Monday, June 20, 2016

California Legislature is "fast-tracking" a wireless industry telecommunications bill (AB 2788)

California Legislature is "fast-tracking" a wireless industry telecommunications bill (AB 2788)




Wireless telecommunications facilities (
Assembly Bill No. 2788)


On June 13th, California Assemblyman Gatto converted a natural gas storage bill into a wireless telecommunications bill. This practice, called "gut and amend," fast-tracks a bill so the Legislature will adopt it before summer recess (July 1) or the end of the legislative session (August 31). Moreover, it hinders the ability of affected constituencies from protesting adoption of the legislation.

The amended bill is so new that Leginfo doesn't have a summary. The following summary was prepared by staff of the City of Calabasas:
"California Assembly Bill 2788 (AB 2788) was introduced June 14, 2016 by Assembly Member Mike Gatto (Burbank, Glendale).  The bill would remove local control of all small cells in any right of way in California.  AB 2788 appears to have been written by attorneys for the wireless industry.

AB 2788 would deny local governments locational or aesthetic control over small cells anywhere in the public-right-of-way (PROW). It would give cities or counties 60 days to issue a permit for whatever was requested by a wireless applicant.  If the city failed to issue the permit in 60 days, the law would not deem the project approved, it would deem the project permitted."



Health effects of cell antennas

There is no no evidence that "small cells" are safer than conventional cell towers, nor is there any evidence that 3G, 4G, or 5G radiation is any safer than 2G cell phone radiation. The recent NTP study found that exposure to 2G radiation caused two types of cancer in male rats. For more information about cell tower health effects see http://www.saferemr.com/2015/04/cell-tower-health-effects.html.


According to the bill, what is a small cell?
"'Small cell' means a wireless telecommunications facility with antennas of no more than six cubic feet in volume each and associated equipment with a cumulative volume no larger than 21 cubic feet on all poles and structures and 28 cubic feet on all nonpole structures. An associated electric meter, concealment, telecom demarcation box, ground-based enclosure, battery backup power system, grounding equipment, power transfer switch, cutoff switch, cable, or conduit may be located outside the primary equipment enclosure and is not included in the calculation of the equipment volume. Volume is a measure of the exterior displacement, not the interior volume, of the enclosure. Any equipment that is concealed from public view in or behind an otherwise approved structure or concealment is not included in the volume calculations."
 
The Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee will hold a hearing on the bill tomorrow (6/21).

For more information about AB 2788:

http://celltowersites.com/
--
Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D., Director
Center for Family and Community Health
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
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