2020-06-04 Exh D New Cingular dba AT&T USE 19-081 (FOFCOLD&O)

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TOMLINSON: Yes. SONGVILAY: Yes. LYONS: Yes. RAFFIPIY: All right. Do you have any comments? TOMLINSON: Yes, we do. RAFFIPIY: Go ahead, Mr. Tomlinson. TOMLINSON: Thank you. Aloha, Mr. Chair and Members of the Windward Planning Commission. As you know, my name is Andrew Tomlinson. I'm with, with Elizabeth Sonvilay and Ken Lyons representing AT&T today. Thanks for the opportunity to address the Commission regarding the Proposed Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision and Order for the proposed 180-foot tall monopole in Kurtistown. As you know, since March 51h, we've all been impacted by, you know, the stay-at-home orders throughout the State, and this hearing is an excellent example of our need for communications technology. On any given day at the height of this crisis, AT&T has seen 30 to 50 percent increase of usage on its networks. Today, there's an on-going discussion nationwide and actually within our State about what the future looks like for technology and how it could be utilized. AT&T has received numerous inquiries from the community about coverage in Kurtistown and in Kea`au areas. Community members highlighted the lack of access to broadband wireless services leaving numerous households and families with few options to access the internet for work, school, or healthcare. This current crisis really underscores why the Kurtistown facility we're proposing is so critical. This Kurtistown facility would fill a significant gap in wireless coverage allowing those in the area to utilize cell phones and hot spots for internet access. In addition, broadband fiber would be brought to the proposed site. It can be utilized to benefit the surrounding communities. AT&T has provided you all with a written response to the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Decision and Order. The Findings of the proposed facility would "be materially detrimental to the public welfare because the site of the proposed tower has caused and will continue to cause...`extreme emotional distress"' [sic-duress] is contrary to law, and we respectfully request the Commission reconsider its decision and approve this application without delay for the following reasons. Principally, the Commission's hearing violates Federal law. During the previous hearing for the Use Permit application, the "emotional distress" expressed by public testifiers was grounded solely in their fear of radio frequency, RF, emissions from the proposed monopole, and this fear is, is not grounded in fact. AT&T submitted evidence to show that the proposed Kurtistown facility will meet FCC emissions requirements and, in fact, in the worse-case scenario to the EXHIBIT D 2