The wireless/telecom industry just had a bill introduced HB 654 that removes all local control by local jurisditions over cell phone tower siting. This removes our ability to have public hearings and any zoning guidance on the siting of the 4G and 5g cell towers. They could be allowed 10 feet from a house, right near a school, etc. This is part of a comprehensive push across the country by the industry to preempt the wave of citizen progress at the local level, who are pushing back on "densification" of current 4G microwave towers, and adding the untested, ultra-high frequency 5G technology.

MoCo residents successfully fought off two County zoning regulations last year meant to pave the way for the 5G towers in our residential areas, and so now we are facing this bill to remove our ability to even influence our local zoning on this. Many European countries are pulling back from wireless, particularly in schools where wifi is the third leading risk factor for childhood leukemia.

Myself and many people including other Greens such as Theodora Scarato who is a national leader against this microwave technology tsunami, as Executive Director Environmental Health Trust, would appreciate protection of our local communities' ability to control cell tower siting throughout Maryland, as we have had for 30 years.

More on the issue here https://ehtrust.org/
Bill Listing here http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/WEBMGA/frmMain.aspx?id=hb0654&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2019RS

Submitted by Nancy Wallace-Montgomery County Green Party