Preserve our residential community from hazardous, unsightly wireless antennas!

AT&T has proposed to install a 46-foot cell tower near 6324-6300 Farm Bureau Road in Allentown, PA. The proposed facility is directly adjacent to a residential area and, if approved, would be located less than 46 feet from all property lines.

Cingular Wireless, doing business as AT&T, wants the Township Zoning Board of Adjustment to grant two variances to the current Township ordinance.

According to subsection R1 of Section 27-402 of the Township of Upper Macungie, Pennsylvania's Municipal Zoning Code, "A commercial communications tower shall be set back a minimum distance equal to its height from all lot lines and existing street right-of-way lines."

In this instance, and as stated above, the proposed facility is 46-feet tall. We believe that the Zoning Board and Cingular Wireless can find a more appropriate, alternate location for the proposed installation that will both comply with the Township's rules and not directly impact the aesthetic integrity of our residential area. Furthermore, the proposed location does not provide a sufficient "fall zone" if the tower was to fall or to get damaged (i.e., strong winds, ice storm, etc.). As such, granting the variance for this tower could endanger neighboring properties and persons traveling along Farm Bureau Road.

According to subsection R3 of Section 27-402 of the Township's Zoning Code, "The base of a freestanding tower shall be surrounded by a secure fence with a minimum height of eight feet."

Given that the proposed installation site is just outside a residential neighborhood, not fencing in the facility is unreasonable and not practical.

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While we understand that the Township cannot deny this proposed installation on the basis of health and environmental concerns, it is important to note the following information about wireless telecommunications infrastructure:

• The Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) public human radio frequency (RF) microwave radiation (“wireless radiation”) exposure limits were adopted over 25 years ago and fail to consider the widely documented adverse biological effects associated with exposure to wireless radiation, the same type of radiation emitted by 5G wireless antennas and devices. A federal lawsuit against the FCC is currently underway challenging the Commission's outdated and insufficient wireless radiation exposure guidelines.

• The FCC has dismissed the results of the U.S. National Toxicology Program’s recently completed $30 million-dollar study which found “clear evidence” of cancer associated with exposure to wireless radiation. In addition, thousands of other independent scientific studies have linked exposure with neurological problems, reproductive health complications, and serious disease.

• Scientists and medical professionals are not the only experts waving a red flag when it comes to wireless radiation and 5G. Swiss Re, the second-largest re-insurance company in the world, classified 5G as a “high impact” liability risk in its 2019 SONAR Emerging Risks report. Interestingly, telecommunications companies cannot obtain commercial liability insurance for health risks and/or personal injuries associated with electromagnetic fields emitted by their equipment.

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Thank you for your consideration of our concerns. We look forward to speaking at the hearing on July 28th at 6:30pm.