To: Board of Selectmen, Shelburne MA
No Electromagnetic Pollution from the Shelburne Fire Tower
Victory! The creator of this petition declared the campaign a success. You can still sign the petition to show support.
Deny Hilltown Networks' proposal to add another layer of electrosmog to our region by broadcasting wireless internet signal from the Fire Tower, raising EMF levels for the majority of residents who already have a wired high-speed connection. Instead, continue your long-standing work to provide wired high speed internet for all residents.
Why is this important?
The Town of Shelburne, the Village of Shelburne Falls and the surrounding Hilltowns are still relatively healthy places to live. But we are in the midst of a major build out of antennas by AT&T and others who are willing to disregard the research demonstrating serious health damage from wireless radiation (EMF) in the name of "universal coverage" while continually redefining what is "adequate" coverage (3G, 4G, etc.).
Now a local entrepreneur named Christopher Gray wants to install antennas in our communities to provide wireless internet signal through his company Hilltown Networks. While we certainly want to do as much of our spending locally as possible, it can not come with health costs for the entire community - including anyone who does not need Mr. Gray's services but is unfortunate enough to live within line of sight of the Shelburne fire tower where he wants to install one of his antennas in exchange for providing free internet service to Town Hall OR unfortunate enough to live next door to someone who becomes a Hilltown Networks customer and will receive radiation from his or her neighbor's receiver as it continuously searches for signal with its' own signal (cell phones work the same way).
Some relevant points:
1. There are now more than 6,000 independent studies which demonstrate biological harm from high frequency radiation (EMF/RF).
2. The vast majority of people whose health would be impacted by another source of EMF through Mr. Gray's proposal already have access to high speed wired internet through Comcast (ie, all the residents of the village of Shelburne Falls and people who live along Route 2). The Shelburne Cable Advisory Board and others have been working for years for a town-owned wired solution which can happen if we don't "settle" (see link below for how Shelburne citizens can advocate for this).
3. Although there are certainly people in Shelburne Center who would take Mr. Gray up on his offer, there are, no doubt, many others who would not appreciate another uninvited source of electromagnetic pollution.
4. There will be no end to the wireless proposals coming to one Board or another in Shelburne. The Mass Department of Utilities ordered WMECO and other utilities to install "smart meters" on every residents' home on June 12th. Given the challenge that the town is going to face to provide a relatively safe environment for its' residents as these mandates/proposals continue to come in, the sooner the town is able to develop its' own sense of ideal levels of EMF exposure and from which sources we are willing to tolerate this exposure, the better. Given the big picture, saying yes to Mr. Gray when we are closer than we've ever been to a wired Comcast or town-owned solution would not be in the best interest of the majority of residents - particularly children whose thinner skulls and developing nervous systems make them especially vulnerable.
For collected EMF resources and a special link to advocacy tools for Shelburne residents (other citizens in similar situations are also invited to use them), please visit: www.ptco.org/emf
Now a local entrepreneur named Christopher Gray wants to install antennas in our communities to provide wireless internet signal through his company Hilltown Networks. While we certainly want to do as much of our spending locally as possible, it can not come with health costs for the entire community - including anyone who does not need Mr. Gray's services but is unfortunate enough to live within line of sight of the Shelburne fire tower where he wants to install one of his antennas in exchange for providing free internet service to Town Hall OR unfortunate enough to live next door to someone who becomes a Hilltown Networks customer and will receive radiation from his or her neighbor's receiver as it continuously searches for signal with its' own signal (cell phones work the same way).
Some relevant points:
1. There are now more than 6,000 independent studies which demonstrate biological harm from high frequency radiation (EMF/RF).
2. The vast majority of people whose health would be impacted by another source of EMF through Mr. Gray's proposal already have access to high speed wired internet through Comcast (ie, all the residents of the village of Shelburne Falls and people who live along Route 2). The Shelburne Cable Advisory Board and others have been working for years for a town-owned wired solution which can happen if we don't "settle" (see link below for how Shelburne citizens can advocate for this).
3. Although there are certainly people in Shelburne Center who would take Mr. Gray up on his offer, there are, no doubt, many others who would not appreciate another uninvited source of electromagnetic pollution.
4. There will be no end to the wireless proposals coming to one Board or another in Shelburne. The Mass Department of Utilities ordered WMECO and other utilities to install "smart meters" on every residents' home on June 12th. Given the challenge that the town is going to face to provide a relatively safe environment for its' residents as these mandates/proposals continue to come in, the sooner the town is able to develop its' own sense of ideal levels of EMF exposure and from which sources we are willing to tolerate this exposure, the better. Given the big picture, saying yes to Mr. Gray when we are closer than we've ever been to a wired Comcast or town-owned solution would not be in the best interest of the majority of residents - particularly children whose thinner skulls and developing nervous systems make them especially vulnerable.
For collected EMF resources and a special link to advocacy tools for Shelburne residents (other citizens in similar situations are also invited to use them), please visit: www.ptco.org/emf