Designated as a national monument in 2016 by President Obama, Bears Ears National Monument has continued to attract public notice. The park boundaries have been adjusted and readjusted since then, but the twin buttes have long been revered by the region’s Native American tribes. As KSTU-TV reports, Utah’s decision to erect a 460-foot communications tower within park property has met with some controversy.
“It’s a public service and a public safety issue,” explained Michelle McConkie, Executive Director of Utah’s Trust Lands Administration. “You have emergency services and search and rescue in an area of the state where there is little-to-no cell phone coverage in a really vast area. They can’t communicate with each other.” She added that the excessive height was necessary to allow digital reach across vast open areas.
“I don’t see any plan to establish a tower, communication tower, on a church building anywhere,” responded Navajo Nation Spokesperson Willie Grayeyes. “Even though the land has been taken away from us, our psychological, education, teaching connection to the Bears Ears will never be taken away from us,” he noted. “It’s our worship area, gathering of food, herbal medicine, hunting area, prayer site.”
Grayeyes suggested that a cell tower would be more appropriate in another area of Blanding, UT. He pointed to a higher elevation overlooking an area where tourists are known to get lost.
“The tower is tall, but it is that way because there are technical reasons why it has to be that tall in order to get the signals out where they need to go,” said McConkie of the proposed Bears Ears site. “It’s going to take up as little of a footprint on the land as possible.” The proposal is currently under review by San Juan County, according to KSTU-TV. McConkie also said that monies generated by the tower will help fund public schools.
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