> In a later response, iRobot added that NRAO observatories usually are surrounded by desert or forests, not environments where residential lawn equipment is used—a claim the NRAO called “silly.”

I don't get what's silly about this. Astronomers are already well known for hating nearby human residences, because they give off visible light that makes it difficult to see the sky. Radio communications are the exact same thing at a different frequency.

But we've got a strong system going of "astronomers can suck it, and if they want to look at the sky without our light getting in the way they can live up on a remote mountaintop where nobody else ever goes". And that's what they do, because imagine if someone could build a telescope near your house and then get laws passed saying you were prohibited from using electric lighting... ever. We like being able to see at night. Maybe we also like having automatic lawn maintenance. Why should astronomers get to stop us?