How the FCC Shields Wireless Providers From Safety Concerns — ProPublica

Small Town Takes Stand Against Cell Tower Health Complaints

When residents of Pittsfield, Massachusetts began experiencing headaches, dizziness, insomnia, and confusion within weeks of a new Verizon cell tower activation in August 2020, local health officials faced an uphill battle against federal regulations that favor telecom companies over community health concerns.

Bobbie Orsi, a 66-year-old registered nurse who chairs Pittsfield's Board of Health, initially viewed cellphone technology health concerns as a settled issue. However, after seventeen residents reported symptoms and some children needed "vomit buckets" by their beds, she dove into research studies and consulted with scientists and doctors. Her investigation led her to believe the 115-foot 4G tower's radio-frequency emissions were responsible for the health problems.

Federal Roadblocks to Local Action

Orsi discovered that the Federal Communications Commission, responsible for protecting Americans from potential wireless radiation hazards, has consistently sided with the telecom industry. Federal law and FCC rules prevent state and local governments from blocking cell towers for health reasons, while explicitly allowing companies to sue any government that attempts such action.

In April 2022, Pittsfield's Health Board took unprecedented action by issuing an emergency cease-and-desist order against Verizon, declaring the tower a "public nuisance" and "cause of sickness" that "renders dwellings unfit for human habitation." Several families had already abandoned their homes. The board's lawyers argued that while the FCC controls tower approval, it shouldn't override local authority when health problems emerge after activation.

This first-of-its-kind order represents a community's attempt to prioritize residents' health concerns despite federal regulations that appear to give telecom companies more legal rights than local citizens.

Originally reported by via @SaferEMF on X