Last month you signed a petition supporting Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility's campaign to remove the illegal construction of a 100-foot cell phone tower that overlooks Old Faithful. Your action pressured the Park Service to start backpedaling --The Park Service has admitted that it has no idea what and how many telecom facilities are being built in the parks.

Now, NPS has announced that it will conduct a nation wide inventory to determine the number and location of existing wireless communication facilities throughout the national park system (see below).

Though the Old Faithful tower still stands, despite violating both historical preservation laws and public notice requirements, it remains at the core of the debate. How did this eyesore occur?

While inventorying parks is a good, though belated, first step, the Park Service is still evading the central question, which is whether and where these facilities are appropriate on national park lands. How is it that only one of the 397 units of the national park system (Golden Gate National Recreation Area) has a plan for siting cell phone towers and other telecom facilities?

PEER exposed this issue and will continue to fight to assure that the scenery and serenity of our national parks are not put at the mercy of telecom companies. But we can't do it alone, we need your help. Join PEER to get answers to these questions.

Sincerely,

Chas Offutt
Communication & Outreach Director


NPS Conducts Inventory Of Wireless Communication Facilities

Though visible from almost every part of the Old Faithful Historic District, the 100-foot cell phone tower, unshielded by trees and without camouflage, has gone unnoticed since 2001. Currently, telecommunications companies determine the location, size and number of towers in deals with individual parks.

This past March, PEER unmasked the cell tower overlooking Old Faithful and its violation of both historical preservation laws and public notice requirements. NPS responded without a clear indication of exactly how many towers existed.

However, just last week, NPS sent a memo to all park superintendents asking them to report where existing wireless communication facilities are located in national parks. Though this inventory is a commendable first step, the Park Service is still evading the central question, which is whether and where these facilities are appropriate on national park lands.

Read the memo to park superintendents calling for an inventory
http://peermail.c.topica.com/maaclXdaa7GoAa8rxQKcaeQBg1/


Park Service Wants To Know Where Cell Towers Are Located

The National Park Service is asking all its superintendents to report where existing wireless communication facilities are located in national parks, according to a memo released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

http://chiefchambers.c.topica.com/maacmrIaa7JubbnLpaCeaeQBg1/


U.S. Historic Preservation Agency To Investigate Old Faithful Cell Phone Tower

The National Park Service must explain why it allowed construction of a 100-foot cell phone tower over Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park in violation of both historical preservation laws and public notice requirements, according to a letter released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

http://chiefchambers.c.topica.com/maacmrIaa7JuSbnLpaCeaeQBg1/