Detractors of a proposal to replace outdated telecommunication equipment at a popular hiking destination in Yellowstone National Park claim the equipment would spoil the view. Yellowstone is proposing to install cellular antennas on 40-foot towers surrounding the Mt. Washburn Fire Lookout, says the Billings Gazette. However, some park officials, led by Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk, say the aesthetics of the lookout will be harmed in the process. Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, claimed the proposal would make the location “ugly squared.” Ruch stated only “a cloak of invisibility on the whole structure” could improve the situation.
Wyoming Historic Preservation Officer Mary Hopkins disagrees. She states the modern upgrade would benefit the structure already in place. “I don’t think it’s going to look any worse,” she said. “Our concern is the historic structure and the effect on that only — not whether there’s cell service.” Hopkins is working closely with the park to offset any visual impact the additional infrastructure will have on the site. Most of Yellowstone’s existing wireless infrastructure is decades old, and needs to be modernized. The park has made efforts to improve cell service in most of the developed areas of the park, despite disputes from parties wishing to do away with communication services altogether.
October 16, 2017
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