I’m writing this as an open letter to allow Canadians to learn of my experience with your company and proposed tower c-3953 at 7473 Highway 511, Lanark Highlands, On. A 105m(approximately 315 feet) cell tower, using 6 panel antennas for the initial provision of 850 and 1900 MHz, and 2100 and 2600 MHz LTE services. I have been corresponding with your appointed site acquisition specialist, Mr. Graham Lewis, voicing my opposition and my health concerns for my family, neighbours and Species at Risk on the c-3953 site and adjacent lands. I have been advised by Industry Canada to continue voicing my concerns to Rogers.

Canadian guidelines for EMR limits are among the poorest in the world in that Safety Code 6 allows for the highest exposure levels and provides the poorest level of protection from this recognized WHO Class 2B carcinogen.

Can we see the air or smell the air? I guess not, but when it’s cold outside I can see my breath and when I bake an apple pie I can smell it in the air. I know I need air to live.

I know towers that emit electromagnetic radiation are used to transmit signals for wireless devices. We can’t see or smell electromagnetic radiation(EMR) either but it’s there. Here are two simple studies that make it visible:

1.Watch this 2 ½ minute video featuring Live Blood Analysis done before and after exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation, withDr. Magda Havasof Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZB7fb9Rqb0

2 . Danish Students Attract International Attention with Cress and Wifi Experiment

http://www.c4st.org/news/item/what-s-happening-around-the-world/danish-students-attract-international-attention-with-cress-and-wifi-experiment.html

I included this example as this experiment can be done by others.

In March 1976, the US Defense Intelligence Agency published a report titled “Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation (Radiowaves and Microwaves) – Eurasian Communist Countries.” The 34-page report analyzes numerous Soviet and Eastern bloc research studies that demonstrate a wide range of adverse biological effects caused by exposure to radio frequency radiation and microwaves. Document link: https://electroplague.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/dia-report-1976.pdf

The proposed location is adjacent to a Species at Risk habitat confirmed by the MNR and a wetland. According to the Antenna System Sitting Protocol Template page 29 discouraged locations include - Ecologically significant lands.

Pale-bellied Frost Lichen is an endangered specieslocated within 200m of the proposed site, there are only27 known populations globally, and they are extremley sensitive to air pollution.

Given the extreme rarity, small area of occupancy, history of declines, and ongoing threats, this species is recommended as endangered. While some forest organisms are resilient to forest disturbance and some natural disturbances are normal (e.g., wind throws, forest fires), Pale-bellied Frost Lichen is reliant on established stable ecosystems and is sensitive to disturbance. As such, it is recommended that the protection of suitable forest stands, by prohibiting human-induced discrete events in time or space that unnaturally change the physical(biotic of abiotic) conditions of that ecosystemis implemented to maintain suitable habitat for this species.

Additional Species at Risk at the proposed site include the Whip-poor-will and the Butternut.There are countless other creatures that reside in this forest including the little brown bat, the pileated woodpecker, salamanders, beavers, snakes, frogs, toads, moths, barred owls, barn owls, loons, fox, rabbits, bumble bees, and many others.There are also more breeding birds in Lanark county than almost any other part of Ontario.I am currently documenting the other Species at Risk to prove their existence.

Lanark county has one type of forest that is uncommon elsewhere in the province-deciduous forest growing upon marble. Proposed site c3953 and adjacent land is such a forest.

I understand the need for cell towers. Early this year a 73.2m cell tower was erected a 6763 Highway 511(less than 3 km from the proposed Rogers site). I was given permission from the landowners at 6763 to provide Rogers with their approval to request co-location of this tower to tie into the proposed towers near Lanark village. There are also several other high points of land that Rogers could select for the proposed tower.

For the sake of all Canadians, forethought is necessary when selecting wireless tower sites and we mustn’t overlook those who cannot protect their habitat such as Species at Risk. I’m asking Rogers to cancel the proposal for tower site c3953 at 7473 Highway 511, Lanark Highlands, ON and to be a leader in Canada by following the example of countries such as Switzerland, Italy, China and Russia who have all set EMR limits 100 times safer than Canada’s. Their guidelines are stricter because they are not solely being based on heating of the body, they also include consideration of other biological effects, such as changes in calcium flux, changes in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier and damage to DNA.

Sincerely,

Gill St-Amour