# SBDC Support Letter — Draft

**Date:** May 27, 2026

**To:**  
Purdue Research Foundation  
Office of Research Alliances

**From:**  
Eric Beschinski  
Ecosystem Navigator  
Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center  
Purdue Tech Center, Crown Point

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**Re: Letter of Support for NWI ELF/EMF Occupational Health Baseline Pilot**

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To Whom It May Concern:

The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (NWI SBDC) is pleased to provide this letter of support for the **NWI ELF/EMF Occupational Health Baseline Pilot**, proposed by Anthrocybernetics.

**Regional Context**

The Hammond-Whiting-East Chicago industrial corridor is one of the most concentrated industrial areas in the United States, home to major employers including:
- BP Whiting Refinery (~3,500 workers)
- Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor and Indiana Harbor steel mills (~7,000 workers)
- Unilever, Dover Chemical, Cargill, and numerous small businesses

The recent opening of the **West Lake Corridor (Monon Line)** on March 31, 2026, introduced electrified rail through this corridor, adding a new layer of electromagnetic field exposure to an already complex industrial environment.

**Why This Matters**

Currently, no baseline data exists on occupational ELF/EMF exposure in this corridor. Anthrocybernetics proposes to establish the first baseline dataset — not to claim harm, but to provide due diligence documentation for the region, industry, and workers.

This pilot aligns with NWI SBDC's mission to support economic development through innovation, worker safety, and regional competitiveness.

**Our Endorsement**

The NWI SBDC endorses this pilot as a fundable economic development initiative and supports Anthrocybernetics' inquiry to the Purdue RF Alliance for equipment access and their application for SBIR Phase I funding.

We believe this project positions Northwest Indiana as a leader in occupational health monitoring and creates a replicable model for other industrial regions.

Sincerely,

**Eric Beschinski**  
Ecosystem Navigator  
Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center

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*Draft prepared for review — May 26, 2026*