The Takoma Park Council Sends a Letter to the County Council on Excessive Radiation from Antenna Radiation Simulation

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Thankful Update! 

Citizens called the City to ask.

There are areas that exceed FCC limits on top of the building going 41 and 21 feet out.

"At the nearest walking/working surfaces to the Verizon antennas, the maximum power density generated by the Verizon antennas is approximately 2,598.45 percent of the FCC’s general public limit (519.69 percent of the FCC’s occupational limit)."

However, no testing was done inside the building as far as we know. All the exposure exceeding limits was related to the roof. 

• There are 33 antennas on the roof. No one has done testing on the ground. There may be RF antennas nearby creating exposures. 

Some things you should know:

• Even if the RF levels are below .1 % of FCC limits this does not ensure safety from biological effects as research has found effects at levels thousands of times less than FCC limits. For example, see a list of research studies citations here . 
• US FCC limits are over 100 times higher than the limits of several countries. That is why RF radiation at .1% does not make us feel safe. 
• The Los Angeles School System adopted an RF limits at 10,000 lower than FCC limits as an example. They DO NOT allow cell towers on school grounds by the way. 

Questions for the City:
1. What are the radiation levels on the ground. We want the actual numbers (not a percentage of FCC limits).
2. Have measurements been taken inside the building?  In apartments with windows that open to area near the antennas? If so what are the measurements?
3. Who is in charge of addressing the radiation excesses if they exist?
4. What about workers? Please see these letters from workers.

“We continue to be concerned about the thousands of construction workers who are put at risk daily of being exposed to harmful levels of radio frequency (RF) radiation generated by wireless antenna systems across the country. “ 

 -Read the North America’s Building Trade Union 11/2015 FCC Submission

“RF antennas are often intentionally disguised as building features making it impossible for a construction worker to know the hazard even exists.”

-Operative Plasterers and Cement Mason’s International Association of the United States and Canada11/2015 FCC submission

“The association is concerned that mechanical service technicians may at times be unwittingly overexposed to radiofrequency (RF) radiation because their employers are rarely informed about the presence of and the potential hazards associated with telecommunications antennas.”

-Mechanical Contractors Union Letter to the FCC

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 2013 Letter to the FCC

Here is the letter 

Takoma Park Council sent this letter to the Tower Committee Chair with a copy to the County Executive and County Council. This letter is about the excessive radio frequency wireless radiation levels found in simulations of RF levels for a purposed cell antenna site in Takoma Park Park Ritchie by an independent expert.  

Dear TFCG Chair Williams,

The Takoma Park City Council has been made aware of a cell tower application currently before the
Transmission Facilities Coordination Group (TFCG) that reveals concerning information about the
cumulative Radio Frequency (RF) Emissions on the roof of the Park Ritchie Apartment building located in Takoma Park.
Per the 12th page of the new Verizon application (page 1 of the consultant report):
“At the nearest walking/working surfaces to the Verizon antennas, the maximum power density
generated by the Verizon antennas is approximately 2,598.45 percent of the FCC’s general public
limit (519.69 percent of the FCC’s occupational limit).
The composite exposure level from all carriers on this site is approximately 2,598.55 percent of
the FCC’s general public limit (519.71 percent of the FCC’s occupational limit) at the nearest
walking/working surface to each antenna.” (Emphasis added)
While the consultant report includes a section on mitigation/site control options – such as caution signs
and barriers that “may consist of rope, chain, or fencing” – we remain concerned about what appears to
be an alarming exceedance of the FCC limits. We are concerned that the recommended mitigations may
not be sufficient to protect workers or anyone else who accesses the roof. Further, it is not clear the
extent to which residents living on or near the top floor of the building are possibly being exposed to RF
emissions that exceed acceptable limits.
Irrespective of the current application, we urge the TFCG to seek clarification about the potential
dangers posed by the existing cumulative RF emissions and what action can be taken to address them,
whether by the County or another entity. Regarding the current application, we urge the TFCG to ensure
they have this clarification before considering or approving the application and potentially making the

existing situation even worse.

Read the letter at this link. 

In their letter, the  Takoma Park Council is referring to a cell tower application that states:

"As presented in the sections below, based on worst-case predictive modeling, the worst-case emitted

power density may exceed the FCC’s general public limit within approximately 41 feet of Verizon’s

proposed antennas at the main roof level. Modeling also indicates that the worst-case emitted power

density may exceed the FCC’s occupational limit within approximately 21 feet of Verizon’s proposed

antennas at the main roof level. Additionally, there are areas where workers who may be elevated

above the rooftop or ground may be exposed to power densities greater than the occupational limits.

Therefore, workers should be informed about the presence and locations of antennas and their

associated fields.

At the nearest walking/working surfaces to the Verizon antennas, the maximum power density

generated by the Verizon antennas is approximately 2,598.45 percent of the FCC’s general public limit

(519.69 percent of the FCC’s occupational limit).

The composite exposure level from all carriers on this site is approximately 2,598.55 percent of the

FCC’s general public limit (519.71 percent of the FCC’s occupational limit) at the nearest

walking/working surface to each antenna."

TAKE ACTION:
Contact the County Council and ask for action to stop the proliferation of cell antennas until safety and proper enforcement can be fully documented and funded!

Send email to all Councilmembers: County.Council@MontgomeryCountyMD.gov

Tweet by connecting with various Mo Co Groups

• Citizens of Montgomery County @moco4safety
• Montgomery County for the Control of Cell Towers @MC4Torg

FCC limits are 30 years outdated and most certainly not safe. Learn why here

Read the letter in full online at this link.