The House Energy and Commerce Committee is voting December 3, 2025 at 10:00 am EST on HR2289, a bill to take away a local government’s ability to regulate where and how they want a cell tower or antenna located. Local governments have power under the 1996 Telecommunications Act to regulate these towers and antennas. If signed into law, HR2289 would allow industry to put up towers next to your home, a school, or in a park where children play, without the ability for local governments to consider environmental review, or historic preservation. Local governments need more ability to regulate where these towers and antennas should be placed, not less.

Cell towers and antennas harm people, wildlife, and plants

In 2021, the DC Circuit Court ordered the FCC to go back to the drawing board and actually review the science showing biological harm from wireless radiation including that from cell towers and antennas.  The FCC has not yet followed the court order and used this science to update their health and safety standards.  People all over the world are affected by some sort of radiation sickness, where their health is affected by the radiation. Wildlife, trees, plants, and birds can all suffer from wireless radiation too; insects die, and migratory bird patterns are affected.  Local government that can have input from the people is the best regulation for these cell towers and antennas.  The federal government should not give more power to industry, which looks to optimize their profits instead of having the beauty of towns and cities, historic preservation, or best interests of the people in mind.