Please read the mother’s post.
“A Mom’s Fight to Demand an END to the Mt. Vernon Pepco Electrical Substation”
Power Company Will Remove Children’s School Garden To Build Substation at Washington DC School
My name is Tiffany Aziz, I am the mother of a child that attends Walker Jones Education Campus, located at 1125 New Jersey Ave NW, DC. I am writing as I am standing against PEPCO’s plan to build an electric substation next door to my daughter’s school.
The power company is planning to replace our children’s garden with an unhealthy power substation! Washington DC officials should protect our children and teachers, save our children’s garden and find an alternative location for this industrial machinery.
We are protesting in front of the garden and have started a petition. This post shares our concerns and how you can take action to help.
An electrical substation emits large currency of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), a type of non ionizing radiation. EMF’s have harmful health implications for humans and animals and published peer reviewed science has found harmful effects which include and are not limited to: Childhood Leukemia,Breast Cancer,Brain Cancer, Heart Problems, Immune System Damage, Sperm Damage, ALS, Alzheimer’s and Depression. Research has found that pregnant woman exposed to EMFs have higher miscarriage rates and their children (exposed during pregnancy) are at higher risk for asthma and obesity. There are tons of resources that support this information (see science below this post).
In fact, several countries would ban a substation so close to a school because of the EMF radiation. The US has no laws in place to protect our children and schools.
I was just made aware of this plan in June 12, 2018. I was walking home from work as this was the same day that the DC Capitals Parade was going on, and I remember feeling that I did not want to get caught up on the Metro with all of the hoopla. While walking, I ran into a woman on New Jersey Ave. She looked distraught and she walked up to me, and asked, “Do you know anyone that works at this school?” I replied, “yes, my daughter attends this school”. She began to explain what was going on in the community as far as Pepco’s plan to implement the substation, she gave me an article to read. I immediately went home and began reading the article. I started to research the information and found that what I was told by this woman was very true. An electrical substation is not safe for children.
Upon this new knowledge I held a townhall meeting the following week to inform those community residents, and parents that were not aware. I invited Pepco to the meeting but was told by Jamaal Jordan of Pepco that they were too busy to come out.
Many people attended my meeting including representation from various District Agencies and representation from two different D.C Counsel offices. However, after informing the community, I found out that this plan has been in place since 2016.
Why weren’t the parents informed?
Why is a garden being replaced with industry?
The community has come together in opposition of this plan and we have a petition you can sign here. I have continued my efforts of awareness by being interviewed on DC Empower Radio and have recently been featured in the Hill Rag Newspaper. I spoke before the ANC Commissioner panel for 6C, 6E, and 6E Parks and Recreation Team.
I question the purpose of the substation located near a school. After sitting through a presentation of Pepco’s, I learned quickly that this is being encouraged by money and clearly a part of the gentrification plan in the District.
I noticed that there are no substations in the Capital Grid plan to be placed in more wealthier neighborhoods near schools, such as Sidwell Friends. There is a substation located in Georgetown, however it is located along the canal, near water. I also noticed from Pepco’s presentation that the parents of Walker Jones were not listed as invited to the informational meetings hosted by Pepco that took place in 2017 and 2018. This device is scheduled to be placed in a low-income neighborhood, surrounding public housing developments, and this school that has poor parent representation.
There is no PTO, PTA, and the school doesn’t even allow 1 on 1 parent and teacher conferences. Chris from Pepco announced that they purchased the land for $15.8 million. This is considerably low for any property value in the District.
Why isn’t the substation going up near wealthier schools? All children have the right to healthy, safe, and secure schools and it is our mutual responsibility to protect these rights and to protect children’s health and development, regardless of social circumstances.
As a concerned parent, I am against this plan and will continue to do what I can to ensure that the substation is not placed at this location.
My plans are to continue to this fight against Pepco’s plan to implement the Mt. Vernon substation. I have heard from so many environmentalists how they are promoting the Sustainability 2.0 Plan in the District, however if Pepco’s plan continues to move forward, we will not have a green, healthier DC. Pepco’s plan will remove the children’s garden and farm. Pepco’s plan will increase our children, staff and teachers’s EMF exposure. This will also increase hospital utilization rates. The substation will cause our District residents to become a sicker population.
I am not working alone, I have a group of individuals that have been very dedicated to this cause. A special thanks to each and every one of them at the end of this blog post. I am hoping that there are others who are interested in the stance that we are taking.
Feel free to reach out to me, and I will be sure to listen and receive all information that you have to offer.
[email protected].
Take Action To Halt This Substation
- You can make a difference. Please sign our petitionhere.
- We are protesting in front of the garden. Please join us!
Contact me to get on my mailing list:[email protected]. - Join us on Facebook and help get the word out in your community by sharing this post.
- Please call elected officials and tell them this plan is not safe for our children.
Please write Washington DC elected official today and tell them you oppose replacing a children’s garden with an unhealthy electrical substation. Cut and paste these emails to send your email.
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Sign and Share!Petition to Halt the Electrical Substation
Scientific Resources
Reuters,Miscarriage rates triple for women with top radiation exposures
“Electrical wiring configurations and childhood cancer” American Journal of Epidemiology
Kabuto et al,Childhood leukemia and magnetic fields in Japan: A case-control study of childhood leukemia and residential power-frequency magnetic fields in Japan,
Residential exposure to electric power transmission lines and risk of lymphoproliferative and myeloproliferative disorders: a case–control study. Internal Medicine Journal
“In-utero exposure to magnetic fields associated with increased risk of obesity in childhood.” ScienceDaily, 2012.De-Kun Li et al,.
Maternal Exposure to Magnetic Fields During Pregnancy in Relation to the Risk of Asthma in Offspring, JAMA Pediatrics, Oct 2011, Vol 165, No. 10
I am thankful for the support of the community.
Kathy Boylan have been very committed and supportive, along with Will Jones and his wife, who have been very strong in providing sufficient details, and ideas. I also want to thank Elizabeth Kelly from Electromagnetic Safety Alliance, who has been very helpful and instrumental with providing the necessary articles and information (see below). Earl from Shiloh Baptist Church is also an intricate part of this team. I also would like to thank Laura Markwardt as well for her contributions to the team. I cannot forget Mr. Ward 6 himself, Nathan Brown and his fiancé Brittany, who has been committed and working very hard from day to day to provide their support and making calls and runs and keeping me abreast of details.
I just recently learned that Washington DC Council Member Charles Allen is in support of the substation being placed next door to my daughter’s school, and this is so disturbing for me. I have since connected with with Nathan Brown “Mr. Ward 6”, who is running for Council Member this upcoming election. He has been so supportive of our community concerns and assisting us in advocating for a healthy school. I also noticed that Nathan Brown is actively addressing multiple issues within the Ward 6 neighborhoods from decreasing bullying to encouraging healthy environmental habits. I was taken back by Nathan’s approach and commitment to the citizens in this Ward. He has my vote and hopefully yours.
A Mom’s Fight to Halt Pepco Electrical Substation at Child’s School in Washington DC