Benefit does not outweigh the risk

I have vaguely followed the opposition to the KRKO radio towers over the last seven years but never really paid that much attention. I agreed they were ugly but that was about the extent of it. Recently I decided to look at the issues a little closer. I wasn’t sure if the group opposing them was just a little “excited” or if their objections had some merit.

I took it upon myself to read the entire 64-page decision of the hearing examiner and while some of it was over my head, I was very impressed by the thoroughness and depth of the decision. It was obvious that the examiner painstakingly took a great deal of time to examine the testimony of all the witnesses and weigh in on the credibility of the experts. That being said, I am in total agreement with her decision that the towers should be denied.

I live in the area and my children attend schools within the 3.7-mile radius of the proposed tower location. While there currently is no absolute proof of the health hazards posed by the towers, there is compelling research to show a correlation between health hazards and radio frequency radiation, especially in children. That is a risk I don’t want to take.

The Snohomish County Council needs to carefully study the hearing examiner’s decision. This is not just about “ugly towers,” it’s about serious potential health hazards to those of us who live here. None of us wants to wait 10 years or more for the scientific research to make the final determination.

Does the benefit of having another AM radio station outweigh the risk of potential harm to citizens? Absolutely not. Common sense and prudent judgment say that the County Council needs to let the hearing examiner’s decision stand.

Joni McKenzie

Snohomish