Hawaii’s Big Island balances tech expansion and health safeguards with groundbreaking cell tower law
By willowt // 2025-07-07
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  • Hawaii's Big Island enacts 600-foot cell tower buffer, sparking national debate on tech safety.
  • Federal vs. local laws clash as telecom giants oppose new regulations.
  • State’s push for fiber internet seeks safer, reliable connectivity alternative.
  • Community health advocates urge nationwide expansion of protections.
  • Ordinance marks first wave in growing movement to restrict wireless infrastructure.
In a landmark move reflecting growing public concern over wireless infrastructure safety, Hawaii County’s Big Island has approved a pioneering law requiring all new cell towers and antennas to be at least 600 feet away from homes and schools. The ordinance, effective June 18, marks the first of its kind in Hawaii and establishes stringent permitting requirements for wireless companies, sparking a national conversation about the tension between technological progress and community health.

New law champions “slowing the wild west of wireless”

The ordinance’s passage, led by advocates like Debra Greene, founding director of Safe Tech Hawaii, represents a rare win in states where local governments face federal restrictions on regulating wireless networks. “Passage of this bill adds momentum to the nationwide trend of regulating tower deployments,” said Greene. The law codifies comprehensive standards for wireless infrastructure, including a 600-foot setback from residential properties and schools—a distance twice that of Oahu’s current rules. Companies seeking to install towers must submit safety documentation, such as proof of structural viability in hurricane-force winds (over 100 mph) and compliance with fire codes. They must also conduct historic preservation reviews and visual impact analyses, ensuring minimal disruption to sensitive areas. “The Hawaii County community is now much more protected from the wild west of wireless,” Greene said, acknowledging the challenge of aligning local health priorities with federal laws that prioritize telecommunications expansion.

Telecom titans push back against “overly restrictive” rules

Industry leaders, however, argue the setback requirements are excessive. In submitted letters, Verizon and AT&T highlighted concerns that the 600-foot buffer—a midpoint between resident demands for 1,200 feet and corporate resistance to even 600—could stifle service access in densely populated areas. A Verizon letter warned the rule could create a “de facto prohibition” on towers in needed locations, violating the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which bars municipalities from rejecting applications based on environmental or health concerns if towers operate within federal radiation limits. “The restrictions limit wireless facilities near where people live and work, the very areas with the greatest demand for reliable service,” Verizon stated. Despite the backlash, the Hawaii County Council unanimously upheld the 600-foot requirement, defying a proposed waiver. Community testimonies, such as those from Hāmākua resident Kevin Hill, amplified concerns about health risks from electromagnetic radiation exposure. “Why bring towers closer and closer? Put them farther away—toxic waves and wires are not safe for our children,” he said at a council hearing.

A counter to wireless expansion

Amidst the debate, Hawaii’s broader shift to fiber-optic internet provides a counterpoint to wireless proliferation. Hawaiian Telcom’s $1.7 billion initiative, announced in January 2025, aims to make Hawaii the first fully fiber-enabled U.S. state by 2026. Over 60% of households and businesses are already connected, with completion expected on Maui by year-end and Oahu and the Big Island by mid-2026. Governor Josh Green praised the project as a model of public-private partnerships, emphasizing fiber’s reliability and speeds up to 1 Gbps—far outperforming wireless. “Fiber is faster, more secure and offers a direct alternative to 5G cellular infrastructure,” said Hawaiian Telcom President Su Shin. Experts note fiber lacks the latency and health uncertainties tied to wireless technologies. A 2018 National Institute for Science, Law and Public Policy report supports this, underscoring fiber’s superiority over 5G. “Fiber isn’t just about speed—it’s about reducing exposure to EMR [electromagnetic radiation],” said Miriam Eckenfels of the Children’s Health Defense (CHD).

A legal tightrope between safety and federal mandates

The ordinance highlights a critical conflict: local health concerns vs. federal laws. Section 704 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act prohibits municipalities from blocking towers based on health or environmental factors, enforcing universal connectivity at the expense of community input. CHD’s 704 No More initiative seeks to challenge this policy, citing outdated FCC safety limits from 1970s and 1980s studies. “Current regulations rely on 40-year-old science,” said Eckenfels. “This law (the Big Island’s) is a step forward, but we need systemic change.” Greene emphasized the ordinance’s “juggling act”: protecting residents while navigating constrained legal authority. “It’s a model for other jurisdictions to adopt standards within the law, while pushing to reform federal policy,” she said.

A new era of “tech transparency” and public health advocacy

Hawaii’s Big Island has set a precedent by blending grassroots advocacy with regulatory action—a template for communities wary of wireless infrastructure’s risks. As the state charts a course toward total fiber connectivity, advocates hope it signals a shift toward prioritizing health and environmental safety in an increasingly digitized world. The ordinance’s success hinges on whether other states will follow suit and if legal challenges can overturn federal constraints. For now, Hawaii’s dual focus on fiber expansion and localized wireless safeguards frames a national debate: Can technology progress without compromising public health? Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org HawaiianTel.com AlohaStateDaily.com
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