August 24, 2020
The Honorable Ajit Pai
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554

Dear Chairman Pai:

I am once again writing to you regarding what I believe are misguided 5G deployment regulations
adopted by the FCC in September 2018. As you know, these regulations overrode the longstanding
relationship between cellular companies and communities in which they operate. What you may not be
aware of is the devasting impact they are having on those communities, especially those that are located
in densely populated areas such as my district. Residents of the towns and villages I represent have raised
many and varied legitimate concerns. Some of the concerns I share are as follows:
• By overturning the longstanding relationship between companies and communities, the FCC has
turned approval of cell tower installations into nothing more than a ministerial duty. There is
absolutely no incentive for the cell companies to work with the communities to place these towers
in the least offensive location that serves the interest of both parties. There is no incentive for cell
companies to explore nearby alternatives that may be more suited for a particular
community.

Mayors, Supervisors and other locally elected officials know their
communities. Their input can make the difference between a successful or acrimonious
relationship. Their relationships with local individuals, businesses and organizations can open
doors and present opportunities that benefit all parties. But by tipping the scale in favor of cellular
communities, these opportunities for a win-win resolution are lost.
For example, Extenet, which has been hired by Verizon to install cell towers throughout my
district, has sued the Town of North Hempstead and the Villages of Lake Success, Flower Hill,
Plandome and Plandome Manor over cell node installations in residential neighborhoods. Instead
of working with local municipalities, the company is forcing its business plans upon communities
with little regard for the legitimate concerns of their citizens. There is no effort to compromise or
find a workable solution.

• Home ownership is part of the American dream and usually takes many years of savings to become
a reality. The placement of a cell tower in front of a home immediately decreases the value of that
property. In my district, a modest home costs more than $600,000. It takes many years for most
families to save for their down payment. It is devastating to see that investment and hard work
dismissed at the whim of a cell company that is quick to install their systems before moving on to
the next community.
• This problem is exacerbated in densely populate neighborhoods, such as the ones found in my
district. Many lots are less than a quarter acre. The buy-in of local communities is especially
important in these cases.
• As noted in my April 16, 2019 letter to you, many families have concerns regarding the health
impacts of cell towers. The FCC has done nothing to alleviate these concerns. Since 1996,
communities have not been able to take human exposure to RF energy into consideration when
reviewing applications for cell towers. Even though the technology has developed greatly over
the past 24 years, the FCC has not released any updated reports definitively showing that exposure
is not a problem. This feeling of vulnerability was heightened by the release of a study by the
National Toxicology Program (NTP) in November 2018 which linked RF radiation used in 2G and
3G networks to cancerous growths in rats. While this study does not apply to 4G or 5G, it does
raise concerns that have not been publicly addressed by NTP, FCC or any other federal agency.
While 5G technology is expected to yield significant long-term consumer, industrial, and economic
benefits, its impact on communities should be of grave concern to the FCC.

It is to many of us in Congress who have cosponsored H.R. 530 which would restore traditional over-site responsibilities to local government. This one size fits all communities across the United States is wrong. I strong urge the FCC to roll back its September 2018 regulations, thus allowing communities to have input into the cellular networks located within their borders.

With kindest regards, I am
Sincerely,
Thomas R. Suozzi
Member of Congress
TRS:csr