Both the U.S. Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are proposing new rules to speed up the approval of cell towers and wireless equipment in neighborhoods across the country by stripping away local government authority. 
<h2>Cell towers do not belong near homes and schools. </h2>
This action alert sends a letter to your federal and state representatives requesting that they formally oppose these proposals.&nbsp;
<h2>What are the federal proposals? </h2>
The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in Docket No. 25-276, entitled Build America: Eliminating Barriers to Wireless Deployments and House Bill H.R. 2289, the American Broadband Deployment Act, would dramatically cut community control over where and how cell towers, small cells, and wireless antennas are built. 
<h2>What do the proposals do? </h2>
<ul>
<li style="margin-left:20pt;">Fast-track Cell Tower Permitting: Approving cell towers near homes and schools, even with strong community opposition, due to strict timelines imposed by the federal preemption.  </li>
<li style="margin-left:20pt;">Strip Local Control: Limiting the power of city, state, and county governments to have thoughtful and responsible ordinances, zoning, fees, and permitting rules. </li>
<li style="margin-left:20pt;">Bypass Public Input: Strict federal timelines will limit public participation, excluding the voices of those most affected - the people living beside the cell towers.</li>
<li style="margin-left:20pt;">Risk to Public Health: In 2021, a federal court <a href="https://ehsciences.org/lawsuit-wireless-radiation-safety/" target="_self"><ins>ordered the FCC</ins></a> to explain how its cell tower and wireless radiation limits protect the public against long-term health effects. Yet, the FCC has failed to respond to the court’s mandate despite significant <a href="https://ehsciences.org/are-cell-towers-safe/#scientificResearch" target="_self"><ins>scientific evidence</ins></a> reporting health effects. </li>
<li style="margin-left:20pt;">Drop Property Value: When unsightly cell towers go up very close to homes, property values can drop,<a href="https://ehsciences.org/cell-towers-drop-property-value/" target="_self"> <ins>with estimates ranging from 5 to 20%.</ins></a></li>
</ul>
H.R. 2289 eliminates review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) for eligible facilities requests—modifications to existing towers and base stations—and sets the stage for unfettered wireless deployment expansion.  
The FCC NPRM explicitly asks about overriding state and local level AI regulations, and whether local rules prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting wireless services and providers’ ability to use AI tools.  
In short, communities could lose much of their say in cell tower approval decisions that directly affect their health, safety, and property value.
Many local governments have adopted strong local wireless ordinances to ensure cell towers are placed in alignment with community values. However, most of these safeguards would be pre-empted under these rules.
<h2>Is there opposition to these proposals? </h2>
Yes. There is strong opposition by major local government groups representing the majority of US counties. The National Association of Counties, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, and NATOA, wrote House leaders that H.R. 2289 would undermine public safety, weaken local control, and shift costs from telecom companies to taxpayers. They stated the bill prioritizes corporate interests, forces communities to subsidize private providers, and could disrupt, not support, broadband deployment. <a href="https://ehsciences.org/h-r-2289-preempt-local-control-to-fast-track-cell-towers/" target="_self"><ins>Read the letters. </ins></a> 
Plus, a historic <a href="https://ehsciences.org/opposition-mounts-against-fcc-cell-tower-fast-track-proposal-25-276/" target="_self"><ins>2,000 comments</ins></a> were filed to the FCC to preserve local government control for cell towers, detailing the scientific research and need to preserve meaningful community input. 
<h2>RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE</h2>
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/h-r-2289-preempt-local-control-to-fast-track-cell-towers/" target="_self"><ins>H.R. 2289 – A Congressional Bill To Preempt Local Authority and Waive Environmental and Historic Review for Cell Tower Expansion</ins></a> 
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/fcc-proposal-build-america-25-276-to-preempt-local-control-and-fast-track-cell-towers/" target="_self"><ins>FCC Proposal Build America 25-276 To Preempt Local Control and Fast Track Cell Towers - </ins></a>
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/ehs-wireless-health-effects-resources/" target="_self"><ins>Resources and Factsheets on the Bills and Cell Tower Health and Safety Issues at </ins></a>
The National Association of Counties:<a href="https://www.naco.org/resource/oppose-preemption-local-broadband-permitting-authorities" target="_self"><ins> Oppose the Preemption of Local Broadband Permitting Authorities | National Association of Counties</ins></a>
National Association of Town and Townships Action Alert:<a href="https://nytowns.org/common/Uploaded%20files/NATaT%20Advocacy%20Alert%20-%20Oppose%20H.R.%202289.pdf" target="_self"><ins> Oppose H.R. 2289, American Broadband Deployment Act</ins></a>
<h2>THE SCIENCE AND POLICY OF CELL TOWERS</h2>
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/are-cell-towers-safe/#scientificResearch" target="_self"><ins>The Science on Cell Tower Health Effects. </ins></a>
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/cell-towers-drop-property-value/" target="_self"><ins>How Cell Towers Drop Property Value</ins></a>
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/cell-tower-radiation-liability-risk-and-industry-disclosures/" target="_self"><ins>How Companies Warn Shareholders of Risk But Not Us</ins></a>
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/top-10-health-safety-and-liability-risks-of-cell-towers-near-homes-and-schools/" target="_self"><ins>Top 10 Health, Safety, and Liability Risks of Cell Towers Near Schools and Homes</ins></a>
<a href="https://ehsciences.org/lawsuit-wireless-radiation-safety/" target="_self"><ins>Landmark Federal Court Decision On Wireless Radiation</ins></a>

Stop All Federal Proposals to Fast-Track Cell Towers

We are writing to urge you to formally oppose federal proposals to fast track cell towers by pre-empting local government authority.  
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)  titled “Build America: Eliminating Barriers to Wireless Deployments” (WT Docket No. 25-276).
House Bill H.R. 2289, the American Broadband Deployment Act

These proposals would dramatically limit local and state authority over the siting, permitting, and regulation of wireless facilities—including macro towers, base stations, antennas, and 5G/4G wireless antenna infrastructure, shifting power to the federal government. 

Here is why our state and local elected officials must oppose these proposals. They would: 

Limit Local Government Authority: The proposal would constrain the ability of cities, towns, and counties to consider aesthetics, setbacks, concealment, and public safety factors in wireless siting decisions.

Limit Local Fees and Conditions: These proposals would cap or preempt locally adopted fees and permit renewals, jeopardizing municipal cost recovery and land-use oversight. 

Tighten Shot Clocks: If localities miss the new permit deadlines, cell tower proposals could be automatically approved. 

Drop Property Values: When unsightly cell towers go up very close to homes, property values can drop, with estimates ranging from 5 to 20%.  

Impact Public Health: The FCC wants to fast-track cell towers but has not shown a proper evaluation of its 1996 cell tower radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure limits. In 2021, a federal court in Environmental Health Trust et al. v. the FCC ordered the FCC to explain how its limits protect children and the public against long-term health effects and to address the 10,000 pages of evidence on adverse impacts of cell tower and wireless radiation which includes cancer, damage the immune, reproductive and reproductive system as well as impacts to wildlife. 

To this day, the FCC has failed to respond to the court’s mandate. Neither Congress nor the FCC should increase the density of cell tower radiation in the United States until the FCC has complied with this order. 

Read about the landmark lawsuit here https://ehsciences.org/lawsuit-wireless-radiation-safety/ 

Collectively, Congress and the FCC's proposed measures amount to an unprecedented federal takeover of local land-use authority, removing the ability of communities to ensure that wireless infrastructure is deployed consistent with community values. The FCC is also taking aim at local ordinances that have setbacks to distance cell towers from homes and schools to protect residents, property value, and aesthetics. We cannot allow the federal government to override these vital local protections. 

We strongly encourage lawmakers and local governments to:
Formally oppose H.R. 2289 and the FCC (NPRM) “Build America: Eliminating Barriers to Wireless Deployments” (WT Docket No. 25-276).
Request that the FCC comply with the federal court mandate in EHT et al. v. FCC and ensure a proper, comprehensive, evidence-based scientific review of its 1996 cell tower radio-frequency radiation exposure limits.
Protect public health with protective policies and safeguards to ensure cell towers are distanced from homes and schools. 

Read about the science on cell towers at https://ehsciences.org/are-cell-towers-safe/#scientificResearch 

These proposals represent a fundamental threat to local democracy, land-use planning, and public safety. If adopted, it could significantly erode our community’s ability to manage the deployment of wireless telecommunications equipment in a responsible and thoughtful process. 

Thank you for your leadership and for defending the rights of local governments to protect the health, safety, property values, and general welfare of their residents.