44°
To the editor:
Putnam County is in the planning stage to build a number of much-needed cell towers throughout Putnam County to enhance communications for emergency services and eliminate most of the dead zones, so that all emergency services can be in constant communication.
The towers will send microwave signal lines from tower to tower, giving our emergency services a much-needed and much better connection. No one can dispute the need, nor is there an effort to stop this plan. However, the placement in Putnam Valley at the county-owned Senior Center is a major concern.
Please note that the town park is adjacent to this site, as well as several residential homes. Some people are concerned about the potential health effects, especially on the developing brains and bodies of children, pregnant women, and a possible cancer threat to the surrounding area. There may be evidence of a possible increase in risk for brain tumors.
Very few human studies have focused specifically on cellular phone towers and cancer risk, so there is no conclusive evidence. But do we want to take the risk or gamble with our seniors and the children that play in the adjacent town park?
At the town meeting on July 20, the board agreed that the need to improve emergency services is essential. One councilwoman expressed her concerns of the possible health risk by locating this tower at the Senior Center adjacent to our town park.
Our supervisor, Sam Oliverio, asked the county representatives to consider a different location with a less dense population. Oliverio offered to give the county a parcel of land on Piano Mountain, which is a town-owned property and is not occupied by residents.
The county said they will consider this location, and asked that the lot and parcel number be given to them so they may present it to the firm hired, as an alternative site.
Dan Vera
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