Keep Local Authority on Siting Cell Towers - Comments due to FCC by 9/29/08

by Angela Flynn September 17, 2008

I live approximately 200 feet from cellular antennas and can testify that the non ionizing radio frequency radiation from the antennas do indeed have a non thermal bio effect on me. It is the chronic long term exposure that causes harm. Non ionizing radiation in the microwave range such as that from cell towers causes the polarity in our cells to twist. This interferes with cellular function. In addition our pineal gland interprets this microwave radiation as light and as the pineal gland functions on a day/night light exposure the constant 24 hour exposure from cell towers interferes with the production of melatonin and other hormonal regulating functions of the pineal gland.

The CTIA petition to the FCC is intended to decrease local authority on Cell Tower placement, such as this recent case in San Diego -

http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/2008091...03/newsletter31

Appeals court rules against Sprint Nextel on location of towers in San Diego

Please do take the time to comment on this and send the action alert to you local elected officials urging them to comment as well.

~ Angela Flynn

angelaflynn@skyhighway.com

ACTION ALERT: On July 11, the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA) petitioned the FCC to declare new limitations on local zoning authority as it affects cell tower siting.

This includes:

1. Force municipalities to act on wireless antenna or tower zoning applications within 45 or 75 days.

2. Rule that applications are automatically "deemed granted" if a local government misses the FCC's deadline.

3. Prevent municipalities from considering the presence of service by other carriers in evaluating an additional carrier's application for an antenna site.

4. Pre-empt any local ordinance that would automatically require a variance for cell tower applications.

For more on the CTIAs petition to the FCC - http://www.emrpolicy.org/

Direct link to comment. Put 08-165 in the "Proceeding" box http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi

Closing Date for Comments: September 29th

The FCC regulations on emissions have been determined to be too lenient as far back as 1998 as this report notes:

Scientific experts gathered in Vienna to discuss health effects of RF electromagnetic fields and signed an accord stating "The participants agreed that biological effects from low-intensity exposures are scientifically established." Regarding cellular base stations, they said "The public should be given timely participation in the process. This should include information on technical and exposure data as well as information on the status of the health debate. Public participation in the decision should be enabled."

Signatories include Carl Blackman of the US Environmental Protection Agency and Dr. William Leiss, President of the Royal Society of Canada. Dr. Henry Lai of the University of Washington said, "I have come to the conclusion that exposure to RFR from use of mobile phones and possibly from chronic exposure to phone masts and transmission towers has not been proven to be safe. Actually, recent research data in the last few years have added to the concern. To deny any "possible health effects" from RFR emitted from wireless communication devices is scientifically not defensible given the growing evidence of RFR bioeffects." The current safety guidelines are based solely on thermal effects with an assumption that non-thermal (biological) effects do not exist. http://emr.bc.ca/Articles/TwoCities.html

"The Bioinitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF) is the work of leading scientists who have reviewed over 2000 reports on Electro-Magnetic Fields (EMFs) and health, states: “The existing public safety standards limiting radiation levels in nearly every country of the world look to be thousands of times too lenient. Change is needed” www.bioiniative.org

International Resolutions Advocating a Precautionary Approach to the Use and Expansion of Wireless Technologies

Vienna resolution 1998 www.emrnetwork.org/research/vienna.htm

Salzburg Austria Resolution 2000 www.salzburg.gv.at/salzburg_resolution_e.pdf

Catania Italy 2002 www.emrpolicy.org/faq/catania.pdf

Benevento Italy Resolution 2006 http://www.icems.eu/benevento_resolution.htm

Venice Italy Resolution 2008 http://www.icems.eu/resolution.htm

Other EMF/R concerns (USA)

NIEHS and NIOSH classifies EMF's as a hazardous substance. NIEHS advocates prudent avoidance of EMF's. http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/library/consumer/hazardous.cfm

Prudent avoidance has been adopted in Australia, Sweden, and several U.S. states, including California, Colorado, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. http://www.who.int/peh-emf/meetings/southkorea/en/Leeka_Kheifets_principle_.pdf

Collarborative on Health and the Environment CHE EMF statement http://www.healthandenvironment.org/wg_emf_news/772

California EMF program 7 million dollar gov't mandated study. up to 95% certainty leukemia caused by EMF's. Up to 80% certainty brain cancer related to EMF's. Advocate prudent avoidance of EMF's. http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ehib/emf/

Nordic Council of Ministers: The Nordic Adaptation of Classification of Occupationally Related Disorders (Diseases and Symptoms) to ICD-10 ed. by F Levy and A Wannag. 2000. Lists Electromagnetic intolerance as an occupational disorder. http://www.nordclass.uu.se/verksam/NordICD10.pdf Germany 2002:

Freiberger Appeal 2000+ doctors http://www.starweave.com/freiburger/

Ireland IDEA Irish doctors concern over EMR health effects 2005 http://www.ideaireland.org/emririshresearch.htm

2002 letter from the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) stating the the FCC's standards are "thermally based, and do not apply to chronic, non-thermal exposure situations": http://www.emrnetwork.org/position/noi_response/noi_epa_response.pdf

European Union adopts ALDE report adivsing the precautionary principle for EMF's http://www.alde.eu/index.php?id=42&L=2&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=9559&cHash=2fec11e0cc

Bioinitiative Report: http://www.bioinitiative.org

Sweden: FEB Electrosensitivity: http://www.feb.se/index_int.htm

Canada: http://www.weepinitiative.org/index.html (USA)

Dr. Robert Becker: http://www.energyfields.org/science/becker.html (England)

The truth about Mobile Phones and WiFi Dr Andrew Goldsworthy 2007: http://www.radiationresearch.org/The Truth About Mobile Phones and Wi-Fi.pdf (NZ)

Dr. Neil Cherry: http://www.neilcherry.com/ (USA)

Dr. Louis Slesin: http://www.microwavenews.com

International Association of Firefighters moratorium of cell tower siting on Fire stations http://www.iaff.org/hs/Facts/CellTowerFinal.asp

Australian Democrats "Demand crackdown on mobile phone towers" http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=6417 http://www.democrats.org.au/docs/2007/Joining_the_Dots11.pdf

The American Bird Conservancy, Forest Conservation Council and Friends of the Earth brought a lawsuit against the FCC http://www.foe.org/new/news6.html

Federal Court Ordered Cell Tower Safeguards for Migrating Birds http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/080219.html

Israel bans antennaes on residences: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/916666.html

Portugal opposes Cell tower: http://www.portugalresident.com/portugalresident/showstory.asp?ID=28969

Taiwan removes 1500 cell towers near schools: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2007/11/06/129715/1500-cellphone.htm

New Zealand citizens video appeal to Government (opposing cell towers) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw6av2W60KA

Los Angeles unified school district policy restricts cell sites on LA USD property and requires new schools to avoid siting near cell sites http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/board/secretary/html/agendas/mt/mt06-27-00.html

Cyprus: House Health Committee demands action to protect the public from mobile phone masts. http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=39623&cat_id=1

The Ecologist: Mobile Phones Could lead to bee decline: http://www.theecologist.org/pages/archive_detail.asp?content_id=865

Mt. Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center http://www.mountshastaecology.org/17other01cellphones.html

Ukiah CA. rejects cell tower: http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/articl...14/1033/NEWS01

Organic Consumers Association: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6388.cfm

China internet addiction youth http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4327258.stm

South Korea govt study" internet addiction/ Millions of youth at risk. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/technology/18rehab.html

Spain: children treated for cell phone addiction: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7452463.stm

Canadian Human Rights commission: policy on environmental sensitivities http://www.chrcccdp.ca/legislation_policies/policy_environ_politique-en.asp

Bioinitiative Video on cell phones http://www.youtube.com/v/7tZDor-_co0

The Canadian Public Health Officer, David Butler-Jones, advised Canadians to limit their and their children’s use of cell phones until science resolves uncertainties about long term health effects. http://www.organicconsumers.org/Politics/cellphone071505.cfm

June 2008: France 20 top scientists warn about cell phones and brain cancer http://espanol.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/080615/tecnologia/francia_telecomunicaci__n_consumo_salud

England: 2000, the UK Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones chaired by Sir William Stewart, reports that a precautionary approach be adopted until more robust scientific information becomes available._ www.iegmp.org.uk http://www.iegmp.org.uk/documents/iegmp_6.pdf

UK Health protection advises children under 16 to limit their use of mobile phone. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4196762.stm

Russian National Committee on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection advises against cell phones for 18 years and under http://www.pole.com.ru/news_en.htm http://weepnews.blogspot.com/2008/04/rncnirp-mobile-phones-high-risk-for.html

India: limit cell phone use for youth http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14695318

Israel: Health Ministry calls for parents to limits kids cell phone use: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1006175.html

India: ban on children and pregnant women in TV ads for cell phones http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=21423&t=1&c=33&cg=4&mset=

2004, the European Union’s EMF REFLEX Research Project is released, showing that mobile phone radiation (radiofrequency radiation) damages DNA in human cells. omega.twoday.net/stories/436261 http://www.itis.ethz.ch/downloads/REFLEX_Final%20

Report_171104.pdf Madhya Pradesh, India: Bans cell phones in schools: http://www.indiaenews.com/education/20080718/132841.htm Australia:

Cell phone warning http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/video# French Ministry of Health cell phone warning http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/2308

Canada, Toronto Public Health is advising children and teens to limit the time they spend on cell phones until more is known about potential health effects. Toronto Star, Ontario. http://healthzone.ca/health/article/459099

USA: July 2008 University of Pittsburgh's Cancer Institute Dr. Ron Herberman's memo to staff / Cell phone warning: http://www.post-gazette.com/downloads/20080722upci_cellphone_memo.pdf