Neighbors worry
Are radio waves dangerous"


GUILDERLAND — "Can you hear me now"" is a well-known slogan used in Verizon’s advertising campaigns, but it is now a legitimate question being asking of the town.

Concerned residents spoke out against a proposed cell phone tower at a recent zoning board meeting, citing the proximity to the Pine Bush Elementary School.

Verizon has applied for a special-use permit to place a cell tower on the Fort Hunter water tower.

The application states that the cellular telephone tower would be placed a little over 60 feet high on the water tower.

The zoning board will vote on Verizon’s special-use permit at its Sept. 20 meeting.

Zoning board chairman, Peter Barber, told The Enterprise that local residents came out to express concerns about Verizon’s application.
"In general, there was some concern on the cumulative effects of radio frequency," said Barber.

The water tower is located behind the Fort Hunter Fire Department on Carman Road and is directly next to Pine Bush Elementary.

The Federal Communications Commission is the lead regulatory agency in matters concerning radio frequency from cell phone towers, said Barber. In the United States, the FCC authorizes or licenses most radio frequency telecommunications services, facilities, and devices used by the public, industry, and state and local government organizations.

The FCC is monitoring the application and the company is in full compliance with all federal standards, a Verizon representative said at the meeting.
Although the federal government itself has never created radio frequency exposure standards, the FCC adopted and has been using recognized safety guidelines for evaluating radio frequency environmental exposure since 1985, according to the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology, which describes cell phone towers as "far below radio frequency levels harmful to humans."

Federal health and safety agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have all been actively involved in the monitoring and investigation of radio frequency exposure.

Electromagnetic waves travel through space at the speed of light and are calculated by a simple mathematical formula: Frequency times wavelength equals the speed of light.
Typically cellular base stations are located on towers, water tanks, and other elevated structures including rooftops and the sides of buildings, according to the FCC, and cell towers or "sector antennas," look like rectangular panels with a typical dimension of one foot by four feet.

One base station can maintain several antennas.

The Fort Hunter water tower currently is home to several cell phone towers. The town receives rent from the individual cell phone providers; this is Verizon’s first cell tower in the area, said Barber.

The revenue from rental space on the tower helps fund Guilderland’s water-department budget.

Along with FCC oversight, the town has hired Volmer and Associates to conduct assessments for Verizon’s permit application, Barber said.

Barber also told The Enterprise that the intention behind extending Verizon’s permit application until the end of September was to allow neighbors and those interested to submit materials or voice any concerns to the zoning board.