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VOL. 17 • NO. 14

WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM

THURSDAY, AUG. 20, 2020

Mazzochi’s ‘Protect Me from 5G!’ Bill gives residents more power On Thursday, Aug. 13, State Representative Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) announced new legislation to protect local residents from the proliferation of controversial 5G wireless canisters in suburban communities. “Our neighborhoods welcome technological advances,” Mazzochi said. “But those same neighborhoods also need the right to decide at the local level whether certain aesthetic or safety costs are worth it.” Several neighborhoods in Mazzochi’s district have served as pilot communities for various categories of 5G wireless small cell units, and the early rollout results were not considered good. After hundreds of residents of Western Springs and Hinsdale called for expanded local control over 5G sites, Mazzochi filed House Bill 5818, the “Protect Me from 5G Act.” Mazzochi hopes the bill will be considered in the General Assembly’s Fall Veto session in November. When the original Small Cell Wireless bill was debated in 2018, communities and legislators were told most new 5G installations would be on existing poles. Since then, local villages have been inundated with permit applications for new towers in front of houses, in parkways, on neighborhood street corners and at playgrounds. Having took office after the Small Cell Wireless bill was passed, Mazzochi reiterated that “our local municipalities and residents were not informed of the real-world implementation plans under the prior legislation.” With wireless companies converging on neighborhoods to build new installations over the objections of homeowners, Mazzochi explained that, “the time to reexamine this legislation is now.”

“We must give more authorities to communities and homeowners at the local level with the ‘Protect Me From 5G Act,’” she said. The “Protect Me from 5G Act” contains the following key elements: Radio frequency monitoring Requiring a monitoring plan and tracking and recording daily levels of radio frequency emissions produced by 5G equipment. Noise monitoring Requiring a written report that analyzes acoustic noise levels for small wireless facilities and all associated equipment. Environmental protection Requiring a certification of a federal environmental assessment. Equipment restrictions Requiring equipment, when replaced, to be swapped with the smallest commercially used and available equipment. Alternate Location Authority Allowing local governments to propose new small wireless facilities be installed on existing poles within 200 feet of requested location of a new proposed pole, in order to protect aesthetics and limit the number of new poles. Closing application loophole Clarifying that wireless service providers must submit new applications when seeking to replace existing small wireless facility equipment with significantly different equipment. Below ground devices Allowing local governments to require small wireless facilities and related equipment to be below ground as new technology for doing so becomes available. Easement rules Requiring proof of authority when wireless service providers seek to use easements outside of the public way. Mazzochi has also introduced a

companion House Bill 4653, creat- Wireless Facilities Deployment Act by local officials. [This was submitted by the office ing the Local Control, Protection, as an avenue to require a public hearand Empowering Law in the Small ing before 5G devices are approved of State Sen. Deanne Mazzochi.]

SUBMITTED PHOTO Bensenville Independent

State Representative Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) is pictured here at a press conference held on Thursday, Aug. 13, announcing her new legislation that will protect local residents from the proliferation of controversial 5G wireless canisters in suburban communities. Mazzochi has also introduced a companion House Bill 4653, creating the Local Control, Protection, and Empowering Law in the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act as an avenue to require a public hearing before 5G devices are approved by local officials.

County Board approves three referendum questions for November ballot The DuPage County Board voted Tuesday to put three referendum questions on the November 2020 General Election ballot. Two questions seek the voters’ opinion on law enforcement issues: The first asks about funding for law enforcement while the second asks about law enforcement training methods. The third question asks voters about whether the County should stockpile personal protective equipment to protect against a further outbreak of COVID-19. “Residents have expressed a great deal of interest in these topics in re-

Inside:

cent months. Voters will share their opinions about public safety, weighing in on questions of public safety and actions we take to ensure the public health. Residents will provide us important feedback as we continue to work through the challenges presented by these unprecedented times,” said Chairman Dan Cronin. The referendum questions will appear on the ballot as follows: • “Shall DuPage County continue to consider financial support of law enforcement and public safety its top budgeting priority?”

• “In order to fight the spread of COVID-19, shall DuPage County obtain a stockpile of personal protective equipment for distribution to nursing homes, first responders, health care providers, and at-risk communities who are not otherwise able to obtain personal protective equipment?” • “Shall DuPage County continue to fund and support training methods that decrease the risk of injury to officers and suspects for local law enforcement agencies?” The 2020 General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

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