Why Local Voices Matter in the 5G Rollout: NY Senate Bill S7106

When people hear “5G,” faster downloads and seamless streaming probably come to mind. But behind all the talk of speed, convenience, and connectivity lies a growing debate: where do we put all these new towers, and who gets to decide?

That’s exactly what New York’s Senate Bill S7106 aims to address. The bill would amend the general municipal law and the administrative code of the city of New York to set new rules around where 5G towers can be placed, and more importantly, how much say local communities get in the process.

New York’s Senate Bill S7106, sponsored by Senator Andrew Lanza, centers around where 5G towers can go up in cities with populations over one million. Here are the main points:

• 250-Foot Rule: No towers can be placed within 250 feet of anyone’s home or business without written consent from the owner.

• Community Approval Required: A local community board must sign off before any permit to construct a new 5G tower is granted.

• Environmental Review: Before any new telecommunications tower can be approved, a city environmental quality review will be conducted to determine if the tower will have any harmful effects on the environment.

This bill isn’t anti-5G, and it’s not trying to stop progress. It simply says: let’s slow down and make sure the local community is part of the conversation. 

At the heart of it, this bill is about including communities on decisions that affect each and every person. No more surprise structures popping up right outside someone’s bedroom window or on the edge of school playgrounds.

It’s also about trust between community members and decision makers. Transparency builds trust, and when decisions happen behind closed doors, it’s a recipe for skepticism. Especially when it involves infrastructure like 5G. Technology is amazing, but not if it comes at the expense of environmental quality. This bill is a step towards balance. 

Another big reason communities push for bills like this one? There’s still so much uncertainty involving EMF (electromagnetic field) exposure.

Even though the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) claims current limits are safe, many people feel uneasy about towers being built right next to schools, playgrounds, or bedrooms where exposure would be continuous. Parents in particular raise concerns about their children, who spend hours each day in one spot and may be more vulnerable to EMF exposure than adults.

That’s why legislation like S7106 is so important. It acknowledges that location matters, and that proximity to sensitive spaces like schools and homes should involve more scrutiny and allow for more public input. 

We know current 5G technology falls within FCC safety limits, but here’s where it gets interesting. Or rather, a little dated.

The last time the FCC updated its exposure guidelines? 1996. That’s nearly 30 years ago, long before 5G connections and widespread Wi-Fi use was the norm. These guidelines focus mostly on preventing thermal effects, or heating of human tissue from device usage, instead of taking into account any other potential effects that recent research has identified.

In August of 2021, the Environmental Health Trust and Children’s Health Defense (CHD) were part of a lawsuit against the FCC, questioning the adequacy of their safety regulations regarding wireless radiation. The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC must reevaluate their safety guidelines, but as of now, no further action has been taken. 

So today, our safety standards are stuck in the past. We’re using rules based on 30-plus-year-old science, which is why it’s more important than ever for communities to have a voice in where this relatively new 5G technology is placed.

While the science continues to evolve on how exactly EMFs affect human health, many people are looking for an added layer of security in their homes. That’s where Aires plays a unique role, building a bridge between tech and wellness.

Aires devices don’t “block” EMFs or cut the signals to your devices. Instead, they reshape chaotic EMFs into a more coherent, biologically friendly form through stable resonance. To put it simply, Aires cleans up the electromagnetic environment you interact with daily.

So while communities push for bills like S7106 to put public safety front and center, Aires offers a simple, grounded way to help promote balance in your space.

Senate Bill S7106 is about people having a say in the technologies that shape their neighborhoods. With safety guidelines still lagging behind modern wireless realities, it’s no wonder communities want more say when it comes to new infrastructure.

Whether or not the bill passes, it points to a need for transparency and trust. That trust is built when residents are included, environmental impacts are considered, and families feel confident that their health is prioritized by their decision-makers. Because yes, faster downloads and seamless connections are exciting. But making sure communities feel safe, informed, and empowered? That’s what really matters with the 5G rollout.