ELF spokesman: Wash. cell toppled radio towers
"Due to the health and environmental risks associated with radio waves emitted from the towers, we applaud this act by the ELF," Jason Crawford, a spokesman for the North American ELF Press Office, said in a prepared statement.
The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation, and the Snohomish County Sheriff's office is assisting, officials said.
The family-owned radio station KRKO has been fighting opponents of an addition to its existing towers east of Everett.
"We went through an extensive permitting process to get this project going, and there was some opposition in the valley that we had to deal with," said KRKO General Manager Andy Skotdal. "The testimony at the hearings was often very bitter and negative."
The station transferred its radio transmission to a backup system when the towers went down about 3 a.m. and remains on the air.
A witness told police three people were seen running from the scene after the towers fell.
A large excavator was left tangled in the base of one of the destroyed towers, which was 350 feet tall, and the sign from ELF was on a fence nearby.
Since its formation in 1996, the ELF has become well-known for highly publicized destructive actions against corporate efforts that it views as harmful to the environment. ELF, by its own estimate, has inflicted some $150 million in damage.
General Manager Andy Skotdal says he's not sure if the ELF organization is to blame.
"Anybody can claim responsibility for anything," Skotdal said, adding that he doesn't really care who toppled the towers, calling it "vandalism, plain and simple."
Crawford confirmed Friday morning that the destruction was the work of the ELF.
He said there is evidence that AM radio waves cause adverse health affects including a higher rate of cancer, harm to wildlife, and that the signals have been interfering with home phone and intercom lines.
Last year, four towers were erected by KRKO after numerous hearings and appeals. KRKO plans to build two more towers to boost the station's broadcasting power.
Skotdal said destruction of the two towers would not prevent the station from going ahead with its plan to build the additional towers, and he expects to rebuild the two destroyed towers.
Crawford said ELF members felt this was unacceptable.
"We have to weigh our priorities and the local ecosystem in Everett, along with the local residents, do not need additional sports news radio station towers that come at the expense of reduced property values and harmful radio waves," Crawford said.
Skotdal said his company was working to offer a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
"We're going to work very hard with the sheriff's department to help find these people," Skotdal said.
