October 26, 2004

Church Tower Cell Antenna

Today's Burlington Free Press reports that the District Environmental Commission in Newport, Vermont (on the Canadian border) is reviewing, apparently based on a few complaints about RF radiation fears, an application by Verizon to locate cell antennae in a Catholic church tower located high above the town. No visible tower will be required. The church leadership has approved the deal overwhelmingly, but a few neighbors raise the RF issues. Once again Vermont's environmental watchdogs will force a cell service provider to spend large amounts of money unnecessarily for RF tests.

When will this foolishness about cell phone RF dangers to human health be put to rest? Probably not soon because people have irrational fears based on evidence showing no scientific cause for concern when FCC RF ceiling are met. Local control of cell antenna siting, that's the very expensive name of the game and one reason Vermont deserves it's business-unfriendly reputation. Meanwhile, many of the folks complain that cell phone coverage in Vermont is second rate. So it is and this episode is another example of why that's true.

Note: the Burlington Free Press refuses to archive it's content online so I cannot reference the article with a permanent link.

No comments: