European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 6 the stars and stripes monday october 31,1988 Epa suspends project to set radio wave limits Washington a the environmental Protection Agency citing the press of other business has suspended work on proposed standards for exposure to radio Waves which some scientists suspect could cause neurological damage. Rich Guimond. Head of the Epa s radiation pro Grams said in an interview that the science is not Strong enough right now 10 justify further work on broadcast Waves at a time when the Epa is swamped with other environmental problems. Guimond said growing concern about radon con lamination of Homes and several court orders to re work other standards have spread his staff of about150 people too thin to continue work on broadcast standards. In addition he said the Agency is having to redraft regulations for an underground nuclear waste Reposi tory and is trying to come up with guidelines for Low level nuclear waste repositories in the slates. William Hassinger. Assistant Bureau chief for Engi Neering in the mass Media Bureau of the Federal communications commission said he is terribly an noyed by the Epa s decision because in makes it More difficult for our licensees to operate there is no general Standard that limits Public expo sure to broadcast frequency radiation. The occupational safety and health administration however has a work place Standard that uses a recommendation of the american National standards in Siluio the acc uses the same recommendation in issuing broadcast licenses the Institute is a voluntary organization thai recommends standards of All kinds to be used by american , some scientists have raised the suspicion that some people exposed to High electromagnetic Heidi might be suffering damage to their neurological and immune systems. In addition High Fields can cause internal body heating much like a microwave oven. The Epa in 1986 sought Public comment on whether to do nothing to uphold the Institute s recommendation or to adopt a Standard five or 10 limes As strict. Portland ore., has already adopted a Standard 10limes stricter than the Institute s recommendation. Massachusetts has chosen one five times As strict. The toughest option would have meant that 46 per cent of the nation s television and am and pm radio stations would have had to make changes such a operate at reduced Power Fence in or move an Antenna or change radiation patterns. Currently if communities or Stales object to Radia Tion from in Antenna the acc refers to the Institute s recommendation Hassinger said. But he said the pc would rather have established guidelines. Guimond said the Epa would not entirely abandon the held and would probably resume the program in afew years. One or two of the seven people on the project will continue the work at the Epa s Las vegas ncv., Laboratory he said. $5.25 million settlement reached in Minn drought insurance Case St. Paul Minn. A a $5.25 million settlement has been reached with inc Chubb group of insurance cos. And a subsidiary in a dispute overwrought insurance sold to Minnesota banners last Spring it was announced saturday. All Farmers who otherwise would be entitled to benefits under a policy will receive restitution or compensation under this settlement said Minnesota Commerce commissioner Michael Hatch. Hatch said about 770 Minnesota Farmers May be eligible for payments under the agreement with the new Jersey based Chubb group and its subsidiary. Federal insurance co. The settlement was granted preliminary approval Friday by steel a county District judge Frederick Hough who also certified As a class action a lawsuit against Chubb and Federal filed on behalf of Minnesota Farmers who were denied drought insurance cover age. The judge scheduled a dec 19 hearing to consider final approval. The dispute arose when Chubb sold More drought insurance policies than it could cover and denied coverage to most of the More than 8,000 midwestern Farmers in Minnesota and nine other states who bought he policies during the Early summer. Both Hatch and Brick Cumber a vice president an regional manager of Chubb said the ruling applied Only to m inn Esola. Chubb said it intended to Issue Only �40 million in coverage and it considered the remainder of the $400million Worth of policies to be Only applications. More than 1,000 Minnesota Farmers applied for the coverage Hatch said Chubb said it issued 228 policies providing cover age totalling $8.7 million in Minnesota. Incurred losses according to Chubb amounted to $2.7 million in that slate. To the remaining Minnesota applicants Chubb made 773 Goodwill payments totalling $1.4 million the company said. Under terms of Ine settlement those payments and Premium costs that were refunded will be deducted from the reimbursement amount Hatch said. Farmers will receive exactly what the Benefit bar gain was less compensation that attorneys involved will receive said Hatch estimating that attorney fee would amount to about 5 percent of the settlement. The company also agreed to pay a $50,000 civil penalty plus an additional 550,000 to cover expenses incurred by the Commerce department in investigating the drought insurance dispute Hatch said. Chubb is the nation s 16th-Largcsl property and casually insurer with a net Worth of $2.1 billion As of june 30. The drought insurance was structured to pay farm ers for the Lack of rain Between june 1 and aug. 31,based on a sliding scale. Stateside Champagne guzzling burglar gets 3-year term Houston a a burglar who broke into liquor store and downed a $67 bottle of Pom Perignon before becoming stuck in the wiling during his getaway has been sentenced to three years in prison. It was the most expensive going we had store manager Don fiddler said or the wine his excuse for taking the Dom Crignon was that he could t find any cold Lawrence Nicholas Sansons ii. Became stuck in a Hole in the ceiling when his leg got wedged Between two steel beams said prosecutor Diane Bull. He called out to to fico when they responded loan alarm. They could hear his muffled cry from the attic Bull said. He was saying to stuck i m stuck firefighters had to pry the beams apart before Sansons could be freed and arrested. 246-Pound pumpkin taken from woman s front porch Tionesta a
