by Julie Watts and Abigail Sterling,

OAKLAND (KPIX) — Is a cell tower going up in your neighborhood? If it’s not now, it may soon.

Wireless carriers are installing millions of them across the country to enable the new, faster 5G cellphone technology. While many are looking forward to faster cell service, many are also asking: Are there legitimate health concerns?

That question is keeping John Hiestand up at night. Outside his bedroom window he can see a new pole where Verizon will soon install a next-generation cell tower. “This would be a big tower generating lots of RF outside of our bedroom window 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for many years,” he said. It’s called a “small cell” or “distributed antenna system.” The industry says they’re safe. Many in Piedmont aren’t convinced – including the Hiestands. “Our daughter is a cancer survivor,” John Hiestand explained. Thirteen-year-old Sophia Hiestand has been one of many petitioning the city council to deny this cell tower. “I mostly talked about my cancer and how it affected me, even though you’re not supposed to talk about health issues, I still did,” Hiestand said.

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However, according to federal law the city simply can’t consider health concerns. It’s outlined in a small section of the Telecommunications Act, based on science from 1996, back when we were still talking on cellphones that looked like bricks. “I find it really unfair,” said Hiestand.

If cities do consider health, cell companies can sue them.

So, with few legal arguments to deny a tower, they’re popping up outside bedroom windows and school campuses, despite objections from across the country…SNIP

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If American cities do consider health with the 5G rollout, cell companies can sue them!