GOVERNMENT: NEW COMMUNICATIONS TOWERS RAISING QUESTIONS

Sharon Kirchhoff was at the Cape Girardeau Public Library Friday searching for answers to her questions about possible health risks associated with the cellular telephone communications towers that seem to be blooming everywhere in the region. Her immediate concern is a tower going up about 60 feet from her son's house along County Road 635 north of Cape Girardeau.

She's worried about his 8-month-old infant and 5-year-old daughter.

Studies of the risks of increased cancer due to exposure to electric or magnetic fields so far have found no relationship.

Monday, the Jackson Board of Aldermen will take up the issue of whether to allow a Sprint communications tower to be built on East Jackson Boulevard. The board tabled the decision three weeks ago after the president of a nearby business told them some of his employees are concerned about possible health risks.

The board asked its staff for assurances that the tower will comply with Federal Communications Commission regulations.

David Warren, president of Envronmental Analysis South Inc. in Jackson, said part of the concern is that the business is only 180 feet from the site of the proposed tower. The company is an environmental testing laboratory.

"My employees have enough risks they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis," Warren says. "But if it's safe I don't have a concern."

The company moved from Cape Girardeau to the location at 4000 E. Jackson Boulevard Sept. 1.

Jim Roach, the city's public works director, said the city asked the subcontractor, Roberts Companies, to provide proof that the tower has been approved by the FCC. "We haven't received that," he said.

The company did forward an FCC report on human exposure to radiofrequency fields from cellular transmitters.

"Measurements made near typical cellular and Personal Communications Service installations have shown that ground-level power densities are well below limits recommended by RF/microwave safety standards," the FCC says.

Kirchhoff plans to acquire a gauss meter to measure the before and after electromagnetic radiation on her son's property.

"The main thing is safety," she said.