Verizon wants to put a 120' cell tower in our community!

A clear blue sky over a desert road intersection with a real estate sign.

What's at Stake and Why We Need Your Help to Stop the Tower

Snowflake MCS/EHS community There is a community of people that live near the proposed site that are disabled by EMF-RF emissions. The community was created to provide safe, accessible housing where residents could escape the exposures that cause them debilitating symptoms such as migraines, nausea, seizures, respiratory issues, neurological problems, and extreme fatigue. This disabling condition was recognized by the U.S. Access Board in 2002 which published a 2005 report on accommodations. The Americans with Disabilities Act and Fair Housing protections play a key role in the underlying permit denial. Residents opposing the tower cited ADA, arguing that individuals with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS, also known as electromagnetic sensitivy EMS) or multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) qualify as disabled under the ADA. They stated the tower could block access for these disabled individuals to their homes and essential services, making the denial a matter of civil rights and disability accommodations. SBA Communication is disregarding the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADAA, and the Fair Housing Act and Fair Housing Amendments Act for the disabled members of the EI community, and sued Navajo County for denying the permit. The county's decision was based on substantial evidence - the standard. According to federal telecommunications rules, SBA is only entitled to an "expedited review" of the county's decision, but now wants to settle, despite that the court has not completed its review. Urge the county to deny any settlement offer and stand by its solid decision!

Black Mesa cell tower provides better service already. The data provided at the 9/24/24 Navajo County BOS meeting concerning a gap in coverage is obsolete since the Black Mesa tower was installed. The new tower greatly improves cell reception so the proposed tower is NOT needed. See PDF "Impact of Black Mesa Cell Tower on Signal Strength on Concho Hwy" below

The tower will be an eyesore! It will be 120 feet tall and stick out like a sore thumb as there are no trees in the area. In the permit application, SBA mentions other carriers can add to the pole as well so we have no idea what we will be exposed to in the future.

We don't know if 5G radiation is safe. The potential health risks associated with 5G technology are not yet fully understood. There is still a great deal of research to be done to understand the long-term effects of exposure to 5G radiation. This location is too close to homes, where kids are picked up from the school bus and where most of us get our mail. In 2021, a federal court ordered the FCC to explain why it ignored scientific evidence showing harm from wireless radiation and the FCC has still not responded - https://ehtrust.org/in-historic-decision-federal-court-finds-fcc-failed-to-explain-why-it-ignored-scientific-evidence-showing-harm-from-wireless-radiation/

The tower could lead to decreasing property values in the area. The installation of 5G technology is a controversial topic, and many potential buyers may be hesitant to purchase property in an area where such technology has been installed. The homes in the EI Community were constructed especially for people with electrical sensitivities. These homes contain many special features that are uncommon on typical homes. See letters from local real estate agents below.

How we found out about proposed tower

Did you notice the tiny orange sign on the fence across from the mailboxes on White Antelope in 2024? That was how Navajo County notified us about it! In the SBA Communications permit application (see PFD document "SBA Communications Tower Application" below), they mentioned they conducted a community meeting where only 3 people showed up. I didn't hear about that meeting—were you aware of it?

County Meetings and Permit Denial

On Sept 24, 2024, there was a Navajo County BOS meeting where the BOS tabled the permit decision, pending more information. Members of the EI community and other neighbors expressed their concerns about the proposed White Antelope Cell Tower, and the BOS decided to reschedule the vote on the permit to empower communities with more information.

The next meeting was scheduled for November 12, 2024, where the BOS unanimously denied the permit, and we thought that was it, allowing us to move on with our lives.

However, on September 10, 2025, SBA Communications sued Navajo County (see PDF document 'SBA Communications vs Navajo County'), claiming that the reason for the denial was due to health concerns. This lawsuit has raised awareness about the need for updated safety standards, as the FCC has not revised its regulations since 1996. With the introduction of 5G technology, we remain uncertain about its effects on both our health and wildlife.

Current Permit Status

According to Navajo County, there is a tentative settlement with SBA Communications to approve the permit. The settlement is on hold until the Court decides whether or not to allow the EI Community to intervene. SBA is basically bullying the county into approving the permit.

We are hoping to get more neighbors involved to help us stop the tower.

TAKE ACTION!!!

Sign our Petition

Please sign our petition here - https://www.change.org/No_WhiteAntelope_Cell_Tower

Let Navajo County know we don't want the tower here and to reject any settlement offer!

Call (928) 524-4053 or Email -

Bryan Layton is the county manager and communicating with us regarding status of the BOS voting on the settlement with SBA Communications. Email him at countymanager@navajocountyaz.gov

You can also email Melissa Buckley, the clerk of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors at Melissa.Buckley@navajocountyaz.gov

Call SBA Communications Call 800-487-7483. Tell them we do not want this tower and stop pursuing our corner and find another site!

Contact Verizon's Executive Vice President and CEO Verizon Consumer Group and tell them we don't need this tower and if you have service with them threaten to switch service. Email him at s.sampath@verizon.com