Tools for Local Governments

1. Information Kit for Councils

This editable word document offers Councils an excellent overview of the regulatory, health, privacy, liability, and environmental issues stemming from 5G, and makes suggestions about what governments can do about them. Tailor it and the cover letter it contains to your needs, or fill in the blanks and submit it to support your Presentation to Council. 

2.  A Guide to Awakening Local Governments

From content and format ideas for Presentations, to tips for answering any hard questions you may be asked, this Guide will help you to incite your local representatives to join the Safe Tech Movement.

3.  Getting it wrong in Getting it right: Preparing for 5G deployment in your municipality

What do local governments need to know about the practical, policy and logistical implications 5G will have on your community?  In February 2020, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) published “Getting it Right: Preparing for 5G deployment in your municipality”, a guide that is fraught with inaccuracies and bias.

Our document, “Getting it Wrong in Getting it Right”, addresses these inaccuracies and supports local governments in making well-informed telecommunication decisions.

1. Creating a Proactive Antenna Siting Protocol & Small Cell Licensing Agreement

Designed for local governments, this document contains an overview and specific content suggestions for creating proactive and precautionary antenna siting protocols and small cell licensing agreements. For an editable Word version of this document Click Here.

2.  Checklist for Antenna Siting Protocols

This document:

1. 1. Provides your local government officials with a comprehensive overview of what they should be looking to include in your town/village/city’s Antenna Siting Protocol to better control the local 5G rollout.
   2. Will spark important conversations with your local legislators about how to more effectively safeguard residents from 5G antenna installations.

3. Antenna System Siting Protocol Template – FCM & CWTA

This Antenna Siting Protocol template was developed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA).

All members of CWTA have agreed to adhere to it, although not all Canadian telecoms are CWTA members. Use this template as a base for building your own local Antenna Siting Protocol but be sure to include the content in the documents above to make your policy relevant to microcells and 5G and as protective as federal regulations currently allow.

4. Salt Spring Cellular Antennae Proposal Form

Salt Spring’s antenna siting policy features radiation protection standards that are several times more protective than Health Canada’s.

5. Toronto’s Prudent Avoidance Policy on Siting Telecommunication Towers and Antennas

Toronto’s policy that features radiation protection standards that are several times more protective than Health Canada’s.

1. Model 5G Resolution for Canada based on the Appeal

The Model 5G Resolution for Canada is based on the Suspend 5G Appeal launched by CALM and other organizations across Canada in May 2020. It is a comprehensive resolution that local governments can adapt, adopt and send to the federal government to ask for a revamping of federal policies that do not offer Canadians choice about wireless exposures or protect us from 5G-related harm.

2. 5G Resolution Canada

Safe Tech activists in towns like Easton, Connecticut have successfully used this sample resolution to get local leaders to place a moratorium on the rollout of 5G.

1. Letter Sent by Pitt Meadows, BC Council to MP

In July 2018, the Council of Pitt Meadows, BC sent this excellent letter to their MP, voicing concern about cell antenna placement in their community, Safety Code 6, Radiofrequency radiation and 5G.

2. Letter written by CWTA to Mayor of County of Renfrew, Ontario

In Canada, if a local government refused to allow microcells, the telecom would likely turn to ISED for arbitration, as revealed in this letter written to the mayor of the County of Renfrew, Ontario in 2014 by the industry lobby group the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA).

3. Response to Crown Castle Application by Village of Western Springs

Some towns in the United States are having success with denying Small Cell permits based on technicalities. In December 2019 the town of Western Springs, Illinois sent a letter to Crown Castle, saying its application for installing 5G antennas was incomplete and deficient. The village identified more than 30 issues with the paperwork, causing Crown Castle to withdraw its application. This is a good template for other towns wishing to hold back small cells.

4.   Final Report of the Commission to Study the Environmental and Health Effects of Evolving 5G Technology

In this groundbreaking document, New Hampshire formulates 15 recommendations to inform and protect the public.The Majority report is contained in the first 17 pages, and the bulk of the document contains supporting appendices and meeting minutes. On pages 5 and 6 of 11 at the end of the document (Appendix O), Commission members Ricciardi and Heroux counter several oft-repeated points of misinformation on the health effects of wireless radiation.

5. Minutes from the Dec 13, 2019 meeting of the New Hampshire COMMISSION TO STUDY THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH EFFECTS OF EVOLVING 5G TECHNOLOGY

These minutes document an amazing discussion on 5G that took place between politicians and experts at a meeting of the New Hampshire Commission.

At the meeting, politicians discuss the U.S. regulatory body the FCC, industry influence, and 5G and its many associated problems in a manner that demonstrates how elected leaders who have the political will may protect their community’s wellbeing.

6.  New York State Lawmakers Want Answers on 5G Health Effects

In March 2021, members of the New York legislature introduced a bill calling for a formal investigation into the risks, both health and environmental, of all wireless radiation, but especially that from 5G technology. This special commission is slated to report its findings to the legislature by June of 2022.

7. Cincinnati Passes Motion to Explore Methods of Regulating the Proliferation of 5G Small Cells

In March 2021, the City of Cincinnati, passed a motion stating that due to thousands of 5G small cell towers being placed on city streets, the City needs to consider ways to regulate them, even though the state of Ohio eliminated local control over small cells in 2018.

1. Filing a Freedom of Information Request to a Local Government in Canada

Instructions for how to file Freedom of Information Requests to learn about 5G, microcell and smart city plans, as well as liability issues where you live in Canada.

2. 5G Freedom of Information Request Template for Councils in Canada

Use this editable word Freedom of Information Request Template to learn about the 5G, public WIFI and “Smart City” plans and projects underway where you live.

3. Insurance and Liability Freedom of Information Request Template for Councils in Canada

Use this editable Freedom of Information Request Template to learn if your Council has allowed the installation of uninsured infrastructure where you live. If the Telecom installing the equipment does not have coverage for damages resulting from wireless infrastructure and electromagnetic fields and radiation, then your Council must have a policy that covers this. If they do not, they will be financially liable for any lawsuits resulting from this uninsured wireless infrastructure.