OJAI : Council Seeks Delay in Radar Tower Use

Opponents of a microwave radar tower have enlisted the aid of the Ojai City Council to help prevent a 98-foot weather-tracking station from being switched on next month.

After an unscheduled presentation at Tuesday night’s meeting, the City Council voted to consider the matter as an urgency item because the system is scheduled to be turned on Feb. 8.

Council members voted unanimously to send a letter to federal officials requesting that more detailed health studies be performed before the government switches on the system.

A group of Sulpher Mountain Road residents has sued the federal government for what they say is the government’s failure to properly notify them of the project or conduct adequate tests to determine the tower’s safety.

Officials acknowledge that the system emits low-level radiation that some studies have linked to leukemia.

“We need your help on this,” Patricia Givner told the council. “This thing is big, it’s dangerous and it’s got to go.”

Rather than oppose the project outright, the council decided to direct staff to write a letter urging the government to delay turning the tower on until more analyses have been done.