Friday, April 9, 2010

Resolution on radiation protection

This resolution was ADOPTED on 3/23/2010 by the Board of Supervisors of the City and
County of San Francisco


FILE NO. 100043
1 [Potential Health Impacts of Wireless Facilities]
2
RESOLUTION NO.
/O;;L-/O
3 Resolution urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study the health
4 impacts of wireless facilities and, if appropriate, to establish a safe level of exposure to
5 radio frequency radiation emissions; urging the Federal Communications Commission
6 to update its existing standards; and urging the California Congressional Delegation to
7 introduce federal legislation to repeal limitations on state and local authority imposed
8 by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
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10 WHEREAS, The health and safety of our residents are fundamental concerns of the
11 San Francisco Board of Supervisors; and
12 WHEREAS, There continues to be considerable debate and uncertainty within the
13 scientific community as to the potential health effects to individuals, especially children, from
14 exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic and radio-frequency radiation, and
15 .WHEREAS, The desire of the wireless companies to market new wireless services has
16 since led to a proliferation of cellular facilities targeting residential areas and areas near
17 schools, and
18 WHEREAS, Section 704 of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 preempts
19 local communities from regulating the placement, construction, and modification of personal
20 wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects of radio-frequency
21 emissions to the extent that the proposed facilities comply with the Federal Communications
22 Commission regulations concerning such emissions, and
23 WHEREAS, Based upon new and emerging scientific evidence there continues to be
24 considerable debate as to the adequacy of existing public exposure standards including those
25 promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission, and
Supervisor David Campos, John Avalos, Carmen chu, Eric Mar
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Page 1
01/13/2010
1 WHEREAS, The scientific community and most health officials agree that more
2 research is needed to provide a definitive answer as to the effects of extremely low frequency
3 electromagnetic and radio-frequency radiation on our health and recommend the prudent
4 avoidance of equipment which generates non-ionizing radiation, and
5 WHEREAS, The full Parliament of the European Union has raised concerns about the
6 exposure of children and young people to electromagnetic fields and continuing uncertainties
7 about possible health risks; and therefore, adopted on April 2, 2009 a resolution encouraging
8 1) the establishment of setback criteria for wireless antennas, mobile phone masts and other
9 electromagnetic emitting devices to be set within a specific distance from schools and health
10 institutions, 2) stricter regulations and protections for residents and Consumers and 3) more
11 reliable information be made available about the effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields
12 to citizens in an effort to prevent a "proliferation of poorly positioned masts and transmitters,"
13 and
14 WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission is obliged to conduct periodic
15 reviews of current research and analysis of the health implications associated with radio-
16 frequency exposures in cooperation with industry, agency, and organizations responsible for
17 community health and safety to ensure exposure guidelines are appropriate and scientifically
18 valid, now, therefore, be it
19 RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors urges the U.S.
20 Environmental Protection Agency to perform the appropriate research and experimentation to
21 determine the effects of non-ionizing radiation on the health of adults and children and, if
22 appropriate, establish a safe level of exposure, and be it
23 FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors urges the
24 Federal Communications Commission to pursue a comprehensive global analysis of best
25
Supervisor David Campos, John Avalos, Carmen Chu
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Page 2
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1 practices and scientific evidence in order to update its existing standards and to adequately
2 measure the health impacts of wireless facilities, and be it
3 FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors encourages the
4 California Congressional delegation to introduce federal legislation to repeal limitations on
5 state and local authority imposed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that infringe upon
6 the authority of local governments to regulate the placement, construction and modification of
7 telecommunications towers and other personal wireless services facilities on the basis of the
8 health and environmental effects of these facilities, and be it
9 FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors hereby directs
10 the Clerk of the Board to send a copy of this resolution to the offices of Senator Barbara
11 Boxer, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, the
12 Federal Communications Commission, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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Supervisor David Campos, John Avalos, Carmen Chu
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Page 3
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City and County of San Francisco
Tails
Resolution
City Hall
J Dr. CarltonB. GoodlettPlace
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
File Number: 100043 Date Passed: March 23, 2010
Resolution urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study the health impacts of wireless
facilities and, if appropriate, to establish a safe level of exposure to radiofrequency radiation emissions;
urging the Federal Communications Commission to update its existing standards; and urging the
California Congressional Delegation to introduce federal legislation to repeal limitations on state and
local authority imposed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996,
March 23, 2010 Board of Supervisors - ADOPTED
Ayes: 10 - Avalos, Campos, Chiu, Chu, Daly, Dufty, Elsbernd, Mar, Maxwell and
Mirkarimi
Excused: 1 - Alioto-Pier
File No.1 00043 I hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution was ADOPTED on 3/23/2010 by
the Board of Supervisors of the City and
County of San Francisco.
~...g~~
Angela Calvillo
Clerk of the Board
Mayor Gavin Newsom
City ami County ofSalt Francisco Page4 Printed at 9:23 am 011 3/24/10