HHS-OASH-2026-0397-4902
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-4902

Public Comment on Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation, and Wireless Exposure
Docket No. HHS-OASH-2026-0397

I urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support independent research into potential health effects of long-term, real-world electromagnetic field (EMF) and radiofrequency (RF) exposure, take reports of symptoms seriously, and identify practical ways to reduce unnecessary exposure while scientific questions remain unresolved.

Personal Experience and Residential Exposure

I live in San Mateo, California, within approximately 500 feet of two Crown Castle wireless facilities. The City of San Mateo Public Works Department confirmed that the facility at 239–249 Elm Street (permit WC-2023-000082) was issued a permit on May 19, 2023, and the facility at 200 N. San Mateo Drive, on Monte Diablo Avenue (permit WC-2023-000127), was issued a permit on June 16, 2023. Both facilities completed construction, passed City inspection, and received final signoff.

I noticed increased sleep problems, headaches, and physical agitation when the facilities were energized. By physical agitation, I do not mean simply worry or anxious thoughts. I mean feeling physically unsettled, keyed up, and unable to fully relax. I have also noticed less physical agitation when I am away from home.

I cannot establish that RF exposure caused these symptoms, and my experience alone cannot prove causation. However, the timing of these changes and the difference I notice when away from home concern me. My home should be a place where I can rest comfortably, yet I have become concerned about how I feel in my own residential environment. I cannot readily control the presence or operation of nearby wireless infrastructure.

I share this experience not as proof of causation, but because firsthand reports can help identify questions that warrant scientific investigation.

Research and Public Health

HHS should prioritize independent, rigorous research into potential non-cancer effects of long-term, repeated, real-world RF and EMF exposure. Research should examine possible effects on sleep, headaches, neurological and other physiological functions, and overall well-being. It should consider prolonged exposure under everyday conditions, not just short-term exposure scenarios.

HHS should transparently assess the strengths and limitations of existing studies, including conflicting findings, identify gaps in the evidence, and determine what additional research is needed. Research should investigate possible biological mechanisms and whether certain populations, including children, may be more vulnerable.

People reporting symptoms they associate with RF or EMF exposure should neither be dismissed because causation is uncertain nor assumed to have established causation. Researchers should consider symptom patterns, exposure circumstances, timing, changes when circumstances change, and other possible contributing factors. These observations can help generate testable hypotheses.

Medical Evaluation, Disability, and Accessibility

HHS should distinguish between recognizing symptoms and functional limitations, investigating possible medical causes, and addressing accessibility barriers. These are related but distinct issues. An approach focused only on accommodating functional limitations risks leaving questions about possible biological or medical causes unanswered. People whose symptoms affect sleep, daily activities, or quality of life deserve both practical consideration and serious scientific investigation.

Recommendations

I respectfully ask HHS to:

Support independent research into potential non-cancer effects of long-term, real-world EMF and RF exposure.

Identify research gaps and prioritize investigation of sleep, neurological and physiological effects, and potentially vulnerable populations.

Develop balanced ways to document and investigate reported symptoms without assuming or dismissing causation.

Evaluate practical ways to reduce unnecessary exposure in homes, schools, and communities, including wired alternatives where feasible.

Communicate clearly about established findings, conflicting evidence, and remaining uncertainties.

Ensure that investigating possible medical causes is not displaced by an approach focused solely on accessibility or functional impairment.

My purpose is to ensure that the experiences of people who report health concerns associated with wireless infrastructure are considered alongside the broader scientific evidence. I urge HHS to conduct a thorough, independent, and transparent assessment of potential health effects, identify research priorities, and recommend proportionate measures to protect public health while uncertainties remain.