The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) group filed a federal lawsuit with Grand Teton National Park for preventing the public from learning about tentative plans to install wireless network infrastructure, reported the Casper Star Tribune.
According to Jeff Ruch, PEER executive director, there’s been a pattern of national parks such as Yosemite and Great Smoky Mountains allowing new towers with little or no public notice. PEER obtained a document with the Grand Teton plans through the Freedom of Information Act.
“We’re not against cell towers per se,” Ruch said. “We want to make sure they don’t needlessly sacrifice park values such as serenity, soundscape, and viewsheds.”
However, Andrew White, a spokesman for Grand Teton National Park said the park sought public comment in the summer of 2017, at the outset of planning. According to a public notice, plans for improved cell service would positively impact emergency services, park administration, concessionaire operations, scientific research and public education.
Grand Teton is one of the busiest national parks in the country and cell coverage is unreliable due to outdated equipment. According to the document, Grand Teton plans to run over 50 miles of fiber-optic cable and build 80-foot cell phone towers on 11 locations in the preserve.
“If what fragmentary documents we have are correct, Grand Teton is on the verge of the biggest single addition of wireless equipment of any national park in the country,” Ruch said.
March 28, 2018
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