Say no to cell tower

The Penn Forest Board of Supervisors is considering a proposal for the installation of a new communications tower on township property behind the Municipal Building on Route 903. The purpose of this tower, according to the developer, is to relay financial data between Chicago and New York.

The 440-foot microwave tower will be placed on forested land at the rear of the parking lot. According to the township, “wetlands are not an issue.” Nonetheless this proposal is not without environmental impacts. The township building is situated along forested land that serves as a protective buffer for locally significant wetlands in the vicinity. The forested buffer protects the wetlands from invasive plants and other pollutants that could damage the wetlands. The clearing of land within this forested buffer can and will have an impact on wetlands and other habitats of the surrounding forest.

In addition to the environmental impacts, there are documented health effects associated with the electromagnetic fields and microwave radiation emitted from these towers. Sleep disturbances are often cited as a hazard of living near cell towers. The growing number of towers in our area means that, cumulatively, these towers are having a huge impact.

To sweeten the pot for Penn Forest residents, the township says that “hopefully” a cell service company can link to the tower and provide better service for the residents. Speaking as a resident, my service is just fine, and I do not wish to sacrifice more land and wildlife habitat in the Poconos for the benefit of Wall Street traders and faster download speeds.

Juliet Perrin

Albrightsville