Possible Areas For Safe Living

Alaska - I have only been in the panhandle once. I know no EIs there. Mostly pretty good, but cold. I’d avoid the big cities.

Arizona - Southeast - I have lived in Ajo and Bisbee. I have traveled a lot in the state. I wouldn’t move back to Bisbee, at least partly because of the crime. I have searched the state, looking for a location for an EI community. Ajo would be good, Dolan Springs would be fair.    There is a serious crime problem near Mexican border - avoid. Some mold problems. Largely Chihuahuan Desert vegetation.

Willcox, Sierra Vista, Benson, Green Valley - fair.
Patagonia, Tombstone - good.  Tucson - poor. 
Southwest - Mostly Sonoran Desert vegetation. - Ajo - Good.
Yuma, Phoenix, Casa Grande - poor.
Northeast - Probably mostly good. Sensitive people are making it in Show Low & Snowflake. Quite a bit of Pinyon/Juniper. 

There is a small EI community in Snowflake (not part of AOCCCI) in an area where most of the Juniper trees have been removed. Most of the people feel they are doing quite well.

Northwest - Number of sensitive people are making it in Dolan Springs. I would think they occasionally get Las Vegas’ smog. Many also live in Sedonia and Prescott. Try to get local opinions. I would think around Kaibab would be excellent. But then, I like real remote places. Both Mojave Desert vegetation and pinyon/juniper.

Arkansas - I am not well traveled in this state. I would look around the National Forests (Check their spraying program). I did notice a lot of hardwoods along the main roads.

California - I have traveled extensively all over California and have relatives living there.

Southern - you can almost forget it. The coast from Carmel to Morro Bay is probably OK, if you can afford it. Ridgecrest used to be OK, but now half of LA is moving up there. A bunch of sensitive people were doing OK around Twentynine Palms, but then LA’s smog started rolling in. The Sierra Front from Lone Pine to Bishop would be pretty good. The only thing left is camping in the desert.

Northern - The north is better. The coast from about Port Arena to Oregon is pretty good, except for Humboldt Bay (pulp mills, etc.). I was quite impressed with the trip from the Pacific to Weaverville. The residents seemed especially environmentally conscious.Siskiyou County is generally pretty good. The Sierra Front - Markleeville-Bridgeport is also good. I wasn’t really impressed with Lassen and Modoc Counties, mostly because I saw evidence of spraying there. Susanville might be OK, however. I’ve always felt the area around Loyalton would be good but I haven’t looked at it. A lot of Douglas Fir at the mid-elevations and several types of white firs high up, plus redwoods on the coast.

Colorado - Eastern - I haven’t traveled a lot in the eastern part of the state. I know some spraying is done and there are a fair number of oil wells so you’d have to look out for them.

Western - Once you got away from the cities, it’d probably be OK. However, it is cold in Winter in those mountains. Lots of Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine in the mountains, plus sagebrush in the valleys.

Connecticut - I have driven enough in Connecticut to know I don’t want to recommend any place there as a place to live safely.

Delaware - It’s been so long since I’ve been in this state, I can’t even guess, but I’d look over  20 miles from the water..

Florida - Forget it. I haven’t traveled much here, but all my EI friends who lived here did poorly.

Georgia - I am not well traveled in Georgia, but I do know a couple of good areas there. A friend tells me the mountains north of Gainesville are pretty good. Actually I would think around all the National Forests at the north end of the state would be OK, but I would check on the different forest’s spraying policies. Also, the area around PVM (Molena) is good. This would lead me to think that many of the areas where there are no cities would be worth looking at. I would expect southern pines in the national forests and a lot of hardwoods elsewhere.

Hawaii - Friends have told me that because of the population increase, they couldn’t find a safe place there. I haven’t been there.

Idaho - Should be easy to find a place here. Just keep away from the main roads and farm land. The little islands scattered around the National Forests should be good, but check on each forest’s spraying program. Lots of birches and spruces in the north, While the north is cold, I’d prefer living in the south. Avoid Boise.

Illinois - I think I’d try elsewhere. I’ve traveled quite a bit through this state.

Indiana - I haven’t traveled much in this state. I might try around the Hoosier National Forest. Check their spraying policies. There aren’t many EI friendly locations in this state.  A visitor to the site wrote to say, "Indiana is full of farm land.  It's also the state that I started having problems at"  Another visitor wrote, "Brown County does have some hilly isolated areas where there's no farming, and the air quality is supposed to be good- according to my parents who live there.  My father is an architect there and has done some homes for people who are chemically sensitive."

Iowa - I’ve traveled a lot through this state. Too much farming. Forget it.

Kansas - I haven’t traveled a lot through here. Too much farming. Forget it.

Kentucky - I haven’t traveled a lot here.Your best bet would be in the mountains and around the National Forests. Be sure to check the Daniel Boone National Forest spraying policy. Lots of hardwood vegetation.

Louisiana - Most of my travel through Louisiana has been near the coast and it seems generally OK except near New Orleans and Port Arthur in Texas. I’d avoid living near the Mississippi River with all it’s petrochemical mills. The north part is better. Mostly hardwood forests.

Maine - I went to the University of Maine and also lived in Rangely. I’m pretty well traveled here. Northern Maine is pretty good. Down by the coast it’s getting pretty well built up, although one could probably find a location with a lot of searching. Watch out for the pulp mills. I remember they have them at Millinocket, Old Town, Rumford, Woodland and a few other places, plus across the N.H. line in Berlin.. I’d avoid the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant as well. Lots of spruce and fir trees.

Maryland - I’ve traveled quite a bit through the state, plus my grandparents and some of my cousins lived here. Not much in the line of safe areas left. If I had to look around there I’d look in the western part of the state.

Michigan - I’m not too well traveled in Michigan, but I’d try around the National forests in the north, checking their spray policy first. Pretty cold. Mostly Pine Forests.

Minnesota - I have traveled quite a bit in this state, mostly on fishing trips. North part of state much better. Check with state and federal forests and refuges on spraying policy. Avoid pulp mills. One near International Falls. Mostly spruce and fir forests.

Mississippi - Avoid Mississippi River. Best areas would be around eastern timberlands as long as they don’t spray. Limited travel through state.

Missouri - Not very good. Best area would be around southern national forests, as long as they don’t spray. Limited travel through state.

Nebraska - I have traveled through the state quite a bit. Not very good. Northwest probably best.

Nevada - Well traveled in state. Have lived in Carson City and Tonopah. Probably has the best air in the US. Avoid Las Vegas, Laughlin, Reno/Sparks. Might be some spraying around Fallon. Nuclear waste disposal about 12 miles west of Beatty, which I still like. Central Nevada very good except isolated. Surprisingly cold winters north of Beatty. Searched state for possible EI community sites. Beatty would be good except for Yucca Mountain threat (nuclear). Tonopah would be good. Wells would be fair, but cold. If I still had a serious case of EI, I’d think about the Alamo/Ash Springs/Hiko area. Pinon/juniper woodlands in the hills.

New Hampshire - Well traveled in north. North part of state good. Avoid pulp mill in Berlin. Littleton may not be too good either. I think there’s a pulpmill in St. Johnsbury nearby. Very cold. Forests are northern hardwoods and spruce-fir. South part of state poor. Just south of White Mountain National Forest may be OK. You’d have to check Plymouth.

New Jersey - Well traveled here. Lived in Maplewood and Irvington. North half terrible. Extreme south probably OK. Cape May was very nice when I was there last. I’m sure it’s more settled now, but you might be able to find something.

New Mexico - Well traveled here. Lived in Roswell and Carlsbad. Came down with EI in sick building here. Since sensitized always have not done well in the Chihuahan Desert. That’s where the oil fields are. Searched south half of state for an EI community location. Pinon - fair. Even though it’s near the freeway, Santa Rosa might be best place in the state. I’d think about Silver City and Deming also. Mostly Pinon/Juniper vegetation in mountains.

South east poor - mostly oil fields. Pinon to Arabela probably OK, especially near mountains. Possible apple spraying near Hondo and Mayhill. Avoid Clovis & Portales.

Southwest - fair. Las Cruces not bad for a sizeable town. Avoid south of there because of El Paso & refineries. Some mold near Silver City but not real bad. Rest fair or better.

Northeast - fair. Probably some spraying at Kiowa National Grasslands. Most of rest fair or better. I like Santa Rosa.

North West - Albuquerque - poor (farming along river, nuclear projects), Los Alamos (nuclear projects), Santa Fe - not real bad, but expensive. Farmington & Bloomfield & south for 50 miles- oil fields. Rest fair.

New York - I am pretty well traveled in the area. Plus my brother (who is electro magnetically sensitive) lives in the north (good fishing area). Forget about the southern half. The western half isn’t much better. But there is a big chunk in the northeast that’s pretty good. Adirondack Park, almost everything north of it and a lot of a 20 mile strip west of it are all pretty good. Remember some of the Canadian Cities across the St. Lawrence will be problems, but except for Cornwall, most of them are further west. My brother lives in the area and he and I have fished all over it. The only place I had trouble was in his back yard. He lives in a cedar grove and on a warm, rainy summer day I used to get a headache there. Both pine and hardwood forests, even a little spruce.

North Carolina - The Outer Banks might be OK. Remember it’s a bad place to be during a hurricane. Most of the EIs who I know that are doing well here live in the west end of the state, fairly close to the National Forests and mountains. Most of my travel here has been along the coast.

North Dakota - I haven’t traveled a lot in this state. There’s a lot of farm land in North Dakota, especially in the east. I do think a careful search in the west might find a place, but it is awfully cold up there.

Ohio - Forget the north half. In the south you might find something around the National Forests. Check the spraying policies. I have traveled through the state fairly often.

Oklahoma - Not a very good state. The panhandle and perhaps 80 miles east of there would be the best. Remember there is a lot of farming out that way. I have done a limited amount of travel in the state.

Oregon - My favorite state. I’ve lived in Medford, Coos Bay and Roseburg. I’m very well traveled here. I think I’d avoid the Columbia River (the world’s worst river for nuclear pollution). I’d also avoid the Willamette Valley and perhaps Medford.   The old cardboard mill on Jordan Point is no longer in the area and the air is much better now.  There are a lot of good, relatively safe locations around here. If you like rain, western Oregon’s got it. If you like snow, eastern Oregon’s got it.  The coast south of there is a really good area. Not many people. I have examined the state searching for a location for an EI community. There is an excellent summertime location near Prineville. Baker has another, year round location. Generally speaking, the forests are douglas fir in the west and pine in the east, plus a lot of Juniper in the arid areas.

Pennsylvania - My travel in this state has been somewhat limited. The south part of the state and the part from Lake Erie south are probably not too good. I would look around the Allegheny National Forest and the state forests to the east of it. Avoid Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. A lot of hardwood forests when you get away from the cities.

Rhode Island - Maybe out on Block Island.

South Carolina - Forget it. Most of my travel has been along the coast.

South Dakota - The northwest 1/4 would be pretty good, also the portion south of Rapid City (avoid it however). I’d forget the east. There are quite a few Indian Reservations in the west part of this state. I can’t help but think one of them might make a good place for an EI community. I have traveled through here fairly often.

Tennessee - I would avoid the area from the Mississippi River to the Tennessee River. From the Tennessee River to a little east of the Natchez Trace Parkway may be fairly good and then north up the Cumberland River. The Cumberland Plateau might also be good. Close to the Cherokee National Forest might also be good but it’s a pretty small area to search in. I have traveled through here fairly often. Hardwood forests.

Texas - Texas has some real serious problems. It is also big enough so it has a few fairly good places. The coastline is dotted with refineries, however, careful selection of areas not too close to the refineries, especially not downwind, has worked for some. The Texas Hill Country used to be good, but tire burning at the cement plants in New Braunfels and near Austin has ruined it east of US 281. Population is also increasing fast in this area. Most of the hill country west of US 281 is fair to good, except for Kerrville, which has a plastics factory and other industries. I have investigated Texas for a possible EI community. The area around Junction and Rock Springs is fairly good, however, I am told some of the pecan orchards use pesticides so check around.

Mexican industry extends up the Rio Grande to Piedras Negras (Eagle Pass). When there is a south wind the smog will reach Big Bend. Most of it turns to the north along the mountains. The Davis Mountains are fair. Marfa may not get as much of the smog as Alpine. Van Horn is probably OK, although there is a lot of freeway traffic. About 20 miles west of there, a lot of farming is being done in both countries along the Rio Grande. Dell City would probably be OK but you’d have to shop in El Paso (refineries). The small towns west of Del Rio on US 90 might be OK. There is no Mexican Industry across from Del Rio. However, Del Rio is hot. Most of the rest of the state is 3 huge oil fields.

Utah - Fairly good. I’d avoid the stretch from Brigham City to Provo and any agricultural areas. The small towns have a strong Mormon influence which discourages many people. I have traveled quite a bit throughout Utah. Lots of sagebrush.

Vermont - Fairly good. I’d avoid St. Johnsbury, Burlington & Rutland. It is cold up in the north. I have traveled extensively in the north half of the state. Mostly spruce-fir and northern hardwoods forests.

Virginia - Poor in general. The peninsula north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was good 10 years ago.  Around the national forests and mountains in the west would be fairly good, too. I’d avoid the cities. Most of my travel in Virginia has been along the coast.

Washington - I have traveled extensively throughout the state.There are many good places here. I would avoid the stretch from Olympia to Everett. I would avoid the Columbia River almost to Chelan - pesticide and nuclear pollution. I would avoid the Yakima River to Ellensburg. I would avoid the cities of Bremerton, Port Angeles, Spokane and Walla Walla. Most of the rest of the state is pretty good. A lot of EIs live in Port Townsend, however, I have heard some of them complain about pulp mill fumes from the west. Mostly douglas fir timber in the west and pine in the east.

West Virginia - Poor. You might find a decent spot around the national forests, but I wouldn’t waste my time. I have only traveled once in the state in recent years.

Wisconsin - The north third is probably pretty good, although I’d avoid Duluth. There is a lot of farming in the south and industry along Lake Michigan. I’d avoid the south. Most of my travel has been in the south.

Wyoming - Mostly pretty good, but cold. I’d avoid Cheyenne. I have traveled extensively in Wyoming. Lots of sagebrush.