Many replies are so full of urban myth that I must restart.
Lets start with health effects rumored to be caused by
electricity (and ignore that original study was later
discovered with gross statistical errors). Many immediately
assume danger was in high tension wires. They first failed to
learn or demand the numbers. Those health effects, if exist,
were more likely from something that creates stronger fields -
such as wires underneath floor and inside walls, from circuit
breaker box to central air conditioner. Those who jump to
conclusions immediately assumed the study was about high
tension wires.

'Those' include many news anchors who refuse to first do what
all responsible anchormen are suppose to do - verify the story
- hold the reporter's feet to the fire - do as Walter Cronkite
did so routinely and so viciously. Immediately, the reply
from many posters is suspect - having confused health risk
warnings about something else - then assuming it must be high
tension wires. They assumed as many irresponsible news
anchors did on local news shows. Urban myth is now rampant
even in this thread.

We take it farther. Being an enemy of junk science
reasoning, I first took a meter. I got numbers. Magnetic
fields generated by an automobile dashboard may be higher that
those from high tension wires. So you tell me where dangers
exist? Already I am posting information that negates many of
your replies. IOW too many people have 'knowledge' before
they learn facts. They fail to temper their assumptions with
numbers.

Among the numbers not provided were line voltages. 128 kV?
230 kV? 765 kV? These also define other conditions such a
noise. What is on those electric distribution towers? Bottom
line. You need numbers before anyone can properly answer your
question. Lets not forget, the original Scandinavian study
that started all this hype was later discovered to have
manipulated the statistics. This was discovered by other
scientists who finally got access to the raw data. IOW hype
continued until numbers were revealed. Any yet the
speculation continues here - again without numbers.

Too many never heard the whole story which is why they even
blame high voltage towers rather than low voltage, high
current wires. The original study blamed the latter.
Therefore others here blamed the former. Wires with larger
fields - that can even distort computer CRT screens in some
rooms - should be of greater concern.

Scout wrote:
I'd like to hear opinions regarding supposed adverse health effects
of a close proximity to high tension wires. I'm looking at a nice
piece of land on the side of a mountain, about 200 feet from the
lines. I'm inclined to think a cell phone is more dangerous. I
know we have a few here who are knowledgeable in the field (no
pun intended).
Scout