Letter: Cell tower unwelcome in neighborhood
Connie Hansen
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 11/03/08
Editor: Currently before Planning and Zoning Board is an application to build a 160-foot cell tower on a proposed site in a small North City neighborhood which has three residences adjacent to it and a number of other residences close by.
In 1996, the cell industry spent $39 million in lobbying costs to ensure FCC regulations which state that no one can protest the construction of a cell tower based on health concerns and aesthetics.
In recent years, a number of studies have been conducted which point to possible health concerns for those living near a cell tower. Senior citizens and children are considered to be most at risk.
Most of the impartial studies (i.e., those not funded by cell companies) have been done in other countries. The Institute of Environmental Health in Vienna states that, regarding cell towers, "despite very low exposure to HF-EMF, effects on well-being and performance cannot be ruled out, as shown by recently obtained experimental results."
All three nearby residences for the proposed ClearTalk/St. John's Food tower have seniors and/or children living there. Children live in other nearby houses also.
Many advocates for cell safety recommend that towers be located away from schools and residences. In the case of this proposed tower, there are a number of sites a short distance away that do not have residences near by. ClearTalk could thus avoid potentially putting people at risk. St. John's Food has been a good neighbor to many of the people living in the area. I urge them to consider the recent data that shows that cell towers may not be safe for some people.
We need cell towers, but putting them next to residences is just not a good idea. Because no one can guarantee the safety of these towers, why take the risk?
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