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Neighbors against cell tower plan
(Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, KY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 24--Some neighbors around Owensboro Catholic High School are against construction of a 90-foot cell tower on the school's property, and about 50 of them have signed a petition they hope will have some sway with the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission.
General Dynamics Wireless Services wants to build the tower for New Cingular Wireless/AT&T Mobility. The application is on the Jan. 8 planning commission agenda.
"A lot of us did our research, and since the long-term verdict is still out on the health issues associated with these towers, we have concerns," said Ed Odom, who lives at 1553 Roosevelt Road. "... Those who are closest to it also have concerns about declining property values."
The plan is to build the tower on the high school's property at 1524 W. Parrish Ave. and gain 24-hour access to it from The Hermitage, next door at 1614 W. Parrish, Odom said.
Since the property owners received their letters from General Dynamics on Nov. 17, Odom has been voicing his concerns with Owensboro Catholic Schools' officials and with the manager at The Hermitage. He also has tried unsuccessfully to reach a spokesman for General Dynamics.
Ken Rasp, director of OCS, said in a phone interview Tuesday that the system has signed a release with General Dynamics to allow the cell tower to be built on the high school property.
"We're working with our lawyer to understand our options," Rasp said Tuesday.
Asked if that meant he would like to get out of the lease, Rasp would not say.
"I've been told not to answer that question," he said.
When the company approached OCS about a year ago, "We thought it was of benefit to Owensboro," Rasp said. "We know the cell reception in the western part of Owensboro is not wonderful, and that was part of our thought process."
Rasp said he and others are closely following the process.
Odom said he and others want to be good neighbors to OCHS. They would not complain about such activities as noise from band practice or construction that will benefit students.
"This, on the other hand, not only is not good for kids, but it could be detrimental to them," Odom said.
Odom and other neighbors attended the Dec. 11 planning commission meeting, but the hearing on the application was postponed until Jan. 8. They plan to be at that meeting, too.
The OMPC has approved cell towers similar to this one, senior planner Brian Howard said.
Health issues have been discussed in at least one public hearing for a cell tower, and that application was approved, he said.
The planning commission members will be checking to see if the applicant meets the requirements of the law related to cell towers and will listen to testimony presented at the public hearing before making their decision, Howard said.
State law requires companies who apply to build a cell tower to notify property owners within 500 feet of the proposed location.
"There is no law, however, requiring the school or the company to notify parents," Odom said. "Our desire is for parents of Owensboro Catholic High School students to do a little research on their own and attend the planning commission meeting."
No conclusions yet
Both cell phones and cell towers or base stations are required to comply with Federal Communications Commission exposure guidelines for radiofrequency (RF) energy.
Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the FCC regulate cell phones, but the FCC regulates the cell towers which operate at higher power.
According to the FDA, the RF exposures from cell towers are typically much lower than from cell phones because the antennas are mounted on towers or other structures -- a lot further away from the public.
The American Cancer Society hasn't seen evidence that cell towers pose a health threat, but the organization reports that full information about health effects is not available yet. Not enough time has elapsed to permit epidemiological studies.
"There are some theoretical reasons why cell phone towers would not be expected to increase cancer risk, and animal studies of RF exposure have not suggested a risk of cancer," according to information on the ACS Web site.
People who are concerned about the towers can ask for RF measurements near them to be sure exposures don't exceed recommended limits.
A January 2008 report from the National Research Council (NRC), an arm of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, concludes there is still no conclusive evidence about the potential health risks of long-term exposure to RF energy from cell phones, cell towers, television towers and other telecommunications components.
To see more of the Messenger-Inquirer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.messenger-inquirer.com.
Copyright (c) 2008, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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