Cell phone companies will certainly hear about this - and not like it one bit.
A bill was introduced Wednesday in the City Council to force phone companies to give local communities an early warning when they intend to erect new cell phone antennas - often called towers - in their territory.
That will allow residents or concerned groups to generate "a dialogue" - translation: raise a commotion - with phone companies before the towers are already in place and it's too late to do anything about it.
"New York City has the most lax regulations in the entire country when it comes to the placing of these towers," said the bill's chief sponsor, Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr. (D-Queens). "And today, we're doing something about that."
The Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 severely restricts what local communities can do about regulating the placement of cell phone towers.
In the city, phone service providers merely negotiate with building owners about the placement of towers and then apply for building permits, which are granted almost automatically, according to Vallone and other sponsors.
The new bill would require the Buildings Department commissioner to set forth general rules about how and where antennas or towers can be erected.
Before applying for permits, phone companies would have to provide "written notice of such intent to the community board and Council member" where the installations are to be made.
The applicants also would have to demonstrate they made efforts to locate the towers in nonresidential zones.
Although federal officials and the telecommunications industry assure that cell phone towers are safe, Vallone and other critics said they still have unresolved health and safety concerns.
"This bill helps us to try and force companies to do the right thing," said Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Brooklyn).
"This bill ... would allow us, the community and the Council member, to know about the permit application before any permit is issued, and we can engage in the opportunity to talk and debate with the cell phone company the appropriateness of a location."
"This will at least give us a chance," offered Councilman James Vacca (D-Bronx), one of nearly a dozen co-sponsors backing the bill.
Vallone said his bill also has the support of Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan).
That means the measure won't be placed on eternal hold, as have other bills Vallone introduced in past years to require a community approval process for locating cell phone towers.
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NY City To Force Carriers on RF Safety Concerns
Source: NY Daily News
Date: 05/07/2009
