Proposed Clinton cell tower gets mixed reception

A proposed 145-foot Verizon cell tower in Clinton, Washington, is drawing pushback from residents concerned about health effects and environmental impacts—issues that matter to anyone evaluating where to live and raise a family.

At a community meeting Monday, wireless consultant Bill North of the North Group explained that the tower, planned for 3709 Ludlow Street, is a collaboration between Horizon Towers and Verizon aimed at improving spotty cell service on South Whidbey Island's South End. Verizon has already secured a lease with the property owner for the facility, which would be surrounded by a 50-by-50-foot fence and screened by trees.

Health Concerns Take Center Stage

Among the concerns raised by attendees were potential health effects from the tower's radiofrequency emissions. Mark Wahl, a Langley resident and director of the Citizen League of Encouraging Awareness of Radiation, voiced objections to the tower's location, though the source article was cut off before his full statement.

For health-conscious families, the proximity of cell towers to homes is an increasingly important factor when evaluating neighborhoods. While carriers must comply with FCC exposure limits, many parents prefer to minimize their family's EMF exposure where possible—a concern that extends beyond cell towers to everyday devices in the home. Just as families research low-EMF air purifiers and low-EMF hair dryers to reduce household exposure, the location of nearby cell infrastructure is becoming part of the due diligence process.

What Happens Next

The meeting was intended to gather community feedback before a formal application is submitted to Island County. Several residents also expressed environmental concerns about the site's proximity to a creek and steep slopes, requesting critical areas surveys and slope analyses. North acknowledged these studies haven't yet been conducted due to the preliminary nature of the project, but said they would be completed before submission.

For families considering homes in areas where new towers are proposed, it's worth knowing that distance matters significantly when it comes to EMF exposure—levels decrease rapidly with distance from the source. Some homeowners in similar situations have explored options like EMF shielding paint for additional peace of mind, though prevention through location choice remains the most straightforward approach.

Originally reported by South Whidbey Record