Statement from CAAM Partnership, LLC.:

Stewards of the Land are victimizing Snohomish area residents by sending a reckless mail piece that intentionally distorts and ignores information in the public record.  The mailing is designed to take advantage of your lack of knowledge about radiofrequency energy and to scare you.  The piece is the equivalent of shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater when no fire exists. 

For example, the Stewards' brochure states, "Studies finding a connection between radiofrequency radiation and childhood leukemia indicate that children within six kilometers (3.7 miles) of AM radio towers are at risk."  There is only ONE study that makes this claim, the Ha study from South Korea, published in 2007.  Stewards of the Land sent their mail piece to you without also telling you that in February 2008, the authors of the Ha study had to dramatically change the results of their study and rendered their data scientifically irrelevant in doing so.  Furthermore, the Stewards also conveniently ignore that the same study they quote also shows that the CLOSER you are to an AM radio antenna makes you LESS LIKELY to get cancer than someone who doesn't have an antenna anywhere near them.  That is why the authors of the Ha study concluded that there is no trend for increased leukemia based on distance from the transmitter.  This one study is the core of the Stewards' scare tactics.  The Stewards also neglect to inform you that a separate appeal on health issues was dismissed by the Washington State Shoreline Hearings Board on February 13, 2008.  Click here for a copy of the dismissal order.

While we acknowlege that some people simply do not want to see an antenna in their view, we absolutely deny that there is credible evidence to support the contention that you can get cancer from living near an AM radio antenna.  It's completely unacceptable to scare people about cancer when the Stewards know better information is available and is in the record.  The three towers you see on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle have a combined output of approximately 4 million Watts of radiofrequency energy.  Six AM radio stations on Vashon Island (KIRO, KTTH, KPTK, KOMO, KGNW, KJR, KVI) have a combined output of 305,000 Watts.  Both locations are heavily populated.  There is no data from those locations to support a conclusion that children who live near these broadcast outlets are more likely to get cancer, and the same is true of the CAAM proposal for 1520 AM.  

The following links provide additional information for you to read related to this topic.  A list of our expert witnesses and a brief bio on each of them is provided at the end of the links.  We will add more information following the conclusion of our hearings in April.

Engineering statement regarding RF energy.  Click here.

Epidemiological statement regarding studies cited by the Stewards.  Click here.

Everett Herald story regarding the Stewards' assertions.  Click here.

Regarding other issues of concern (birds, etc.), Click here for the 2006 unanimous appeal decision of the Washington State Shoreline Hearings board on the necessity of the valley location for AM radio. 

We've also provided a photo gallery of typical AM radio sites.  Click here.

Consultants to CAAM Partnership, LLC. regarding electromagnetic safety:

Dr. Marvin Ziskin, M.D., MS BmE, Biomedical Physics, Safety of Non-Ionizing Radiation, Director of the Center for Biomedical Physics, Temple University School of Medicine

Dr. Joseph Roti Roti, Ph. D. Radiation Oncology, Cell Biology and Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Physics, Washington University, St. Louis

Dr. Kenneth Foster, Ph.D., P.E., Professor of Bioengineering, Professor of Electrical Engineering, dielectric properties of tissues, environmental issues related to nonionizing radiation, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Linda Erdreich, Ph.D., Epidemiologist, Senior Managing Scientist, Exponent Health Sciences Center, formerly managed a risk assessment program with the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Dr. Arthur Guy, Ph.D., former Associate Director, Center for Bioengineering, University of Washington, Professor Emeritus, recipient of the D'Arsenval award, and leading expert in the United States in the field of electromagnetic dosimetry (human absorption of signal)

Ronald Petersen, M.S., electrophysics, former manager, Lucent Technologies/Bell Labs - Wireless and Optical Technologies Safety Department, former Scientific Vice-President for non-ionizing radiation, National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP)

Jim Hatfield, P.E., Principal, Hatfield and Dawson Consulting Engineers; Chairman Radiation Sub-Committee of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers; Member of IEEE Sub-Committees 3 and 4 (Safety Levels with Respect to Human Exposure) charged with updating American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards.

Stephen Lockwood, P.E., Principal, Hatfield and Dawson Consulting Engineers; Engineering Consultant, U.S. Navy, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), San Diego, CA for U.S. Special Operations Command (U.S. SOCOM); Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation (NIER) measurements for Snohomish County Emergency Radio System, City of Seattle Northeast Radio Tower Project, RF safety training for Puget Sound Energy among other specialties.