Greenwich Reps. Against Cell Towers Near Schools [The Daily Greenwich]

Article as it appeared in The Daily Greenwich on March 2, 2012.

Staff Report

GREENWICH, Conn. – A state legislative bill that would prohibit cell towers from being placed near schools was endorsed Thursday by Greenwich’s state Sen. L. Scott Frantz and State Rep. Fred Camillo.

“There is concern about the siting of cell towers so close to schools in response to several proposed towers in my district,” said Frantz, in a prepared statement. “Many parents, families and health officials have voiced their concerns about the long-term health effects of placing these towers so close to schools and day-cares.”

The representatives testified before the General Assembly’s Energy and Technology Committee in support of a bill that would not allow towers within 250 feet of schools and day-care centers. The bill passed both houses of the state legislature, but was vetoed last year by Gov. Dannel Malloy.

Camillo said the issue is “as simple as wanting to be safe rather than sorry,” adding waiting 20 years for a study to be published linking illness to cell tower proximity is too much of a risk to take.

“This bill only seeks to put added focus on the safety of children, students, and adults who work in schools and day-care centers first when siting cell towers in the vicinity of these venues,” said Camillo, in his testimony.

Frantz says while there have not been conclusive studies done on long-term effects of cell towers and radio, he cited a 2005 factsheet by the National Cancer Institute that states there is a direct relationship between radiation and cancer.