All things electric emit magnetic fields.

All the leading authorities that have addressed the issue in the last two years agree there is a link between magnetic fields and deadly disease. The World Health Organization, which two years ago found no danger, now agrees magnetic fields are linked with cancer, and specifically warns about power lines.

An international cancer research organization in France and the National Radiological Protection Board in the United Kingdom also now recognize a link between EMF and cancer.

These prestigious organizations are changing their positions because the leading scientists in the field have revisited their old studies and now realize they should long ago have identified a link between medium intensity magnetic fields and serious disease. These findings are confirmed by many new studies that also identify a link.

The National Institutes of Health urge that transmission power lines be sited so as to reduce magnetic fields. The Washington State Health Department and the German Ministry of Health have conducted original research that identifies health risks associated with magnetic fields.

A major study conducted for Canada's National Research Council found many links between magnetic fields and disease.

The state of California Health Department is just finishing a $7 million study that concludes magnetic fields of an intensity found near transmission power lines probably cause childhood leukemia, adult brain cancer, spontaneous abortions and Lou Gehrig's disease. It also concludes magnetic fields may cause Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer, childhood brain cancer, heart disease and suicide. The department conducted original research that led it to suggest that up to 40 percent of all early-term spontaneous abortions may be associated with momentary exposure to everyday magnetic fields.

Local governmental bodies have looked at the issue in detail and they all agree. The South St. Paul Planning Commission and City Council, the Mendota Heights Planning Commission and the Sunfish Lake Planning Commission and City Council all examined at length the health issue in connection with a new transmission line that Xcel wants to build. All faced heavy legal threats from Xcel if they rejected the line. These were not empty threats. Xcel sued to prevent Mendota Heights from even considering the issue. Xcel lost. It sued South St. Paul to prevent it from implementing its decision. That city settled.

Concerned about Xcel's heavy-handed threats, each of the bodies reviewed over 1,200 pages of information. Each spent at least six hours listing carefully to Xcel's lengthy presentations and reviewing the data.

All decided that magnetic fields are a health threat. The decision was unanimous except for Sunfish Lake's Mayor Frank Tiffany. Nevertheless, by a 4-1 vote, the Sunfish Lake City Council concluded, "The scientific evidence indicates electromagnetic fields do seem to promote cancer in those already susceptible."

You might think the Minnesota Health Department would be concerned about a potential major health risk. But it is not. Indeed, it has moved to the other extreme. It has become Xcel's active co-conspirator in endangering human lives by forcing transmission power lines through heavily urbanized areas.

The department has clearly forgotten its mission "is to protect, maintain and improve the health of all Minnesotans." It apparently has adopted a new mission: "endanger health by promoting power line construction through densely urbanized neighborhoods."

Eager to fulfill its new mission, the department quickly responded when a desperate Xcel called upon the department for last-minute assistance. The MDH had already been trying to help Xcel by issuing a number of supportive papers. It even slipped the utility useful inside information.

The department responded quickly to Xcel's call. It sent a functionary to testify for Xcel before the Sunfish Lake City Council. When instructed by Xcel, the functionary duly stood up and said his piece. We have posted on the Internet the transcript of his testimony.

It was a pathetic performance. He cited only one authority, a former department employee now at the University of Minnesota. He thought this ex-employee was a physician, which he is not. He did not know the WHO and the NRPB have changed their positions. He misquoted and misinterpreted earlier research.

The joint Xcel/MDH effort failed. But the danger remains. The MDH is now the enemy of human health. Enemies can be implacable. The department can strike again at any time. Be warned.