dontfall
Nov 16, 2004, 4:31 PM
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Registered: Mar 31, 2003
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The National Park Service is working with phone companies and a local task force to balance scenic beauty with technology.
Two phone companies have submitted applications to build cell towers in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless want to cover the 20-mile dead zone along Route 209 between Bushkill and Milford.
Public comment is invited on the proposals. There are no towers in the park now. The park service has 120 days to decide on the applications.
Six proposed sites are in New Jersey; two of those sites may be able to accommodate both phone companies.
One site is in Pennsylvania, just outside Milford.
"We're working with the park service to find locations that minimize the visual impact but maximize the efficient coverage area," said state Rep. Kelly Lewis, R-189, who started a local telecommunications task force to improve technology in the Poconos.
Lewis is confident the phone companies and park service can find common ground.
"There are a number of locations that are conducive to this," said Lewis, who views a tower as a potential revenue source for the park and a safety net for visitors.
"We're concerned about visitor safety if there is an emergency on the (Delaware) river. Right now there is no way to get emergency service in there through a phone call," he said.
The sites would use straight poles called monopoles ranging from 100 to 180 feet with the ability to extend to 199 feet. Phone companies would lease a 75- by 75-foot area surrounded by an eight-foot-high chain link fence containing a self-contained equipment shelter.
Recreation area Superintendent John Donahue expects lots of input on the issue.
"We believe there will be a lot of public interest on both sides of the issue," Donahue said at a meeting of the recreation area's Citizen Advisory Commission on Saturday.
Donahue sent letters about the applications to local officials and media.
"The most important thing we can do is let the public know what's going on and let them weigh in on it," he said. "For cell phones to work, you have to have cell towers. Is that something the public wants on public lands?"
An environmental study on the applications is underway.
The park service will publish a notice in the Federal Register when the study is done. The report will be available to the public for a 30-day comment period.
The Federal Register is the federal government's daily report for rules and notices.
The publication is available online at gpoaccess.gov/fr/
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area headquarters can be reached at (570) 588-2451.
For information on Lewis' telecommunications task force, call (570) 420-2948. The group will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at Monroe County Public Safety Center, Snydersville.
http://www.poconorecord.com/topstory/
Just a heads up to the climbers out there...should be interesting on what happens. I suppose not a major major impact as there reasons seem good to go but like I said, we will see what happens.
Chris
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