A Law Ignored, A Nation at Risk
In the fight to restore scientific integrity and public safety, the conversation about funding the EPA for non-ionizing radiation research is not a matter of opinion—it’s the law.
Public Law 90-602, signed in 1968, mandates that the federal government must continually study and update safety standards for radiation exposure, including non-ionizing radiation (RF and microwave radiation). This is not a recommendation, a guideline, or an optional program—it is a federal law passed by Congress and signed by the President.
Yet, no agency is following it.
- The National Toxicology Program (NTP) shut down its RF research.
- The FDA refuses to pick up the slack.
- The EPA, which once had a role in non-ionizing radiation oversight, was defunded from studying it in the 1990s.
- The FCC, a telecommunications regulator with zero medical expertise, is the only federal body setting RF exposure guidelines.
This is illegal. The government cannot simply ignore a law because it is inconvenient for corporate interests or because funding priorities have shifted. Public Law 90-602 must be enforced. Congress needs to step up and demand that an agency—whether the EPA, FDA, or a newly designated scientific body—conducts ongoing, independent research into the biological effects of RF radiation.
The Legal Obligation: Public Law 90-602 and Its Congressional Mandate
What is Public Law 90-602?
Passed in 1968, Public Law 90-602, also called the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act, was designed to ensure that all forms of radiation, including non-ionizing radiation, were studied and regulated for public safety. It directed federal agencies to:
- Conduct ongoing research on radiation risks.
- Update safety standards based on emerging science.
- Inform and educate the public about radiation hazards.
The law never expired. It remains a binding legal mandate.
What the Law Requires (and What’s Being Ignored)
Public Law 90-602 does not say, “Study radiation when it’s convenient.” It says:
- The federal government must ensure that radiation safety standards are based on up-to-date scientific research.
- Regulatory agencies must conduct ongoing studies to determine how radiation affects human health.
- Congress has an obligation to fund these studies and ensure public safety is protected.
The shutdown of RF radiation research at the NTP and the defunding of the EPA’s role in this field are clear violations of this law. There is no legally valid reason why RF radiation studies have stopped.
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) Shut Down Its RF Radiation Research—Why?
The NTP’s Groundbreaking Findings
The NTP’s 2018 study on RF radiation and cancer was one of the most significant government-funded studies ever conducted on cell phone radiation. It found:
- “Clear evidence” of carcinogenic effects in animals exposed to RF radiation.
- DNA damage in multiple organs, contradicting the claim that non-ionizing radiation cannot harm DNA.
- Heart tumors, brain gliomas, and increased oxidative stress in exposed groups.
Despite these findings, the FDA dismissed the study and shut down further investigation.
The FDA’s Illegal Inaction
The FDA is legally responsible for enforcing Public Law 90-602, yet it has refused to follow up on the NTP study.
- Instead of responding with further research, the FDA ignored the findings and pressured the NTP to stop RF research altogether.
- The decision to halt NTP research was political, not scientific.
This is a direct violation of the law. The FDA does not have the authority to ignore its legal obligation to study radiation risks.
The EPA’s Defunding: A Political Move, Not a Scientific One
The EPA’s Original Role in RF Research
Before it was defunded from non-ionizing radiation oversight in the 1990s, the EPA:
- Conducted scientific studies on RF radiation exposure.
- Published reports on biological effects beyond heating, including neurological and immune system impacts.
- Advised policymakers on setting exposure limits that protected public health.
The Telecom Industry’s Influence
The push to defund the EPA’s RF research coincided with the rapid expansion of the telecommunications industry:
- The FCC took over RF exposure limits, despite having no medical or scientific expertise.
- The EPA was no longer allowed to study or regulate RF radiation, leaving a regulatory gap that persists today.
- Industry lobbying ensured that non-thermal effects would never be considered in RF safety standards.
This defunding did not change the fact that Public Law 90-602 is still in effect. Congress never repealed the law, which means the federal government is still legally required to study radiation risks.
The FCC Is Not a Health Agency—Yet It Controls RF Safety Limits
The FCC’s Role: A Complete Regulatory Capture
Since the EPA and FDA abandoned their legal responsibilities, RF exposure standards have been entirely set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
- The FCC is not a health agency—its purpose is to regulate telecommunications, not public health.
- RF exposure limits are based on 1980s-era studies that only consider thermal effects.
- The FCC’s refusal to update its guidelines was ruled “arbitrary and capricious” by a federal court in 2021.
Yet no changes have been made.
The Revolving Door Between the FCC and the Telecom Industry
- Former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler was the CEO of the wireless industry’s main lobbying group (CTIA).
- FCC commissioners frequently move into high-paying telecom jobs after leaving office.
- Industry-funded research dominates FCC decision-making, shutting out independent science.
The FCC has no legal authority to ignore non-thermal biological effects—yet with no other agency enforcing Public Law 90-602, they continue to do so.
The Solution: Congress Must Enforce the Law
Restore Funding for RF Radiation Research
Congress must:
- Re-fund the EPA’s research into non-ionizing radiation.
- Restore the NTP’s funding for RF radiation studies.
- Mandate an independent scientific review of RF exposure risks.
Overhaul the FCC’s Role in RF Safety
- Remove RF exposure limits from the FCC’s jurisdiction and place them under an independent scientific agency.
- Require updated safety standards that include non-thermal bioelectric effects.
Enforce Public Law 90-602
- Congress must demand that the FDA comply with its legal obligation to study RF radiation effects.
- If the FDA refuses, funding should be redirected to a new independent agency that will follow the law.
Final Thoughts: The Law Is Not Optional
Public Law 90-602 is not a suggestion—it is a mandate. The fact that no agency is following it is not just negligence—it is a legal failure that must be corrected.
Congress cannot allow federal agencies to ignore their responsibilities simply because it is politically inconvenient.
If RF radiation is as safe as industry claims, why are they so afraid of following the law and conducting more research?
This is not about banning wireless technology—it is about ensuring that RF exposure standards are based on real science, not corporate influence. It is about reinstating scientific oversight and ending regulatory corruption that puts industry profits ahead of public health.
A Call to Action: Demand That Congress Enforces Public Law 90-602
- Call your representatives and demand they investigate why this law is not being followed.
- Use the hashtag #FollowTheLaw to raise awareness.
- Push for the immediate re-funding of RF radiation research.
The government cannot choose to ignore a law simply because the telecom industry would prefer it that way.
The time for excuses is over. It’s time to follow the law.