The New Hampshire House introduced Bill 1487 “An ACT relative to the health effects of 5G technology” which calls for educating the public on the health risks of wireless radiation, ensuring cell towers are at least 500 meters from homes and schools and replacing Wi-Fi with non wireless technology in schools.
- Watch the January 30, 2024 hearing on the bill here.
- Watch discussion on the bill on February 6, 2024 here.
- Link to submitted testimony
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This page has details of the bill plus how to submit testimony as well as an action alert to send a letter to New Hampshire lawmakers.
The New Hampshire House introduced Bill 1487 “An ACT relative to the health effects of 5G technology” states:
“Findings. The general court strongly encourages the state to move forward with the deployment of fiber optic cable connectivity, internal wired connections, and optical wireless to serve all commercial and public properties statewide. The general court further strongly encourages health care facilities to establish RF-radiation free zones where employees and visitors can seek refuge from the effects of wireless RF-radiation.”
New Hampshire House Bill 1487 states that the department of environmental services shall:
- Include links on the departmental website that contains information about radiofrequency radiation (RF-radiation) from all sources, including from 5G small cells deployed on public rights-of-way. Such information shall also contain guidance on the proper use of cell phones to minimize exposure to RF-radiation.
- Make public service announcements on radio, television, print media, and the Internet to warn of the health risks associated with radiation exposure, including warnings concerning newborns, children, and pregnant women.
- Develop exposure warning signs for posting in commercial and public buildings concerning RF-radiation levels.
- Require that every pole or other structure in the public rights-of-way holding a 5G antenna to be labeled indicating RF-radiation being emitted from the antenna. Such label shall be posted at eye level and printed in such a way that it is legible from 9 feet away.
- Adopt rules under RSA 541-A relative to performing RF-radiation frequency signal strength measurements in areas around wireless facilities in order to evaluate signal characteristics known to be deleterious to human health. Such rules shall take into account the impulsive nature of high-data-rate radiation that a growing body of evidence shows as having a significantly greater negative impact on human health than does continuous radiation. Such rules shall enable the summative effects of multiple radiation sources to be measured. Such rules shall consider safety limits that shall protect trees, plants, birds, insects, and pollinators from damage by RF-radiation exposure.
- Publish a continually updated map of RF-radiation exposure levels across the state using data submitted by certified home inspectors under RSA 310-A:190.
Home inspectors shall be trained to measure the intensity of RF-radiation when doing inspections. Home inspectors shall send measurements of RF-radiation to the department of environmental services for publication on a map of state exposure levels under RSA 12-K:15, VI.
Wireless antennas should not be less than 500 meters away from a residence, business, or school.
Measures to reducing Wi-Fi exposure to children in schools
- The board shall develop a plan to be implemented in every school district to migrate from wireless Internet connections for computers, laptops, tablets, and other wireless devices to Internet connections that are either hard-wired or optical connections within 5 years of the effective date of this section.
- A chartered public school shall develop a plan to migrate from wireless Internet connections for computers, laptops, tablets, and other wireless devices to Internet connections that are either hard-wired or optical connections within 5 years of the effective date of this section.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Action: 2024-01-22 – Public Hearing: 01/30/2024 11:00 am Legislative Office Building 302-304
Pending: House Science, Technology and Energy Committee
Hearing: Jan 30 @ 11:00 am in Legislative Office Building 302-304
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [HTML]
https://legiscan.com/NH/text/HB1487/id/2864614
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Statement by Dr. Devra Davis, Ph.D, MPH President of Environmental Health Trust and Theodora Scarato , Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust
Environmental Health Trust applauds New Hampshire lawmakers for putting forward legislation to protect the public and environment. An ever growing body of scientific evidence documents adverse effects from RF radiation at exposure levels well below FCC limits with research findings that include cancer, the induction of oxidative stress, epigenetic effects, impacts to neurotransmitters, memory, brain development and damage to the immune, endocrine, hematological and reproductive system. Further, studies have found impacts to tree canopy, plant growth, pollinator health and the orientation, migration and breeding of wildlife. The science clearly indicates that wireless networks create harmful interference in humans as well as flora and fauna.
Hundreds of experts worldwide are recommending policies that reduce wireless radiation to the public and environment. Scarato pointed to recommendations of the Santa Clara Medical Association Best Practices for Technology in Schools, the New Hampshire Commission and the EMF Scientist Appeal.
Yet the Federal Communication Commission’s RF human exposure limits remain almost entirely unchanged since 1996 and they are designed only to protect against heating effects of short term exposures, not biological impacts from long term exposure.
On August 13, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in our case against the FCC that its refusal to update its human exposure limits (which includes cell tower emissions) was “arbitrary and capricious.” One of the most important aspects of the court decision was that the court found the FCC did not adequately explain why it ignored scientific evidence on impacts from long term wireless radiation exposure, especially in regards to children and the environment. The court ordered the FCC to examine the record evidence regarding long term exposure to children. So far, the FCC has not responded. Thus, this landmark ruling highlights how no federal health agency has reviewed the full body of current research to ensure current safety standards are protective.
Environmental Health Trust Executive Director Theodora Scarato presented a scientific poster on children, cell phone radiation, law and policy at the Digital Media and Developing Minds 2023 Congress held in Washington DC with the Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development as well as to the American Public Health Association Conference.
In 2019 the New Hampshire government passed House Bill 522 “An act establishing a commission to study the environmental and health effects of evolving 5G technology.” The Commission released its Final Report on Commission to Study the Environmental and Health Effects of Evolving 5G Technology in 2020 with findings that safety assurance for wireless technology “come into question because of the thousands of peer-reviewed studies documenting deleterious health effects associated with cellphone radiation exposure.” In its report the Commission issued 15 recommendations and House Bill 1487 contains most of these recommendations.
Scarato pointed to the following expert recommendations:
- The Santa Clara Medical Association Best Practices for Technology in schools recommends reducing Wi-Fi exposure and restricting cell towers near schools.
- The California Department of Health released an advisory on how to reduce cell phone radiation stating children may be more at risk and “Although the science is still evolving, some laboratory experiments and human health studies have suggested the possibility that long-term, high use of cell phones may be linked to certain types of cancer and other health effects.” Recommendations include, “Parents should consider reducing the time their children use cell phones and encourage them to turn the devices off at night.”
- The Maryland State Children’s Environmental Health And Protection Advisory Council, whose 19 member Commission includes experts in public health, pediatricians, state health and environment agencies and legislators issued a report recommending reducing wireless exposure to children in schools and homes.
