Boise is Rewriting Its Wireless Ordinance Code
In a recent landmark ruling in a case brought by Children’s Health Defense against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the D.C. Circuit Court ruled the commission failed to consider evidence of harm, including to children, from 5G and wireless radiation.
The ruling challenges the FCC’s decision to retain its 1996 safety limits for human exposure to wireless radiation – in light of the vast amount of scientific and medical evidence showing that current guidelines do not adequately protect health and the environment.
Learn what’s going on in our neighborhoods. This resident came home to an antenna installed in her front yard after just three days! The emergence of densified 4G/5G will exponentially increase these Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Microwave Radiation (RF-EMR) exposures.
Please be advised this is being decided NOW – adverse impacts on our children are at stake!
Municipalities around the country are rewriting their zoning codes to provide guidelines that minimize the adverse impacts from wireless communication facilities. Boise is currently rewriting the City’s Zoning Code, no small undertaking. Most communities have special zoning laws for cell towers, or “wireless telecommunications facilities”, but not all communities have gotten around to changing their codes to accommodate the “small cell” antennas that are part of the new 5G network.
The City of Boise must take back local control to the greatest degree possible by adopting a PROTECTIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORDINANCE. Excellent examples of local codes – all compliant with the Telecommunications Act (TCA) – are found at 5g Crisis and Environmental Health Trust
Friends, we need your help ASAP.
The City of Boise is rewriting its wireless code and we need to voice our opinions that we do NOT want cell towers in our front yards (yes, this is really happening, see the picture above). We have until September 3rd at 5 pm to make our voices heard. We need as many signatures as possible!
Tell Boise City officials we want our zoning code to address public safety. We want all personal wireless telecommunications facilities, including a small wireless facility, to comply with the following:
a requirement to demonstrate why non-residential areas are not suitable for antenna placement
certification that the proposed small cell installations address a significant “gap” in service that cannot be otherwise addressed
small cell deployments must go through the NEPA and NHPA ‘review’ process to determine if further study or analysis is required before site approval (per ruling in United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma v. FCC, No. 18-1129, D.C. Cir. 2019)
enforce collocation of infrastructure on nearby towers
500 to 1500-foot setbacks from residential and school zones
extensive design requirements
distance of 1500 feet away from other small cell installations
annual random, independent radio-frequency testing
certification that the applicant (or the third party telecom on whose behalf the antenna is being installed) possess liability insurance without an exclusion for personal injury from exposure to microwave radiation
notification of all property owners within 500 feet of the proposed installation, and a requirement for the posting of a conspicuous bright orange sign notifying residents of the proposed installation
limit maximum effective radiated power (ERP) to a level providing 5-bar telecom service
retrofit ~350 currently permitted sWTFs to ensure minimum power necessary
require “fiber sharing boxes” in public rights-of-way to promote Fiber To The Premises (FTTP)
implement fuse boxes and policing fees to ensure compliance and generate revenue for the City of Boise
permit required and all applications to be made available for public inspection
The City of Boise needs fast, secure, safe, and reliable internet that can only be achieved with WIRED infrastructure such as fiber optics to the premises (FTTP). We, the people, have paid for this infrastructure for decades by way of fees on our phone bills – and the large telecoms have illegally misdirected these subsidies to build their private wireless networks. Therefore, we also demand that the City invest in WIRED infrastructure for high-speed internet, NOT wireless.
March 13, 2020, the Irregulators v. FCC D.C. Court of Appeals decision freed billions of dollars per state from these misdirected funds. Cities across the US are creating their own municipally-owned, fiber optic networks which are far safer, faster, more secure from cyberattacks, and yield a rich revenue source for local governments.
The City of Boise is accepting feedback until 5:00 pm, September 3, 2021.