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Section 704: The Law That Protects a Fictional Safety Standard and Harms Our Children

Imagine a law that bars you from protecting your child from harm. A law that silences parents, disregards science, and enforces safety guidelines that are not just outdated—they’re fictional. That’s exactly what Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 does. It prohibits communities from challenging cell tower placements based on health concerns, as long as the towers comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines.

But here’s the catch: those FCC guidelines, also established in 1996, are based on thermal-only risks—whether RF radiation heats tissue. They completely ignore decades of research showing that non-thermal effects, like oxidative stress and DNA damage, pose significant risks to human health. These guidelines weren’t written by doctors or scientists—they were crafted by industry engineers using data from 1950s and 60s military radar studies, designed to protect radar operators from burns.

This isn’t just outdated; it’s illegitimate. And it’s harming children like seven-year-old Melanie Coates, who sits just 465 feet from a massive cell tower near her school in Seminole, Florida—well within the danger zone for RF radiation, according to international studies.

The science is clear: non-thermal effects of RF radiation, such as oxidative stress, cognitive impairments, and neurodevelopmental disorders, are real. Other countries recognize this, which is why they’ve enacted laws to keep cell towers away from schools. Yet in the United States, Section 704 silences parents, enforces a fraudulent safety standard, and leaves our children unprotected.

It’s time to repeal Section 704, enforce Public Law 90-602, and demand safety standards that are based on real science, not industry fiction.


The Fiction of FCC Guidelines: A Thermal-Only Standard

How Did the FCC’s Guidelines Come to Be?

In 1996, the same year Section 704 was enacted, the FCC adopted Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limits to regulate RF exposure. These limits measure how much RF radiation heats tissue and are based on research conducted in the 1950s and 60s on military radar operators. The focus was solely on thermal effects—preventing burns from high-powered radar systems.

But even in the 1990s, there was already a growing body of research showing that non-thermal effects—biological changes caused by RF radiation at levels that don’t produce heat—could pose serious risks.

“The guidelines established in 1996 were obsolete the day they were written,” says John Coates, founder of RF Safe. “They’re based on 50-year-old radar data and ignore everything we’ve learned about non-thermal effects since then.”


The Ignored Science on Non-Thermal Effects

While the FCC guidelines focus only on thermal risks, countless studies have shown that RF radiation can harm human health without heating tissue. Key findings include:

  • Oxidative Stress: RF exposure generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to DNA damage, inflammation, and cellular dysfunction. (Yakymenko et al., 2015)
  • Cognitive Impairments: A Yale University study found that prenatal RF exposure caused ADHD-like symptoms in mice, including hyperactivity and memory deficits.
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Dr. Martin Pall’s research highlights how RF radiation activates voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) in cells, triggering oxidative stress and inflammation—mechanisms linked to autism and other neurodevelopmental issues.
  • Cancer Risks: The National Toxicology Program (NTP) and Ramazzini Institute both found clear evidence of cancer in animals exposed to RF radiation at levels below FCC limits.

The FCC’s refusal to account for non-thermal effects renders its guidelines scientifically baseless and dangerously inadequate.


Section 704: A Law That Silences Parents and Protects Profits

What Does Section 704 Do?

Section 704 prohibits local governments from denying cell tower permits based on health concerns, as long as the towers comply with FCC guidelines. This means that even if a cell tower is placed next to a school, parents cannot cite health risks to challenge it.

Why Is Section 704 Unconstitutional?

Section 704 violates core constitutional principles:

  • First Amendment: By barring communities from citing health concerns, it silences free speech.
  • Tenth Amendment: By stripping states and local governments of their authority to regulate public health, it undermines state sovereignty.

The law prioritizes corporate convenience over public welfare, allowing the wireless industry to expand unchecked, even in the face of mounting evidence of harm.


Melanie’s Story: A Wake-Up Call for America

A Child at Risk

Seven-year-old Melanie Coates sits just 465 feet from a cell tower near her school in Seminole, Florida. According to the BioInitiative Report, which synthesizes over 1,800 studies on EMFs, cell towers should be at least 1,500 feet away from schools to protect children’s developing brains and bodies.

“Melanie’s desk is barely one-third of the safe distance recommended by international studies,” says her father, John Coates. “And there’s nothing I can do about it because of Section 704.”


A Personal Mission

John Coates founded RF Safe in 1998 after losing his first child, Angel Lee Coates, to a neural tube disorder. His loss inspired him to investigate the environmental factors that contribute to such conditions. In 1997, a study revealed that chicken embryos exposed to RF radiation developed neural tube defects similar to those seen in humans.

Now, John faces a new crisis with Melanie. He knows the science. He understands the risks. But Section 704 prevents him—and millions of parents like him—from protecting their children.


What Other Countries Are Doing Right

Many countries recognize the dangers of RF radiation and have enacted laws to protect children:

  • France: Bans cell towers near primary schools and enforces strict RF exposure limits.
  • India: Prohibits towers near schools, colleges, and hospitals.
  • Israel: Does not allow antennas on kindergartens or schools.
  • Chile: Restricts antennas near sensitive areas, including schools and playgrounds.

These nations have embraced the science of non-thermal effects, while the U.S. remains stuck enforcing a fictional safety standard from 1996.


The Path Forward: What Must Be Done

Repeal Section 704

Americans must regain the right to:

  • Challenge cell tower placements based on health concerns.
  • Demand safe distances between towers and sensitive areas like schools, homes, and playgrounds.

Repealing Section 704 is the first step toward restoring constitutional rights and protecting public health.


Enforce Public Law 90-602

Public Law 90-602, passed in 1968, requires the federal government to:

  • Conduct ongoing research into radiation hazards.
  • Update safety standards based on modern science.
  • Educate the public about risks and mitigation strategies.

By enforcing this law, we can replace the FCC’s illegitimate guidelines with standards grounded in medical science, not industry fiction.


Adopt International Best Practices

The U.S. should follow the lead of countries like France, India, and Israel by:

  • Prohibiting cell towers near schools and playgrounds.
  • Setting stricter RF exposure limits.
  • Mandating research into long-term, cumulative RF exposure.

Protecting Our Children from Fictional Safety Standards

Section 704 enforces a fraudulent safety standard that was illegitimate the moment it was written. It silences parents, ignores science, and puts millions of children like Melanie Coates at risk.

The science is clear. The risks are real. And the solution is within reach:

  1. Repeal Section 704 to restore free speech and local control.
  2. Enforce Public Law 90-602 to ensure safety standards reflect modern science.
  3. Adopt medically led RF guidelines that account for non-thermal biological effects.

Melanie deserves better. Every child deserves better. It’s time for America to catch up with the rest of the world and protect its most vulnerable citizens.

Please share this story with the hashtag #TrumpRepeal704 and demand action to protect our children.


Take Action Today

  1. Contact Congress: Demand the repeal of Section 704 and the enforcement of Public Law 90-602.
  2. Spread Awareness: Share Melanie’s story and raise awareness about the dangers of RF radiation.
  3. Support Research: Advocate for independent studies into RF exposure and its health effects.

Together, we can protect Melanie—and every child—from the invisible dangers of wireless radiation. The time to act is now.

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