Protect The Interests of The People of Maryland - Oppose SB 1188 & HB 1767

Petition to Senator Middleton, Delegate Davis, Members of the Senate Finance Committee and Rules and Executive Nominations Committee

We do not want cell towers near our homes and in our neighborhoods!

Maryland legislators should not allow Telecom to bypass local zoning regulations or discretionary review!    

We do not agree to bulky "small cell" transmitters on poles in our neighborhoods and outside our homes!

We did not give you the mandate to sell our rights to public notice and local review for cell towers!  

Please vote NO on SB 1188 and HB 1767 - Wireless Facilities - Permitting and Siting

Our streets. Our homes. Our communities. Our choice!!!

To: Petition to Senator Middleton, Delegate Davis, Members of the Senate Finance Committee and Rules and Executive Nominations Committee
From: [Your Name]

We, the undersigned, oppose SB 1188 & HB 1767.

This legislation would:

Open the door for cell antennas in our public rights-of-way -- on utility poles, light poles, rooftops, and in front yards;

Remove public hearing and public notice;

Hugely cap rates municipalities can charge for use of poles;

Preempt our local zoning rights for the placement of cell antennas;

Enable massive data harvesting for companies;

Lower property values of homes with antennas in their front yard;

Overwhelm municipalities with cell antenna applications;

Protect Telecom rather than municipalities by exempting Telecom from indemnifying municipalities if found liable for damage; and

Exempt Telecom from carrying insurance for health effects caused by radiation emitted from these antennas.

Maryland’s legislators should protect citizens’ interests and local government control. We do NOT want our rights to notice, hearings, and local zoning removed so that Telecom companies can place cell antennas outside our homes. We do not want to pay with our health, privacy, local control, and taxes so that Telecom can make billions.

For these reasons, our Coalition of groups and advocates join the Maryland Municipal League and all their member cities in strongly opposing SB 1188 and HB 1767.