The Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski, recently released a proposal on Friday to formally investigate whether wireless radiation is carcinogenic and whether it should be regulated more strictly or not. If the proposal is approved by a majority of the FCC’s four other commissioners, the inquiry will move forward with an investigation of existing cellular radiation regulations as well as whether wireless devices used by children should be subject to higher standards. The last time the issue was examined was 15 years ago so it’ll be interesting to see what the result will be.
A number of independent studies continue to raise concern over wireless radiation emission and the possibility of the radiation causing brain tumors, although a lack of conclusive evidence has kept the debate from being resolved. An FCC official said that the agency has no plans to create new rules based on any possible findings.
According to FCC commissioner Robert McDowell, “the great weight of the most credible scientific evidence tells us there is no causal link between cellphone usage and brain tumors. Nonetheless, it is prudent to reassess our methodology and procedures from time to time, provided we don’t cause unwarranted concern among cellphone consumers along the way.” While those in the wireless industry have downplayed any link between cancer and cellular radiation, environmental and health groups have repeatedly called for a formal government investigation. The requests have fallen on deaf ears and the FCC has been criticized for not looking into the issue sooner. According to FCC officials, the Government Accountability Office is looking into the commission’s lack of action and will be releasing a report about the issue soon.
The FCC’s commissioners are expected to green light the inquiry, although it isn’t clear how it will conduct the investigation. We’ll have to be patient to find out what the FCC will do with the results of the investigation as well.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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