White Mountain Independent News Features Community Opposing Cell Tower Based on Environmental Sensitivity 

Electromagnetic Sensitivity at the Center of Arizona Cell Tower Lawsuit

A federal court case in Arizona is drawing attention to a community east of Snowflake, where residents with environmental illness – including electromagnetic sensitivity and multiple chemical sensitivities–are seeking to intervene in a lawsuit over a proposed cell tower.

The telecommunications company, SBA Communications,  sued Navajo County after its application to build the White Antelope Wireless Communication Facility was denied in 2024. Residents of the Environmental Illness (EI) community argue the tower poses health risks and violates their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The group filed a motion to join the case, which is now pending in U.S. District Court.

The Snowflake EI community, established in 1988, includes more than 35 households designed to reduce environmental triggers. The court’s decision will determine whether the community can participate in the legal process and could influence future land-use and accessibility cases.

Read the article “East of Snowflake, a community faces a corporation in court” by  Toni Gibbons. 

Watch the November 2024 Board of Supervisors Meeting where people testified against the tower.