Prepare For The Cell Tower Invasion Into Our Neighborhoods

Can you imagine waking up to a cell tower outside of your bedroom window? While we might think neighborhood zoning laws protect us from such an intrusion, the opposite is true.

The Montgomery County Council has voted to embark on a reckless path, by allowing "short' cell towers in our front yards. And we, the taxpayers, are subsidizing the entire fiasco.

Councilman Hans Riemer has pushed for years to give wireless companies the rights to do this to our neighborhoods. Riemer has worked hard to strip away resident’s rights. Thanks to his efforts, Montgomery County has sold out to corporate interests by all but eliminating public notice and public hearings in cell tower zoning amendment (ZTA) 19-07.

Do not be fooled by the term “small cells.” A “small cell” is a short cell tower. A pole with transmitting cell antennas plus an ugly equipment box. See examples of what they look like here.

If you have a utility pole or street light in front of your home- it can now be a “small” cell tower.

Transmitting wireless antennas can be popped on top on these poles and there isn't much you can do about it- so long as these antennas are 30 feet away from your house.

Two New Resolutions on Cell Towers

Two new regulations passed by the Montgomery County Council in their January 25, 2022 meeting just sealed the deal. These resolutions created an industry friendly fee structure for companies putting up the cell towers. They are intentionally well below processing costs, leaving residents/taxpayers to subsidize the wireless industry’s OZAH waiver and hearing processes for small cell towers.

These new resolutions are nothing more than subsidies to the wireless companies, at the taxpayers expense. In short, companies -making billions of dollars- get to put their industrial equipment in front of our homes for cheap. Our property values go down and their stock values go up.

In sharp contrast to Montgomery County, Ithaca New York has cell antenna setbacks of 250 feet for homes and schools. Ithaca code also allows for random, unannounced radiation testing for all towers done by the City at the expense of the applicant. Many cities restrict, rather than roll out the red carpet for wireless companies. The state of New Hampshire is considering legislation that would create 1640 foot setbacks for the entire state.

Yet Montgomery County now has a setback of 30 feet for “short” small cell towers!

The Council could have just as easily created setbacks at 60 feet -instead of 30 feet-and allowed for flexibility if restrictions harmed service. But instead, Councilman Hans Riemer rammed cell tower ZTA 19-07 though over the summer- basically eliminating community participation in the decision making process.

Wireless Can Cause Cellular Damage

Scientists have published the way these frequencies can harm our bodies. Dr. Martin Pall, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences at Washington State University who presented at a conference at NIH has published numerous papers on how cell tower frequencies penetrate our skin and are carried deep into our bodies. He explains how the membranes surrounding our cells begin to vibrate. Over time, the membranes break open. This allows calcium which is outside the cell to flood into the cell damaging the contents of the cell and causing the cells to malfunction.

It is critical to the health of the body that our cells function properly. Every organ of our body has many specialized cells. If these cells are damaged, over time the organs, and other parts of our body won’t function properly. With a cell tower beaming in radiation continuously day and night, our health will decline.

Dr. Pall’s 2016 review found that wireless frequencies can produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression. He has also published specifically on how the higher millimeter wave frequencies of 5G can have “deeply penetrating effects” including impacts on the brain and cardiac activity.'

The Science Shows Harm

The European Parliament's research report “Health Impact of 5G” has concluded that commonly used wireless frequencies (450 to 6000 MHz) are "probably carcinogenic for humans" and clearly affect male fertility with possible adverse effects on the development of embryos, fetuses and newborns.

A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Found higher cell tower radiation exposures linked to increased mortality for all cancers including breast, cervix, lung, and esophagus cancers.

A review on real world exposure to 5G published in Toxicology Letters found that 5 G will have systemic effects as well as adverse effects to the skin and eyes (Kostoff et al., 2020).

A review on 5G published in Toxicology Letters concludes that 5G will have systemic effects as well as adverse effects to the skin and eyes.

This Monday on Jan 31st. 9:30 the Council PHED Committee will be considering a master Licensing Agreement for 5G deployment.

The Council needs to fix what they broke. They opened the cell tower floodgates and they can close them just as easily.

If you are interested in stopping the onslaught of cell towers please write and call your County Council person. Join our letter writing campaign. Tell the Council they must halt ZTA 19-07 and protect the community.