SMOKE RISE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 870793 STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 30087 ‘UJUIULSMOKERISE.ORG June 4, 2012 Mr. W. Burrell Ellis, Jr. Chief Executive Officer DeKalb County Government 330 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue, 6th Floor Decatur, GA 30030 Dear CEO Ellis: We the undersigned elected Board of Directors of the Smoke Rise Community Association write to voice our opposition to the plan to erect T-Mobile cellular telephone towers on school properties in DeKalb County. We oppose this plan on the grounds of potential adverse health effects of radiofrequency (RF) waves in close association with children unfortunately selectively chosen by school board action to most greatly bear any risk; cellular tower aesthetics and landscape over- saturation; and an interest to preserve property values in our community and county. While we empathize with the plight and challenges of the school board in addressing the fiscal duress of the county school system, we collectively question whether the school board thought this decision through completely given the relatively small financial gain and the unknown health risks from chronic RF wave exposure, particularly in the case of children. Admittedly, there are no good long- term studies of the possible health effects of chronic RF wave exposure on humans of any age. As a consequence, the CDC, National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Environmental Health and Safety, however, all have called for more research in this area. Given that there are known biologic and health sensitivity differences between fully developed adults as compared to children still in the process of maturing for many risks and since research into the RF wave hazards for children generally remains lacking, we question whether DeKalb County wants to be at the forefront of contributing adolescent study subjects essentially to a clinical trial of the biological effect of persistent, close proximity RF wave transmission upon children? It has been said with respect to RF exposure “Where data are scarce, the absence of evidence of harm should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence that no harm exists” (Bulletin of the World Health Association 2010; 88: 887-896; found on the www at: http://www. who. int/bulletin/volumes/88/12/09-071852/en/). In the face of this ambiguity, perhaps our obligation and best guidance is to protect the-most precious and vulnerable among us, our children. As a Board we are likewise concerned that our community is over-saturated with cellular towers as it is, point-out that signal-boosting alternatives to cell towers already exist, and believe that the visual blight of towers may degrade local‘SRCA CELL TOWER LETTER TO CEO ELLIS Fa property values. With respect to Smoke Rise, a recent survey demonstrated that there were six T-Mobile cellular towers within approximately 2 miles of the proposed site at Smoke Rise Elementary Charter School. Are those not sufficient installations particularly in the face of unknown, long-term health effects? Besides, there are alternative technologies to cellular towers. In fact, T-Mobile-compatible dual-band amplifiers and antenna systems are on the market and touted to be effective (see, for example, the PC World article at: http://www. peworld.com/article/138835/new_ways to solve your cell_phone dea d_spots.html). In the end, these structures tower above the tree tops potentially creating an eyesore and are bound to adversely affecting property values and the associated tax digest. Sincerely, Lisa Stone © Treasurer, SRCA Allan Diamonti Past-President J Usp Khemani Eileen Stone cc: Ms. Elaine Boyer (DeKalb County Commission, District 1) Mr. Stan Watson (DeKalb County Commission, Super District 7) Dr. Eugene P. Walker (DeKalb Board of Education Chair)