Hempstead NY has toughest cellphone tower restrictions [Telecom]

Cell phones: getting tough on towers Frank Eltman,Associated Press Writer story posted Sep 24, 2010

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (AP) -- A Long Island township has imposed restrictions on the placement of new cell towers that are among the toughest in the country, and one phone company says it effectively bans new construction.

The town of Hempstead is a notable example on a list of municipalities tightening rules on where cell phone companies can place antennas. The moves come as consumers are demanding blanket wireless coverage for their phones and buying laptops and, more recently, tablet computers that also rely on cell towers.

Despite a 1996 federal law prohibiting municipalities from considering health issues in approving locations for cell antennas, a group of mothers concerned about what they consider risky cell towers outside their children's schools successfully lobbied the town of Hempstead.

"Our position is we want to be more proactive," said Jody Turk-Goldberg, co-founder of a civic group called "Moms of Merrick," which discounts pronouncements by groups like the American Cancer Society that conclude there is scant evidence that cell towers are a health hazard.

"We saw what the tobacco companies did years ago; everybody said smoking was safe," she added.

The ordinance passed unanimously this week by the Hempstead town board prohibits wireless companies from installing equipment closer than 1,500 feet to homes, day care centers, schools and houses of worship, unless they submit compelling evidence that there is an absolute need. Hempstead, home to America's first suburban community -- Levittown -- is a densely populated township just east of New York City.

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Reply to
Thad Floryan
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[sneck]

Methinks the cell carriers should simply show that they are being 'good citizens' and shut down all the existing 'non-conforming' towers as well.

I believe that the 'RF out' from the finals of a cell site is less than

100 watts _maximum_, with ERP dependent on the gain of the antennas used. And, in 'real world' urban cell-sites, it dials-down to much lower levels so as to not interfere with 'not-so-distant' cells using the same frequency set.

Now, a ham radio operator can run a full kilowatt of RF out on a single frequency. plus the same kind of 'gain' antennas. that calls for a 'safety radius' 10-15 times larger (3-5 miles). A full power broadcast TV station, with an ERP approaching a megawatt, roughly a 100x larger (30 mile) radius. And A weather radar, only about a 500x larger (150 mile) radius.

Wups. they're only about 15 miles from JFK airport. And about 25 miles away from the World Trade Center and all the megawatt TV stations on it. Those *higher*risk* sources will have to be shut down!

I'm willing to bet that that ordinance will _not_ withstand court scrutiny.

Reply to
Robert Bonomi

This ordnance can easily be shot down. Congress voted to give the FCC sole jurisdiction over electromagnetic radiation matters. See:

ARRL Argues that Oklahoma Town's RFI Ordinance is "Null and Void"

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Oklahoma Town Agrees RFI Ordinance Does Not Apply to Hams
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Reply to
Richard

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