Stop the Lost Nation Road Cell Tower: There's a Better Way

Verizon and tower developer Vertical Bridge have applied to build a 170-foot cell tower on a wetland site on Lost Nation Road in Northumberland, NH. It is less than 500 meters from residential homes, and directly across from the Cape Horn natural area and Dean Brook Wetlands, two of the most ecologically significant landscapes in our region.

We are not against cell service. We are against this site, this process, and the way this proposal has been pushed through.

*** THE PROBLEM WITH THIS SITE ***

The proposed location sits within 500 meters of multiple homes. This is closer than the minimum recommended distance for a tower of this kind. It is adjacent to the Dean Brook wetland, which the town's own 2014 Master Plan identifies as among Northumberland's most important natural resources, with explicit language calling for its protection from harmful development. Construction, access road building, and water diversion on this site would disturb drainage patterns, threaten local wildlife, disrupt bird migration corridors, and risk permanent damage to a fragile ecosystem that cannot be undone.

Beyond the environmental impact, studies consistently show that properties near visible cell towers lose between 5 and 20 percent of their market value. For neighbors who have lived on this road for decades, that is not an abstract statistic. It is their life savings.

*** THE PROBLEM WITH THIS PROCESS ***

Residents were not properly notified of key meetings. The application was accepted as complete at a meeting that abutting property owners were never informed about, as required by state rules. The Planning Board initially told the community it had no choice but to approve the tower, which is not true. The developers' submitted alternate site analysis was not a genuine exploration of alternatives. Additionally, a Planning Board member with a direct financial interest in a Verizon tower on his own property has declined to recuse himself from this decision.

This is not a process that has served our community. It is a process that has tried to move faster than our community could respond.

*** THERE ARE BETTER OPTIONS ***

Verizon's own FCC filings, submitted under oath, show significant existing coverage in this area. Multiple residents report adequate service from other carriers. Where genuine gaps exist, targeted solutions are available: smaller antennas on existing utility poles, co-location on nearby towers, or directional antenna improvements. If a new tower structure is truly necessary, better sites exist, some already disrupted scenically and accessible for infrastructure.

*** WHAT WE ARE ASKING ***

We are asking the Northumberland Planning Board to:

1. Require a genuine alternate site analysis, one that examines locations not on protected public land, with full methodology and documentation for each site considered.

2. Complete a full environmental review (NEPA) before any permit is granted, given the proximity to protected wetlands.

3. Ensure all procedural requirements have been properly met, including proper notification of abutters and resolution of any conflicts of interest on the board.

4. Hear independent expert testimony before any vote is taken.

5. Reject this application unless and until Verizon demonstrates a genuine, documented need that cannot be met by less intrusive means.

*** WHY YOUR SIGNATURE MATTERS ***

This is happening in a small rural town with a population just over 2,000 residents. Verizon arrived at the Planning Board with a team of engineers and attorneys, ready for a rubber stamp. What they didn't expect was neighbors showing up and stopping the vote.

Your signature tells our Planning Board that this community is watching, and that the people of Northumberland are not alone.

The Planning Board meeting is at 6pm on May 13th in Groveton, NH. All are welcome to attend.

To follow our progress or get in touch: lostnationcommunitynetwork@gmail.com