Dear President Trump,
You have positioned yourself as a champion of states’ rights and local control, especially regarding abortion. By allowing states to decide whether to ban or permit abortion, you’ve affirmed the principle of local authority on deeply personal matters. Yet as a parent, I am left asking: Why do I not have the same local rights to protect my child from harmful microwave radiation at her school?
I’m John Coates, the founder of RF Safe and the father of a seven-year-old daughter. My daughter attends a school where a cell tower stands just 465 feet from her desk. The BioInitiative Report, a comprehensive study on RF radiation, recommends a minimum distance of 1,500 feet (500 meters) between schools and cell towers to protect children’s health. But I cannot protest this tower or demand its removal—not on health grounds—because Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 explicitly denies me that right.
President Trump, you allow local rights for abortion, but you do not allow local rights for me to protect my child. Please fix this.
A Constitutional and Legal Crisis
The inability to protest the placement of a cell tower near my child’s school is more than frustrating—it’s unconstitutional. Here’s why:
1. Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act (1996): Silencing Communities
- Strips local authority: Section 704 prohibits local governments from denying permits for cell towers based on health or environmental concerns, even if credible scientific evidence exists.
- Violates the First Amendment: By forbidding communities from raising health concerns, Section 704 suppresses public discourse and silences the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
- Violates the Tenth Amendment: Zoning, land use, and public health have traditionally been the domain of states and localities. Section 704 overrides this constitutional principle, centralizing power in the hands of federal agencies and telecom companies.
2. Outdated FCC Guidelines: A Failure to Protect
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relies on RF safety guidelines established in 1996—nearly three decades ago. These guidelines only consider thermal effects (tissue heating) and ignore non-thermal effects, such as:
- DNA damage
- Oxidative stress
- Neurological impacts
In 2021, the FCC lost a lawsuit brought by the Environmental Health Trust and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., where the court ruled that the agency failed to justify its reliance on these outdated standards. Despite this ruling, no meaningful updates have been made.
3. FDA Neglect: Violating Public Law 90-602
The Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-602) requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to:
- Conduct and support research into the safety of electronic product radiation.
- Inform the public of any potential risks.
The FDA has failed to enforce this mandate. Instead of addressing the risks identified by the National Toxicology Program (NTP)—which found clear evidence of cancer from RF radiation—the FDA has remained silent, allowing the FCC to continue relying on obsolete guidelines.
4. NTP Research Halted by Biden
Under your administration, the National Toxicology Program released its landmark findings that RF radiation causes cancer in lab animals, including:
- Gliomas (brain tumors)
- Schwannomas (heart tumors)
This was the most significant evidence to date that non-thermal RF radiation poses serious health risks. But under the Biden administration, funding for the NTP was cut, halting this critical research. This decision violates Public Law 90-602 and denies Americans the right to informed protections against known hazards.
The Hypocrisy of Local Rights
Here’s the reality I face as a parent:
- If I wanted to terminate a pregnancy, local rights would allow me to make that decision at the state level.
- But because I chose to have my daughter, I am denied the right to protect her from RF radiation at her school.
How is it possible that local rights are upheld for abortion but denied when it comes to protecting a living, breathing child?
“You want the right to abortion. I want the right to protect my child.”
This isn’t just a matter of personal frustration. It’s a failure of our government to uphold the Constitution, enforce its own laws, and prioritize the health and safety of its citizens.
What Must Be Done
1. Repeal or Amend Section 704
Section 704 must be repealed or revised to restore local authority over cell tower placement and uphold the First and Tenth Amendments. Communities must have the right to consider health risks when approving wireless infrastructure.
2. Update FCC Guidelines
The FCC must replace its outdated 1996 standards with modern, science-based guidelines that account for non-thermal effects and reflect today’s wireless technologies.
3. Enforce Public Law 90-602
The FDA must fulfill its legal obligation to research RF radiation risks and inform the public. This includes funding new studies, collaborating with independent scientists, and issuing updated safety recommendations.
4. Restart NTP Research
The National Toxicology Program’s cancer research must be restored and expanded. Its findings could save countless lives by informing updated safety standards and public health policies.
A Parent’s Plea for Justice
President Trump, you have the power to fix this. By addressing the constitutional, legal, congressional, and regulatory failures that leave parents like me powerless to protect our children, you can reaffirm America’s commitment to public health, local rights, and the rule of law.
As a parent, I am asking for the same local authority to protect my child that others have to make decisions about abortion. It’s time to end this hypocrisy and ensure that parents are empowered to safeguard their children’s health and future.
Respectfully,
John Coates
Founder, RF Safe
Father, Advocate, and Citizen