason why the district does not want numerous companies going through the school site is the protection of the children.  These individuals are not background checked etc.”

He added, “We have test results from an independent third party assessor and well feel confident that the process to secure the company was one that insures the results are valid and were performed by a completely independent third party.”  But he clarified that if the AEF would donate money to the district, the district could hire the expert that that the AEF chooses.

George Barnett, a director and officer of the AEF, told ECM, “AEF’s proposal is still open, and AEF remains willing to further talk about it with AUSD.”

Barnett also indicated that the rest of AEF’s survey of EMF levels is continuing at other locations in Alpine along Alpine Boulevard, generally from Tavern Road eastward to the proposed high school site.  “Setting aside AEF’s offer to AUSD for the AES school site, the balance of surveys represent about 90% plus of AEF’s effort to help inform the public,” the AEF director added.

Barnett praised the Viejas tribe for being “immediately responsive and wonderfully generous” in pledging support to AEF’s community-wide EMF surveying, adding that many Viejas children have attended  Alpine Elementary School.

Lou Russo, an Alpine Planning Group member, announced at an AUSD community forum that he wants to organize a separate EMF study of the elementary school and invited community members to support his effort, posting a similar announcement on the Alpine Community Network.

It is unclear whether Russo has made a proposal to the district, raised funds, chosen a consultant (and if so, what criteria was used for screening), or if he has any basis to believe he would be allowed access when even the AEF, that works closely with the District on a wide variety of ways to benefit the District,  has thus far not been allowed access. 

 ECM has contacted Russo to ask if he can provide details of his plan for our readers.