Dear Editor:
As detailed in “Leahy bill could gut antenna pre-emption” (Nov. 3), Jeffrey Silva reports on groundbreaking legislation introduced Oct. 30th by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and James Jeffords (R-Vt.) that would repeal the authority of the Federal Communications Commission to pre-empt state and local regulations affecting the placement of telecommunications facilities.
Sen. Leahy was one of the few who was brave enough to vote against the Telecommunications Act of 1996, in the face of intense industry lobbying. Through the introduction of Bill 1350, Sen. Leahy has again demonstrated his leadership by introducing legislation that will return the authority of telecommunications tower siting to the people, where it belongs.
Obviously, industry members are not pleased that someone has finally been responsive to public concerns. Mr. Silva’s article reports that Jay Kitchen, president of the Personal Communications Industry Association, called the bill “the most anti-consumer plan to come out of Washington in years.” This arrogant statement reflects that Mr. Kitchen clearly does not have his thumb on the public’s pulse regarding this issue. As the president of The EMR Alliance, the nation’s largest and most influential coalition of consumer activists concerned about the issue of telecommunications facility siting, I feel compelled to correct Mr. Kitchen. As every consumer involved in a tower-siting dispute will confirm, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was by far the most anti-consumer plan to come out of Washington in years.
The EMR Alliance congratulates Sen. Leahy on his courageous move to protect consumer and states rights and RCR’s continued fine reporting on this towering debate.
Cathy Bergman-Venezia
president
EMR Alliance
