{
  "id": "questions:can-i-refuse-a-cell-tower-or-smart-meter",
  "collection": "questions",
  "slug": "can-i-refuse-a-cell-tower-or-smart-meter",
  "name": "Can you object to a tower or refuse a smart meter?",
  "summary": "U.S. law bars local RF-emission objections to compliant facilities; planning grounds remain. Smart-meter opt-outs exist at state/utility level, often for a fee.",
  "status": "provisional",
  "lastVerified": "2026-08-12",
  "data": {
    "question": "Can I block a cell tower near my home, or refuse a smart meter?",
    "answer": "In the United States, Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act bars state and local authorities from denying a wireless facility on the basis of RF emissions where it complies with FCC limits, so objections have to run on planning grounds — siting, height, appearance, procedure — rather than health. Smart-meter opt-outs are set by state and utility, not federal rule: many U.S. utilities offer a non-communicating or manually-read meter, often for a fee, and availability elsewhere varies by country. Practical route: check the FCC ASR record for the structure, read your utility's tariff for an opt-out provision, and engage the planning process on procedural grounds.",
    "cluster": "regulation",
    "aliases": [
      "stop cell tower construction",
      "smart meter opt out rights",
      "Section 704"
    ],
    "related": [
      "emitters:macro-cell-tower",
      "emitters:smart-meter",
      "protocols:tower-lookup"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "fcc-rf-safety",
      "title": "Radio Frequency Safety",
      "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission",
      "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/general/radio-frequency-safety-0",
      "kind": "government",
      "retrieved": "2026-08-12"
    },
    {
      "id": "fcc-asr",
      "title": "Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) public access database downloads",
      "publisher": "Federal Communications Commission",
      "url": "https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/data/public-access-files-database-downloads",
      "kind": "government",
      "retrieved": "2026-08-12"
    }
  ],
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    "html": "https://emfbase.com/questions/can-i-refuse-a-cell-tower-or-smart-meter",
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}