Thursday, April 09, 2015

Bethesda TV tower violating light pollution rules again


Crown Castle, yet again, is failing to properly maintain and operate the aircraft warning lights on its 850' telecommunications tower in the 5200 block of River Road in Bethesda. Readers are familiar with the ongoing saga, as every few months, at least one of the white flashing lights malfunctions and exceeds federal light pollution standards. Of course, in January, there was a new twist altogether, when the FAA had to alert pilots after the tower went entirely dark.

This time, the malfunctioning light is facing neighborhoods along Massachusetts Avenue and River Road at firework intensity. A Green Acres resident contacted me on March 31, after her children were kept up all night by the light flashing into their bedrooms. She contacted Crown Castle, the FAA, FCC, and Montgomery County Councilmember Roger Berliner's office.

Surely that should cover it, right?

Wrong. I scouted around from different spots Sunday evening and found the light is still malfunctioning. The resident of Green Acres confirmed last night that the light is still affecting her neighborhood.

I'm going to contact Crown Castle again myself. Something has to be done about this. If Crown Castle will not properly maintain its tower lighting under federal regulations, it should be fined. I think most nearby residents would be satisfied if Crown Castle would simply switch to the foolproof red lights that every other tower in the nearby skyline uses!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does Dyer still believe that Obama shut down Channel 20?

Robert Dyer said...

7:05: Channel 20 still exists. Not sure what you've been smoking.

Anonymous said...

Dyer said "the federal government shut down broadcast TV"

Channel 20 was "broadcast TV".

Obama was president at the time that "the federal government shut down broadcast TV".

Therefore, Dyer believes that Obama shut down Channel 20.

Anonymous said...

If only 7:24 had applied this brilliant logic when he believed pizza pass was going to operate without utensils, appliances or furniture.

Robert Dyer said...

7:24: They shut off the analog signal - not the channel. And it was put through by Bush, not Obama. Wrong again.

Anonymous said...

Robert Dyer is breaking more news this morning on Bethesda's retail, restaurant, crime and neighborhood beats.

Meanwhile anonymous is talking about the digital TV switchover from last decade. What's next, a discussion of Y2K computer issues?

Anonymous said...

7:34: 7:24 is like a baker (key word: "like"). He knows he has to bake that cake, but he is limited to whatever ingredients are actually on hand (key word: 'limited"). There is no flour, but baking soda is white and powdery, right? There is no granulated sugar, but salt looks just like it.

Just because he bakes without utensils (eww), appliances, or furniture, he assumes everyone does. Give him a break. This is a grown man that is probably still wondering why his pet rocks haven't had babies yet (though, of course, he will blame Robert Dyer for it.)

Anonymous said...

"Pet rock"? Dyer's shill isn't exactly a "coveted Millennial".

Robert Dyer said...

7:27: Says the pro-Barwood cab, anti-electronic cigarette County Council shill.