Cellphone towers near schools pose safety issues

To the editor:

I never thought I would be one of those people writing a letter to the editor. I am hoping to inform the concerned parents of Knik and Goose Bay elementary schools of what the Mat-Su Borough is going to allow on school property.

I received a notice in the mail from the Mat-Su Borough stating that it was going to erect a 130-foot cellphone tower. The initial installation will include three panel antennas and up to four microwave dishes. The site that Verizon Wireless has requested to build this cellphone tower on is on the northwest corner of Goose Bay Elementary School.

This is only 400 feet away from the school and right next to Hollywood Road, as well as a major entrance to the school. A quarter-mile is considered the minimum safe distance to be away from people on a continuous basis. This is a big safety issue on several levels. First, if there is an earthquake this tower can easily block Hollywood Road and one of the access roads into and out of the school. This tower can roll down the hill and injure children at the school.

All cellphone towers emit electromagnetic radiation, and this tower will also have four microwave dishes. Children are the most susceptible to this form of radiation, and there is a high incidence of leukemia and other cancers when located close to these towers. Many municipalities have ordinances of how close a cellphone tower can be to residential areas and the general public; they have specific setback requirements as well. I could not come across one case where a cellphone tower was put on school property.

Allowing the Mat-Su Borough to put a cellphone tower on school property is setting a bad precedent and will have long-term health effects on our young children. The borough should be in the role of protecting our children and its residents. I encourage concerned parents to write their assembly members to protest locating cellphone towers on school property.

The borough has other close-by lands that meet the minimum safe distance requirements and don’t endanger our children’s health. You can find more particulars about lease No. MSB006636 on the borough’s website.

Adelane Kelly

Anchorage