Watch the Video of the 7/12/17 Communications and Conveyance Hearing
- http://www.calchannel.com/video-on-demand/
- Chooose Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee — Jul 12, 2017
- Opposition Testimony starts at 01:03:40 in the video
Speaker One at 1:03:40 in the video
I’m a current city council member and former Mayor of Nevada City, California. I speak with you as an elected official and as an early adopter of wireless technology; as I had opened the first cellular phone store in Nevada County in 1990.
However, I have learned enough about 4G/5G technology that I cannot support the expansion of these co-called “Small Cells” into residential zones, particularly not SB.649. So today I speak about this bill through the eyes of local authority.
Local governments typically encourage new technology based on claims it will improve the quality of life for its businesses and residents. However, this proposal goes too far by requiring local government to approve these “small cells”, macro-cells and large power supplies in all land-use zones, including private property, barring the public from decisions that will dramatically, adversely affect the aesthetics of the community, property values, property tax, and the quality of our constituents’ health and environment.
Simply put, SB.649 is a Pandora’s Box for California cities, one that blatantly strips local government of the authority to PROTECT the quality of life of our residents, their environment and the public right-of-way.
The de facto exemption of CEQA sets a very dangerous precedent, opening the door for any other industry to annihilate local government control in order to deploy any kind of corporate undertaking without public or elected officials’ consent or lease agreement of publicly owned property: a dangerous condition of public property.
SB.649 utilizes Eminent Domain for its hostile takeover of our communities and is unconstitutional.
The 4G/5G network is being deployed with very limited standards, no monitoring, and without protective agency oversight. It also is in violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
Governments and representatives, including Assembly Members and myself, have a responsibility to protect the quality of life of our constituents, protect public property in the public right-of-way, AND stop this corporate overreach.
This bill throws every human – even our honeybees, birds, agricultural animals and wildlife – under the bus, for unabated control of our communities by the telecom industry.
Lastly, Senator Hueso has stated numerous times that this is what telecom industry customers want, but Californians know not pass this and reject it.
Speaker Two at at 1:06:10 in the video
I am from Scientists for Wired Technology and I am speaking on behalf of an estimated one to four million Californians who have environmentally-induced illnesses described by the term, Electromagnetic Sensitivity. Over 250 people filled out forms on our web site over three days opposing SB.649 because they will be forced out of their homes if these microwave transmitters will go in front or their homes. Electromagnetic Sensitivity is a federally recognized disabled characteristic since 2002. The Assembly has also recognized this disability by allowing this accommodation in today’s hearing.
Many “pleases” and “thank yous” echo in this building, but there is nothing polite about SB.649. This bill violently disrespects every city, county and resident of California while it shoves upon us unneeded wireless radiation 24/7 in residential zones where we live, sleep and heal.
Unneeded because wireless coverage is complete: 98% of all Californians can already make calls and texts with microwave transmitters 200 feet high in the air, thousands of feet away to give an appropriate level of microwave radiation to make a call or a text. What we are talking about in SB.649 is deploying hazardous microwave radiation in our neighborhoods 10-50 feet from our homes which is unconstitutional — it directly undermines the inalienable rights scribed in the US and California constitutions that you all took oaths to serve. Note, too, that wired, fiber-optic connections were not only promised to telecom customers, but already paid for in our phone bills as a matter of public contract. SB.649 violates that contract.
SB.649 also creates a Dangerous Condition of Public Property and will be struck down in the courts in a matter of weeks — just as it was in Ohio. How embarrassing for any legislator who would vote for this Bill.
Last Friday, each of the 80 CA Assembly members received by hand-delivery and priority mail this legal notice stating: “mass casualties are likely in Districts 1 through 80 from passage of SB.649”. You have each read this notice.
[Note the following two paragraphs of testimony were not allowed for time, but entered into the CA public record by Assembly Security handing printed copies of the testimony to the Members of the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee]
Voting down SB.649 is the only appropriate action to save California from this disaster, and to give the Assembly time to complete its due diligence to evaluate the proven harm from microwave radiation exposures that occurs at millions of times lower than levels that would be deployed in bedrooms and nurseries throughout the state under SB.649.
The emperor has no clothes. Please do not tolerate the telecom industry’s callous disregard, but rather faithfully uphold the oaths you have taken to protect our safety, privacy, and property.