UPDATE An ongoing discussion about locating cell towers along the Upper Delaware River in New York and Pennsylvania has resulted in the establishment of a subcommittee. As the River Reporter notes, a shifting focus on safety has the UDC looking into communications options along the recreational waterway. The UDC is taking a hard look at the governing River Management Plan to see if a more flexible approach to cell towers could be permissible.
Laurie Ramie is the UDC executive director on the subcommittee who is working with the National Park Service to come up with a solution. The NPS faces similar dilemmas about safety versus natural beauty. “In many cases [in probably all cases] the municipalities already have some sort of zoning in their local codes to deal with this, so we may be a little late to the game in that regard,” said Ramie, “But we need something so that when projects come in, we can address it thoughtfully.”
“It’s going to be a working committee,” said Shohola Township representative, Aaron Robinson. “The subject matter is complex. It’s not as easy as just saying ‘Oh, we’ll allow cell towers.’” There’s the aesthetic aspect of it, there’s the technical aspect of it.”
A poll published by River Reporter is tracking the public reaction to a cell tower plan for the Upper Delaware. Currently, support is running 75 percent in favor of allowing the installation of a cell tower safety network. However, among the detractors are attorney Robert Berg and environmentalist daughter Zoe Berg, who have vowed to take legal action against cell tower development along the Upper Delaware.
Larry Richardson, a UDC representative, invited the Bergs to present an alternative to cell towers that would provide effective communications in that location. Although the source recorded the invitation, it did not indicate that any replies have yet been received from the Bergs.
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