Acknowledging that the health effects of locating a Verizon mobile phone tower on school grounds have not been definitively proven, we believe there is more than enough evidence in the peer-reviewed literature to warrant caution and demand that no cell tower be placed within 1500 feet of Houghton Elementary school grounds.

The WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a non-profit professional organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical sub-specialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults asked the FCC to reassess current policy.

Although the science is emerging and not yet definitive, a recent major review recommend as a general guideline that cell base stations should not be located less than 1500 feet from the population and at a height of 150 feet. Verizon has proposed a 75 foot high cell tower base station in the approximate location indicated by the red dot in the map below. The green circle is radius of 457m = 1500 feet.

As a precaution until the science has proven cumulative increases in electromagnetic radiation from cell towers is safe we demand Verizon find another location for their cell tower.

The articles below represent a sampling of the peer-reviewed literature providing strong indications of negative health effects caused by mobile phone base stations. Study descriptions and major findings are summarized by bullet points. Citations as of May 2015 are provided from Google Scholar to indicate awareness of the problem in the general scientific and medical community. For those wishing a more in depth discussion - many more articles are available from the lists cited in the review articles.

Khurana, V. G., Hardell, L., Everaert, J., Bortkiewicz, A., Carlberg, M., & Ahonen, M. (2010). Epidemiological evidence for a health risk from mobile phone base stations. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health,16(3), 263-267. Cited:50

• - Identified 10 epidemiological studies that assessed for putative health effects of mobile phone base stations. 
• - 7 of these studies explored the association between base station proximity and neurobehavioral effects and three investigated cancer. 
• - 8 of the 10 studies reported increased prevalence of adverse neurobehavioral symptoms or cancer in populations living at distances < 500 meters (1640 ft) from base stations. 
• - None of the studies reported exposure above accepted international guidelines, suggesting that current guidelines may be inadequate in protecting the health of human populations.

Levitt, B. B., & Lai, H. (2010). Biological effects from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell tower base stations and other antenna arrays. Environmental Reviews, 18(NA), 369-395. Cited by 38

• - Major review of health effects from cell tower base stations
• - Both anecdotal reports and some epidemiology studies have found headaches, skin rashes, sleep disturbances, depression, decreased libido, increased rates of suicide, concentration problems, dizziness, memory changes, increased risk of cancer, tremors, and other neurophysiological effects in populations near base stations. 
• - Deployment of base stations should be kept as efficient as possible to avoid exposure of the public to unnecessary high levels of RFR. As a general guideline, cell base stations should not be located less than 1500 ft (500 m) from the population, and at a height of about 150 ft (50 m).

Hardell, L., & Sage, C. (2008). Biological effects from electromagnetic field exposure and public exposure standards. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy,62(2), 104-109. Cited 207

• - The BioInitiative Report is based on an international research and public policy initiative to give an overview of what is known of biological effects that occur at low-intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs) exposure. 
• - Health endpoints reported to be associated with ELF and/or RF include childhood leukaemia, brain tumours, genotoxic effects, neurological effects and neurodegenerative diseases, immune system deregulation, allergic and inflammatory responses, breast cancer, miscarriage and some cardiovascular effects. 
• - Concluded that a reasonable suspicion of risk exists based on clear evidence of bioeffects at environmentally relevant levels, which, with prolonged exposures may reasonably be presumed to result in health impacts.

Abdel-Rassoul, G., El-Fateh, O. A., Salem, M. A., Michael, A., Farahat, F., El-Batanouny, M., & Salem, E. (2007). Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations. Neurotoxicology, 28(2), 434-440. Cited 152

• - The prevalence of neuropsychiatric complaints as headache (23.5%), memory changes (28.2%), dizziness (18.8%), tremors (9.4%), depressive symptoms (21.7%), and sleep disturbance (23.5%) were significantly higher among exposed inhabitants than controls: (10%), (5%), (5%), (0%), (8.8%) and (10%), respectively (P < 0.05). 
• - Inhabitants living nearby mobile phone base stations are at risk for developing neuropsychiatric problems and some changes in the performance of neurobehavioral functions either by facilitation or inhibition. 
• - Revision of standard guidelines for public exposure to RER from mobile phone base station antennas and using of NBTB for regular assessment and early detection of biological effects among inhabitants around the stations are recommended.

Hutter, H. P., Moshammer, H., Wallner, P., & Kundi, M. (2006). Subjective symptoms, sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations. Occupational and Environmental Medicine,63(5), 307-313. Cited:218

• - From exposure from mobile phone base stations is orders of magnitude below current guideline levels. 
• - Self‐reported symptoms like headache and difficulties in concentrating show an association with microwave exposure from base stations, not attributable to subjects' fear of health effects from these sources.

Wolf, R., & Wolf, D. (2004). Increased incidence of cancer near a cell-phone transmitter station. International Journal of Cancer Prevention, 1(2), 123-128. Cited 73

• - The study indicates an association between increased incidence of cancer and living in proximity to a cell-phone transmitter station.
• - A comparison of the relative risk revealed that there were 4.15 times more cancer cases in cellphone tower area than in the entire population.