The county council has shown its leadership* by passing a new cell tower ordinance. We may now see phone companies sniffing about for “willing landowners” in your neighborhood. If you are approached by one of these companies, think long and hard before you sign that contract (25 or so pages of fine print) the companies don’t take risks, they put them all on you.
Back in the 90’s they were paying 1,000’s per month, today it’s 100’s – so forget those dreams of a new Corvette. In exchange for the modest rental income you will lose control over much of what happens on your property. For instance, you cannot limit the number of antennas that they may add to the tower at a later date. Your own (and your neighbors) electronic devices may no longer work properly and the company may not choose to fix the problem. The tower will produce lots of dirty electricity, and 24-7 noise from their cheap AC-DC converters and cooling fans. You can’t sue the company for negligence, and their insurance generally won’t cover you for lawsuits arising from construction or operation of the tower. You probably won’t be dealing with a cell phone provider, but with a fly-by-night subcontractor of a subcontractor.
But those are the least of your worries. The cell phone industry has become expert at casting doubt on the biological and health effects of their radiation. They’ve learned from the vast experience of the tobacco, nuclear power, chemical, and GMO [genetically modified organism] industries. They get support from the Feds and the military in this. But sooner or later your neighbors will learn the truth of what you have done – this will not be pleasant for you.
The biggest social movement in the world is resistance to cell towers, Wi-Fi, wireless “smart meters,” and other forms of man-made electromagnetic radiation in the RF range. It’s global and it dwarfs the Occupy Wall Street, anti-war and Arab Spring movements put together and it’s growing rapidly. Don’t get on the wrong side of history.
* Paul Krugman said, “Imposing suffering on other people is how you show leadership.”
Steve Ludwig
Lopez Island
