In an effort to ensure the peace of mind, and possibly the safety, of village residents and employees, two independent scientists were recently secured by the village to analyze wireless communication tower emissions in and around Village Hall, and potentially in other areas in Massapequa Park.

At the Aug. 13 village board meeting, a unanimous vote to impose a moratorium on permits for wireless communication towers and antennas in the village suggested that the trustees, led by Mayor James Altadonna, are making strides to answer residents' concerns about cellular tower emissions.

"There were some issues raised regarding the cell towers, and my job is to address them and come up with solutions," said Altadonna. "The best solution we could come up with is to have independent scientists that are unrelated to this tower and cellular phone industry do an analysis to make sure emissions generated from this tower stay well within FCC guidelines."

Altadonna added that testing would not be a one-time consideration, but something that was performed periodically in the village.

"We want to make sure all the residents are safe, all the employees of the village are safe, and that everything is being done in compliance of what the FCC requires, as I am confident it will be," said Village Administrator-Clerk William Colfer.

Dr. Bill Curry from Pennsylvania and Dr. Stuart Maurerer from upstate New York, will perform the tests the week of Sept. 19, each using different equipment. Dr. Curry's testing apparatus will isolate radio waves so readings will exclude electrical wires, and nearby transformers would not impact his measurements. Dr. Maurerer will use the same equipment the FCC uses, producing a one-to-one correlation between what the FCC says is being emitted, and what actually is.

Currently, emissions levels have been analyzed and recorded by the cellular phone companies themselves, and also by the Massapequa Park Water District. According to Water District Superintendent Don Farley, a report made by an independent contractor in July 1999 showed that emissions around the towers were very low. This report is available to the public at the Massapequa Park Water District.

However, cellular towers attached to water towers in 1995 and 1999 persist in worrying local residents. Diane Duerr lives across the street from one such tower. "Four years ago, my son was diagnosed with leukemia," she said. "The cell companies are saying the level of emissions is fine, but we really need an outside person, a neutral person, to be sure."

Mildred Falvo, another resident who lives in close proximity to the water tower concurred that there seemed to be an inordinate amount of cancer diagnoses on her block, including breast, bone, lung, thyroid and others, in residents as young as 45 years of age.

Currently, plans for testing include the basement of Village Hall, where equipment that transmits radio waves from the tower is stored, as well as the area near the cell tower in front of Village Hall. Colfer said he hoped to eventually test the areas around the water towers, and possibly even in residents' homes.